Necklace
Bakit ganon? Sa tuwing natatagpuan ko ang sariling umiiyak o nalulungkot, lagi siyang naroon? Sa tuwing nagtatago ako, palagi niya akong nahahanap. He always finds me whenever I'm hiding.I bit my lips hard that I think it bleeds. Worry and uneasiness is visible on his face. Sandali kong ibinaba ang hawak kong Koto, at tumayo nang bahagya.Kinain ng malalaking hakbang ni Anzo ang aming distansya. Agad niyang hinila ang aking braso at iniyakap sa kanyang mga bisig. Yakap ng isang taong takot na takot na mawala ako. Para siyang bulkang sasabog sa tuwing nawawala ako sa paningin niya. Siya na mismo ang gagawa ng paraan para hanapin ako. And here he is, hugging me tightly na para bang anytime... mawawala ako. He hugged me with love and care kaya mas lalo akong naging emosyunal."It's okay. I'm here now," he whispered while giving me small kisses above my ear.Hindi ko alam kung paano ako nagagawang patahanin ni Anzo sa tuwing umiiReachNang makababa sa sasakyan ni Anzo, agad niyang hinawakan ang kamay ko. I want to protest pero naisip ko, para saan pa? Didn't I told myself that I will not be scared? That I will hold on to his hands tight?"Smile, baby," he whispered.I nodded my head and smiled back. Hinigpitan ko pa lalo ang hawak sa kamay niya. He glanced at our clasp hands and suppressed a smile. Habang naglalakad, panay ang tingin sa amin ng mga estudyante. Anzo is very famous kaya't hindi na ako nagtaka pa. What will happen to me if his fans find out that he's now courting me? Will they bully me? Hurt me? "Sila ba? Hala! Siya ba 'yong nasa post ng Anzonatics?""No way!"Naaasiwa ako sa bulong bulungan na naririnig ko. Sanay naman ako, pero kapag kasama na si Anzo? Ibang usapan na. I wonder what other people are thinking now. Sa parking space pa lang, rinig na rinig na ang napakalakas na tugtugin. Sa tingin ko nga'y nag-umpisa na
ZitherFlashbackNoong mga panahong wala pa akong kamalay malay sa mundo, naging kuryoso ako sa lahat ng nakikita. I get easily amazed while watching people who were playing and singing on TV. That being said, I come to like playing instrument."Papa!" the five years old me shouted.Agad akong tumalon sa kanyang bisig kaya't natumba kami sa malawak na hardin ng aming bahay rito sa Sta. Prexedes. It was simple yet elegant house, medyo malayo sa Sotello Mansion.Panay ang halakhak ni papa dahil sa biglaan kong paglundag. Sa mura kong edad, masigla at wala pa akong alam sa nangyayari sa paligid ko. At the age of five years old, malaya kong nagagawa ang kahit na ano'ng gusto ko. Si Kuya Jin naman ay eight years old, and a grade-3 pupil."You already missed me that much, sweetheart? Dalawang oras pa lang simula nang umalis ako," he laughed at hindi gumalaw sa kanyang pagkakahiga sa damo, surrendering on my bold movement."Yes
FreedI missed my parents. I missed my family. I missed their touch, love, and care. I'm longing for it everyday.As I start strumming, all eyes are on me, the spotlight is on me. Nasisiguro ko rin na kitang kita ako ng napakaraming tao dahil sa LCD projectors na nasa aking magkabilang gilid. Para kong naririnig ang boses ni Papa na siyang kumakanta ng Can't Help Falling In Love. Every night, kakantahan niya ako at si Mama, like he's showing how he can't help falling in love with the both of us. Wise men sayOnly fools rush inBut I can't help falling in love with youShall I stay?Would it be a sinIf I can't help falling in love with you?This song is very special dahil marami akong masasayang alaala kasama sina mama, papa, at Kuya Jin. For some people, maybe they'll think this is just a simple song, but for me, it is not. And yes, my Papa is so much in love with Mama. How he looked at her with so much admiration, how he looked at her with love, I wish I have someone like Ryu Ale
Death Threats"Here, drink this."Maagap akong inabutan ni Anzo ng isang basong tubig. Malugod ko iyong tinanggap at dahan dahang sinimsim. Mula nang makauwi sa bahay, hindi man lang inalis ni Anzo ang kaniyang tingin sa akin. Minsa'y naaasiwa ako kaya't agad ring iiwas ng tingin.There is something in his stare. Para bang kapag tinitigan niya ako, makakakuha agad siya ng sagot. Like he's scanning my deepest thoughts."Hindi ka na ba babalik sa school?" agaran kong tanong sa kanya."No."Natahimik ako at nanuyo ang aking lalamunan. He saw me rage earlier kaya siguro ayaw niya akong iwanan. Napatingin ako sa orasan and it was already nine o'clock in the evening. And... it's still my birthday."I'll order our food, Arielle. Let's celebrate your birthday."Hindi niya na ko inantay pang makasagot, bagkus agad siyang tumayo at may dinial sa kaniyang cellphone. Napagdesisyunan ko na ring tumungo sa itaas upang makapagbihis. On the hallway, nadaanan ko ang kwartong may nakalagay na "Please
LetterMy tears started to fall. I was sobbing real hard kaya lumapit na ang mga kaklase kong kadarating lang. I don't know what to think anymore. Tell me that this is just a dream please. Tell me na hindi 'to totoo. Not my Aunt Felice. Not her.Mabilis pa sa alas-kuatro kong hinagilap ang aking mga gamit nang hindi binibitawan ang mga litrato. Tumakbo ako palabas not minding if my classmates are calling me. I immediately dialed Anzo's number. "P-please, sagutin mo. Please," I prayed. I sighed in relief when he answered after the second ring."You already missed me, baby?" he chuckled."A-anzo... A-asan ka?" I sobbed."Are you crying?" nakitaan ko ng panic ang boses niya. " Tell me, where are you? Where the hell are you?!""P-palabas ako ng buildi-"Hindi ko na natuloy pa ang sasabihin ko dahil agad niya nang pinatay ang tawag. Sinusundan ako ng tingin ng mga estudyanteng nakakasalubong ko. Maybe they find me weird, crying at the hallway. Napahinto ako sa paglalakad nang makita
Break UpI started to panic.My mind is full of questions. Who is this man beside me? Bakit wala akong maalala?My breath hitched as I looked under my blanket. I sighed in relief nang makitang may damit pa 'ko. Pero ang ginhawang naramdaman ko ay agad ring napawi nang makaramdam ng kirot sa aking ibabang parte. The proof that I'm not a virgin anymore. I can't even move because I'm sore down there. Tears rolled down my cheeks dahil ayaw tanggapin ng sistema ko ang nangyayari ngayon. What the hell happened? Please, someone tell me!I sobbed real hard. Gulong gulo na ko. I don't know what to think anymore. Ang bagay na pinakaiingatan ko ng husto, bigla na lang nawala. What will Anzo think of me now?My eyes widened when I remembered him. New set of tears started to fall as I nervously grabbed my cellphone. My hands are trembling but I managed to get it inside my bag.I was horrified when I saw 123 missed calls and 65 texts, some are from Francine, Paige and unregistered numbers, but mos
Lost BrotherAfter what happened, I cried my heart all night. I was heart broken, and felt betrayed. Anzo chose to believe in lies. He didn't trust me at all. Sobrang sakit lang dahil nagawa niyang magconclude. He thinks I slept with another man, and worst he thought something happened between us. Paige betrayed me. Naguguluhan ako dahil bakit niya nagawa sa akin 'yon. Ni minsan, hindi ako nagpakita ng kasamaan sa kanya. I thought I knew her, but I guess I'm damn wrong.I kept thinking, why does everyone leave me? The trust I showed them, is it not enough? Ganon ba kababaw ang tingin nila sa akin?My head is throbbing dahil na rin siguro sa pag-iyak. I don't have even appetite to eat. Hindi ko alam kung papaano ko nakumbinsi ang sariling bumangon at pamasok sa school kinabukasan.I thought it was just a normal day, pero mali nanaman ako. I was used on how people talk on my back, and hearing them whispering? It's not a big deal anymore to me. But I didn't think na mabilis na kakalat
EscapeNagising ako sa isang hindi pamilyar na kwarto. Hindi muna ako bumangon at pansamantalang inalala ang huling nangyari. Then, what happened yesterday became clearer to me. My kuya who hugged me tightly yesterday, how he apologized and how I slept in his arms. Because of those memories, my eyes widened and immediately went up. Mabilis na tumibok ang puso ko habang sinusuyod ang buong kwarto. There's no sign of him, there's no sign of my kuya. Was that a dream? Panaginip lang ba ang nangyari kahapon?Nabuhayan ako ng loob nang makarinig ng ingay sa ibaba. I'm certain it was Harper's voice. I even heard Oleos' curses. Sa hagdan pa lang ng bahay, tanaw na tanaw ko ang likod ni Kuya. He is in his thin white t-shirt and khaki pants with arms both crossed. "Arielle!" Hindi ko pinansin ang pagtawag na 'yon dahil ang atensyon ko'y na kay Kuya. I feel like crying again. I thought he left me. Ang pag-iisip na iniwan niya nanaman ako, para akong binabasag. Mabilis akong nagtungo sa kan