Lahat ng Kabanata ng A Heart Gone Silent: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 8

"I told you that there's nothing wrong with you. How could a doctor understand you better than me? What a wasted trip." Mom voiced her frustration as she entered the car.On our way home, Mom snapped a photo of the report and sent it to the family group chat. She circled the "minimal depression" stated in the report to highlight it.She typed, 'I brought the girl to checkup. She's absolutely well. It's only stress,' and hit send.As soon as her message was delivered, our relatives appeared like sharks drawn to blood.Aunt Ghita, my youngest aunt, was the first to criticize me. 'Didn't I tell you? There's no way it's depression. What's there to feel down about when she lives a comfortable life?'I could almost imagine Uncle Orion shaking his head when he added, 'Kids these days spend too much time on their phones. They learned a new term and want to keep up with the trend.'Lastly, Dad's reply came. 'It's good to know everything's fine with her. Next time, spare your mom the torme

The third day after my room door had been removed, the school held a parent-teacher meeting.Mom arrived at my classroom thirty minutes earlier.When Ms. Romano brought up students' mental health, Mom raised her hand."Ms. Romano, I'd like to share my input on this topic," she said, as she retrieved the medical report from her bag. Not long ago, my daughter claimed she was depressed. I paid for a checkup, and it turned out she isn't depressed at all."The surrounding parents' gaze encouraged her to share more."Kids nowadays learn new terms on the internet and label themselves. They excuse their bad grades with 'anxiety' and their resistance to going to school as 'depression'. If parents try to advise them, it somehow traumatizes them. Their future will be ruined if we don't intervene."A few parents nodded in agreement.Someone asked, "How's your girl doing now?"Mom smiled, and her eyes found me at the back of the classroom. "She's better now. Come, Nadine. Tell them about yo

When the ambulance arrived, Mom grabbed the stretcher and blurted out, "Nadine just acted impulsively. We went to the hospital just a few days ago. She's very healthy! She even had a second helping of food yesterday. There's no way she doesn't want to live!"She sounded so certain as if she expected the paramedics to confirm her theory. As though the moment they agreed with her, I would open my eyes, sit up on the stretcher, and tell her this was just another stunt."I'm not lying," I whispered as I followed her, yet she could not hear me.Then again, she had never really listened to me before either.When I first experienced a panic attack at school, I called her in the bathroom. I cried, "Mom, I feel like I'm dying. Can you come pick me up?"A suffocating silence filled the first few seconds before she sighed. "I've quit my job just to take care of you. What else do you want from me?"Despite her words, she came anyway.She claimed I was just trying to skip the exam and forced

Mom refused to let go of my hand.The nurse tried to persuade her to let the mortuary personnel do their job, but she shielded my bed with her body."Nadine can't stand the cold. I'm not sending her there. She's only asleep. She'll wake soon once she hears me calling out to her."Dad wrapped his arm around her shoulder, but she shoved him in the chest.She yelled at him. "You! You're at fault too! Why didn't you persuade me to change my mind when I asked you to remove her bedroom door? Those idiots laughed at her, yet you stoked the fire!"Dad lowered his head shamefully as his tears fell to the ground. "Back then, you said it was for her own good."His words took Mom aback. She indeed had said it many times.The statement was like a free pass. No matter my resistance, she would use it to decide for me, yet still claiming she was helping me.Now, it backfired, and she had a taste of her own medicine."Yeah, that's what I said." Heartbroken, Mom looked down and caressed my pale