NAALIMPUNGATAN SI Ruby Rose nang marinig ang tunog nang humintong sasakyan sa kanilang garahe. Hindi niya namalayang nakatulog siya sa sofa sa may sala habang naghihintay sa kanyang asawa. Sinulyapan niya ang may kalakihang wall clock na nakasabit sa dingding. It was almost two in the morning, the last time she checked the time, it was ten in the evening, she slept for nearly four hours. Tumayo siya at lumakad patungo sa pinto upang pagbuksan ang asawa. “Welcome home,” bati niya rito nang nakangiti. She could immediately smell the alcohol from him, the stench was too strong that she wanted to throw up. He walked pass her without saying anything and entered their room without looking back. Ni hindi man lang siya nito tinapunan ng tingin kahit sandali man lang. Isinarado niya ang pinto at nagmamadaling tumungo sa sink upang ilabas ang mga kinain. She felt sick when she smelt the strong scent of alcohol. She drank water after she throw up, her stomach felt so empty and she was famis
HINDI NIYA ALAM kung ilang minuto na siyang nakatayo sa labas ng pinto basta ang alam niya ay kanina pa siya naroon. She sighed for the nth time and finally knocked on the door, she knocked two times but there was no response.“Are you sleeping?”Ruby Rose sighed in a mixture of disappointment and relief. Disappointment because she could not see him, she barely saw him for the whole week because he was always busy. And relief because her plan for that night would not be executed, even she thought that her plan was unreasonable. She was about to leave and go back to her room when the door opened.“What do you want? It’s late,” Russel Clarke said.Napalunok siya nang mapatingala sa mukha nito. He was really tall.Napahigpit ang hawak ni Ruby Rose sa kumot na nakapalibot sa kanyang katawan. She was trembling and it was not because of the cold. Hindi paman niya nagagawa ang binabalik ay para na siyang hihimatayin sa kaba.Mabilis siyang pumasok sa loob ng silid nito bago pa magbago ang is
7 YEARS LATER MANHATTAN, NEW YORK "What do you think is the first step to unlove someone?" the host asked. "You should stop seeing them. Seeing them often will always remind you how deep your affection towards that person. It'll be easier to unlove them if they were out of your sight. Focus on other things, pursue your dreams, focus on yourself." "That's deep. I'm wondering if it's based on your personal experiences?" "Maybe." Ruby Rose smiled playfully and shrugged her shoulders. Pinatay ni Ruby Rose ang cellphone at inilapag sa lamesa. Dinampot niya ang shades at isinuot bago umayos ng higa sa beach lounge chair.She smiled bitterly when she remembered what she answered to that question from the host of that vlog, the one she was watching on her phone. It was already uploaded in the internet.She was invited by a famous vlogger, who had millions of followers in Youtube and in other social media platforms, to be featured in one of their episodes. Their YouTube channel was known
“HMM…” Padaing na reklamo ni Ruby Rose nang masilaw sa liwanag mula sa labas. Pumasok iyon sa kanyang silid mula sa kanyang bintana na nasa uluhan niya. Someone opened her roller blind curtain and the sun was hitting her face.Itinakip niya ang kumot sa kanyang mukha at nagtangkang bumalik sa pagtulog ngunit may humila ng kumot niya. Wala siyang magawa kundi magising dahil mataas na ang sikat ng araw sa labas na tumatama sa kanya.She groaned like a wounded beast when she felt like her head was going split into two. It was the worst hangover she had ever experienced and last night was the first time she got wasted. Ni hindi niya maalala kung paano siya nakauwi sa kanyang apartment.“Get up and drink this.”Tinanggap niya ang binigay ng kanyang manager na pain reliever at baso ng tubig. Mabilis niya iyong ininom at isinandig ang likod sa pader habang nakaupo sa kanyang kama.“My head is killing me.”“You were so wasted last night; you couldn’t even stand up straight. If Carrie hadn’t c
“ROSE…”“RUBY ROSE…”“Ha?” Nagtaas ng ulo si Ruby Rose nang kalabitin siya ng kanyang kapatid na katabi niyang nakaupo habang kumakain sila ng hapunan. Tiningnan niya ito habang nakakunot ang noo.Nang ilinga niya ang mga mata palibot sa kanilang dining table ay nakita niya nakatingin sa kanya ang mga kasama. Her mother and father and her two siblings.Hindi niya gustong lumabas ng kuwarto niya kanina pero wala siyang magagawa. Iyon ang unang beses na nabuo silang pamilya sa harap ng hapag simula nang umalis siya.“What’s wrong? Kanina ka pa tinatawag ng mama mo. You don’t like the food?” Malcolm asked.Napatingin siya sa kanyang mga magulang at ngumiti. “It’s just jetlag, Dad.” Niyuko niya ang kanyang pagkain na kaunti lang ang nabawas. Hindi niya napansin kaninang nakatulala siya roon at nilaro-laro lang ng kutsara. Sumubo siya ng pagkain kahit na para bang babara iyon sa kanyang lalamunan.Tahimik siyang nagpasalamat nang makumbinsi niya ang mga ito. “How’s school?” tanong niya sa
“WHAT AM I even doing here?” she murmured and laughed nervously.Her, standing in front of Russel’s door felt like a déjà vu. Hindi niya maiwasang hindi maalala ang nangyari noong eighteen siya.Hindi siya nahirapang hanapin ang bahay ni Russel dahil alam niya ang address nito at ang house number noon pa mang hindi pa siya umaalis ng bansa.If her stare could bore, it would’ve put a hole in the door. Kanina pa siya nakatitig doon at hindi makahanap ng lakas ng loob upang kumatok.Ipinikit niya ang mga mata at inalala ang mga sinabi ni Joanna sa kanya. Tila ba nagkaroon siya ng lakas ng loob dahil doon kaya itinaas niya ang kamay at pinindot ang doorbell.Hindi siya mapakali habang hinihintay na bumukas ang pinto. Malakas ang kutob niyang naroon si Russel dahil nasa garahe ang sasakyan nito. The garage could only fit one car, she was assuming that he only had that car.Lihim niyang napigil ang hininga ng panandalian lamang nang bumungad sa bumukas na pinto ang mukha ni Russel. Nakasuot
SHE FELT the ringing in her ears when she woke up. Hindi niya maimulat ang mga mata dahil sa sakit ng ulo. Pagkaraan ng ilang minuto ay unti-unti nang rumirehistro sa kanyang pandinig ang mga boses sa labas ng silid.The voices were inaudible at first, until they became clearer as minutes passed by. They were two voices, no, there’s three, three familiar voices.Gusto niyang buksan ang mga talukap pero tila kay bigat ng mga iyon. Maging ang katawan ay nahihirapan siyang igalaw. She could barely feel her body that it was starting to scare her. What’s happening to her?Hanggang sa marinig niya ang pagbukas ng pinto at ang papalapit na mga yabag ay nanatili siyang nakapikit at hindi makagalaw. Tanging mga ungol ang kumakawala sa kanyang mga labi.Naririnig niya ang mararahas nitong paghinga habang nakaupo sa dulong bahagi ng kama.Ilang beses niyang sinubukang buksan ang mga talukap at nang magtagumpay ay nakita niya si Russel. Nang luminaw ang kanyang paningin ay una niyang napagtuonan
TANGHALI NA pero hindi niya gustong umalis ng kanyang kama. Ang bigat-bigat ng kanyang pakiramdam at nakakaramdam siya ng pagkahilo tuwing tumatayo. She did not know that being pregnant could be that hard.Yesterday, the doctor confirmed that she was pregnant. Ibig sabihin lang niyon ay hindi siya puwedeng bumalik ng Brooklyn. How could she tell Leny about it? Hindi pa niya ito natatawagan upang ibalita rito ang pagbubuntis niya. Leny already knew about her situation, how she wagered with her mother. Leny freaked out at first, pero wala itong magawa kaya hindi muna ito tumanggap ng mga project at gigs para sa kanya.She wondered if her mother told everyone about her being pregnant. Did she already tell Russel? How would he react? What would he do about it?Natatakot siyang malaman ang magiging reaksiyon ni Russel.The day after they had sex, Russel and Joanna announced that their wedding would be postponed. Hindi gustong i-cancel ni Joanna ang kasal kaya napagdesisyunan ng mga itong