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
BREEGUSTO n'ya akong sakalin. That I am sure of nang magtama ang mga mata namin ni Lev habang nakapila kami sa bilihan ng ticket. We're at one of the swankiest mall around BGC with some bored rich kids milling around. May mga mag so-syotang panay ang harutan sa gilid habang ang ilang ay sige ang huntuhan, killing time.Me? I am sweating profusely cause of the big guy who's shooting daggers at me. He said last time how he loathes public places and people in general. Tapos, heto kami ngayon. Perfect.Kasalanan ko bang ma-excite nang bongga? Nawala tuloy sa isip kong kumuha mg ticket online. Kaya heto, tutubuan na kami ng ugat ng ka-date kong galit sa mundo. Mabuti na lang pogi s'ya."Malapit na ang turn natin.""14 times.""Sorry?""You said it 14 times, Bree. I don't really get it. Why bother wait here kung maiksi naman ang pila doon sa kabila?""We can't go there. Sabi mo akong masusunod. I want this movie." Giit ko.Hinilot nito ang sentido't binunot ang cellphone. I know he's texti
LEVMY MOMMY said that when I closed my eyes, happy thoughts will invade my brain. Pastel clouds, flying unicorns, and enchanting dreams will fill it. But she forgot to tell me that nightmares are also dreams. The kind that wrapped its evil hands around my throat and makes me paralyzed.Dark clouds loom around me. Fear suffocates me.Sabi nila, nakakalimutan natin ang mga memories ng ating kabataan. I called that bullshit. I remember mine. Vividly.Every sound. Every smell. Every monster.Their voices and her whimpers.Nadakot ko ang dibdib bigla. A sneaky beast in a form of a large snake with crimson eyes was staring at me while I'm inside a small moldy box. He's hissing, showing the venomous forked tongue. It seems that we're at a standstill. He's thinking about whether to bite me, I'm not thinking at all. My subconscious is willing the reptile to attack me. Making this nightmare my permanent castle.Pero sinong niloko ko? Sa bangungot na ito, I'm just a helpless boy here. Cornered.
LEV"You'll do that. Play dead until I got you."Pinahid ko ng likod ng palad ang mukha habang panay ang lingon ni mommy sa likuran niya. I am crying for the first, I realized. Napatalon si mommy nang sabay naming marinig ang malalakas na kalabog mula sa bahay namin. Men are shouting and calling her name. Tarantang tumayo s'ya at pilit akong ipinapasok sa loob ng maliit na pintuan."H-how will I know it's you?" Nangangatal ang labing tiningala ko ang ina."I will knock on the door if it's safe for you to come out." Her fist connects to the door. Four times."Four.""Yes, baby. Four." Agad niya akong niyakap nang buong higpit. Basa ang balikat ko nang bitawan ako ng ina.Inayos niya ang pagkakasuot ng pantalon ko't itinali ang may kahabaan kong buhok. Matatabang luha ang dumadaloy sa pisngi nito habang masuyong hinahaplos ang pisngi ko. Gamit ang kamiseta, pinunasan ko ang pisngi ni mommy."Don't cry. I'll be good."Lalong humagulgol si mommy sa sinabi ko."Y-you are already good, baby
LEV"YOU WHAT?!""Sigaw mo pa, Trace. Mahina pa." Inis na ibinaba ko ang suot na avaitor at sumandal. Ipinikit ko ang mga mata't pinakalma ang sarili dahil baka bigla kong bangasan ang kaharap. Two bodies in twenty four hours is enough for me for now."Tang'na. Ikaw mag e-FB at IG? Katapusan na ba ng mundo? Simpleng group chat nga lang natin hindi ka maka-keep up. Then now. . . this? Fuck. This is an emergency. I'm calling the others–""Shut up and sit down." Tinadyakan ko ang malapit na stool.Napamura ang gago ng tumama sa binti niya iyon. Umungot ito't isiniksik ang phone sa bulsa ng pants. He started to pace back and forth, making an invisible line against the marble floor. Barilin ko na lang kaya sa paa si Trace, nahihilo na ako."Trace, sit the fuck down.""Wala ka namang malubhang sakit hindi ba? You're healthy as a bull. Then why?"I groaned. Trust this fool to be overly dramatic if he wants."Stop making this a big deal. Taragis. Para 'kong may stage 4 cancer sa ayos mo. I'm
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