Content Warning
This chapter contains descriptions of prohibited drug use and explicit sexual content. These themes may be distressing or triggering for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.Athena's POVI was expecting na mamayang gabi pa dating si Justin, nagulat nalang ako nang makita ko siyang hingal na hingal sa tapat ng apartment ko 15 minutes after ko siyang tinawagan."Ju-Justin..."- meHe finally burts a sign"Tama ang dinig ko kanina right? You're finally willing to listen... What happened 5 years ago? And... And you called me name?"-- mangiyak ngiyak nitong tanong sa akin."Pasok ka"- sabi ko matapos kong tumango sa kanya.I felt him follow me, dumeretso ako sa kusina para magtimpla ng kape, umupo naman siya sa sofa. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang pagtitig nito sa akin kahit na medyo nakatalikod ako sa kanya. Hindi ko alam kung anong maririnig ko sa kanya ngayon, I clear my mind so I won't expectAthena's POV Nakaharap ako sa salamin, pinagmamasdan ang sarili sa puting gown na suot ko. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mararamdaman? Ang kasal na ito ay hindi ko pinangarap na ganito. I may once wished na si Justin ang mapakalasalan ko but not this kind of set-up. “Okay ka lang, Tina?” Enah asked me, maid of honor."Yeah..."- tumango ako sa kanya. She gave me a smile Saka lumapit sa akin. "You're beautiful"- Enah.Ngumiti lang ako sa kanya. "Nagdadalawang isip ka parin? Ngayon pa na isinuot mo na yan?"- tuloy nito sa suot ko"Masyado lang mabilis ang mga pangyayari, hindi kapanipaniwala"- mahinang sabi ko."You have your time after this Tina... Hindi mo naman isusuot iyan ang waiting here if hindi mo gustong mangyari to eh, you will have your time after this. You're here now"- Enah.Napatingin kaming pareho sa pinto dahil sa pagkakakatok. "Ohh my gosh!!! My darling... You're so pretty "- emotional na wika ni mom. Sunod namang pumasok si Nanay Tina (mommy ni Czareenah)"Napakagan
Athena’s POVI never imagined that just days after our wedding, life would take such a sharp turn. Few days after the wedding ay naglipat bahay na kami sa bagong bahay na titirhan namin —our own space, our sanctuary. Simpleng bahay lang din, which is Justin let me decide about it. Hindi masyadong makali, hindi masyadong maliit, sakto lang talaga siya at elegante tignan. Even the appliances Justin let me decide it, hindi ko nga alam kung bahay namin ito o bahay ko lang eh. If you're asking about us? Well ...*Flashbacks*"Paano ang kwarto?"- I asked him"Alam ko namang hindi ka parin komportable sa akin so I can use one of the guest rooms"- Justin. Lagi nalang siyang nakarely sa desisyon ko which is I know na nirerespeto niya ako but I also want his opinion pero..."Ok ..."- sagot ko nalang."So if ever our parents will be visiting we can pretend then"- pagpapatuloy ko. Tinitigan niya ako ng ilang segundo bago tuluyang sumagot. His eyes are blank which is mas nasasanay na ako kesa s
Athena’s POVNatapos na ang operasyon ni Justin and I could still feel the tremor in my hands as I took off my gloves. Justin was finally stable, nagawa king natanggap ang mga balang nakabaon sa kanya, he's still unconscious at hindi pa namin alam kung kailan siya magigising. The thought of him lying on that stretcher, covered in blood, still haunted me. I had to stay strong, but my heart felt like it was breaking into a million pieces.Tito and Tita is out of the country, nasabihan ko na rin sila about Justin pero pareparehas kaming walang alam sa nangyari. I still don't have any idea on what exactly happened, kung bakit siya nabaril and so on. As I walked out of the operating room, I leaned against the wall, trying to catch my breath. My mind was racing. Paano ito nangyari? Sino ang gumawa nito kay Justin? “Athena,” It was Micka na siyang sumalubong sa akin. "How was it? Are you okay? Si Justin?"- tuloy tuloy niyang tanong. "Na-nagawa kong matanggal ang mga bala sa katawan niya
Athena’s POV Weeks passed after Justin’s recovery, and although we’d had that heart-to-heart, things didn’t magically get better. Justin tried—oh, he tried so hard to make it up to me. Every time he’d come home early from work, he’d bring me flowers, my favorite food, or sometimes just a simple note telling me how much he loved me. Ilang araw din matapos ng paggaling niya ay bulamik ulit siya sa dati in terms of his work. Mas madalang narin. Siyang umuwi kaysa dati which made me more worried. Madalang narin nagkakasalubong ang oras namin. Days turned into weeks, and the stress of our situation started to weigh heavily on me. I found myself overthinking everything—every time Justin was late, every time he couldn’t explain where he’d been, my mind would spiral into worst-case scenarios. I knew I needed to stop, to trust him like I said I would, but it was easier said than done. Because of this constant anxiety, I stopped taking care of myself the way I used to. Meals became someth
"Hi Doc kumusta ang last surgery niyo"- Tanong ni Nurse Micka as I was checking some patient's details. "Hayyyst, do I have to answer that nurse Micka?"- pagod kong sagot sa kanya."*Hehehe* sabi ko nga pagod na kayo eh, here, I bought that for you"- Micka said kasabay ng paglahad niya sa akin ng Isang inumin.I gave her a question look as I look at the drinks she gave me. May trust issue ako sa mga yelling drinks na binigay sa akin eh, ayokong mag expect. "It's a pineapple milkshake, hindi yan mango flavor promise"- sabi niya sabay taas pa ng kanyang kamay na para bang nanunumpa.Pagkarinig ko non ay ay nakangiti kong tinanggap ang inumin at ininum agad iyon. "Haayyyy... Heaven"- sabi ko na para bang nawala lahat ng pagod ko sa katawan as I taste it. "*Hahaha* people said you've changed a lot pero pagdating sa pinya ganon parin reaction mo"- masayang komento ni Micka. "Tssskk. Iyon talaga ang nasagap mong balita sa hospital na to no?"- sabi ko at sumipsip ulit sa pineapple milks
Athena's POVHi there! I'm Athena Delight Teneza, a pretty lovely grade 8 student of Montera National High School at syempre nasa star section ang lola niyo *insert laughs*.Anyway I'm with my twinny slash my best friend 'maybe not by blood but by heart' Czareenah Twilight Ruiz, I call her Enah, same section rin kami, same age but not in birthday *insert me pouting*On the way kami sa Library dahil sa lahat ng parte ng school ay sa Library ang pinakasafe malayo sa mga bullies dahil secured masyado doon plus we have a super strict librarians. "Czareenah! Athena! baka naman pwede niyo akong turuan dun sa Math natin. Konti nalang talaga ikamamatay ko na ang subject na iyon"- Veronica said. It's Veronica Chua our classmate who is a half Chinese and half Filipino. Transfer student from private which is the reason why 'according to her' is lagi siyang nabubully sa past school niya dahil daw sa lahi niya. "uh-oh, Ikaw na bahala jan Tina Tina"- before I could speak, nanlumo ako sa sinabi n
Athena's POV "Now tell me, may naka away ka ba or something? It's obvious that the ball was intended for you Athena"- seryosong tanong sa akin ni Czareenah."Maybe some another insecure again? Oh come on, believe me! As much as I can remember wala naman akong alam kung sino ang pwedeng gumawa non"- medyo naiinis kong sagot dahil hindi ko maisip kung sino ang pwedeng gumawa non.'Duh! As far as I can remember, wala akong atraso kahit kanino noh!'Narinig ko naman ang pagbuntong hininga ni Czareenah. I know she's worried."Haish! Bakit ba kasi naimbento iyang insecurities na yan"- may iritang boses na sabi niya as she pick up her books and fixed them."Relax okay, kung may pasasalamatan man ako kay Ariana, yun ay ang dulot ng mga pinaggagagawa niya sa atin last year, it serve as our training you know"- Kalmadong sabi ko. Yeah... I just remember that bitch who's been kick out from the school last year because of being a bully b*tch girl. "Let's go, baka hinihintay na tayo ni Mang Efre
Athena's POV The next grade nagbago na naman ang listahan ng star section which is ilan sa mga classmates namin last year ay inilipat sa ibang section. Everybody called it 'star section' dahil dito naiipon ang mga achievers every year at magkaklase parin kami ni Czareenah. Sa taong ito siguro ang pinaka kakaiba dahil magiging classmate namin ang Justin and friends. Hindi ko alam kung ikakamalas ko o ikatutuwa ko ba dahil nasa likod na naman kami ni Czareenah at katabi pa talaga namin ang Justin and friends. Window - Dwight, Justin (space) Czareenah, Me (space) Dustin, Kalix window Dwight Rey Blanco Justin Meyer Cruz (which is nabanggit ko na sa nakaraan)Czareenah Twilight Ruiz (my best friend na nabanggit ko na rin)Dustin Albert SalazarKalix Grey Dino Ganyan ang naging sitting arrangement namin sa likod."Great, sa likod ulit" (sabay naming banggit ni Justin) Ang kaibahan lang ay sabi ko iyon in a bad mood way, samantalang si Justin, he said it more like excited. Nilingon ko