Novels by Erika Pascual

"Anyway," I said, closing my planner like it could protect me from my own feelings. "Crush ko lang naman siya. Hindi naman ako desperada."No one asked. Pero kailangan kong sabihin para kumbinsihin ang sarili kong hindi ako ilusyonada.Tahimik.Alam mo 'yung tahimik na hindi lang tahimik kundi judgmental?"Lokohin mo yang kipay mo, te," sabi ni Bambi, sabay irap habang sinisipsip 'yung last layer ng yelo sa milk tea niya. Sumuko na siguro to sa pagpapaalala saakin.Lana sipped her frappe. "Speaking of crush, may band tryouts daw mamaya. As in, Thorne's band is looking for a new sub-vocalist."I looked up. "Huh? Akala ko siya lang yung vocalist?""He is," She said. "Pero parang may bagong segment sa band nila. New concept. Open call."Updated ang loka since kapatid niya si Hana isa sa mga members ng banda ni Thorne. Bale nagsisimula pa lang talaga silang buuin 'yung buong lineup nila since apat sila originally; Hana, Debris, Steven and Thorne. Chaos Band ang name ng banda nila pero the

Last week, sumama ako kay Mama. Labandera duties, as usual. Isa sa mga suki niya: the Silvas. AKA, yung mansion sa dulo ng kalye namin na may sariling mini fountain at aso na naka-aircon. Yes, that Silva family. Yung bahay sa dulo ng street na may gate na mas sosyal pa sa SM Aura.Ang routine: akyat bahay, kuha labada, baba. Walang echos. Walang abala. Home Service ito since may Laundry Shop kami pero mas malaki pa laundry area ng Silva kaysa saamin. x3 sa laki.Pero hindi 'yon ang nangyari.One sunny afternoon, sumama ako kay Mama to help carry the laundry and that was my biggest mistake."Liora, wait ka muna dito ha," Mama said as she disappeared inside to talk to the caretaker. So I stayed sa likod-bahay, tahimik lang, hawak-hawak 'yung laundry basket. Minding my own teenage business.And then...Oh. My. God.There he was.Thorne Lucien Silva.Completely. Utterly. Absolutely.NAKAHUBAD.Not shirtless. Not "oops, my towel fell" levels.As in WALANG SAPLOT. Z-E-R-O.Naliligo sa garde

"Pwede ba kitang halikan?" tanong niya, habang unti-unting lumalapit ang mukha niya.I nodded.He lean closer.Hinawakan niya 'yung mukha ko, dahan-dahan. Parang slow motion. Parang teleserye na pang-final week ang peg.Topless siya. May butil pa ng pawis sa collarbone. Amoy mayaman.Amoy masarap—Ay hindi! Masarap talaga siya!Closer.0.3 cm na lang. I could literally taste the kilig. As in maaamoy ko na shampoo niya....ayan na ayan na—And then—POK.Tinamaan ako ng straw wrapper sa noo."Bakla. Nakikinig kaba? Ikaw raw yung tutor na in-endorse ni Prof. Castro para sa mga bumagsak sa Calculus." Reality hits harder...Nasa milk tea shop pala kami. At si Thorne? Wala, imagination lang yung scene. Hindi nya nga ata alam na tao ako.Delulu is the only solulu."Ah, ano yun?" tanong ko sa kaniya na para bang hindi ko narinig ang sinasabi niya dahil sa pag daydream ko kay Thorne."Baks, are you even listening? Okay pa ba utak natin? Blink twice if you need help." pag-aalala ni Bambi kunwa

I stood, smoothed the fabric of my dress, and walked toward the set. Thorne was already there, waiting under the warm wash of the key lights. The scene was styled like a cozy café — warm wooden tables, fairy lights overhead. Perfect for the ad's concept. Too perfect."Closer," the photographer said. "You're supposed to be lovers here."My jaw tightened. I stepped forward, and his cologne reached me first... fresh cedar with a faint trace of something warm, something I remembered without wanting to.His hand found my waist. My body stiffened, but the camera didn't care. His touch was light, practiced... almost tender."Eyes on each other," the photographer called.I lifted my gaze. He was already looking at me and not with the detached professionalism I expected. His eyes softened, a faint smile ghosting his lips, like he was remembering something I'd worked so hard to forget.Click.The next pose had him leaning in, close enough for his breath to brush my cheek. I tilted my head sligh

The room fell silent the moment I stepped in.Camera lights flickered. Stylists paused mid-conversation. Someone dropped a brush. I didn't look up. I just kept walking, my heels clicking against the studio floor like nothing could touch me. I could feel their eyes tracing every inch of me, like they couldn't decide if they were impressed or intimidated. I didn't give them the satisfaction of reacting. I lifted my chin higher, smoothed down my blazer with one graceful movement, and walked through the crowd as if their thoughts didn't exist."Is that Liora Cortez?""She looks different. Mas fierce siya ngayon.""She's the new brand face, ba?""Akala ko ba may scandal siya dati?" I kept walking, my face calm and unreadable, with no hint of anger, no trace of pride only quiet strength and unshaken grace. They don't know me anymore. At ang totoo? Baka hindi naman talaga nila ako nakilala kahit kailan.Seven years ago, they pointed fingers at me. Made me a villain in someone else's traged