#MTDC70: Final Chapter Pt. 1“Life is the most precious gift our Almighty has ever given to us. We should treasure every single minute of our lives for our time only happens once. We should cherish whatever life has to offer us. Not all people can be given a second chance…”A faint smile crept on my lips as I heard the man spreading gospels on the sidewalk near me. May hawak siyang microphone habang nasa tabi niya ang isang soundbox na siyang nagbibigay linaw at lakas sa bawat salitang binibigkas niya.Though people doesn’t seem to care to whatever he’s been talking about, patuloy pa rin siya sa pagsasalita at minsan ay ngumingiti sa mga taong napapatingin sa gawi niya. Hindi siya narito para manglimos. He’s here, purely for the intention to awaken the minds of people who somehow forget His words and promises to the mankind. He’s here to help people enlighten their minds.Hindi ko alam kung ano ang relihiyon niya. Hindi ko alam kung anong klaseng paniniwala ang mayroon sila. Hindi ko
#MTDC70: Final Chapter Pt. 2“Mommy, can I play with Yasmine?”Kabababa ko pa lang ng tawag nang lumapit sa akin si Melody. She’s using her usual puppy eyes that I couldn’t resist.“Of course, baby. Just be careful, anak, hmm? Yasmine is still a baby kaya hindi ka pwedeng masyadong malikot, okay?”Sunod-sunod na tango lang ang sinagot niya sa akin, bago siya tumakbo patungo kay Soffi na karga ang anak niyang si Yasmine. Yasmine is a one-year old baby girl who looks exactly like her father. Soffi hates to admit that it’s true. Naiinis daw siya dahil masyadong unfair na ang tatay ng bata ang kamukha nito imbis na siya.I chuckled at that thought.Today is Wesley’s birthday, and everyone's invited. Well, iyong mga close friends at ang pamilya niya lang talaga ang inimbitahan niya.“Naku! Naku! Naku! Napaka kulit na talaga ng inaanak ko, Symphony! Buti na lang talaga nagmana sa akin ng kagandahan kaya ayos lang. Akalain mo ba namang may ipinakita sa aking picture ng kaklase niyang lalaki,
Mariin akong pumikit nang ibato niya sa ‘kin ang hawak niyang picture frame. Laking pasasalamat ko na sa balikat ko lang ‘yun tumama at hindi sa mukha. Nang ibinaba ko ang tingin sa frame, agad gumapang ang kirot sa puso ko. Iyon ang family picture namin… na ngayon ay basag na. “Ilang beses ko na bang sinabi sa ‘yo na ayokong lumalabas ka ng bahay?! Hindi ka ba makaintindi? Tanga ka ba talaga, Symphony?” Yumuko ako at hindi na sumagot. It's not that I'm guilty, but because I'm already tired. I'm tired of proving myself to him. I’m tired of living… He always thought that every time I go out, I’m always seeing his cousin– which is not true. Pero pagod na akong magpaliwanag sa kaniya. Nakakapagod nang makipagsabayan sa galit niya.
#MTDC01: DRUNKEN MISTAKE I slowly opened my eyes. The sun rays coming from the window welcome me. I smiled when I felt an arm tightly hugging my waist. The arm of the man I love ever since I was in college. I tried shifting my position when he spoke. “It’s still early, love. Let’s sleep a little more.” My forehead suddenly creased. Then my eyes widened the moment I realized that it was not Red’s voice that I heard. Dahan-dahan akong lumingon sa taong katabi ko hanggang sa nanlaki ang mga mata ko. “Ahhhhh!” Dali-dali ko siyang tinulak palayo sa ‘kin. “What the fuck?!” rinig kong sigaw niya nang bumagsak siya sa sahig dahil sa pagkakatulak ko. But I continued screaming in horror. I am getting hysterical realizing that the man next to me isn’t Red. What the hell is happening? “What’s wrong with you Charitee--” he was cut off when he finally realized that I am not the woman he called Charitee. “W-What the hell?!”
#MTDC02: THE CONFRONTATIONFew weeks after that incident, I decided to continue living as if nothing happened. Thinking about it really frustrates me, so I always busy myself to forget about it. Malapit na ang eleksyon at abala na sina Mama at Papa sa pangangampanya. Because of that, sa akin muna ipinamahala ni Papa ang kumpanya kaya mas naging abala pa ako. My father’s term as the governor is about to end and he’s now running for the position of a congressman. I thought he’s done doing politics pero hindi pa pala. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin alam kung paano niya napapagsabay ang pulitika at ang kumpanya. Thinking that the company alone is draining me. Well, maybe there’s no word such as ‘tired’ to a person who craves for power.Simula nung party ay hindi ko na ulit nakita si Red. I also avoided listening to their band’s music, as I always feel guilty about what happened, w
#MTDC03: PROBLEM UNSOLVEDI had no idea how I got home safe and unscathed when I drove home while tearing up. Furious was an understatement to what I feel right at this moment. I think I'm about to explode. My pregnancy, Wesley, and... Red. I just couldn’t believe how things were all messed up. Sobrang biglaan… Hindi ko na alam kung anong dapat gawin.Just the mere thought of Red, I think, I’m about to lose my sanity. All this time, he’s been trying to prove himself to my father that he’s worthy of me. He’s just waiting for the perfect time for us. And yet, here I am, that ruined all his plans.“R-Red…” His name is a sore in my heart. I’m continuously breaking. My conscience is overpowering my whole system.Sinabunutan ko ulit ang sarili nang maalala ko na naman ang pagmumukha ni Wesley. That asshole’s image inside my head i
#MTDC04: SWEET CONSEQUENCEI look around my room for the last time, then a sad smile came out from my lips. Maybe this would be the last time that I will be seeing this place. My heart started to ache. Ni minsan ay hindi sumagi sa isip ko na itataboy ako palayo ng sarili kong ama.I sighed for the nth time before I dragged my luggage out of my room. Nang makalabas ako ay agad akong sinalubong ni Mama."Ma,""You're leaving..." She started crying, again."Stop crying, Ma. Magkaka-wrinkles ka na niyan," I humored her just to make her laugh. Ayokong ang umiiyak niyang mukha ang huling makikita ko bago ako umalis. "I'm going to miss you so bad, my baby girl." She sobbed."We can still talk through social media. Don't worry." Lumapit ako sa kaniya at niyakap siya. "But I will miss you too, Ma. If only I can do things to make Papa change his mind… but I know he won't."
#MTDC05: Finally Home"Woah! There are tall buildings anywhere, Mommy! And… and there are many, many cars too!"Halos mabali na ang leeg ni Melody habang tinitingila ang mga nagtataasang gusali na nadadaanan ng Uber na sinasakyan namin. She looks really excited seeing new things.I smiled. She grew up seeing nature. Mga magagandang tanawin ng kalikasan ang palagi niyang nakikita sa New Zealand, kaya ganito siya kung umasta ngayong nandito na kami sa Pilipinas. I seldom brought her out from home before. Siguro dahil sa sobra kong abala kaya hindi ko siya nailalabas noon."Hindi ka ba naiinitan, Melody?" tanong ni Manang Anding habang kandong ang bata."Ka... ko... k-konti," she replied, trying to talk in Tagalo