THE STORY OF FRIENDSHIP

"Thank you for helping me, Celestina" I quickly averted my eyes in Lianno's direction.

I saw him, looking at me intently. He is standing formally while leaning against his brown oak bedroom cabinets. He is standing in their straight arms are crossed with each other.

"No problem" I answered back. I smiled at him, showing my pearly white teeth.

I left the room with my flushed cheeks. That is my first time hearing that from him. He's not someone I know who will usually say that easily. So that actually shocks me a lot.

"How have you been?" Isabela welcomed me with so many questions that I couldn't follow it thoroughly. Question after question that is all I hear.

I lazily lay in my bed because of tiredness. Me and Lianno finished arranging all the flowers and placing them in the vase. He had over 10 vases in his room because it is so enormous. He even has his own bathroom and walk-in-closet that is so much bigger than my room in my parent's house.

"Tiring" I answered to her last remaining question. I closed my eyes and placed my right hand on my forehead. I'm sleepy, that's all I can think of right now. My eyes are starting to close from too much tiredness that I felt after arranging to many flowers.

I even have to ask Jea and Isabela earlier to get us some more flowers because we didn't expect that Lianno had so many vases in his own room.

"You should sleep first, Celestina. I will wake you up once it's dinner time." I opened my eyes and looked at Isabela. She is sitting at the end of my bed, looking worriedly at me.

"Thank you, " I sincerely said to her.

I ask for some spare clothes for her before she can finally leave the room. I'm too worn out to get clothes in my wardrobe. I even change clothes while my eyes are closed. No one is in here, so that is safe for me to do. And I also can hear it when someone opens the door.

I slept after changing my clothes. Woken up by Jea when it's already dinner time.

"Celestina, do you know that Jea has a crush on Lianno's butler" Isabela whispered in my ears as we go tease Jea. I smirked and looked at Jea who is currently dumbfounded at what I and Isabela are talking about.

"Yes?" She asked the two of us after drinking.

"Jacob" I uttered while smirking.

Her eyes widened after I say it. My smirk widened when I saw her reaction. It's obvious that she has a crush on that guy.

"How did you know?!" She shouted at us. We evilly laughed when Jea started to bombard us with so many questions.

"It's a secret, Jea," Isabela said teasingly at her.

Jea's brows are now furrowed. Her lips are pouted as well and she looks at us sadly.

"How?" I asked her curiously.

She looked at me, confusion is written in her face. I raised my brows at her, that's when she understands what I'm talking about. I saw her blushed after understanding it. She covered her face and look away from us.

She's too obvious! I bet Jacob somehow knows it too. I wonder how did she have feelings for him, or are they even close to each other? Jea cleared her throat before finally speaking.

"Jacob and I are childhood friends," Jea said shyly at us.

My mouth hanging wide open, unable to speak out words because of too much shockingness. They are what?!

"WHAT?!" I saw them both, got flustered by my shout.

I peace signed them and smile apologetically. I guess I shouted too loud.

"Tell us the story!" I pleaded to her. I'm excited to know how they met. Danica doesn't do crushes and I'm too busy to have one so this is something new to me. It's been years since I had a crush, I don't even know now the feel of it.

Jea deeply sighed before telling us her story

"It started when…"

-/-

"Father, why are we here in the palace?" A young female girl is asking about her dad. They've been here since she was born. Her father is one of the guards while her mother is part of the server.

"This is our duty, darling" Her dad answered her. She doesn't understand. Why should they serve another family? They have a family on their own.

"You will know once you grew up, Jea" Her father followed his words.

She nodded at her dad's words. Minutes later, her father left for duty. Her mother is nowhere to be seen in the room.

She feels sad, It's not the first time that she's left alone, this is her routine every day. She couldn't go out as well. She doesn't have friends here.

Because she is feeling so lonely, she disobeyed her mother's will, to not go out of their room when no one is accompanying her.

She goes to the garden, this is her favorite place. The flowers in here keep her warm, every time she goes here, she doesn't feel lonely. She sits in the swing and played it with herself. Until she heard a man's cry not so far away on where she is seated.

"Are you ok?" She asked the man. The guy's face is filled with tears as he looks upon her. A wound can be seen in the man's knee as he stands up.

"What is your name?" She asked the guy minutes after he stopped crying.

"Jacob" The guy smiled at her, then asked the same question.

"My name is Jea" She smiled. They have become friends since then.

-/-

I smiled at Jea's story, It's so sweet for me. Jea is smiling ears to ears while telling her story. I know that she treasures those moments with Jacob, as her eyes show it.

"You should sleep now, Celestina. It's getting late already," Isabela informed her.

I smile and nodded at her. They cleaned up all the dishes they've used earlier. They couldn't do it earlier because we are focused on Jea's story.

"Celestina, I just want to inform you that the royal family will arrive tomorrow morning" Isabela's words deeply shocked me.

"WHAT?!" I shouted so loud.