Kissing The Wind

She blew a breathe and shook her head, trying to erase the heaviness in her chest.

The sun had set on the west and darkness slowly engulfed the sorrounding. The driver invited her to the car, and although she was skeptical, she still followed along. It felt surreal yet she had no choice.

IT WAS noon when Anthony opened his eyes. There was a faint noises in the neighborhood and the wind was blowing in and out of the window. He sat up and looked at the clock on the bedside table. Then he got up and took a bath.

When he walked out of his room, the landline rang. He went back to his room to answer the call.

“Anthony, come back home. His Royal Highess wants you and your dad’s presence in the banquet.”

There was a pause between him and his mother. Then he sighed. “I’ll go.” His voice was hoarse.

“What? Are you still asleep?”

“Nay.” He looked on the window.

He heard his mother sighed on the other line. “Your time is up. You should resign in that academy. Now that the king wants you to attend, he will eventually arrange a marriage for you. Your father once told you that he will leave Consolacion to accompany His Highess in another country for the preparation of the princess’ wedding. He will pass on you the responsibility.”

Anthony’s forehead knitted on what he heard. He had prepared himself for this time but he could not grasp the feeling of being an official duke. He still wants to accompany someone.

“Anthony, are you listening?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright. Be here before dinner. Lady Geneva will visit tonight.”

He lowered his gaze and said his affirmation before he put the telephone back. Then he walked out of his room and down to the first floor. He went to the kitchen, only to see a note with those covered dishes.

Anthony roamed his gaze around the house. It was unually quiet. Was Sydnee still sleeping?

When he looked at the wall clock, it was already twelve noon. She had overslept, hadn’t she?

Then he reached for the note and read it. His brows knitted and he put the note back on the table. He stood there for a few minutes, deep in his thoughts. Sydnee had left and she might be in her home.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Anthony sighed.

His eyes swept over the covered food containers that Sydnee prepared for him. A smile made its way to his lips and he sat to eat.

After eating, he got ready and drove to the academy. The faculty office was open everyday except for Sunday. Now that Sydnee took the initiative to leave, he had no reason to stay in that town anymore. When Sydnee confessed that she like him, he had thought that he should quit the job immediately. He did not want to ruin Sydnee’s future, even though he have feelings for that girl.

It was a forbidden love afterall.

“Anthony?” A voice called from behind. He looked over his shoulder and saw one of the faculty teachers. The woman smiled at him. “It’s a first time to see you here during weekends.”

He turned around to look at her. “I have some errands in the principal office.” He looked on the handful folders lying on the woman’s arms. “You have a lot of workloads.”

The woman laughed and walked to his side. “As usual.”

They walked side by side on the hallway and just parted ways when they reached the faculty office. The woman walked inside while Anthony kept walking until he reached the Principal’s office.

He knocked on the door before opening it and took a step inside. A well ventilated room greeted him. The wooden and well polished table was in the middle, and the principal was sitting behind it.

When the woman saw him, she smiled. “It’s surprising to see you here.”

Anthony had a faint smile lingering on his lips as he sat on the visitor’s lair across the principal’s table. He then crossed his arms against his chest. “I’m here to submit my resignation letter.”

The woman blinked in surprise. “So soon?”

“I’ll go back to manage the estate,” he sighed. “I might not be back in the couple of years so I need to resign.”

In the whole academy, only Isa, Sydnee, and the woman behind the desk knew that he was the esteemed duke regent of Consolacion who was recently rumored to be hiding in another state because of a heartbreak. Well, those rumors were spread by him in order to divert the attention of his father who was constantly nagging at him.

But at present, he might really need to go back.

The woman laughed. “I see.” She cleared her throat. “Okay. Just submit your resignation letter and you’re free to go.”

Anthony shrugged his shoulders and then stood. He walked closer to the table and put an envelop on the top before nodding to the woman and turned around to leave the door.

The woman watched as Anthony walked out of her office. A glint passed in her eyes before she picked the envelop and read the note inside of it. Her brow raised when she read a sentence on the bottom.

‘Sydnee Lurica. Look after her.’

The woman squinted her eyes while looking at the name printed on the paper. Is that the girl whom Rogie Camero asked her to take care of?

‘Huh, interesting’ she thought and kept the resignation letter. She might visit the girl soon and see what made her caught the interest of two big fishes.

…

After Anthony left the academy, he drove straight out of the town and into the business center of Consolacion. He brought gifts for his mother and for Lady Geneva. He was not sure if Duke Theodore would visit too, but in the past, the duke stayed on their estate.

Then, he drove to their mansion. But he was surprise to see his father standing on the entrance of the mansion and he seemed waiting for him. Anthony knitted his brows. He was not expecting him to appear before his eyes. He thought his father was busy handling state affairs.

“You took so long to come back, huh?” his father said, grinning from ear to ear.

Anthony shook his head. “Why are you here, dad? The king’s banquet will be held tomorrow.”

“I’ll come back tonight after dinner. I heard that Lady Geneva will visit tonight with her daughter.”

He paused for a moment before he continued. “What are you planning this time, Dad?”

“Plan?” His father laughed and waved his hand while shaking his head from side to side. “Oh no, no. I just want you to meet her daughter. I heard that she’s pretty and you might be interested in her.”

“Save it, dad.”

His father followed him to the living room where his mother was busy instructing the maids. A smile made its way to his mother’s lips when she saw him.

“Anthony!” his mother exclaimed and walked hastily towards him. She noticed the odd expression in her son’s face and when she saw her husband following her son, she knew what’s the reason. “Ahya, hon, what did you say to Anthony?”

“Nothing.” Her husband shook his head helplessly. “You need to persuade him to get a wife. He’s not young anymore yet he does not want to marry, even get a girlfried of his.”

His mother clicked her tongue. “Don’t push him too hard.” His mother faced him and smiled. “It’s almost three in the afternoon. You might want to rest for awhile. I’ll ask someone to notify you when dinner is ready.”

He smiled to his mother and he gave her the gift he bought before nodding and climbing the stairs.

He heard his dad complaining on how unruly his son was in not buying him a gift. Anthony shook his head. His father didn’t need a gift. He knew what his father wants and he was not ready to get married and have a child, because he was waiting for someone.

Now that he’s back to his true identity, he wondered how many years he would spent waiting for her. He wanted to take care of her but he also knew that she needed to grow on her own.