19 I'm Not Worthy

The whole team of Aila went out for dinner; Reese introduced her to one of the staff that caught Glenda.

"You deserve to be able to talk to the princess as a staff, you earned this."

Reese pushed Roy near Aila. She was dumbfounded to see Roy as a part of her security team.

"President Roy? Since when were you part of this? Oh boy I am impressed with your stealthy methods, I did not have a clue at all."

Aila was really curious and itching to know.

"As soon as your family bought the school, the principal recruited me to make sure you are okay during classes and enjoying activities in school,"

Roy explained respectfully to Aila as if, it is just syncing into him that Aila is truly a princess.

"Please don't be too formal with me, and thank you for anticipating the witch's evil plan."

Aila smiled at Roy, he transformed into a talkative little kid excited to show his accomplishment.

"Do you remember the last time when Rachelle tried to sabotage you? I knew about it too, it was just that Vince was proactive enough to act first before your staff had intervened."

Aila was again surprised by the revelation.

"Is Vince part of this too?"

Roy coughed while he was laughing;

"No, he surely is not, he's just a love-struck man; he actually confessed to me about his feelings for you."

"Speaking of him, I don't think I saw him after the pageant," Aila asked Roy, who was close to Vince.

"I have no idea princess, he did not tell me, but I remember he hinted about wanting to give you a gift later."

Aila changed the topic; she did not want Vince to be exposed to other people.

"hmm okay, let's get back on enjoying this luscious meal."

Meanwhile, at the home of one of her steward;

"Good day sir, is Aila there?" Vince asked politely to Aila's father, well at least who he thought was Aila's father.

"She's not at home right now, but please come in."

"Thank you, sir, I'll just call her, and can you kindly hand my present for her."

Vince handed over the gift and quickly called Aila.

"Hello Aila, I'm here at your home. Are you out with your friends?"

"Hello Vince, yes I am having dinner with my team. I did not see you after the pageant; would you like to join us for a meal?"

"No, It's okay, I'm on my way home too; I was not able to go near you after the pageant, you were swarmed haha."

Aila felt sorry for Vince, he was a good friend why did she put him aside because of Ken?

"Okay, take care; I'll see you in school." Aila ended the call and went back to her team.

As soon as Aila went home, she went directly to her room and saw Vince's gift, it was delivered to her room from her steward's house. She sat on her bed and grabbed the present, she excitedly opened it.

The box had three things in it, a coffee mug with a heart drawings on it and a book with a card above it.

"This mug is cute" She smiled while looking at it.

She turned her attention to the book, she opened it and figured out that it is actually a book of poems; the book had a dedication for Vince, a gift on his fourteenth birthday.

"Why did Vince give this to me? Clearly, this is a gift for him."

Aila continued to browse the book and she saw a butterfly cutout bookmark on page 143. Aila assessed the page; it has a drawing of a hand holding a balloon with a message in the middle part of the page;

"This book is for Aila"

Aila could not believe the coincidences in this book; clearly, Vince took this as a sign about her. Vince is aware that Aila loves poetry and that she is very fond of butterflies, and that her name was on the book he received years before they met, just thinking about it sent her shivers.

Next, Aila read the card; it is a handwritten letter for her. There were obvious marks of Vince's tears on the card.

Donita,

I know you already know how much I adore you, as cliché as this may sound; I've loved you the first day I saw you looking cute in front of the school's bulletin board.

I am so lucky to be the one to get to sit beside you the whole school year. I must admit, it is the sweetest torture that I get to be with you every single day but at the same time see you get closer to another guy beside you.

I love you, I loved you from afar, and I will continue to love you even if it is vague, even if it's hopeless, even if it hurts.

Even if there is no space for a person like me in your heart, I will still wait until you notice me and grow space for me right there, heck even if you don't notice and give me space, I will still be loving you until my heart gives up.

I would like to apologize to you, the last time I got carried away when you reported about love. You are right about unconditional love; it is loving with no expectations of love in return... So I am here, to love you, even if I only get to love you from afar.

Vince

Aila was touched by Vince's letter,

"How could I deserve this kind of love? Sorry Vince, I am unworthy I can't repay your love?"

This is the first time Aila felt a love so sincere it breaks her heart that she doesn't feel the same way,

"If only I could teach my heart to choose to love you, I would do that in a heartbeat."

Aila sent Vince a text message; "thank you, and I am sorry, I am unworthy of your love." Aila made sure that she will not give Vince any more false hopes.