HUMAKBANG paatras si Clavis nang sumulong si Shanta. Her brown orbs turned into an eye of a wolf. Bawat hakbang niya ay parang sinlaki ng mga hakbang ng isang higante. Nakakatakot at nakakakaba.
"Magpaliwanag ka," walang halong birong utos ni Shanta. Tinitigin niya nang maigi ang kanyang pinsan. "Bakit wala akong alam tungkol dito? Ba't kayo naglihim sa akin? Bakit... hindi niyo ako sinama?"
Her cousin latched onto my uniform with trembling hands. Inis na nilingon ko siya. I tried pulling it back while he continuously clutched it. Pero ayaw niyang bitawan!
"P're…" He frowned, his eyes begging me. "Patigilin mo siya, p're…"
Believe me, I wanted to pity him. Pero kinukusot niya ang damit ko kaya bahala siya! H
Hello, readers! Thank you for reading this story so far. I will keep updating until the story finishes. Thank you again and always keep safe! I love you! By the way, how do you feel about Euart? Let me know! Love, ninashupi.
SHANTA STILL showed her teeth, implying that everything was okay, despite having to deal with late cancellations. Kahit na labag sa loob ko ay ngumiti na rin ako. It was the best thing to do at the moment.Ayaw kong maramdaman niyang may nalulungkot o naaawa para sa kanya. Hindi niya gugustuhin ‘yon. That's how I have observed her for the past few months. Frankly, it would hurt her pride.Kaya kung nais kong makatulong, kailangan ko lang sumabay sa agos, like I was a log floating on a river. I should not tell more that would provoke her emotions.“Dalmi! Ayos ka lang ba?! Hindi na kayo matutuloy?” tawag-pansin ni Clavis mula sa kanyang upuan. “Anong nangyari? Ba’t umalis ang mga ‘yon? Anong ginawa sa 'yo?”
ALLEVA forwarded to Shanta with eyes filled with guilt and fakeness. Kinuha niya ang dalawang kamay nito at hinalikan. Samantala, nakatungo si Elmary at patuloy sa paghimas ng kanyang buhok.Alleva begged and said, "Sizzy, we're sorry! I will explain. There must have been a misunderstanding. Let me clarify everything.""It's true, Dalshie!" Elmary seconded and pouted. "May hindi kami na-explain to you, so please hear us out. The truth is… the dinner was postponed. Mom chatted me just a while ago. I didn't expect it!"She then covered her mouth. "Sorry! Nabalitaan ko lang talaga kanina! I tried chatting with you, pero nag-aya si Yeva bigla. Sorry talaga, Dalshie!""Eh, kung hindi ka pala bobo, sana ay sasabiha
DAL… is that you?" Hinawi ni Euart ang tatlong babae sa gilid. "D-Dal, what are you doing here? I mean… mag-usap tayo."Dahan-dahan siyang naglakad sa harap ni Shanta habang nanlalaki ang kanyang mga mata. Marahil ay hindi nito inaasahang makikita niya kami sa parehong lugar kung nasaan siya."Lagot na…" bulong ni Lachlan. "P're, kabado ako. Samahan mo 'ko.""Oh, shit. Ako rin. Dito ka lanf sa akin." Napahawak si Katlego sa braso ng kanyang katabi. "Guerra na yata ito, erp."Ngunit bahagyang sumama ang loob ko sa kaibigan ko. Well, it was not only me. Pati na rin si Clavis na masama na ang tingin kay Euart ngayon. Even I heard Jirario click his tongue in disappointment. 
SA MGA ARAW na nagdaan ay hindi pa rin pinaunlakan ng pansin ni Shanta ang kaibigan ko. Sobra ang sama ng loob niya sa kanyang nobyo. Sa paraan ng pagtrato niya kay Euart, she's as cold as Christmas night, the polar zones, places in high altitudes, and the kind of weather before six in the morning. Ibang klase ng sama ng loob iyon, for she was truly stabbed in the back. In the core. Deep. The dagger used to injure her heart was held by her dearest friends while puppeteered by her one greatest rival. Plus, the damage only got worse when she witnessed her boyfriend with them. It was a normal reaction, but frustrating. Inaakala niyang abala sila ngunit pinag kasinungalingan lang siya. The kind of di
AFTER TWO WEEKS of preparation para sa nalalapit na mid-quarter examinations sa Sande University, hindi ko pa rin nakukuha ang isang topic sa Physics. Sobra akong naiirita!"Hoy, Kagan sa planeta! Tulala ka na naman! Ba't ka nakasibangot, ha?" Clavis clapped his hands while laughing at me, and I flinched.Tumingala ako sa kanya mula sa pagkaka upo. I glared at him, but did not say anything dahil wala akong gana.He then went to his seat and sat there while still smiling. How could he be so relaxed after the intense brain workout? Nanunuyo ang utak ko!"Hulaan ko kung bakit masama ang loob mo?" He said.I raised a brow as I watched him contain hi
MATAPOS siyang umalis ay naghanap ako ng mesa para doon magbasa ng lessons. It was at the back end beside a tall antique window. I settled myself on a chair. Katapat ko 'yong mismong bintana at sa labas, natatanaw ko ang asul na kalangitan. The peak of the trees also peeped out like a sly kid. Its leaves swayed, but the cool air could not be felt. Sarado kasi ang bintana. Although it calmed my nerves, my heart was still bruised and my body felt weak. I don't know if I still have the courage to finish reading the novel. Pakiramdam ko ay wala na akong ganang ituloy iyon. There was no reason for me to read it. I hoped for a happy en
DAYS after the sizzling confrontation, I kept my mouth shut. Hindi dahil sa takot akong magsalita ng katotohanan o maging isang whistleblower. Kundi dahil iyon ang mismong iniutos sa akin ng isa sa mga sangkot. Shanta thought it was not the right circumstance to accuse the two girls of leaking the exam answers. May iba siyang plano. She waited for that special day to transpire, at kung anuman ang resulta niyon, she'd pursue her battle. But never have she ever thought na maiisahan siya ng mga dating kaibigan. They did not freaking ace the test, which further weakened the case! Galit na galit si Shanta because she was outsmarted! Pero ma
WHERE IS my daughter? Where is Dalmi?" A thunderous yet worrying voice echoed from the entrance of the school hospital. Mabilis kaming tumayo ni Clavis nang marinig iyon at makita ang mabagsik na pagdating ni Miss Heichel… lalo na noong bumaling siya sa gawi namin. "Si Ma'am!" Si Katlego. Umayos din at tumuwid siya ng tayo kasama sina Jirario at Lachlan. Sabay pinanood naming lima ang paglapit ng ina ng nag-iisang Shanta. "Clyde, where is your cousin? How is she? Is she conscious now? Kanina pa kayo rito? What did the doctor in charge tell you?" Her heels clinked as she bombarded him with endless questions. Then, I saw my friend flinch
BADTRIP. Nababadtrip ako kay Avancea. Bakit hindi na lang siya lumayas sa mamanahin kong mansyon? Bakit kailangan pa niyang makipag siksikan sa pamilya namin? Bakit napaka s****p niya simula bata pa kami? Our family would have been better, stronger, if she and her leech mother Amadena hadn’t appeared in our life. Pero may magagawa ba ako sa desisyon ng Papa ko? Meron. But, bullshit, not on this matter. He won’t let me, her genius daughter, dictate his heart. Not even Kuya Dallas who’s vocally against it but is silent when the two leeches are present. Wala rin naman kaming maaasahan kay Mama kasi iniwan niya kami kay Papa at sumama sa lalaki niya. To make matters worse, nagkaroon pa sila ng anak. But all of my mother’s desires faded when she lost everything she fought for. One, her partner who I never met. Second, her son, my step brother. And third, kami ng orihinal na pamilya niya. But serious matters aside, bwisit na bwisit na ako kay Avancea. Sinumbong niya ako tungkol sa pambubu
WHAT’S THAT?” I asked Shanta the moment she entered our bedroom with a book in her hand. Nilapitan ko siya at hinawakan ang bewang niya saka hinalikan siya sa balikat. “Saan pumunta ang Baby Love ko? Hmm?” “Hulaan mo…” biro niya saka kumapit sa bewang ko bago nangunang naglakad. I grinned, then walked with her with my right arm clinging onto her shoulder. Sinilip ko ang librong hinahawakan niya at naintriga ako. “You don’t recognize this, do you?” tanong niya. “Where did you find that?” Shanta looked up at me. “It doesn’t matter. I found it and I fixed everything back.” Binalik niya ang tingin sa libro… o ang manuskritong sinulat ko… at naupo sa dulo ng kama. I also sat beside her with my eyes pinned on her glowing face. “I have been curious about this lately, alam mo ba ‘yon…” kwento niya at sinimulang buklatin ang libro. “Punit-punit ‘to noong nahanap ko kaya nagpabili ako kay Benida ng scotch tape. She helped me put back every page.” Then, she looked at me teasingly. “Ako p
I SMILED at the guests who greeted me and Shanta as we walked on the red carpeted aisle. Hindi ganoon karami ang mga bisita. Nabibilang lang sa mga daliri ang mga tao sa mesa. I recognized almost all of them. Masaya ako at dinaluhan nila kami para sa gabing ito.Shanta and the Six Packs, which included me, sat down at a very special seat near the mini stage. Pabilog ang mesa at pitong upuan ang naroon para sa isa sa amin. Naunang umupo ang mga kaibigan ko. Lachlan and Katlego sat beside each other. Ganoon din si Euart at Jirario. Clavis, however, chose to sit next to her cousin. Samantala ako, pinagitnaan nina Shanta at Jirario. I pulled my Baby’s golden chair before she took her seat. “Musta ka na?” tanong ko kay Jira nang hayaan ko si Shanta na kausapin ang pinsan niya. I smiled at my cousin when I looked at him. It’s been a long time and we have been very busy with our own lives, so it’s nice if we catch up. “Kumusta ka naman at ng inaanak ko? Damn… I can’t believe you’re a family
ISANG BUWAN na ang nakalipas at unti-unti nang humuhupa ang kaguluhan sa Manila. Tito Kadam is already jailed in the New Bilibid Prison while his case is set for an appeal by his lawyers. While Coolidge Mental Care remained a crime scene, the patients were transferred to a safer and better facility. They will be sent back once the investigation is done and once the mental care has found its new owner. Sa ngayon, we’re trying to fix all the casualties, lalo na sa pagpapagamot ng mga pasyente. After all, Shanta and I both experienced a life inside the mental hospital. Nais naming tumulong. “Sir, Ma’am, nandyan na po ang mga bisita,” pagpapaalam ng kasambahay noong pumasok ito sa kwarto ko. “Susunod na kami. Thank you,” I said. And after telling me some more notice, the househelp left the room. Naiwan kami ni Shanta sa harap ng salamin habang inaayos niya ang necktie ko. Two days ago, we left Bohol for our business here in the Metro. Naisip naming ligtas nang tumira sa bahay ko… na
I DON’T KNOW when was the last time that I was energized to wake up. I remembered waking up with a huge weight in my head and I felt so exhausted at the start of the day, that ending it would mean fatigue for a week. But while my eyes remain closed, my mind is already awake. And I could feel Shanta’s small body still embracing me. Napangiti ako. Dahil diyan, bahagyang isinubsob ko ang aking ilong sa buhok niya. Walang pagbabago. Her hair’s scent is still the same lavender with fresh milk. I sniffed like drugs and kissed her forehead and tightened my embrace because I am never gonna lose her again. This moment could’ve happened two years ago if the incident didn’t happen. We could’ve been living on one roof with our two kids that are one-year-old apart, and we’re still making the third one. But even though we’re two years late, this… the night that I woke up beside her is what matters most. This will keep me from waking up and start my day blissfully. Aaraw-arawin ko ito, and the d
THE NEXT DAY, Shanta and I traveled back to Panglao Island, Bohol to stay in her mansion for the meantime while things subside. Hindi sana doon. It could have been my house, but almost everyone knows about it, so definitely, the place is not safe for us. We decided to take a break after the national newscast reported across the country. It was stressful and… chaotic. Ilang media na rin ang sumubok na kuhanan kami ng panayam, but Shanta, although ready to speak up, is not allowed to give herself another stress. I didn’t permit it because she needed rest after trespassing in Kachina's house. Makita-kita ko pang may benda siya sa noo kaya mas lalong hindi ako pumayag. She got it from her cousin who broke a vase on her head. And even though I wanted to make that woman pay, I didn’t want reporters to exploit my Baby’s condition and people to make a feast out of it. Kahit na kami ang nasa tama at ang biktima, hindi ko ginawa. The right people would see it, especially the court. And I wou
I GRINNED AT my reflection in the mirror surface. Our plan is working and just a little more time, this chaos they started would end. I then reached for the clean towel beside my laundry, then wiped my face. This is the only place where I can be myself besides being in Shanta’s arms. No nurse to watch over my every move. No Kachina to observe me and ask leading questions. Just me and myself, staring at each other. After I wiped my face, I spent my fifteen minutes taking a bath. Hindi man ako komportable sa klase ng banyo na meron sila dito, sinubukan kong hindi madiri. Well, I have lived an ordinary life before with a small toilet and a hand pump. I’d be immune to this, I guess. Pero sana… sana hindi magtagal ang pamamalagi ko dito. I can’t take the owner of this place. Pagkatapos kong maligo, I changed into a more comfy clothing. I didn’t wear my usual asylum gown. I don’t need it anyway because I am done with my mission. This is the day I am finally leaving this hell. Besides, nas
KAGE, DELIKADO ‘yang plano mo…” pagtutol ni Shanta. Nakaupo siya sa kabisera ng lamesa ng kanyang opisina sa mansion. “I’m not liking it. Masyadong mapanganib at… nagmumukha tayong mas masama kaysa sa kanila. Ayaw ko ng ganoon. We’re stooping down to their level… and as you said, violence should never be a choice. So, this one… It’s a no for me.” I bit my lower lip because she has a point. Well, it’s obvious that my ultimate plan is too risky… and brutal. Katabi ni Shanta si Benida, na nakaupo sa kanyang kanan. They were both looking at me with a hint of hesitation in their faces. Bahagya akong nakaramdam ng pagkapahiya. Shanta is right. We’re no different from the people who attempted to kill us. Tulad ni Tito Kadam, I am resorting to violence to get what I want. But this is the only way we could penetrate the Coolidge Mental Care. Kung totoo man, naroon ang mga karagdagang ebidensya para magiit ang tatay ni Kachina. Dahil hindi lang niya kami tinangkang patayin, he was even the ma
Kagan’s POV AYAN, KAGAN…” The psychiatric nurse said in utter softness after I obediently drank the medicine she prepared for me. “You are doing well these days and Doc Kachina must be so proud of you. Let’s just wait for her, okay? It’s past ten and she’s not yet here. But don’t worry. Papasok iyon.” I nodded and grinned just a little bit to make her believe Kachina is my calming pill, even when I don’t care whether she comes to work today or not. I then looked away and stared at the barred window the mental care had just built for me. Kung alam lang ng nars, I lost interest in her doctor the night she’s involved in ruining my life. Makalipas ng ilang sandali, narinig ko ang nars sa gilid ko, nagpapaalam para sa susunod na pasyente niya. I didn’t respond or what, then the door creaked open. Mabilis akong tumingin sa kanya, at nang makitang hindi siya nakalingon, I swiftly barfed the medicine I didn’t swallow and the bitter thing fell on my palm. I clenched my fist as soon as I fel