***
THE YEAR 2007 "Dad, I will bring Justin with me. Are you okay alone here?" Jane asked while slinging her bag onto her shoulders. Justin zipped up his jacket and wear his small backpack with his toys inside it. "Yeah. Don't worry about me, Jane. Go ahead," Jordan said and stood up. He hugged his daughter with one arm. Justin hugged his grandfather tightly then Jane hustled him outside of the house. They are going to the Sy's mansion, and Jane thought that it is good for Justin to take a breath outside of the house. Jane's work there in the mansion is going pretty well, she has been a housemaid for 5 years now, and the payment gets higher based on her length of service. There are several housemaids serving the family of Sy, and Jane is one of them. Justin, however, stuck in the house all day, and even if he tried to read countless times, memorize the basic alphabet, tried to count numbers, his dyslexia and dyscalculia hinder him from learning that simple thing. Justin stayed the same. Even though he is just an eight-year-old kid now, the pain his father left his mother is still there. It was unbearable, suffocating him in every second he knew, never thought that as a child he would have to go through these awful situations. Justin never heard anything from his father since the day he said that his mother is the one who should be blamed for all of this. Jane reprimanded him, but he doesn't care about his father. He cares about the feelings of his mother. Justin doesn't want to see her hurt again. 'Having dyslexia and dyscalculia is really difficult. I can't even read the signs on the road, the numbers that I see, and the big letters of the advertisement of one of the best colognes sold in the Philippines up high the skyscrapers that I can't spell,' Justin said sadly in his thoughts. "Justin, we are going to the Sy's mansion, huh? I am sure you will be really fond of Danny," Jane said, enthusiastic about Justin meeting the one who she babysits since he was 3 years old. "Danny? Who is he?" Justin asked while looking up to his mother. Jane gripped his hand tightly and darted her eyes everywhere, waiting for a taxi car to arrive. "You will meet him in a few moments," Jane said, smiled at him, and waved her hand out of the blue. A taxi car arrived as Justin and Jane opened the car door and climbed in. As the taxi driver asked where is their destination, Justin looked out the window and thought of the life that is normal. He saw the people rushing, laughing with their friends in the side street, and the couples held hands as you see in their eyes that they really love each other. The cars zoomed in and out of the sight, and Justin came back to reality when he felt that the taxi car stopped at a huge gate filled with ivy on its sides. "Thank you," Jane said to the taxi driver and they both climbed out of the car. Justin looked upon the huge gate that marks the entrance towards the mansion ahead. He was amazed to see an enormous house like this. Their house is just a one-fourth of the Sy's mansion. The gate has its vigorous railings that are painted with brown, has an ivy organized like a downfall leaves that has been plastered onto the wall in the sides, and there were lanterns that Justin knew shimmers at night, with its faint glow that makes the road shines with yellow light. Jane fumbled for her card, the one she uses to enter the mansion with the scanner in the front gate that is secured with a fingerprint system. Justin observed how Jane put her right thumb in the scanner and the card in the other one. The gate clunked, and Justin took a step back out of his shock. The gate skidded in the pathway with a loud noise, and opened like a machine is operating with it. Justin observed the gate as it stopped opening wide. He huffed his breath and looked at his mother. "Welcome to Sy's mansion," Jane said to her son and held out her hand. Justin approached her and grab a hold of his mother's hand as they entered the mansion. *** "Justin's mother used to babysit and work as a housemaid in Sy's mansion. Justin was so amazed by the house of Danny Sy, the youngest of the four children of both Carline and Paul Sy. For five years, Jane doesn't want to leave her job because it's their only income," Justin said. The class followed him with their eyes as he continues to tell the progress of the story. "That's where he met Danny Sy, one of the main characters of the story," Justin halted at the table and smiled. *** THE YEAR 2007 "Is this Sy's mansion, Mom?" Justin asked while his eyes looked everywhere. The whole house is beautiful. It is like a castle that is built in the middle of the city. The parking lot held a lot of cars in the line with different colors that range from red, blue, and yellow. The green grass is being trimmed by the person who Justin knew that it is Sy's personal gardener. The flowers lined the inside walls, and the sunflowers followed the sun where it is rising. The rose filled with thorns that are bloody reddish and lovely pink that blooms in its early evolution. The fountain is filled with bluish and clear water with pennies underneath in the center of the entrance. Justin peeped at the water and saw himself, sadness crossing his depths. Justin looked at the pathways that are made of cement that are scrubbed clean. Justin darted his eyes towards the main attraction: the mansion. It is so huge that it might take days before you finish touring the whole house. The front door is made of hardwood and also painted in an ebony color that is so elegant and luxurious for Justin. The windows are like mirrors, wherein you can see your reflection, no dirt tainted in it. Jane led him inside the house. She opened the front door and Justin widened his eyes as he entered the insides of the mansion. The grand staircase has marble tiles that even the mud tracks on the shoes will be ashamed to be there because of the cleanliness. There are housemaids who are scurrying over the house but stopped as they see Jane in the front door."Jane, you're here," one maid dressed in all pink approached his mother. Justin observed the clothes of the housemaids and realized that they are not that simple. They are serving the most elite family in the Philippines. The maid looked at Justin and smiled. Justin forced a smile out of the stranger he is meeting right now. Inna crouched down and beamed at him. "Hello, Justin. I am Inna," Inna said while smiling."I am Justin," he said. Inna nodded as she stood upright and shifted her eyes towards Jane. "Where is Danny?" Jane asked Inna. As the two talked to each other, Justin looked at the main floor of the house. He scrutinized the living room's couches that are in full white and is perfectly aligned to the wall. The fluffy carpet like a cat's yellow fur is at its bottom with the center table at the top of it with newspapers folded neatly, an ashtray that held no ash in it, and a small dark blue vase with fake tulips in it. The way in the kitchen is visible through the main entrance. There are people who are running in and out of the sight as Justin darted his eyes there. Justin looked up and saw a shimmering chandelier by the door, a thousand light bulbs that glow even in the broad daylight outside. "He's in his room. He doesn't want to get out," Inna said, worried about Danny. Jane sighed, bit her lip, and crouched down towards Justin.She held Justin's arms and said, "Justin, can you be with Inna for a moment?" Justin hesitated to answer because he doesn't want to be left alone with a stranger, but as strong and brave eight-year-old he thinks he is, he nodded. Jane looked at Inna and nodded. Inna held out her hand and hold Justin's hands. Jane walked towards the locker room in the right hallway next to the kitchen. She entered and put her bag into her own locker. She changed from her simple outfit of the red tee and a long skirt to their pink uniform that distinguishes them as the housemaid of the Sy's mansion.She went out of the door as she fixes the collar of her pink blouse. She ran towards the grand staircase and walked in the right hallway with lots of bedrooms that is similar to a hotel. The five out of twenty bedrooms are occupied and a lot of guests are here sometimes to stay the night. Jane went into the third room on the right side of the hallway and knocked. She heard Danny's shout from the inside. "Go away! I don't want to get out!" He yelled right inside. Jane sighed and fumbled for the doorknob. It is locked, but Jane got the key on the inside pocket of her uniform and inserted it. It clicked and she opened the door a little bit. "It's Jane. Can I go inside?" Jane asked softly. Danny doesn't answer for a moment, so Jane peeped her head over the door and smiled. Danny smiled and climbed out of bed quickly. He hugged Jane tightly over her waist. Jane patted his head and said, "Do you miss me?" Danny smiled and looked up at Jane. He nodded and grinned. "I miss you, Jane. No one feeds me better than you," Danny said then giggled. Jane loved babysitting Danny. As naughty as he was with the other maids, he is soft when it comes to Jane. He is just an eight-year-old kid like Justin, and she loved him so dearly. "Hmm, do I have to be here every day?" Jane asked him while smiling. "Yes. I don't want the other maids. You are my favorite Nanny," Danny said then hugged her tightly again. Meanwhile, Justin took the chance to look around the house but as soon as he heard his mother's conversation with Danny on the other side of the door, his tears fall without him realizing.*** THE YEAR 2007 Inna held Justin's hand as she guided it towards the kitchen to drag him along with her. Justin looked through his mother who is walking fast towards the other hallway and out of his sight. He looked down and shifted his eyes again towards Inna. Inna looked at him and smiled. "Where are we going, Inna?" Justin asked her while they are walking towards the wide kitchen that holds a 10-chair white, porcelain dinner table, a kitchen counter, the upgraded and high technology appliances that he made him amazed by the richness of the Sy. "Just stay here at the kitchen, hmm. I will help the cooks out there," Inna said when they stopped at the entrance of the kitchen while she was crouching down. Justin nodded at her even though he didn't understand why he would be all alone in the kitchen of the Sy's mansion while the cooks are roaming around the counter, cooking different cuisines for the family. Justin observed the cooks, maybe some of them are multi-awarded chefs beca
"Do you think that it is correct to answer and retort back to your parents disrespectfully?" Justin asked a moral question for the children to reflect on in their attitudes towards their Values Education subject today. He raised his hand, waiting for someone to answer his question. "I guess, your parents taught you to be respectful. The Philippines are known for their courtesy and family virtues. And every Filipino kid respects the elderly especially the parents who will sustain your needs even if you grew up to be a man or a kid," Justin discussed the statements. He waited again for someone to respond, and now, another kid raised his hand. "Yes, what can you say?" She stood up, and answered, "Because if we become disrespectful when we are kids, we are going to grow up with that kind of attitude." Justin nodded slowly, absorbing the answer of the kid who is alike with some teenage lady who will become an adult soon because of her mature response, and smiled. "Thank you so much. Yo
***THE YEAR 2007 "Don't worry. Everyone is living with sadness. Happiness can be a rose full of colors in one moment, but as time passes, the petals fall one by one, wilted and sagged as the joy faded," Marian said thoughtfully to him. Justin observed how mature she thinks for her age. He thinks that Marian is the same age as him, but he can't count numbers so he wouldn't know. It is better not to ask about it, Marian can judge him for who he is. "Don't you want to say something?" Marian asked him a couple of minutes after they observed the trees while still standing up in the narrow street. Justin looked at her and stuttered. "I... I don't want to say anything," Justin said quietly. Marian chuckles and looked down. "C'mon, why are you crying?" Marian asked him again. Justin locked his gaze and battled with himself on whether to say it or not. What if she finds out that he can't read, he can't write and he can't spell, even count numbers? As he was about to say something, someone
*** THE YEAR 2008 Danny grabbed his shirt, and with a huge impact, he pushed Justin to the bookshelf. The books fell from the upper compartment and rained down on his head. One by one, the books slammed through and Justin felt the pain as his body drooped down on the floor. He sat down and glared at Danny while his vision gets fragmented because of the tears. "Don't ever punch me again, huh?" Danny said while still nodding and his mouth is opening slightly. He is breathing heavily now and wiping the little blood that came from the bruise on the side of his mouth and sat down on the bed. Justin held his head, smoothen his hair, and felt the pain from the books that fell upon him. He swallowed while controlling his sobs to come out in a loud noise as he pants. Danny just lay down and closes his eyes. He smiled like a maniac as the door opened and Jane emerged. Jane ran over to Justin and saw that he is crying silently. She glared at Danny as he got up from his king bed and just grim
***THE YEAR 2008"Okay. Let's just ask who the hell punched you?"Hazi asked Danny seriously. He just narrowed his eyes and think."You know, we are the King's Guild, your guild. We can avenge you, Danny," the kid with the glasses said as he smirked.Danny shrugged again his shoulders and smiled like he knew what he will do to Justin."Why not, we talked to him formally but scary?"the kid with his hands inside the pockets of his jacket suggested it to Danny. He put his hands underneath his chin and remembered his name."The one who punched me might not do well with talking, you know why, guys?"Danny asked and looked at the kids. The three got confused and waited for him to answer something."Because he can't read and spell out his name, that is why," Danny said then cackled. The three
"He knows how to use his heart. Justin may not grow fond of his life because of his disorder, it may be turned upside down when he realizes he loves someone. Aside from his mother, he knew that girl, Marian, can teach him how to overcome his disorder and to love."***The YEAR 2019The paint of the whole house is starting to fade after years. But it remains sturdy and vigorous, not to mention that is standing for 20 years now after a baby was born and named Justin Ramos. Grunting from the terrace erupted in the arising sun from the east that gave a tinge of mauve on the clouds, signaling that it is 6 am in the morning and the silence of the neighborhood.Jordan picked up the coffee mug from the table and stood up with the wooden cane supporting him. He stretched his waist first before going inside the house. His hair gone white and gray now, and Jordan's skin
***THE YEAR 2019Simon looks towards the blue-haired guy who has clear skin and a clenched jaw while looking at Justin. He didn't catch his name but Justin remembered Danny calling him Sandy. Meanwhile, Danny pocketed his hands on his jeans while breathing a lot of air and puffing it out a minute later. His spiky hair and big eyes made him look like a handsome gangster with a little touch of bad boy sense."Long time no see, Justin,"Danny muttered then all of them snickered. Justin looked up and glared right in Danny's eyes. He knuckled his fists and Danny averted his eyes towards it.Justin still stared at him with rage and Danny scoffed seconds later. He looked towards the other members of the guild and they laughed their butts off like they knew these would happen. Danny looked back at Justin again and said, "Care to punch me
***THE YEAR 2019She sighed and dialed a number on her cell phone while Justin looked up from his toes and started to walk again. Justin halted at the street when he realized that they were on the national highway again. Marian was still on the phone on the corner street and Justin stared at her from a distance.He sighed as he saw Marian signing towards a jeepney ride and she climbed in on the vehicle. The jeepney drove off and Justin smiled at himself as she saw his princess with the shining dress again. He looked to both sides of his place and saw people milling in about the waiting shed for the ride. He closed his eyes as he realized that he doesn't know where he is.Justin sat down on the bench while thinking about where to go. He had no money in him, he can't even count that paper bills and coins. He watched as the people climbed in and out of a shuttle bus or van