Lahat ng Kabanata ng Shattered Moments: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

As I came back home that day, I was surprised to see my elder brother, Kelvin, in our parlor. A lighter was in one hand, a cigarette in the other. I wasn’t shocked though.He was never the academic type, so he didn’t even have a middle school certificate. Back then, before Dad fell ill, people always compared us. That comparison hurt his ego a few times, but it didn’t really mess with our bond as siblings.I remember one time, back in grade four, when I won the national quiz competition. There were cash prizes, loads of gifts, and even random admirers celebrating me. I came home so excited to share the news with my parents and my only brother.“Congratulations, OliOli. You’ve made us proud again,” Kelvin said, patting me on the shoulder lightly.We had that kind of sibling relationship where you didn’t have to say too much to feel close.“Thanks, big bro. The win is for the family,” I said with a proud smile.But just as I was still talking, Dad cut in sharply.“You keep smoking and f

When I got home from school that day, the house felt unusually quiet. The kind of silence that wrapped itself around you, heavy and uncomfortable. I met my mum in the sitting room. She didn’t say a word,neither did I. We just shared stillness that hung in the air like thick fog.We had lunch without exchanging a single sentence. She sat across from me, her eyes fixed on her plate, but I could tell she wasn’t really eating. I wasn’t either. My throat felt too tight.I stood to carry my plate to the kitchen, then paused. I wanted to walk up to her to apologize and to say something. Anything at all could do . But before I could even take a step, a knock echoed through the house.When I opened the door,Lola and Andrew stood there, both of them were staring at me like they’d been practicing what to say the whole way they came here.We all walked quietly to my room. No one said anything for a while. The silence returned, but this time, it wasn’t just a cold silence but the situation we're

I was busy settling down after we all entered our various classes when I heard some noises coming from the back.I turned to see what the ranting was about and noticed someone being pushed forcefully into his seat.“You're very stupid. I can see that you're insane,” these were the words that came out of Nora's mouth as she furiously punched Andrew in his seat.“Shut up, you spineless thing,” she kept ranting.Andrew stood up from his chair, even as some of our classmates had already crowded around him. He took hold of Nora's hand and calmly pushed her away. Andrew has never been the type to do things violently. Boys' and girls' strengths have never been on the same level — otherwise, we all know who stands a better chance.And again, as the head of the class, he was expected not to act on impulse.Yet Nora didn’t rest. She took her school bag and threw it at Andrew.“Oouu!!” The whole class screamed in a way I couldn’t even comprehend.I soon realized that blood was already gushing ou

The walk back home felt like it would never end. Maybe because my head was crammed with everything that had been happening lately. Truly, there are some troubles that even “sorry” can’t fix overnight. You just have to live through them.My legs were shaky, the heaviness and hotness of my head was trying to weigh me down. All I could think about was finding the nearest grocery shop to grab a chilled bottle of water or a soft drink to cool my head. Sadly, there wasn’t one anywhere near the school, except the canteen — which, as usual, was closed after lunchtime.As soon as I reached home, I dived straight into my neatly arranged room. I hadn’t even taken off my uniform. My room gave me that reassuring feeling like it understood my tiredness. The silence and stillness were exactly what I needed.When I checked Mum’s room, she was gone off to the hospital to stay with Dad. She usually came home at three, sometimes even before I got back from school. Then, after making sure the house was i

I sat down on the seat I usually used for my study sessions. Looking at Lola’s funny smirk and Andrew’s innocent face, I realized my anger had been momentary. I just had to let it go.There were more important things to tackle anyway. Honestly, I was tired of the drama.“It’s alright, guys. No need for a formal apology. I’m fine. Just give me a few minutes to shower, then I’ll join you.” I hopped off the bed and hurried into the bathroom.A few minutes later, I joined Lola on top of my big bed. Andrew had claimed the bunk bed across the room—his favorite spot whenever he visited.It wasn’t like I had everything in the world, but my room was spacious enough for the three of us to be comfortable. That’s one thing I owed my parents: they always made sure I lacked nothing.“Hey guys,” Lola started, “I have something to say about Sara. She’s only… wait! Andrew, have you seen her in school recently?” She tossed the question at Andrew like she suspected something.He just hummed, shooting h