LEV"Me and Bree.""No way! My daughter is off limits. She's to be wed to someone from our circle." Sigaw ni Gener sabay daluhong sa akin. Pero mabilis itong nahawakan ni Vin at ni Frank.Balewalang pinagpag ko ang coat, pretending it has some lint. My nonchalant attitude makes the old man yell to the point of madness. Can I just shoot him in between his eyes para maitakas ko na lang si Bree? So much for being diplomatic. The thought of her being with someone else conjure the barbaric and violent side of me."Gener, calm the fuck down.""How can I? Parang karne lang na hinihingi ng animal na 'to ang anak ko.""Isn't that what you are known for? Bartering your women like commodities to secure some deals? Ba't nao-offend ka?" Malamig kong tanong. "Tulad ng sabi mo kanina. . . Traditions.""Shut up! You don't get to judge us. That's our rule. Our tradition. Not yours!"I shrugged my shoulders."I am not judging you. I am here to make business. Sinusunod ko nga ang rules n'yo eh. When in
BREE'Behave. I'll see you on Friday.'Iyon ang mga huling salitang binitawan ni Lev bago ako iwan sa gitna ng dilim, tutop ang bibig ang kumakabog ang dibdib. Enthralled and confused.Shit. That rhymes. Okay, the first part may sound like broken poetry but my point is, that's how I felt towards the man and his presence.He's an enigma. And I'm doomed."Wait. Is he asking me for a date?" Parang baliw na tanong ko sa sarili nang ma-realize ang kahulugan sa likod niyon.Inis na sinabunutan ko ang buhok baka sakaling mahanap ko ang sense sa lahat ng ito. Nang walang makapa, itinukod ang mga kamay sa railings ng bintana. May kalahating oras nang nakaalis si Lev pero nakatanga pa rin ako sa bintana't nakatunghay sa gazebo kung saan kami nakatayo't nag usap kanina.Tila broken record na nagpe-playback sa utak ko ang mga nangyari.Lev kissed me, softly at first and then passionately. The man unapologetically claimed my lips twice in a row, sweeping me off my feet in ways I couldn't imagine p
BREEI pout."Hell. Galing ka ba talaga sa taong 'to, Lev? Baka naman ka-chokaran mo si Rizal or si Heneral Luna?"I heard some clicking in the background. He groaned, and I smile haughtily."Games. Duh.""May Snakes 'yang cellphone mo. You can play that to kill time.""Camera? SocMed? Come on, Lev. Para ka ring si Ally at ang dad.""Look. I know this is hard for you but it shouldn't be, trust me. The sole purpose of the phone is communication. Of me talking to you and making my demons at bay. Stop complaining. Noong high school ako, walang cellphone.""Dahil batang 90's ka! Kasalanan ko bang nauna kang ipanganak sa akin?""B'layd. Don't test me, Bree. Babawiin ko yan. At saka ba't mo kailangan ng high end na phone kung wala ka namang access sa social media mo?""H-how did you know that?"Before he can answer my question, narinig ko ang boses ng isa sa mga tauhan nito sa background telling him that he has visitor."I need to go. Again, give me an update when you're going to class tomo
BREEFATE decided it for me. Hindi ko na kailangan pang magpakahirap dahil kahit anong gawin ko, iisa lang ang magiging resulta.I will still end up sitting in this arena with the roaring crowds and death, surrounding me.Two nights ago, I loathe this place and all it represents. Upon hearing that Ally will still push through with this fight, hindi ako mapakali. Hindi nga ako nakatulog sa sobrang pag-aalala. Kaysa buwesiten ko ang mga guards sa bahay, I decided to watch.Ito ang ikalawang beses kong aapak sa lugar na 'to and I swear this will be my last. Kung hindi lang kay Ally, nungka na manonood ako ng laban n'ya.He's against it but then napahinuhod rin siya ni Karen. She told him that we will just sneak in if he'll be hellbent against it. Masama ang loob na pumayag ito sa kundisyon na never kaming aalis sa kinauupuan. We also brought some guards with us to make sure na 'di na mauulit ang nangyari noong nakaraan.Kinusot ko ang mga mata. Bakit ba ang dilim ng lugar na 'to?Hindi k
BREE"L-lev. . .""Nobody will dare to come to that door. Kung mayroon, I will let them watch. Then I'll skin them alive. Gouge their eyes. Cause I don't like sharing what's mine, baby doll.""That's twisted."Ngumisi ito."Guilty as charged. E, ikaw? Matigas ang ulo't pasaway. You know what I do to naughty and stubborn kitten like you? I punish them.You Filipinos has this saying–" sabay taas nito sa dress ko't inipon iyon sa may bewang ko, exposing my backside."–kung 'di makuha sa santong dasalan, daanin sa santong paspasa. But I prefer, paluan."Tarantang nagpumiglas ako. Strong gloved fingers run through my butt cheeks making me freeze. My toes curl. Goosebumps erupt on my skin. Then it happened. Hiniklat ni Lev ang undies ko. He ripped it in one go like the savage that he is."N-no please.""Don't beg, Bree. Save it for later. Hope this will shut you up." Hinila nito na tila renda ang pony tail ko't pilit na iniharap ang mukha ko sa kanya.Lace was being pushed inside my mouth. Ho
BREEI'M IN BETWEEN hell and heaven. Ramdam ko pa rin ang parusa ng baliw na si Lev. Every time na tatagilid ako, hindi ko maiwasang hindi ngumiwi. My ass is burning. Lalo pang na-highten sa telang suot ko at ang kawalan ko ng panloob.Yeah. RIP, undies.I heaved a sigh and discreetly studies my surrounding. From the floor-to-ceiling glass walls right before me to the bar on the far side that houses different kinds of booze, down to the plush chairs and muted yellow pin lights. This place screams luxury and sin.Nang mahagip ng paningin ko ang mga kasama sa loob ng silid, hindi ko mapigilang kilabutan. After that 'small talk' with Lev, he dropped me here and disappeared with Trace and Jeru.Naiwan ako sa piling ng ilang mga kaibigan ni Lev at ng mga tauhan nila. Sa piling ng Foedus. Doc Jake made it his mission to introduce me to their men. It's a blur of Isauis, Nite, Apollo, Keros, Kit, Keyller and Isaiah. Or at least iyon ang mga pangalan na natandaan ko.Two things I am certain of
BREE"Okay. Ano 'yon?""How about we showed you Lev's scandal."Nanilog ang mga mata ko at napa 'Ohh' naman ang lahat sa paligid ko."Fuck, Atty. Your days are numbered.""Shit. Gusto kong makita ang reaksiyon ni Master, Nite.""Same, Kit."Elliot groaned, shooting daggers at his friends."I'll deal with it." He said in a clipped tone then stare at me ruefully.Halos mabali ang leeg ko sa pagtango. Sino ako para tumanggi hindi ba? In any time, I'll accept this offer. God, may ipang ba-blackmail na ako sa gagong 'yon. Pero sa kabilang banda parang piniga ang puso ko. Hindi ko maipaliwanag ngunit ng kunin ko na kay Elliot ang cellphone niya, nangangati akong sabihing nagbago na ang isip ko.Hindi ko kayang makita kung ano mang ginagawa ni Lev sa video o larawan na nasa gadget ng kaibigan nito. Baka hindi lang siya ang mapatay ko.Are you jealous? Akala ko ba sabi mo Lev is your still not boyfriend?"Scroll mo na lang 'yan, Bree. Na-screenshot ko na 'yan at nai-save ko na rin sa cloud ko
TW: Cute and swoon-worthy scenes ahead. Lols. Enjoy.BREEME and Lev. We're opposites. That's what I surmise when I saw him right outside our gate, leaning in his supercar like he owns the world.How can a nightmare be this gorgeous?From Lev's dark, slicked-back hair, to the aviator's that is sitting on top of his straight nose, down to the charcoal pants that are hugging his long strong thighs and his expensive Italian shoes. Everything about Lev is sleek and dark. Black.Blackheart. Black soul.He's a nightmare and I should force myself to wake up now but why do I find myself staring? Admiring like a fool.Napalunok ako. Wala sa loob na niyuko ko ang sarili. I'm all white. The virginal and so casual. Biniro pa nga ako ni Kah na mahihiya sa akin ang Tide at Ariel sa sobrang puti ng suot kong plain bodycon dress at Nike Airmax.Kung gaano kagarbo at elegante niyang tingnan, siya namang kaswal ng sa akin. Salungat. He's the night to my day. The gray in my whites and all the blacks in
BREEKAHIT saan ko ibaling ang paningin kadiliman ang nakikita ko. The starless sky. The pitch black sea and my bleak future.My world was now wrapped with thick black clouds. An abyss and endless darkness I wouldn't be able to escape cause I am part of it.They made me part of it.I'm filthy and destroyed.They did this to me.And I'm getting back the rein now. I will dictate how this will end.At isa lang ang nakikita kong paraan. Death.Walang kasing pait ang ngiting sumilay sa labi ko. Ano pang silbi ng buhay ko matapos ang lahat ng nangyari sa 'kin? Wala na.I have nothing.No future. No Lev and no dreams. I'm just a shell, walking aimlessly. Numb. I'm as good as dead anyway.Itinaas ko ang mga braso't hinayaan ang malakas na hangin at dagat na tangayin ang buhok ko't sirang gown.Tumingala ako't mapait na napangiti nang tumama sa mukha ko ang mahinang patak ng ulan."Is this your mercy? Are you mocking me, Lord? Or are you just l-lonely–for me!" Sigaw ko sa tahimik na gabi. Tangin
BREEWE collect scars. Battle scars. Sa dami ng nakolekta ko I think I can make a mosaic from it. It's made up of different mistakes but dominated by two colors– black and white. Never gray. Specifically not red. But after tonight, I know that it's a lie. I was just too blind to see the crimson dripping from every corner of the canvas that is my life.Buong buhay ko, pinaniwala ko ang sariling hindi ako kailanman maabot ng kasalan ng pamilya ko. That me being the only girl in the family and my zero knowledge with their dealings made me somehow an innocent onlooker. There's a rule to every exemption, right? Akala ko ako 'yon. Nakalimutan kong hindi nga pala iyon applicable sa mundo namin.Kasalanan ng ama, kasalanan ng lahat. That's how our world operates.Unlucky for me, I'm the one reaping the seeds of their sins. Ang hirap lang dahil sobrang laki ng sinigil sa akin. Buhay, pangarap at puso ko. Sinong dapat kong sisihin ngayon?Ang ama dahil sa kapalaulaang ginawa niya? Ang sarili ko
BREE"That's the whole fucking plan, Bree. Hurt the rest of your family. Get even. Your hell, my heaven, right? Pero mapagbiro ang putang inang tadhana. Dumating ka. You are the very definition of fucking off-limits! Pero dahil gago ako, baliw, I ignored it. I dive head-on, Bree. Into you. Fuck consequences. But this– I don't sign up for this." Bawat bitaw n'ya ng mga salita'y puno ng poot at pait.I can't stand it anymore. Tuluyan na akong humagulgol. I am helpless and at his mercy. My heart broke not just for me but for him also. I'm shaking like a leaf when I looked at him."I c-can explain. W-wala akong alam sa plano ng papa ko. I swear. Maniwala ka. . . Please." Lumuluhang samo ko. Lihim akong nagdarasal na sana'y hindi pa huli ang lahat.Na sana, abot-kamay ko pa rin ang Lev na minahal at hinayaan akong haplusin siya't mahalin.Dumaan ang confusion sa mga mata ni Lev pero dagli ring nawala iyon. It's back to its icy state."Stop lying to me. Pare-pareho lang kayo. Ikaw. Ang mga
BREETHIRTY minutes and five glasses of punch later, I'm running outside the parking lot with my purse in my left hand and cellphone in my right. Mabilis ang tahip ng dibdib ko sa pinaghalong adrenaline at inis.He's in his office. Maybe, in his basement. August will hand you the RFID. You don't hear it from me. Good luck.- T.DMensahe 'yon mula kay Trace. So Lev's in his lair, hiding from me. Why?You know why.Natigilan ako. Mukhang nag-materialize na ang kinatatakutan ko. Nalaman na ni Lev ang pangdo-double cross sa kanya ng ama ko. Knowing him, he'll think this as betrayal on my part."No."Nanginig ang kalamnan ko. Habol ang hiningang itinaas ko ang kamay upang parahin ang taxi. I ignored Theo and Indi, who were hot on my wake. Nilunod ng sumarang pinto ng taxi ang nag-aalalang boses ng dalawa. I need to see him and explain my side. He'll listen to me. Kesehodang manikluhod ako sa harapan niya, gagawin ko. Habang nasa biyahe, ilang senaryo na ang naglalaro sa utak ko. My knees bo
BREELIVING is so freaking expensive. Life will give you a bill so long, you'll end up broke. Literally and figuratively. I embody it–the brokenness, as I stand in front of our campus gate waiting for Lev, pacing back and forth.Seems that I paid handsomely just for a glimpse of happiness pero mukhang galit at pagkawasak ng puso ang maiuuwi ko?Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang beses akong nagparoo't parito. Rinig ko na nga ang mga pikon na buntong-hininga ng mga guwardiya ng school namin, pero wala akong pake. I'm seething with anger as I searched the crowded parking lot. Once na maispatan ko ang kotse ng animal, lalaslasin ko talaga ang gulong n'ya.The nerve! Saan ka nakakakita ng date na nauna pa sa venue ang babae?"How dare him stood me up! Usapan alas-7 ng gabi, mag a-alas otso na. Akala ba niya bukas ang grad ball? Hayup ka, Lev. Sasakalin kita." Naiiyak na bulong ko habang sa back ground ay rinig ko ang malakas na tunog ng sound system at ang boses ng emcee, calling the student
LEV"Kinalawang ka na ba? Asan ang El Diablo na pinagyayabang nila? Gago. Makikipagtitigan ka lang ba sa 'kin?"I spit. When I speak, the calmness in my tone betrays the turmoil I feel."I'm just being generous. Kapag tinapos kita ngayon, uuwi na ang mga tao. Sayang naman ang binayad nila sa ticket."Namula ang mukha nito."Hambog!" Sabay sugod sa akin. Ngunit bago tumama ang sipa niya sa katawan ko, nakailag na ako.I jump, turn and gave him a sidekick that landed on his left jaw. Sumuray ang gago habang nagwawala na sa gilid ang mga kaibigan ko."Tang'na, Gurang. Ayusin mo. Ipinusta ko na 'yong mansion ko sa isla. Huwag kang papatalo, kungdi papakain kita sa muning ko."Umiling ako kay Trace. Balak ko sanang sagutin na kita ko na ang ngala-ngala niya nang matigilan ako.James was standing a few meters from Logan. Nilukob ako ng lamig sa klase ng tingin na ibinigay nito. I gulped and for a fleeting second, I was rendered immobile.My ears buzz with the grating sound of the crowd and
LEVIpinilig ko ang ulo't ilang segundong tinitigan ang cellphone. I'm still mesmerized by how Bree changes my mood in just a flick of a finger when James' stern voice floats in the room.Ibinulsa ko ang aparato't tinungo ang maliit na opisina. James was perched on the single couch facing the big mahogany desk. If his brows and the rage painted on his face are any indications, I would say that shit is about to hit the fan.Purposefully, I stride towards him."You're up for serious business now, lover boy?"Hindi ko pinansin ang pang iinis niya. Inukopa ko ang office chair. My gaze is fixed on his laptop."What do you have for me?"Tumigil ito sa kakatipa't sinalubong ang mga mata ko. Matiim akong tinitigan. Pigil ang hiningang hinintay kong magsalita ang kaibigan. Sa uatk ko, samo't sari ng senaryo ang naglalaro but I know that I pulled the stoic mask on. Sheilding me from his inquisitive eyes.Ipinatong ko ang magkabilang kamay sa lamesa. I steeple my fingers. There's this foreboding
LEVWHEN I eased my Bugatti into the parking space of The Ruins, I know something is not right. I can smell it in the air and feel it through my blood. I don't believe in superstitious shits but I must admit that there were times when instinct saved me.Now, there's that little voice at the back of my head that keeps on nagging me. I can't shake it off.Inis na inumpog ko ang ulo sa headrest ng upuan ko't ipinikit ang mga mata. Nerbiyos lang 'to. Or mabe, excitement. Cause at last, mabibigyan na ng linaw ang lahat ng kasagutang bumabagabag sa akin sa simula pa. Besides, ano pa bang mas lala pa sa kaalamang natukoy na ni James ang katauhan ng taong nag traydor sa papa ko?As if on cue, sinalakay ako ng mukha ng ama ko. Dread and hate skittered through me while I fight for some semblance. My father's face conjured the nightmare I tried but failed to bury. Lalo kong ipinikit ang mga mata. Visions formed and each one of them vivid. My mother's plea, my father's eyes, my baby sister's inno
LEVFORTY-five minutes after naming lumanding, I found myself parked outside Bree's campus. Waiting. I shouldn't be here, but the thing about me is that I don't just let go. If someone hurt my family of Foedus, I will surely rain hell on them. At walang gusto ang demonyo sa loob ko kung hindi ang gawin iyon.My fingers are drumming into my steering wheel as I wait for the pest I'm gonna squash. Namely, Anya. Sinulyapan ko ang mga larawang nasa tabi na tila ba hindi pa iyon naka ukit sa utak ko. I gripped the steering wheel, imagining it was the bitch's neck.Gusto kong yakapin sina August kanina nang sabihin sa aking alam na nila kung sino ang may pakana ng nangyari kay Bree. It's intense I know and uncharacteristically me but everything about Bree made me extreme.My assistant even volunteered to do the deed–meaning teach Anya a lesson. But I turned it down. This is personal.Muntik madurog ang mga buto ko sa kamay ng maglagutukan ang mga iyon. The bitch was coming out with her cliqu