TrappedI woke up feeling sore all over my body. Ayaw ko pa sanang tuluyang magmulat ng mga mata pero ang nakakakiliting bagay sa leeg ko ang tuluyang gumising sa akin. I opened my eyes only to see Santi all over my body. Halos hindi na ako makahinga sa bigat ng paa at braso niya.He continued showering wet kisses on my neck, on the sensitive part of my ear, and my jaw. I bit my lower lip when his hand started caressing my body."Hmmm, morning baby." His husky morning voice tickled me.Madaling araw na kaming natulog kaya naman sobrang pagod at panlalata ang nararamdaman ko kahit mataas na ang sikat ng araw. I'm just glad it's the weekend and my son doesn't have a class."Morning," I replied half-asleep.He kissed my lips lightly that made me open my eyes fully. Sa kinikilos niya alam kong may binabalak na naman siyang kapilyuhan."Santi, I'm still tired." I groaned and turned my back on him. He continued kissing the small of back. Hinayaan ko nalang siya sa ginagawa niya. His massiv
FamilyWhat we thought was a simple rumor that would eventually vanish grew bigger. People from the media were unexpectedly persistent with the story especially that one of the most renowned family is involved."What the hell is wrong with these people?!"I was in disbelief when I went back to my old unit to get some things. Hindi rin kasi nadala lahat ng gamit namin at iyong mga importante lang ang siniguro. I dropped off to Callar's academy first before coming to my old unit. Only to be stunned with the swarm of reporters in the basement.Agad kong inihinto ang sasakyan ko may kalayuan sa basement. It was a relief they didn't notice my presence. Panay ang linga ng karamihan sa mga reporters na kulang nalang ay mabali ang leeg sa kakatanaw kung mayroon bang lalabas mula sa elevator.I got distracted from looking at them when my phone vibrated."Hey," Santi's baritone from the other line woke me up. "Where are you?"Bakas ang pag-aalala sa boses niya. I smiled even in this situation."
PastI can almost feel the numbness of my face as I stared at the large frame of the Del Rio's mansion. I decided to talk to Donya Esmeralda first before anything else. Nagsimula lang naman ang lahat ng ito dahil sa biglaan niyang anunsyo noong birthday niya. I didn't mind it because I thought I have made everything clear with our last talk. Hindi ko akalaing hindi pa rin pala nagbabago ang matandang Donya. Still stubborn and self-centered. My thoughts drifted away when I felt my mom's hand squeezed mine. Tipid niya akong nginitian. Papa is with us, too. Santi insisted on tagging along but I didn't let him. Hindi nga iyon mapakali habang inihahatid ako ng Malolos."You sure you're gonna be fine?" He kept asking that for God knows how many times."Yeah, of course. I can handle this," I repeated for the nth time.Nagpatuloy pa na ganoon ang usapan namin hanggang sa tuluyan din siyang sumuko sa katigasan ng ulo ko. He kissed me lightly on the lips and the top of my head before finally l
Deja vuIt wasn't in any way part of the plan. Kahit ako ay hindi makapaniwala sa biglaang pagsulpot ni Santi para magsalita. Noong una pa lang palagi niya nang sinasabing ayaw niyang gawin ko itong mag-isa. But I insisted. I thought I could handle the questions. I thought I'm still used to this.Nasaan na ang tapang mo ngayon, Cianna? Oh God.Tigagal lang akong nakatitig habang mariin ang tingin niya sa mga reporters. His gaze met mine and his face softened. Agad siyang nagtungo sa akin at hinawakan ako sa beywang. That's when I realized my knees are woobling. What the hell is wrong with me?"Santi..."He smiled lightly. Ibinaling niya ulit ang tingin sa mga reporters na sunod-sunod agad ang naging tanong."Can you explain it further, Mr. Lopez?""Alam niyo na po ba sa simula pa lang ang naging pagbubuntis ni Miss Juarez?"Ramdam ko ang pagpipigil ni Santi. His jaw clenched a few times before heaving a gentle breath."We were dating years ago," his cold baritone silenced the crowd. K
WantHindi ko alam kung ano'ng mararamdaman sa sinabi ni Jacob. My chest throbbed with the familiar pain."Baka tungkol sa trabaho ang pinag-uusapan nila?" I faked a smile. Pilit kong itinago ang panginginig ng boses.Right. I shouldn't drop into conclusions. Pero kahit gaano ko pigilan, hindi ko na mapirmi ang utak. Halos hindi ko na rin dinig ang malakas na tugtog ng musika."Maybe," kibit-balikat niya. "Anyway, let's just enjoy the night," ngisi niya at muli akong hinila nang marahan para makipagsayaw.Bago pa ako makapalag ay may mga kamay nang humawak sa braso ko mula sa likod. I felt Santi's familiar hold that I automatically turned to him. Madilim ang mga mata niyang nakatitig sa kamay ni Jacob na nakahawak pa rin sa akin."Santi," I called his name in protest.He turned to me, jaw clenched so hard."Sorry dude," Jacob apologized, raising both his hands.I was about to say something when I noticed someone chasing after Santi. Natigil ito sa paglalakad nang magtama ang mga mata
Selfish“Leave him.”Kung hindi lang siya seryosong nakatitig sa akin habang sinasabi ang mga katagang iyon, iisipin kong nagbibiro lang siya. I wanted so bad to laugh at her right now. She looked helpless and a hopeless desperate bitch.“Stop spewing nonsense, Ivory.” Matigas kong sabi.“Do you think I am just fooling around, Cianna? Or I am just saying all of these things because of what I feel for Santi? You’re totally wrong. Can’t you see you’re pulling him down?”Naningkit ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. What the hell? Ano namang ginawa ko para hilahin pababa si Santi?“Pwede ba, Ivory? Kung wala ka rin lang namang matinong sasabihin, huwag mo nalang akong kausapin. You’re just wasting my time,” I said and turned my back on her.Just when I was about to take a step, she spoke again.“You really don’t know anything. O sadyang hindi ka naman ganoon ka importante kaya hindi niya magawang sabihin sa iyo lahat ng tungkol sa kanya?”Naikuyom ko ang mga palad sa sinabi niya. Now I am al
DreamI know we have to talk things out. And here I am being stubborn again because I'm clouded with so much doubts and insecurities. Siguro nga may plano naman siyang sabihin sa akin, naghahanap lang ng magandang tiyempo. Or he's hoping the issue would die down on its own so he doesn't really think he had to tell me anything about it.Well that frustrates me even more. Lalo pa't ako ang itinuturong dahilan ni Ivory kung bakit mas pinili ni Santi na huwag nang tumuloy sa project na iyon.And damn, I know he wanted it so bad. He worked so hard for it. I know, more than anyone, how hard it is to give up on the things I love because of other things as well. At kung ang bagay naman na pumipigil sa kanya ay kami, how did he expect me to react? Of course I'd be mad! As much as I want to keep him with us, I can't just do that. And what hurts even more is he doesn't even share with me his dreams, his goals, his plans. I know nothing at all.Akala ko ba magkasama naming haharapin ang lahat? Wh
SaveHalos manginig ang buong katawan ko at hindi mawari kung saan maghahanap. Santi caught up to me and held my shoulders."What's happening?" Tanong niya, naroon ang pag-aalala sa boses. Ako naman hindi magkamayaw sa pagtingin kung saan-saan para hanapin ang anak ko."Si Callar... Ang sabi ng teacher dito naghihintay sa gate ang anak natin..."Abot-abot ang tahip ng dibdib ko at hinanap ang guard. Wala ito sa post at hindi rin mahagilap. Wala nang mga estudyante ang lumalabas mula sa loob at tahimik na rin ang paligid."Let's ask the teacher once again. Baka pinabalik nila dahil wala pa tayo," he said and pulled me inside.Naabutan namin ang teacher sa loob ng classroom na nag-aayos ng gamit. I roamed my eyes around but no one else was there. Lalo lang lumakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko. Wala pang limang minuto mula nang tumawag ang teacher para sabihing nasa labas ang anak ko. Paanong..."Miss Juarez, ano pong atin?" Unti-unting nalusaw ang ngiti niya nang mapansing hindi na ako mapaka