"The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned." - Maya Angelou
Chapter 14
I woke up early the next morning. Naligo ako at nagbihis. I'm wearing a mustard tie neck ruffle hem smock dress and the same shoes I'm wearing last night, a minimalist combat boots.
Itinabi ko ang mga maruming damit at inilagay sa bag na dala. Maging ang t-shirt ni Fith ay dinala ko para malabhan. Inayos ko rin ang kama ni Coleen bago tuluyang lumabas sa kwarto.
Agad kong naamoy ang mga pagkain pagbaba ko palang sa hagdanan. Dahan-dahan ang paghakbang ko patungong kitchen at naabutan doon si Fifth na nagtitimpla ng kape. His eyes immediately met mine.
"Every person has a tender spot, where he or she feels pain most exquisitely." - Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad ScrollsChapter 15Akala ko ako lang ang takot sa mga mata ni Fifth pero nang nakita ang pinaghalong gulat at takot sa mga mata ni Samantha ay napagtanto kong ganoon siya sa lahat. His dark heavy-lidded eyes are scary, lalo na kapag nakatuon ito sayo. I realized he can induce fear to anyone, just by looking at them, maybe because his air is so dark and menacing.The way he clenches his prominent jaw, the way his hawk-like eyes glare at you like you're some prey caught in his bait, makes your knees tremble."Fifth," nakita ko ang pagdating ni Sean, kasunod si Dylan. Napansin ko rin ang pamumuo ng tensy
"They seemed angry that I'd made myself vulnerable, more than the fact that he'd acted on my vulnerability. Drinking is not inherently immoral: a night of heavy drinking calls for Advil and water. But being drunk and raped seemed to call for condemnation." - Chanel Miller, Know My NameChapter 16Larry's wedding is very intimate. Kaunti lang ang mga bisita at halos kakilala. Media has been blocked too. Ang sabi ay maselan ang pagbubuntis ni Larry kaya hindi gusto ni Xian na magkaroon ng problema.To be honest, I thought this is gonna be a shotgun marriage. When I heard from Dylan that Xian got Larry pregnant, I thought it's gonna be the only reason for him to marry her. Dahil sino bang maniniwala na higit anim na buwan palang ang nakakalipas nang namatay si Ki
"If punishment is based on potential, privileged people will be given lighter sentences." - Chanel Miller, Know My NameChapter 17I avoided places where I might find Fifth after that night. Nakatulong rin na umalis ng bansa si Coleen para mag-bakasyon. Nabawasan ang mga interaksyon namin dahil naging abala rin ako sa trabaho."Papunta na ako," I told Zyline over the phone. Kasalukuyan akong nagdadrive patungo sa isang restaurant para i-meet si Mr. Henson."Update me, kung para saan ang private dinner Nicaseane."Tumango ako at pinatay na ang tawag. Apparently, Mr. Henson called me last night and invited me for dinner today. Noong una, inakala kong meeting i
"Your voice is a place I want to take shelter in, a place that makes me feel safe and soft." - Zaeema J. Hussain, The Sky Is PurpleTinalikuran ako ni Fifth pagkatapos ng sinabi ko at hindi ko makakalimutan ang pinaghalong galit at pagkakadismaya sa kaniyang mukha. Wala akong nagawa nang iniwan niya ako doon mag-isa, kundi ang umiyak sa takot at sakit, sakit dahil hindi ko kayang ipaglaban ang sarili.I realized I am very weak. Gaano ko man pinilit ang sarili na maging matapang, alam kong hindi ko pa rin kayang panindigan. I will still cry in times like this, because I am very very weak.Nakatulugan ko nalang ang pag-iyak. Nang nagising kinaumagahan ay ganoon pa rin ang ayos ng kwarto. Mr. Henson's blood is still on th
"Love tames the benumbed beast. A man is put to use regarding a woman's physical safety, but a woman is put to use regarding a man's mental safety." - Criss Jami, Killosophy Ibinaba niya ako sa couch sa sala. Lumihis ang manggas ng t-shirt na suot ko at saka pa lamang ako tinamaan ng hiya nang napagtantong sa kaniya iyon, the one he lend me back in their mansion. Inayos niya ang manggas sa aking balikat. Wala siyang ibang sinabi tungkol sa damit pero nagtagal ang titig niya doon. At kung hindi lang ako suminok dahil sa pag-iyak ay hindi siya mag-aangat ng tingin. His eyes are dark, I can sense his anger but at the same time, they are soft too, when they landed on me.
"Is love this misguided need to have you beside me most of the time? Is love this safety I feel in our silences? Is it this belonging, this completeness?" - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun Hindi kami maaring umasa sa mga pulis. Mr. Henson has connections, who knows what he can do. Fifth can be the witness but with the recent issue between us, kahit pa napagtakpan na iyon ni Zyline ay hindi iyon sapat. People can insinuate na pinagtulungan lang namin si Mr. Henson. Kung mangyayari iyon ay ayaw kong madamay si Fifth. What we need right now, is to find who's behind the installed camera inside the teddy bear. That way, we can use the whole footage of the scene that night as a proof. "What are your plans
"She wasnt exactly sure when it happened. Or even when it started. All she knew for sure was that right here and now, she was falling hard and she could only pray that he was feeling the same way." - Nicholas Sparks, Safe HavenAlas dos nang nakarating kami sa mansyon. Sinalubong kami agad ni Lola Nelia kasama ang isang lalaki na ngayon ko palang nakita."Magandang araw sa inyong dalawa. Kumain naba kayo?"Ngumiti ako at tumango, "Opo, kumain na po kami sa bayan.""Mabuti naman kung ganoon. Siya nga pala, si Jackson hija, apo ko." Pagpapakilala nito sa lalaking palagay ko ay kaedad ko lang.Ngumiti ako rito at tumang
"I spend most nights at home falling in love with the idea of you." - Michael FaudetWarning: A little SPGIsang linggo yatang ganoon ang setup namin ni Fifth. Tinatapos niya ang trabaho para sa nalalapit na branch opening sa Angeles ng alas syete ng gabi para makapag-usap kami. We talk until nine or ten, bago siya maghahanda para naman pumunta sa Fiasco.We don't have specific topics, madalas lang naming pag-usapan ang tungkol sa buhay ko. And I've never been open to anyone about my life until him. Somehow, I was comfortable telling him things about me. Except for my dark past of course.Alam kong da