BREETHIRTY minutes and five glasses of punch later, I'm running outside the parking lot with my purse in my left hand and cellphone in my right. Mabilis ang tahip ng dibdib ko sa pinaghalong adrenaline at inis.He's in his office. Maybe, in his basement. August will hand you the RFID. You don't hear it from me. Good luck.- T.DMensahe 'yon mula kay Trace. So Lev's in his lair, hiding from me. Why?You know why.Natigilan ako. Mukhang nag-materialize na ang kinatatakutan ko. Nalaman na ni Lev ang pangdo-double cross sa kanya ng ama ko. Knowing him, he'll think this as betrayal on my part."No."Nanginig ang kalamnan ko. Habol ang hiningang itinaas ko ang kamay upang parahin ang taxi. I ignored Theo and Indi, who were hot on my wake. Nilunod ng sumarang pinto ng taxi ang nag-aalalang boses ng dalawa. I need to see him and explain my side. He'll listen to me. Kesehodang manikluhod ako sa harapan niya, gagawin ko. Habang nasa biyahe, ilang senaryo na ang naglalaro sa utak ko. My knees bo
BREE"That's the whole fucking plan, Bree. Hurt the rest of your family. Get even. Your hell, my heaven, right? Pero mapagbiro ang putang inang tadhana. Dumating ka. You are the very definition of fucking off-limits! Pero dahil gago ako, baliw, I ignored it. I dive head-on, Bree. Into you. Fuck consequences. But this– I don't sign up for this." Bawat bitaw n'ya ng mga salita'y puno ng poot at pait.I can't stand it anymore. Tuluyan na akong humagulgol. I am helpless and at his mercy. My heart broke not just for me but for him also. I'm shaking like a leaf when I looked at him."I c-can explain. W-wala akong alam sa plano ng papa ko. I swear. Maniwala ka. . . Please." Lumuluhang samo ko. Lihim akong nagdarasal na sana'y hindi pa huli ang lahat.Na sana, abot-kamay ko pa rin ang Lev na minahal at hinayaan akong haplusin siya't mahalin.Dumaan ang confusion sa mga mata ni Lev pero dagli ring nawala iyon. It's back to its icy state."Stop lying to me. Pare-pareho lang kayo. Ikaw. Ang mga
BREEWE collect scars. Battle scars. Sa dami ng nakolekta ko I think I can make a mosaic from it. It's made up of different mistakes but dominated by two colors– black and white. Never gray. Specifically not red. But after tonight, I know that it's a lie. I was just too blind to see the crimson dripping from every corner of the canvas that is my life.Buong buhay ko, pinaniwala ko ang sariling hindi ako kailanman maabot ng kasalan ng pamilya ko. That me being the only girl in the family and my zero knowledge with their dealings made me somehow an innocent onlooker. There's a rule to every exemption, right? Akala ko ako 'yon. Nakalimutan kong hindi nga pala iyon applicable sa mundo namin.Kasalanan ng ama, kasalanan ng lahat. That's how our world operates.Unlucky for me, I'm the one reaping the seeds of their sins. Ang hirap lang dahil sobrang laki ng sinigil sa akin. Buhay, pangarap at puso ko. Sinong dapat kong sisihin ngayon?Ang ama dahil sa kapalaulaang ginawa niya? Ang sarili ko
BREEKAHIT saan ko ibaling ang paningin kadiliman ang nakikita ko. The starless sky. The pitch black sea and my bleak future.My world was now wrapped with thick black clouds. An abyss and endless darkness I wouldn't be able to escape cause I am part of it.They made me part of it.I'm filthy and destroyed.They did this to me.And I'm getting back the rein now. I will dictate how this will end.At isa lang ang nakikita kong paraan. Death.Walang kasing pait ang ngiting sumilay sa labi ko. Ano pang silbi ng buhay ko matapos ang lahat ng nangyari sa 'kin? Wala na.I have nothing.No future. No Lev and no dreams. I'm just a shell, walking aimlessly. Numb. I'm as good as dead anyway.Itinaas ko ang mga braso't hinayaan ang malakas na hangin at dagat na tangayin ang buhok ko't sirang gown.Tumingala ako't mapait na napangiti nang tumama sa mukha ko ang mahinang patak ng ulan."Is this your mercy? Are you mocking me, Lord? Or are you just l-lonely–for me!" Sigaw ko sa tahimik na gabi. Tangin
BRETHANY VIKTORIA 'BREE' DE VEYRACAN dreams happen in the middle of a nightmare? Or is it the other way around? That nightmare is like a thief, kakatok sa gitna ng napakaganda mong panaginip upang nakawin ang kung ano mang kapayapaang nadarama mo.In the deep recess of my mind, there's that nagging feeling. I'm robbed of my peace. I may appear all put-out, dressed like I'm about to meet my worst enemy. But on the inside, kinakabahan akong hindi ko mawari. I wiped my clammy palms against the satin material of my dress.Bahagyang nanginig ang mga kamay ko.Get a grip, Bree.Pasimple kong nilingon si August ang kanang-kamay ng asawa ko– si Lev Petrov."Nasaan siya, August?" Tanong ko sa matangkad at seryosong lalaki na tila anino ko kanina pa.Hindi ito umimik. He just cocked his head towards the right telling me what I already know. Lev's in the office. Hindi ko alam ang mararamdaman. Kalahati ko'y nanginginig na sa kaba habang ang natitira'y excited. I nibbled my lower lip. Images of
WARNING: Graphic scenes and explicit words ahead.LEV'S POVYear 2018LIFE IS one hell of a game. Isang malaking monopolyo. Focus on acquisition. You win. And win some more, until all you know is how to fucking win. Then after you got all the riches in the world, it will all goes to the freaking box.How bull shit and ironic. You'll give your all, time and your life, para lang sa huli'y mauuwi lang din sa isang kahon. Or maybe, ikaw mismo ang mauuwi sa kahon at maiiwan ang mga pinaghirapan mo sa mga mahal mo sa buhay. Sa pamilya.Which I don't fucking have. To the world, I have no roots only enemies.Shit. Paanong naging ganito ang way of thinking ko? From killing and skinning one asshole to being Dalai Lama real quick. Tang ina. Sign of aging na ba 'to tulad ng laging pang asar sa'kin ni Trace? Pesteng Elliot 'to kung anu-ano kasing ipinadadala sa aking mga libro.Inis na inilapag ko ang hawak na baso saka sumandal. Pinuno ko ng hangin ang baga. Booze. Sex and filth. The kind of conc
BREE'S POV IN BLACK INK with swirls of gold, you will meet your fate. A match that no one expects–even you. When a hush is made, everything will connect. Believe that even a lone wolf will crave not just the moon but also the stars, sun, and universe. "Seriously? Wala na bang mas ko-korni pa rito? Shit." Galit na niluwa ko ang bubble gum na kanina ko pa nginunguya't ginamit na pambalot ang kapirasong papel. Ang papel na mula sa loob ng fortune cookie na ibnigay sa akin ni Miss Jacky, ang mabait na receptionist. Inilibot ko saglit ang paningin sa maluwag at maaliwalas na lobby ng Fortis Mondragon Medical Facility. Nang makasigurong walang isa man sa mga taong naroon ang nakatingin sa akin, inihagis ko sa tapat ng No Littering sign ang basura. I smirk. Kung sinuman ang Poncio Pilatong nagsulat noon ang sarap batukan. Iiling-iling na kinuha ko ang cellphone at muling tinitigan ang text na galing sa kaibigan kong si Anya. 'Look for the office of a doctor and pretend you have some ser
LEV'S POV I THOUGHT that Satan's favorite number is 13. No. It's 6. It was supposed to be 7. Kung napaaga ang dating ko malamang kasama ako sa naging biktima ni Trace. Sa kaalamang 'yon, naniniwala na ako sa himala. God knows what kind of chaos we will unleash in this side of the city kung lahat kami bangag o wasted. "Tang ina talaga nitong magpinsang pulpol na 'to. Alin ba sa word na matino at normal ang 'di nila maintindihan?" Nakatingalang anas ko sa kisame. I catch the shimmering light of Trace's extravagant chandelier. Nasa mansion ako ng matalik na kaibigan at pasaway na si Patricio. Once a week kasi ay may meeting kami sa isla ang kaso ilan sa amin ang hindi makakatawid ng Agrianthropos kaya't napag desisyunang sa bahay na lang niya ito ganapin. That's why I'm here now. But seems that my sworn brothers and I have a different idea of meeting. Napailing ako. My order is simple, I want to talk to them sober. Ngayon mukhang ang mga alagang butiki lang sa mansion na