The Royalties

Dei knows that Richard got very bothered with the news about Dwayne. He is the sole witness of how much she fell in love with Dwayne. Richard was never been comfortable with Dwayne's presence since their college days. There was even an instance that it almost broke their friendship.

*** Blast from the past again ***

Richard was at the rooftop sitting alone on the floor. His was so upset because Dei was 3 hours late in her supposed meeting with him at the rooftop. He just received a message from a friend that Dei went out for a snack with Dwayne Rivera the campus champion swimmer and her calculus classmate.

He knows how Dei was smitten with that 5'10" inches mestizo guy like him though Dwayne is more on the Chinese looking guy and really do well in class. She has been seeing that guy for quite sometime now. There were also times that Dwayne brings her home which Richard usually does.

Yes, the guy was pursuing her, and he already did all the best he can to keep her away from him but since Dei and Dwayne were in the same course, more often than not this two would definitely bump with each other.

He was reading his business management book when Dei arrived at the rooftop.

"I thought you already left." She said. "How long have you been here?" She asked and sat beside him.

"I have been here for more than three hours already." He coldly replied.

"I asked Mike to tell you that I could not come one time." Dei said. "Didn't he tell you?"

"He did, he said you'll just have some snack. I never thought that it would take you three hours to have that snack." He coldly replied again.

"Are you mad?" Dei asked.

"Why would I? Since you are here now, here is your drawing plate. I finished it while waiting for you. All you have to do is to submit it." He replied and grabs his stuff and leaves.

"Wait, don't leave me alone here, I'm sorry please ... best friend." Dei said.

"It's alright, but I need to go now. I don't want to get stuck in traffic." Richard said.

"Thank you for making this for me. I'll make it up to you, I promise." Dei said

"Do not say promises that you can no longer keep," are Richard's last word before he leaves Dei alone at the rooftop. Dei knows that Richard was disappointed in her because she was the one who set for their meeting at the rooftop to finish her take home drawing plate. They agreed to work on the drawing plate in a 50/50 way. Richard will start working on it just to lay down the pattern and Dei should be the one the finish it. Then she will treat him with burger and squid balls at the canteen.

In her hands is the finish product which he works on maybe for three hours but the things is, he hasn't had his lunch and it is already four in the afternoon. Like hers, Richard's class ends at 2:00 pm every Tuesday and Thursday. And during those days, they often took heavy snack at ten in the morning to be able to survive until their classes end. Realizing it, Dei immediately runs to follow Richard. She was able to reach him at the second floor. "Richard, wait please." Dei shouted.

"Why, is there anything else that you need?" He coldly asked.

"Have you had your lunch?" She asked in reply.

"I'll just have it when I get home." He replied.

"No." Dei firmly said and grabs his hand and leads him to the canteen.

"I will not allow you to go home without taking at least a snack. Stop the stubbornness, Richard Reyes, Jr. And another word from you, I will never talk you again." Dei declared.

Richard was left no choice but to give in not because he really is hungry. He knows every time she calls him by his full name, she is serious on her words. And of course, he does not want her not to speak with him anymore. This girl really knows how to handle him when he is upset. When they reach the canteen, Dei ordered for them the food they usually have.

"Here, eat this." Dei said and put on the table the tray with burgers and fries plus two orders of squid balls and winter melon drink.

"This is too much." Richard protested. "I did not buy this for you alone, just like the usual we are sharing these foods." Dei said.

"I thought you already had some snack? You are together for three hours, and he makes you starve? I don't think that's a good sign?" Richard said in between munching.

"Of course I should be prim and proper in front of Dwayne. I could not eat as much as how I eat when I'm with you." Dei explained.

"Pretentious, you have to show him your true self, Dei." Richard said, "It is not good if you will always be scared that he'll be turn off every time he sees your bad side, you haven't even introduced him to me."

"One of these days, I will introduce you to him. Though I think, he knows you are my best friend. What we need is to formally introduce you to him. Do you know he likes me?" Dei said.

"I did not know that?" Richard sarcastically replied.

"He told me earlier. He asked me if it is okay with me to be his girlfriend." She added.

Richard was unable to swallow the burger he was eating. He never expected Dwayne's confession would be this early.

"What was your reply?" He asked.

"Ok." Dei replied. Richard's eyes widen and he was left dumbfounded "Therefore you have to congratulate me. I am officially Dwayne's girlfriend." Dei said bragging.

"That fast? You did not even give him a hard time pursuing you?" Richard asked.

"That isn't necessary. You very well know that Dwayne Rivera is my crush for a long time and I will not let this chance slip from my hand." She replied.

"Don't you think you should at least think about it? You made it so easy for him. You should first find out if he is serious going on a relationship with you." Richard explained, but Dei took it differently. "So you think I'm an easy girl, and unlikable?" Dei exclaimed.

"I did not say that. I said you made it easy for him." Richard said to explain but Dei quickly said. "Just the same Richard, you think I'm an easy girl. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you disappoint me, too. I thought you are my friend and you'll be happy for me."

"Nicomaine Dei, that's not what I mean. Don't you understand?" Richard said, trying so hard to calm down but seems Dei was too offended to understand.

"I get it, Richard. You think I am so eager to get into a relationship. But I hope you realize that I really like Dwayne. When he told me that he likes me, I was so happy. At least give that happiness to me. I never thought that of all people, Richard, you were the one who do not understand I am happy because finally someone likes me. Don't you think I deserve to be liked, too?" Dei said then left.

Dei never spoke with Richard since then. He tried too many times to reach out to her but he was being ignored. Dei and Dwayne had become the campus item after they revealed their togetherness. Richard was able to hear both good and bad comments about the relationship but he just remained watching Dei at the side.

"I just hope Dwayne seriously likes you Dei ..... more than I do." Richard keeps telling himself.