Tangina.Parang bulkan na sasabog ang ulo ko sa inis.Sa bawat hakbang ko papasok ng bahay, lalong umiinit ang dugo ko. Punyeta, ang kapal ng mukha niya.I just saw Edward kissing someone inside his car, and now? Nandito siya sa bahay namin, having the time of his life with my mom—as if nothing happened?Nakasalubong ko agad sila sa living room.Mom was laughing at something Edward said, her face glowing with happiness. Ang saya niya. She looks so damn happy.And Edward?Nakaakbay sa kanya. Mukhang masaya rin. Parang wala lang nangyari. Parang hindi ko siya nahuling nangangaliwa ilang oras lang ang nakakaraan.Putang ina, ang galing mo umarte, Edward.Napansin ako ni Edward at ngumiti. “Oh, Laura! You’re home early.”Nagpanting ang tenga ko sa boses niya.Napakuyom ako ng kamao ko, pilit na kinokontrol ang sarili ko.Wag ka muna sumabog. Wag dito. Wag sa harap ni Mom.Ngumiti ako, pilit at matipid. “Yeah… early enough to see things I wasn’t supposed to see.”Nagtama ang mga mata namin
The bus finally stopped, and I stretched my arms, relieved to be away from home even for just a few days. The school trip was supposed to be a breath of fresh air—a chance to escape from everything, especially Edward and Cole.Three days of peace. No fake smiles. No walking on eggshells. Just me, my classmates, and a normal school trip.I slung my bag and a hand carry over my shoulder and followed the rest of the students as we stepped off the bus. Hindi naman ako nagdala masyado nang damit, at gamit. This is just a 3-day vacation for me. We were at some nature retreat, the kind with hiking trails, lakes, and a bunch of outdoor activities I wasn’t particularly interested in. But it didn’t matter. As long as I was far from that suffocating house, I was fine.I took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of fresh pine, and let my shoulders relax.“So, where’s our cabin?” one of my classmates asked as they gathered around the teachers, waiting for room assignments.“Dapat maganda yung view,”
“Truth or dare, Lau?”Napatingin ako sa kaklaseng nangisi sa akin habang hawak ang bote sa gitna ng table. The whole class was gathered inside one of the log cabins assigned for us on the trip, some playing card games, others drinking, and the rest—like me—forced into this stupid game.I should’ve just gone straight to my room.“I’m not playing,” malamig kong sabi at tumayo na sana para umalis, pero agad akong hinila pabalik ni Lenie.“Oh, come on! Just one round,” she pleaded, eyes wide with amusement. “Game lang ‘to, an besides, ikaw na lang ang hindi natatapatan,”“Yeah, Lau,” another classmate smirked. “Don’t be such a killjoy. Unless… you’re hiding something?”Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin ko sa kanila. Nakakaasar. Wala akong time para sa mga ganitong kababawan.“Fine.” I sighed, rolling my eyes. “Truth.”Napangisi ang kaklaseng nagtanong. “Tell us your biggest secret.”My fingers clenched into fists under the table. The room buzzed with anticipation, everyone waiting for me to spi
“We’re playing a game today?”Napangiti ako sa excitement nang marinig ang announcement ng teacher namin. It was the second day of our trip, and they had set up a treasure hunt. Finally, something thrilling. Something worth my time.I glanced around at my classmates, some of them were already pairing up, discussing strategies. Others were groaning, clearly not fans of running around looking for clues. Pero ako? This was my kind of game.“You all have to find the hidden treasure before sundown,” our teacher explained. “There will be clues along the way. Follow them carefully. And of course, stick with your partners.”Partners.I frowned. My excitement immediately dropped.Anak nang patis, bakit may ganon pa?!As if on cue, a familiar annoying voice spoke up beside me.“Guess we’re stuck together, partner.”Napalingon ako kay Cole, wearing that irritating smirk of his.“Like hell we are,” I shot back. “I can do this alone.”His brows lifted in amusement. “Wow. Ang bilis mong kumontra. B
I woke up to a white ceiling and the cool air brushing against my skin. My forehead creased, my throat felt dry, and I slowly scanned my surroundings. I was in a small, simple room with a thin curtain over the window, an old electric fan whirring, and an IV drip attached to my hand.Rural hospital?Napapikit ako saglit, pilit inaalala ang nangyari. Ang huling natatandaan ko ay ang pagod na katawan ko habang nakayakap sa sarili sa loob ng isang kweba. Ulan. Lamig. Si Cole.Napabalikwas ako pero agad din akong napangiwi nang sumakit ang ulo ko. Shit.Sakto namang bumukas ang pinto, at pumasok ang professor namin, may dalang folder at mukhang nagmamadali.“Oh, you’re awake,” aniya at bahagyang ngumiti. “How are you feeling?”“Better, po.” Kahit medyo paos pa ang boses ko, pilit kong bumangon nang maayos.Tumango siya. “That’s good to hear. Pero gusto ko lang ipaalam na ikaw at si Cole na lang ang natitira dito. The rest of the class had to return to the city immediately—may urgent matter
The house was dimly lit when I stepped inside. The familiar scent of home wrapped around me, but something felt off.As I walked past the living room, I froze.“What the hell are you up to?”A voice—low, hushed—came from the study.Edward.I took a slow step forward, pressing myself against the wall as I listened.“You have to be patient,” his voice was firm but quiet, like he didn’t want anyone to hear. “I told you, I’m handling it and I already told you, this isn’t the right time,”My stomach twisted.May sumagot sa kabilang linya, isang boses ng babae—mahina, pero sapat para marinig ko ang tono nito.“You’ve been saying that for months, Edward. I’m tired of waiting.”A softer voice responded, too faint for me to make out the words, but I knew. I knew.Nanigas ako.Mistress.It was her.I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. He hadn’t changed. He was still lying, still betraying My Mom—still making a fool out of her.“Lower your voice,” Edward hissed. “Do you want her
The moment I stepped into school, I could still feel the irritation I had been wanting to shake off since earlier. I didn’t even know why I was wasting my time on someone like Cole. He’d rather defend his lying father than face the truth.Bago pa tuluyang bumigat ang pakiramdam ko, biglang may sumulpot sa tabi ko.“Laura!” tawag ni Sue, bitbit ang pink niyang
“Grabe, Faye, you look like a panda,” Cole teased, leaning against the doorframe of the classroom. His grin was wide, the playful glint in his eyes making my headache worse. “Natulog ka ba? Ang laki ng eyebags mo.”I shot him a glare, feeling the weight of his words even though I knew he meant them to be harmless. “Shut up,” I muttered, rubbing my eyes and trying to ignore the exhaustion in my body.I hadn’t slept well in days, and it wasn’t just because of work or school. The image of Michelle and Edward kept replaying in my head, making my thoughts spiral every time I
It was still early, the outside was dark—it was five in the morning—and I was already in front of the house. The surroundings were quiet, the kind of silence that felt like it was swallowing all the noise in the world. I wrapped my arms around myself as the cold of the morning hit me. I still felt weak, a bit dizzy. But it wasn’t enough to stop me from leaving.I entered quietly. I had no intention of explaining myself to anyone. I headed straight to the room, not even thinking about changing clothes.Pagka-lock ng pinto, dun lang ako bumigay.Bumagsak ako sa kama
When Cole arrived in front of their house, where Laura was also living, he stood there for a few seconds, unsure of how to start. In his mind, he was ready to swallow his pride. But was he really?It was still early, but it felt like he was walking down a dark path, and with every step he took, it seemed to weigh him down even more. He couldn’t let the anger cloud his judgment any longer. He had to admit it. Laura was right.Tinaas niya ang kamay at kumatok sa pinto. “God, I hate this,” he muttered to himself. Wala siyang ibang choice
“Okay, hear me out—fake relationship.”Napalingon si Cole sa akin na para bang sinabi kong alien ako galing Mars. “What?”“Fake relationship,” I repeated, crossing my arms habang nakaupo kami sa may empty bleachers sa likod ng gym. “You and me. Magkunwari tayong may something para ma-stop ‘yung kasal nina Edward at Mama.”Tahimik siya ng ilang segundo. Tapos tumawa—isang short, sarcastic laugh. “Faye, get a life. Seriously. You’re delusional.”“Excuse me?” Kumunot noo ko. “You think I’m making this up for fun?”“Yeah,” sagot niya, sabay tayo. “I think you’re overreacting dahil emotional ka. It’s your dead dad’s birthday. Gets ko. Pero huwag mong idamay si Michelle sa mga hallucinations mo.”I stood too. “This isn’t about hallucinations, Cole! Gusto mong makita ‘yung video? May CCTV sa restaurant. I’m not lying!”“Then go show it to the world,” he snapped. “But don’t involve me in your soap opera. We’re not doing that fake-dating crap just to ruin our parents’ lives.”“So you’re fine w
“Grabe, Faye, you look like a panda,” Cole teased, leaning against the doorframe of the classroom. His grin was wide, the playful glint in his eyes making my headache worse. “Natulog ka ba? Ang laki ng eyebags mo.”I shot him a glare, feeling the weight of his words even though I knew he meant them to be harmless. “Shut up,” I muttered, rubbing my eyes and trying to ignore the exhaustion in my body.I hadn’t slept well in days, and it wasn’t just because of work or school. The image of Michelle and Edward kept replaying in my head, making my thoughts spiral every time I
The moment I stepped into school, I could still feel the irritation I had been wanting to shake off since earlier. I didn’t even know why I was wasting my time on someone like Cole. He’d rather defend his lying father than face the truth.Bago pa tuluyang bumigat ang pakiramdam ko, biglang may sumulpot sa tabi ko.“Laura!” tawag ni Sue, bitbit ang pink niyang
The house was dimly lit when I stepped inside. The familiar scent of home wrapped around me, but something felt off.As I walked past the living room, I froze.“What the hell are you up to?”A voice—low, hushed—came from the study.Edward.I took a slow step forward, pressing myself against the wall as I listened.“You have to be patient,” his voice was firm but quiet, like he didn’t want anyone to hear. “I told you, I’m handling it and I already told you, this isn’t the right time,”My stomach twisted.May sumagot sa kabilang linya, isang boses ng babae—mahina, pero sapat para marinig ko ang tono nito.“You’ve been saying that for months, Edward. I’m tired of waiting.”A softer voice responded, too faint for me to make out the words, but I knew. I knew.Nanigas ako.Mistress.It was her.I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. He hadn’t changed. He was still lying, still betraying My Mom—still making a fool out of her.“Lower your voice,” Edward hissed. “Do you want her
I woke up to a white ceiling and the cool air brushing against my skin. My forehead creased, my throat felt dry, and I slowly scanned my surroundings. I was in a small, simple room with a thin curtain over the window, an old electric fan whirring, and an IV drip attached to my hand.Rural hospital?Napapikit ako saglit, pilit inaalala ang nangyari. Ang huling natatandaan ko ay ang pagod na katawan ko habang nakayakap sa sarili sa loob ng isang kweba. Ulan. Lamig. Si Cole.Napabalikwas ako pero agad din akong napangiwi nang sumakit ang ulo ko. Shit.Sakto namang bumukas ang pinto, at pumasok ang professor namin, may dalang folder at mukhang nagmamadali.“Oh, you’re awake,” aniya at bahagyang ngumiti. “How are you feeling?”“Better, po.” Kahit medyo paos pa ang boses ko, pilit kong bumangon nang maayos.Tumango siya. “That’s good to hear. Pero gusto ko lang ipaalam na ikaw at si Cole na lang ang natitira dito. The rest of the class had to return to the city immediately—may urgent matter
“We’re playing a game today?”Napangiti ako sa excitement nang marinig ang announcement ng teacher namin. It was the second day of our trip, and they had set up a treasure hunt. Finally, something thrilling. Something worth my time.I glanced around at my classmates, some of them were already pairing up, discussing strategies. Others were groaning, clearly not fans of running around looking for clues. Pero ako? This was my kind of game.“You all have to find the hidden treasure before sundown,” our teacher explained. “There will be clues along the way. Follow them carefully. And of course, stick with your partners.”Partners.I frowned. My excitement immediately dropped.Anak nang patis, bakit may ganon pa?!As if on cue, a familiar annoying voice spoke up beside me.“Guess we’re stuck together, partner.”Napalingon ako kay Cole, wearing that irritating smirk of his.“Like hell we are,” I shot back. “I can do this alone.”His brows lifted in amusement. “Wow. Ang bilis mong kumontra. B
“Truth or dare, Lau?”Napatingin ako sa kaklaseng nangisi sa akin habang hawak ang bote sa gitna ng table. The whole class was gathered inside one of the log cabins assigned for us on the trip, some playing card games, others drinking, and the rest—like me—forced into this stupid game.I should’ve just gone straight to my room.“I’m not playing,” malamig kong sabi at tumayo na sana para umalis, pero agad akong hinila pabalik ni Lenie.“Oh, come on! Just one round,” she pleaded, eyes wide with amusement. “Game lang ‘to, an besides, ikaw na lang ang hindi natatapatan,”“Yeah, Lau,” another classmate smirked. “Don’t be such a killjoy. Unless… you’re hiding something?”Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin ko sa kanila. Nakakaasar. Wala akong time para sa mga ganitong kababawan.“Fine.” I sighed, rolling my eyes. “Truth.”Napangisi ang kaklaseng nagtanong. “Tell us your biggest secret.”My fingers clenched into fists under the table. The room buzzed with anticipation, everyone waiting for me to spi