ISANG LINGGO na mula nang dalhin ako ni Ryland sa museum. Isang linggo na rin kaming hindi nagkikita. He's really a busy person. Hindi pa rin siya pumapasok sa university and that makes everyone think that he's on a leave.Si Ms. Aisha naman, napapansin kong sinusubukan pumunta sa seventh floor but unfortunately, may harang sa hagdan at hindi rin gumagana ang elevator. Ano naman kaya ang kailangan niya roon? Is she even authorized before? Sa pagkakaalam ko ay si sir Chase pa lang ang nabibigyan ng pahintulot.And speaking of this crazy professor. Palagi ko siyang nakakasalubong o nakikita sa campus and he would always give me a derisive look and a playful smile. He's totally creeping the shit out of me sometimes when he do that. Tinutukso niya kasi ako sa pagpapakasal sa kaibigan niya at ang lakas pa ng boses. Nababahala ako palagi na baka may makarinig kagaya ngayon..."So ano meron na ba?" Tanong nito."Anong meron?""A baby! Ano na? Kailan ako magiging ninong!?"Umawang ang aking b
THE 30 minutes nap was a scam for the both of us. Nakatulog ako and now I am very late in our class."Ryle gising..." I tapped his cheek making him stirred on his sleep."Wake up please." He really needs to wake up dahil hindi ako makabangon dahil sa bigat niya."Ryle, come on!" Niyugyog ko ang braso niya at naramdaman ko naman ang pag-angat niya ng tingin sa akin with his eyes half-closed. I have to admit, ang gwapo niya kapag bagong gising."What?" He groaned. "I have to go, ang bigat mo!" Reklamo ko sa kanya na sinagot lamang niya ng mahinang tawa bago muling sinubsob ang muka sa aking leeg."Mamaya na,""Ang sabi mo 30 minutes lang, anong oras na!?" Inis kong wika.I felt him stiffened, then slowly, he put a little distance between us. Enough for me to finally sit on the bed."Are you mad?" Mahina niyang tanong nang makabangon. Kunot noo ko naman siyang tinignan dahil sa kanyang tanong. There was sadness in his eyes making me feel guilty.I sigh as i brush his hair up. "I'm not,
I COULD feel the soft fabric pressing against my temple, down to my cheek, and neck. I got even sweater with his hot stares. I have to remind myself that he's just being a good friend. Friend?Friends don't kiss.But we're not lovers either. We're married, yes. That's all that really binds us together. Nothing else.I mentally slapped myself. I shouldn't be thinking any of these. Mahina kong tinabig ang kanyang kamay at nilabanan ang kanyang titig."Salamat, pero kaya ko na 'to," I smiled, trying to make the awkward feeling disappear. Kumuha ako ng sariling panyo sa aking bulsa at saka tumayo, iyon ang ginamit kong pampunas. I anticipated that I'd be bathing with sweat today kaya nagdala talaga ako. Tumayo na rin siya at nagpakawala ng buntong hininga. "Dad's inviting us for dinner later," he informed."A-ah, pupunta ka?" Tanong ko rito."If you're not busy," Umiling naman ako kaagad. "Hindi naman, pero ikaw ang bahala,""We're going then," he said muttered. I stayed inside his of
HE WAS hugging me softly. Ako naman ay natuod sa aking pwesto, contemplating if I should return his hug or just let him. But in the end, mas pinili kong kumawala."Come on, we're running late, I need to dress up," mahina kong bulong.Humiwalay naman siya. Mabuti at hindi pala ako ganoon karupok.Sa huli ay kumuha na lang ako ng beige na dress. Iyon na ata ang pinaka-conservative kong damit.I really don't have a problem wearing sexy dresses, I can wear whatever I want, pero depende lang talaga sa mood. HAWAK NI Ryland ang kamay ko habang papasok kami sa restaurant kung saan naghihintay ang ama at kapatid niya.Not long after, nakarating kaagad kami sa table. His brother, Renz, spotted us first. He smiled at me widely kaya ngumiti rin ako."Sa wakas nandito na kayo! Makakakain na ako!"Natawa ako sa naging turan nito. Si tito Miguel naman ay nabaling ang atensyon sa amin."Hey dad," bati ni Ryle sa ama."Good evening po tito," "Good evening, please sit down both of you." I could see
"SAAN KA?" "Kahit saan basta wala ka," sagot ko sa tanong ni Kevin.Tapos na ang dalawang subject namin at lunch break na. Kagaya ng gusto ni Ryland ay doon ako dumediretso sa opisina niya para mananghalian. Isang linggo na rin ang lumipas simula noong gabing iyon. Nahimasmasan din naman siya sa inis niya at pinili na lang matulog habang yakap ako ng mahigpit."Ikaw ah! Iniiwasan mo ako noh?" Sumunod pa rin ito sa akin."Pasensya na kung masyadong halata, nasusuka lang talaga ako sa muka mo," "Hala, ang sama ng ugali nito. Nagbago ka na nga..." I can't help but roll my eyes dahil sa kadramahan niya.Pinanlakihan ko ito ng mata dahil talagang may panguso-nguso pa. Akala niya talaga bagay sa kanya."May pupuntahan pa nga kasi ako,""Saan nga kasi? Sama ako, sige na!" Pangungulit pa nito. Kaunti na lang ay masasapak ko na ito.Ito ang dahilan kong bakit ako nahihirapang um-oo kay Ryland. Sobrang hirap kasi makawala sa radar ng bwisit na ito. Si Sean pa lang kasi ang nakakaalam pero w
I NEVER thought that such story could really happen in real life. I was left dumbfounded. Ni hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat kung sabihin.Growing up, I always do my best to satisfy my parents. Pero kahit kailan ay hindi magagawa ang ginawa ni Beatriz. Everyone thought that she's an angel sent from above. She has this charming personality when she faces someone. However, I always knew that there was something behind it but I didn't know that it could be this dark.Maybe she loved his father so much that she couldn't endure seeing him behind bars. But he was a murderer. He killed life. What he did was unjustifiable and neither Beatriz nor anyone can ever bail him out of his offense.Her, doing anything to get her father out of his mess— is something that binds her with depravities. She's no different from him. Samantalang ang ama ni Kev, he couldn't uphold what once called his "honor". Nagpa-uto rin siya, at ngayon ay imposible nang makamit ang hustisya."Kev... sino ang pinatay ng a
ILING-ILING akong tinignan ni Ryland habang kumakain. He is slouching in the chair in front of me. Kanina pa rin siya pangiti-ngiti na parang nasisiraan ng ulo kaya tinignan ko ito ng masama. Sa huli ay isang mahinang tawa lang ang natanggap ko.Inaya ko siyang pumunta rito sa 7/11 nang makaramdam ng gutom kanina. Actually, nag-volunteer siya na magluluto na lang o magpapa-deliver dahil gabi na pero ako itong nagpumilit lumabas.Pareho pa kaming nakapantulog na damit."Why are you smiling? Kanina ka pa ah!" Naiinis kong daing dito."Nothing, I just find you really cute," nakangiti pa nitong sagot.My face heated. Bahagya pa akong nagulat sa sagot na iyon. He could really pull such words."Ang lakas mong umayaw kanina nung pinapakain kita. Gugutumin din naman pala," dagdag nito na siyang nagpa-ikot sa aking mga mata."Ayaw mo ba kumain? Ang dami mong sinasabi d'yan,""Nope, just finish your food so we could go home after, kailangan mo nang matulog,"Saglit akong tumingin dito bago nagp
IN MY 23 years of existence, I've only fell once with someone. After my first heartbreak, I swore to myself that I will never love someone again. Mag-isa kong hinarap lahat ng sakit. Mag-isa akong naghilom.It has been 2 years since my ex-boyfriend left me and it so hard for me to let him go. Pero ayaw kong maging selfish. I don't want to put us in a situation where we call our relationship an illicit affair. Alam niyang ipapakasal ako ni lolo sa iba. Sinabi ko kaagad ang bagay na iyon nang umamin siya sa akin. Despite the fact that I'll get engaged with someone else, hindi pa rin siya tumigil. He made me feel special, he gave me the love I never had. I've always known that we won't last, pero minahal ko pa rin. Hanggang sa dumating na nga iyong panahon na kailangan na naming kalimutan ang isa't isa. After going through the pain, my wounds finally closed in conjunction of loosing my hope of finding love once again. But look where it lead me. Right now, I am revolving in an ironic s