December twenty-three na ngayon, ibig sabihin ay dalawang araw na lang ay pasko na.
"Are you really sure about this?" Ares asked me for the nth time today that made me roll my eyes for the nth time today, too.
"You are needed there, Solaries Eleazar. Who am I to stop you from going home to your family?" Paliwanag ko habang tinutulungan siyang mag-impake ng mga gamit niya.
Mamayang gabi ang flight nila ng buong pamilya niya papuntang United Kingdom. They're gonna spend their Christmas and New Year celebration there together with their grandparents who reside there.
"But baby, I'll be staying there for weeks! That's too long." Reklamo niya. Nakaupo lang siya sa kama niya, hindi ako tinutulungang mag-impake par
Time flies so fast. Bukas ay December 31 na, this year is about to end and another year is about to start. After we celebrated Christmas, our whole family went to one of Aunt Daiana, Uncle Aqui's wife's, private beach resorts. Up until now, we're here in the private beach resort in Bohol to celebrate New Year. This place is where we all get to unwind and relax. Nandito rin kasi ipinatayo nina Dad ang resthouse. So basically, this private resort is like the family's safe space. No one else comes in this resort but us, De Bonnevies or anyone else from Aunt Daiana's family. Nagkalat ang mga lalaki kong pinsan sa kung saang bahagi ng resort. Lander jokingly said he was said 'coz there were no girls he could flirt with, ayan tuloy at nahampas siya ni Dad ng sungkod niya at binatukan pa siya ng daddy niyang si Uncle Eros.
I felt like I was not myself while driving back to the beach resort. Wala ako sa sarili habang nagmamaneho at nasa malayo naman ang isipan ko.. pati ang iniisip ko. Good thing I managed to drive safely. Nanatiling tahimik ang dalawang kasama ko, ramdam siguro nilang mabigat ang pakiramdam ko, ngunit wala silang ideya sa dahilan kung bakit. When we got back, mabilis na bumaba ang dalawa at nagtungo sa resthouse para ibigay kina Mama ang mga pinamili namin. Nanatili naman ako sa sasakyan, mariing nakahawak sa manibela at nakatingin sa kawalan. Tulala lang ako at hindi pa agad maiproseso ng utak ko ang mga nangyari kanina at ang pag-uusap namin ng babaeng nagpakilalang girlfriend ni Ares. Are you fucking kiddin
"Magtitwenty-six ka na." Natatawang saad ko kay Ares na nakayakap sa akin mula sa likod.He groaned and buried his face on the hollow of my neck. I chuckled because of his reaction."Feeling old yet?""Shut up, Narelle." He said as he clicked his tongue in annoyance.Umalingawngaw sa apat na sulok ng kwarto ko ang malakas kong tawa. Mangiyak-ngiyak pa ako habang parang tangang tumatawa. Ang lalaki sa likod ko naman ay hindi ko makita ang ekspresyon. He tightened his hug on me. His fingers accidentally touched my bare bellybutton that made me laugh more."Ares, that tickles!"Napatigil ako sa pagtaw
"Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala. Malapit na tayong grumaduate mga mare!" Biglang sambit ni Lian at naghampasan silang dalawa ni Magui. Napailing ako habang may ngiting nakapaskil sa mga labi. Yes, ilang araw na lang ay gagraduate na kami sa college. Today, we are already preparing for the graduation ball that will happen tomorrow night. Naganap ang retreat namin last week. Masaya at marami kaming natutunan roon. We went to one of our family’s beach resorts, nakatanggap pa ako ng iilang papuri at kesyo raw sobrang yaman talaga ng pamilya namin. I just laughed awkwardly and said thanks.. ‘cause I didn't know what to say. We did a lot of activities there and it's like we were given time to learn more about ourse
The first thing I felt as soon as I opened my eyes was my soreness down there.Napapikit akong muli nang maalala ko na naman ang mga nangyari kagabi hanggang kaninang madaling araw.In a span of four hours, we did a lot of nasty things. Well, we did have a break. It wasn't a continuous exercise. Everytime we got tired, we would just lay on the bed while lazy kissing and then it would lead us to doing it again.I perfectly remembered how he was gentle at first. Like he’s stopping himself from doing something that would hurt me. But it did hurt the first time his thing went inside of me. He would say
"What took you so long?" Iyan ang bungad na tanong ni Dad sa aming dalawa ni Ares pagkapasok namin sa manoir. Eh, kasi naman. Sa tagal naming gumawa ng milagro roon sa sasakyan niya ay naabutan na kami ng ulan. Samantalang sina Apollo ay kanina pa palang nakarating dito sa bahay. We made them worry. We spent almost an hour in that narrow lane to do something nasty! We were so late for the family lunch. And our family being paranoid and worried, they thought negative things happened while we were on the road. Ginoo, simbako palayo! We were both scolded for taking too much time. Bakit ba ang tagal naming dalawa, e, ang lapit lapit lang naman ng village sa university! I didn't want to lie but I also didn't want
Umusbong ang tensyon sa buong dining hall ng manoir. “He got me pregnant.” Parang sirang plaka na nagpaulit-ulit ang mga katagang iyon sa utak ko. Ni-hindi ako makagalaw mula sa kinauupuan ko. Masyado akong nagulat sa rebelasyon ng babaeng.. ina ng boyfriend ko at nabuntis ni Papa. God! I hate to be rude but I couldn't even look at her the same way as before! I couldn't even call her Tita Solene, my boyfriend’s mother! All I can think of is that she is my late father's mistress! Oh my God! My father has a mistress!? Tuluyan na ngang tumulo ang luha ko. Walang nakapagsalita sa amin pagkatapos noong rebelasyon ni Tita. Masyado kaming nagulat at pino
Hindi ko inalintana ang sasabihin ng pamilya ko at kaagad na tumakbo papuntang garahe para magmaneho patungo sa ospital. Shit! This is what I'm saying. Kaya pala kanina pa ako hindi mapakali. I should've listened to my guts. Dapat hindi muna namin sila pinaalis gayong masama ang panahon. Tita Solene, Tito Andréz, Asher, Ares, and Artemia were all inside that car. And I don't know what to do anymore! Ang sabi ng kapatid ko ay kritikal ang kondisyon nilang lahat. Oh my God. This is all our fault. Especially mine, kung sana lang hindi ako nagpadala sa emosyon ko, kung sana lang pinagana ko ang kabutihan ko, I shouldn't have let them leave the village even when the rain is pouring hard. Dapat ay pinakiusapan ko sina Dad na kahit patuluyin muna sila sa kabilang mga bahay tu
Hindi nangyari ang gusto ko.Nalaman ni Daddylo ang nangyari sa pagitan namin ni Ate Ashlyn kaya't wala na akong nagawa ng inutusan niya ang kambal kong i-uwi ako sa manoir. He was so mad and afraid at the same time that something would happen to me and the baby inside my womb.Mabilis akong inalis ni Apollo sa lugar na iyon kahit na halos mamatay na ako sa pagmamakaawa na payagan akong makita si Ares, pero hindi sila nakinig sa akin.Hindi ko man lang nasilayan si Ares kahit sa huling pagkakataon man lang sana."Athena,"Hindi ko pinansin ang pagtawag sa akin ni Apollo. Wala akong ibang ginawa kun'di ang tahimik ma umiyak habang nakahiga sa kama ko. I heard him sigh.Wala ni isa sa amin ang binigyan ng pagkakataong makita si Ares. Walang De Bonnevie ang pinayagan ni Ate Ashlyn na masilayan ang kapatid niya. I'm hurting but I surely know that Apollo's hurting
“W-What..”Binigyan kami ni Mrs. Lynn Mansueto ng isang mabining ngiti.“Buhay ang kapatid ninyo, Athena. Hindi siya kailanman binawi sa atin ng Diyos.”Natakpan ko ang bibig ko sa gulat. Huwag mong sabihin sa akin na nagsinungaling si Tita Solene sa amin?“I-Imposible po iyan.. Ang sabi sa amin ni Tita Solene ay.. wala na ang kapatid namin..” Umiling-iling ako, hindi makapaniwala sa isiniwalat ng mag-asawa sa harapan namin ng kakambal ko.Umiling naman si Mr. Anton, “Iyon din ang akala niya, Athena. Akala niya ay namatay ang anak niya kay Apollonius. Pero hindi. Dahil ang totoo, buhay na buhay ang anak nila. Sayang nga lang at hindi nalaman ni Solene ang katotohanan bago pa man siya binawian ng buhay..” Malungkot na aniya.“Paano po naging posible iyon? How come she didn't have an idea that her own child
The next few days weren't fine at all. It’s been exactly three weeks since I left the Philippines for a stress-free pregnancy here in France. Walang araw na hindi ko sila namimiss. Araw-araw, gabi-gabi akong nangungulila sa kanila.. lalong lalo na kay Ares.There are nights where I just stare at the ceiling and overthink things. Then I’ll start crying, remembering all that has happened in my life. I can’t help but scroll on my gallery and look for my photos with Ares. Walang kwenta ang pagpunta ko rito sa France para malayo sa stress dahil nas-stress pa rin naman ako.To be honest, things are not going well with me but I am trying my best to be better. I always flash a smile like always, like before. Like I wasn't even affected at all. But deep inside, I am dying. But I am trying to be strong for the people around m
Tahimik lang ako sa buong biyahe papuntang airport. Isang pribadong jet plane na pag-aari ni Uncle Max ang sasakyan namin ni Apollo at Kuya Ryden papuntang France. Kasama namin si Kuya Ry dahil may kailangan siyang asikasuhin sa business ng mommy niya doon sa France. He’ll go on a business trip, I think. Clothing line ang negosyo nila ngunit kahit na lalaki siya at isang abogado, bihasa na siya sa negosyo nilang iyon. Bago pa man siya naging ganap na abogado ay siya na ang minsang naghahandle ng business ni Tita Amora. Pero siguro pagka-graduate ni Mari ay magfofocus na lang siya sa law firm nila, since interesado naman ang dalagitang iyon sa business nilang clothing line. “I’ll stay in France for one to two weeks. Or more, probably. Yes. Send me the details. I may be on a business trip but I can still work on it, Attorney.” Rini
I’m.. what? “Pardon?” Wala sa sariling sambit ko. “You are pregnant, Miss Athena. That is why you should stay healthy and avoid the things that would stress you out, lalo na ngayon na nagdadalang-tao ka. Hindi na lang ang sarili mo ang kailangan mong alagaan because you're bearing your child.” I’m.. pregnant? “Good thing at maaga nating nalaman ang pagbubuntis mo. Sa ngayon, hindi pa visible ang baby bump mo since three weeks pa lang naman. But by ten weeks, magiging halata na ang umbok sa tiyan mo.” She added in a happy tone. “By the first trimester of your pregnancy, you’ll feel nauseous and even vomit, or what we call morning sickness. Other sy
Hindi ko inalintana ang sasabihin ng pamilya ko at kaagad na tumakbo papuntang garahe para magmaneho patungo sa ospital. Shit! This is what I'm saying. Kaya pala kanina pa ako hindi mapakali. I should've listened to my guts. Dapat hindi muna namin sila pinaalis gayong masama ang panahon. Tita Solene, Tito Andréz, Asher, Ares, and Artemia were all inside that car. And I don't know what to do anymore! Ang sabi ng kapatid ko ay kritikal ang kondisyon nilang lahat. Oh my God. This is all our fault. Especially mine, kung sana lang hindi ako nagpadala sa emosyon ko, kung sana lang pinagana ko ang kabutihan ko, I shouldn't have let them leave the village even when the rain is pouring hard. Dapat ay pinakiusapan ko sina Dad na kahit patuluyin muna sila sa kabilang mga bahay tu
Umusbong ang tensyon sa buong dining hall ng manoir. “He got me pregnant.” Parang sirang plaka na nagpaulit-ulit ang mga katagang iyon sa utak ko. Ni-hindi ako makagalaw mula sa kinauupuan ko. Masyado akong nagulat sa rebelasyon ng babaeng.. ina ng boyfriend ko at nabuntis ni Papa. God! I hate to be rude but I couldn't even look at her the same way as before! I couldn't even call her Tita Solene, my boyfriend’s mother! All I can think of is that she is my late father's mistress! Oh my God! My father has a mistress!? Tuluyan na ngang tumulo ang luha ko. Walang nakapagsalita sa amin pagkatapos noong rebelasyon ni Tita. Masyado kaming nagulat at pino
"What took you so long?" Iyan ang bungad na tanong ni Dad sa aming dalawa ni Ares pagkapasok namin sa manoir. Eh, kasi naman. Sa tagal naming gumawa ng milagro roon sa sasakyan niya ay naabutan na kami ng ulan. Samantalang sina Apollo ay kanina pa palang nakarating dito sa bahay. We made them worry. We spent almost an hour in that narrow lane to do something nasty! We were so late for the family lunch. And our family being paranoid and worried, they thought negative things happened while we were on the road. Ginoo, simbako palayo! We were both scolded for taking too much time. Bakit ba ang tagal naming dalawa, e, ang lapit lapit lang naman ng village sa university! I didn't want to lie but I also didn't want
The first thing I felt as soon as I opened my eyes was my soreness down there.Napapikit akong muli nang maalala ko na naman ang mga nangyari kagabi hanggang kaninang madaling araw.In a span of four hours, we did a lot of nasty things. Well, we did have a break. It wasn't a continuous exercise. Everytime we got tired, we would just lay on the bed while lazy kissing and then it would lead us to doing it again.I perfectly remembered how he was gentle at first. Like he’s stopping himself from doing something that would hurt me. But it did hurt the first time his thing went inside of me. He would say