Novels by Lennon Leia

(After Ava's burial)CORA'S POV***Ilang segundo rin akong nakatayo sa gitna ng dating kwarto ni Ava. Nandoon pa rin ang mga gamit niya. I guess, hindi pa pumupunta ang kahit sino sa pamilya niya para ayusin ang mga naiwan niyang gamit dito.I was frozen on my place with hands clenched on both of my sides. My tears blurred my vision as I roamed my gaze around the room. It's been three days since she was buried... And it's been three days that I hated my father to death."I'm sorry na hindi kita nailigtas, Ava," I murmured as my heart ached for my fallen friend. "I should've listened to my guts."Pagsisisi.At matinding galit.Iyon ang nararamdaman ko ngayon.One year ago, I got a hunch that something is different from the way my father is looking at my best friend. Pero dineadma ko iyon, thinking that he is seeing him like his daughter because she's one of my closest friends. Kaya gano'n siya mag-alaga at mag-alala para sa kaibigan ko dahil para niya na ring anak iyon. Five months ag

AVA'S***Kaagad na dumiretso ang aking likod nang sa wakas ay nakita ko na rin si Mama pagkatapos ng ilang oras na pag-aabang ko sa labas ng silid niya rito sa ospital. As much as my heart was yearning to hug her and to say sorry to her, I stopped myself from doing so.Nakuntento ako sa kinalalagyan ko at tinanaw lang siya habang nasa likod niya si Papa na siyang tumutulak sa wheelchair na kaniyang kinauupuan. Kasabay ng matinding kirot dahil gustong-gusto kong yakapin si Mama ay ang matinding hiya ko at pandidiri sa sarili ko.Masasaktan lang si Mama kapag nakita niya ulit ako. Wala na akong ibang ginawa para sa kaniya kung hindi ang saktan siya. That's the reason why I can't go to her.Ilang minuto kong pinanood ang mga magulang ko bago ko napagdesisyunang umalis na. I wiped the tears in my eyes before I walked away. Mula sa ospital, dumiretso ako sa sementeryo kung nasaan ang musileyo ni Gavin.I clasped both of my hands as I enter. Nang makita ko ang ultrasound picture ng pamangk

AVA'S POV***Ilang beses akong napabuntong hininga habang mahigpit ang pagkakahawak ng aking mga kamay sa aking mga tuhod. Halos malamig ang butil ng pawis na tumutulo sa gilid ng aking noo at sobrang nanliliit ako sa aking pwesto.Bago ako pumunta rito, pinag-isipan kong mabuti ang mga sasabihin ko. Buong magdamag kong inisip kung ano ang dapat kong gawin kapag nasa harapan na ako ni Ate Agatha.But I found myself tongue-tied and feeling nauseous, now that I am actually in the situation. This is suffocating... Being in front of her... and the man who introduced to me the wrong concept of love— Nick.“What now? Nagkalakas ka na ng loob na harapin ako? After making the same mistake again, Ava?” She snorted before she harshly tapped the table between us. “Ava, hindi ka ba nahiya? You became the mistress of your best friend's father! Hindi ka na naawa sa mga magulang natin sa mga kahihiyang dinadala mo sa pamilya natin.I heard the anger and shame on my sister's voice. Hindi ko rin kina

AVA'S POV [NOW... JOVEN'S AND ZACH'S WEDDING: THE SUICIDE DID NOT HAPPEN] *** It was suicide. I intended to die and leave this world. I was a coward and I don't have the courage to face all my mistakes. Sigurado na ako na iyon ang gagawin ko. Sobrang sakit na ng lahat at wala na akong nakikitang paraan para itama ang mga pagkakamali ko. But now that I am standing in front of the church, in front of the big crucifix in the middle of the altar, watching my man to exchange vows with another woman...then, all my plans changed in an instant.Death turned out to be scarier than what I expected it to be. It is something not easy to decide no matter how miserable someone's life is. Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa panyo sa kamay ko habang unti-unting nanlabo ang mga mata ko dahil sa mga luhang nagbabadyang tumulo. Then and there, I saw it. Nag-flash ang lahat ng posibleng mangyari sa akin kung magpapakamatay ako ngayon dahil lang nasasaktan ako. I shook my head as my body started to tre

ZACH'S P.O.V. *** "Cora, let's talk!" "I DON'T WANT TO TALK! NOT TO YOU! I HATE YOU!" Napahilamos ako sa aking mukha nang lagpasan niya ako. I didn't know where she came from but having her furious reaction towards me, I know for a fact that she's probably with Joven— and I know Joven told her. "Cora! I'm still your father!" Sinundan ko siya at kaagad na hinablot ang kaniyang braso para pigilan. Pero kaagad niyang iwinaksi ang kamay ko. Then she looked at me with so much disgust and hate. Para akong pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa sa pandidiri sa mukha ng sarili kong anak. The shame and conscience took a toll on me and I found myself taking a step back from Cora. No. I don't want my daughter to hate me. This is so fucked up. "Totoo ba? Totoo bang si Ava... ginawa mong k-kabit ang kaibigan ko?" Cora was crying. Her tears falling from her eyes like an endless river. Her eyes were begging me to say 'no'. Kita ko ang sakit sa mga tingin niya sa akin. The fact that she's still gi

JOVEN'S P.O.V.***"Hey, Joven. It's nice to see you again."I stared at the man who broke my heart into pieces while I was wearing a veil and a white wedding gown.I didn't bother to put up a smile. Walang emosyon ang tinging ibinigay ko sa kaniya. "You know I'm not happy to see you again, Zach. This is painful," I honestly said before avoiding his gaze.Napadako ang tingin ko sa tasa ng kape na nasa harapan ko. I couldn't believe I agree to meet him today.He said he has to say something so important— kahit nagdadalawang-isip, pumayag akong makipagkita sa kaniya sa Wednesday Cafe. The place was cozy and has a beautiful ambiance but I couldn't enjoy it specially that my heart was broken and the man who did it was sitting across me."I know. I'm really sorry, Joven.""Sorry would never make up for what you did to me and to my child." Napahawak ako sa aking tyan at marahang hinaplos iyon.Narinig ko ang buntong hininga ni Zach bago niya muling sinabi, "I'm really sorry."I had a tragi

"Rupert?" I was stunned to see Rupert entering our bedroom. My eyebrows went up as soon as he finished closing the door, he next took off his necktie. "Aren't you on duty now in the emergency room, Dr. Santos?" I got up from lying down and sat on the end of the bed. It's already eight PM and my husband is in his second year residency— and he told me he was on duty in the emergency room of their hospital tonight. "I miss you, my dear wife." He then took off his long sleeves and dropped his hands on the button of his pants. "Emergency room isn't busy. Someone relieved me. Can you believe how lucky I am?" I chuckled, realizing how my husband never really wasted any time. I could hear the playfulness in his voice. The way he was walking slowly— very very slowly— towards me as if he was strip-teasing in front of me made me laugh so hard. "We’re too old to do that, Rupert!" I got up from the bed and approached him. I grinned when he cussed under his breath. I immediately knelt down in

"How are you? I hope you're doing fine there. Please, be happy wherever you are." I was standing beside Rupert as he talked to Ava. He was sitting on the grass opposite its tomb. After finding out that he was the same man I called an asshole a year ago, he asked me to stay for a while— because he was supposed to talk to Ava. And so, here we are. I was watching him as he talked to his first love. In my hand, I was holding a bunch of roses. "I want you to meet her." Rupert turned to look at me. I was not sure if he's grinning or what. But when he stood next to me and held my hand tightly, I couldn't help but smile. "She's Meredith Kaye Santiago, the woman I will marry and will spend the rest of my life with. Isn't she beautiful? She's also an inspiring woman and she's a fighter. I'm actually proud of her. I love her so much , Ava. " My mouth dropped open at what Rupert was saying. When he raised my hand and pointed at the ring on my finger as if showing it off to his first love mad

"Loving someone is a manifestation of human's vulnerability; the risk of hurting someone and being hurt by another person." I smiled before my eyes searched for Rupert's seat in the audience area. "We lost, we burned and we got hurt ... But we can't deny the fact that this abstract thing called love is the connection we need as a social being. Without love, this life will be meaningless. Without love, this world will be cruel. Without love, I wouldn't be able to stand on this stage and carry on in this debate. My love for debate is what kept me going and the love of the people around me is what motivated me to not surrender. " Love is being vulnerable. And although many of us get hurt after loving someone, "The important thing is the lessons we learned and the memories we had with the person who made us happy. So, it is still better to love even though you might lose. Because a quitter will never be a winner but a loser can eventually win. Same goes with love, to be brave is the only

Everyone was here. Everyone who was important to me came. My dad, Aunt Bernadeth, Bailey, Eian, Uncle Greg, Gelo and my debate team, my coaches and Rupert’s father. I was wearing a simple white dress reaching just above my knees. My long hair was falling freely behind my back. Rupert was wearing a simple all-white suit and I know he looked good in it. I looked at Rupert who was holding my hand. I smiled at him while tears were welling up in my eyes. I couldn't clearly see his face aside from the shiny metal ring on his lips. It's frustrating and ever since the wedding ceremony started, I keep wishing to see his face on this special moment. "Meredith Kaye Santiago," he slid the wedding ring on my finger, "you're so beautiful." I giggled. He was supposed to say his vow but here he was, complimenting me for the nth time. "Proceed to your vow, Mr. Santos. I'm quite tired," I murmured before winking at him. That's the truth. After the debate, I couldn’t deny how weak I was feeling n

I looked at Rupert who was sitting on the front seat of the audience area. Next to him were Bailey, Sir Romeo and Ma'am Juliet. On his lap was a large handbag full of my things; my lunch, some extra t-shirts, and medicines. He was in an unusually clean casual today— neat white polo with casual jeans and rubber shoes. His curly brown hair was put in a fixed brush up style.So I was no longer surprised that every woman we met entering the venue was attracted to him."Are you ready, Meredith?" Cherry asked me, holding my right arm to assist me.I chuckled before I freed myself from her hold. "I'm okay, Che. You don't have to worry.""But you had a nose bleed earlier. If you don't want Cherry to support you, let me," Minzy argued.I immediately shook my head. "Please don't treat me like a weak patient. I don't want to remember my condition on this important day."Cherry and Minzy were stunned. David put his arm around Minzy and ruffled her hair. "Let's focus on the competition. We have to

One year ago …"Congrats, Edith. A year has passed. I don't think you should worry anymore. Everything is going to be okay from here.”I looked at Bailey because of what she said. I nudged her side before getting off of the car's passenger seat. I turned around at the driver's seat and then peeked at the window. "Five years, Bailey. Eian said— I mean Dr. Baller, I have to be healthy for five years straight to say I don't really have cancer anymore," I reminded her before sighing a deep breath."One year was still a long time," she replied to me before patting my forehead. "It's not because the standards are five years to say you're cancer free, you're invalidating the one year you're healthy. You should be thankful for that."I frowned at her before playfully swatting her hand away which was patting me like a kid. "One year is only twenty percent of the five years. A lot more can happen. I still can't figure it out. My cancer can still come back.""Stop your negativity. You're ruining