IT WAS like a bomb dropped to destroy all my senses; a tornado, picking up wild thoughts inside my tousled brain and smashing my sanity before I could even feel sober.
It was more like a kid shouting near me and a gong situated under my ear. It disrupted my eardrums and all I could hear was my heavy breaths.
"Namatayan ng mag-ina si Euart," bulong ni Shanta.
I covered my mouth and rested a hand at my back hip. My heart was in a drag race, it took too much of my fuel to drive my head insane.
Bata pa lang ang kaibigan ko para magkaroon ng anak. He's unstable and broke. Hindi siya nag-iingat. If the child was alive, hindi ko alam ang mga mangyayari. Although for sure, this would be a total mes
THE WAR HAS EMPTIED ITS BARREN, leaked its last drip, and twisted its faucet close. No river of evil will ever enter the estuaries of goodness. It will no longer wave its big tsunamis to the calm ocean of serenity and prosperousness. From now on, it will flow as fresh milk, white and nourishing. For the battle has been fought and won. "For the grounds you've committed and the substantial evidence submitted in this office, the Board has decided to expel you, Avancea Vega and Alleva Brookes." "No! There's no way!" sigaw ni Avancea at sinampal ang mesa pagkatapos isara ni Dr. Principio ang folder, na naglalaman ng hatol sa kanila. "I am innocent! I didn't do anything to any of these two!" "Sit down, Ms. Vega," matigas na utos ng punong guro. "Your behavior will put you into more danger." "You're not expelling my daughter!" sigaw ng isang ginang, na mukhang batang tingnan dahil sa iksi ng suot at mga alahas sa katawan niya. "This is unfair! I will Dalmaceo! He will not approve of t
SHE AGREED. Amadena, Avancea's mother, surrendered. She let the battle be won by the victor. Hindi dahil sa nagpaubaya siya, kundi dahil wala na silang laban sa mga ebidensya, na nagtuturo sa anak niya. However, unlike Alleva who accepted her punishment wholeheartedly, hindi pa rin tanggap ni Avancea ang kaparusahan niya. She wanted to appeal because expulsion was a biased penalty to her. Mas tatanggapin pa raw niya ang community service kaysa mapaalis sa eskwelahan. However, her bargain immediately led to her downfall. She dug her own hole and fell for it. Walang kaparusahan dapat ang hingiin niya dahil, ayon sa kanya, wala siyang kasalanan. Matalino ang punong guro. Hindi siya nakalusot. It onl
IT WAS EASY to say than to make it happen. Sometimes, it isn't the one who promised that has not acted upon it, but the person who receives it does not accept the will. I accepted Shanta's initiative. I helped her not because she asked me to, but because I would've suggested it, too, if she hadn't said it first. Anything for her growth, I will take measures. And these measures involve asking each of her victims to give her another chance and attend to what Shanta prepared for them. Others may see it as simple and not hard at all, not until they're in my situation. "Please, this is not… a joke…" I prayed to a nerdy-looking woman who only walked past me when I told her about my friend's sweet plan. "This is real. As in, for real. Give her a chance, please… last chance… a
SALAMAT AT NAGPUNTA KAYO," Shanta said with her purest heart while holding a microphone on stage. "Sa pagdalo niyo, masasabi kong pinalad pa rin ako kahit ilang ulit man sabihin ng iba na isa akong malas." There was still a moment of shock in me as I watched her up here. Nasa gitna ako ng mga kaibigan ko. Clavis and Jirario were seated at my right side and Lachlan and Katlego at my left, respectively. They were silent and serious as to why I could clearly hear my heart beating in excitement. Below us were Shanta's victims who scammed me into not attending and putting my handsome face on the line! I didn't expect they would come after refusing me despite my cries, na halos lumuhod ako sa harapan nila, makapunta lang sila. My mind was blank to know what encouraged them t
I THINK I FORGOT something,” sabi ko habang kinakapa ang bulsa noong makarating kami sa parking lot ng school. “Mauna na kayo doon sa bahay nila. I’ll follow after this. Don’t wait for me.” “Ano bang nakalimutan mo?” may bahid ng duda na tanong ni Lachlan nang akmang papalis ako. “Dala mo naman bag mo. Anong klase ng gamit ang nawawala sa bulsa mo?” “Wala ka na doon,” inis na pahayag ko. “Eh, ikaw? Kailan ka aalis? At… Bakit ang tagal ninyong umalis? Don’t tell me you’re still gonna wait for me?” “Tanga. Hindi.” Jirario said and walked past me, intentionally hitting my shoulders as he went to his black car. “Arat na. Gutom na ako.” “Bwisit ka,” angil ko kahit hindi masakit iyong bangga niya. &
SHOULD I GO AFTER HIM?" I asked Shanta because she still has a party to host and I could not afford to ruin it, but I couldn't also afford to leave our friend behind. "Is it okay if I might be late? I'll check on him. He's… chaotic and… I'm worried." Sa kabila ng mga maling ginawa niya, hindi ko pa rin siya matiis. Euart just found out about his child. Namatayan siya ng mag-ina. Namatay ang anak niya bago pa isilang sa mundo. At nalaman niya pa 'yon kung kailan wala na sila. Kung kailan huli na ang lahat. For sure, if he knew they had a baby, hindi niya 'yun pababayaan. He'd become a responsible father, which was something that had kept him distant from his family because he barely felt the love of a father. "Should I? Do you want me to follow him?" I asked again
DALMI! WHERE ARE YOU?! Where the hell is that bitch?!” came the thunderous voice of a woman from the hallway while we were inside of our classroom. Nagkatinginan kami nina Clavis at Jirario. Sabay kaming sumilip sa pinagmulan ng ingay. Even she caught the attention of our classmates. Kaya ngayon, halos sa kanilang lahat ay tumakbo sa pinto at sumilip sa bintana. “Fuck you all! Get out of my way or else, I will kill you!” Palakas nang palakas ang boses niya, marahil ay patungo sa classroom namin. “Ilabas ninyo ang malandi at ahas na si Dalmi Shantana! Ilabas niyo! Fucking bring her to me!” “Tangina…” Clavis cursed as he knew who the demanding voice belonged to. “Maayos na ang lahat. Anong kaguluhan na naman ito?”
HINDI MO SIYA KAILANGAN, AVAN,” may simpatiyang tugon ni Shanta sa pahayag ni Avancea. “Hindi mo kailangan ng lalaki sa buhay mo.”“No…” Her step sister shook her head, removing the ridiculous statement out of her head. “He’s not just a boy toy, Dalmi. If that’s what you think. I love him. I have only loved Euart since I laid eyes on him. So, help me. For once.”I could only make out that she’s insane for asking for help from the woman she betrayed and conspired against. She’s desperate to have Euart even when she knew he kissed her ex, which I knew nothing about!Hindi nabanggit ni Shanta sa akin ang tungkol doon. Was she lying to me, na nadulas lang siya kaya sinabi niya ang tungkol sa anak nila