CHAPTER ONE (the truth)

"I'm sorry," tanging nasabi ni Devon.

"sorry?" mabigat na bigkas ni Tasha kay Devon, "saan ba ako nag kamali?" unti unting nag lalandas ang luhang pilit nyang pinipigil, "two years I been love you in all my honesty, and you just said sorry, I've been true to this stupid relationship only to find out you cheated on me." naghihinakit na dagdag wika nya.

"it's just happen and I can't control my emotion Tash." pilit na pag papaliwanag ni Devon.

"I hope karma won't hunt you, if it does then don't dare blame me for your sheet stupid called emotion." pinahid ni Tasha ang ilang butil ng luha.

kahit pa gaano ka sakit hinding hindi na nya hahayaang makita pa ni Devon na nasasaktan sya.

"I'm really sorry Tash, I didn't meant to hurt you." tila nasasaktan rin ito.

"honey, can you stop that drama, and shall we go, total alam naman nya na ang totoo." malanding aya ni Veron.

Isang malakas na sampal ang pinadapo ni Tasha sa pisnge ni Veron.

"Tasha, stop that, you have no right to hurt her." awat ni Devon.

nilingon nya si Devon at walang pag alinlangang bigyan rin ito ng mag asawang sampal. na bigla ito at akmang sasaktan sya.

"do it and I'll sue you, and I'm sure sa kulungan ang bagsak mo at mag mag sasama kayo ng babaeng noddles nato," kumalma ang aura ni Devon, "you know that my father can wrat you in jail may makita lang na pasa sa akin kahit pa gaano yan ka liit."

biglang nag iba ang reaksyon ni Devon kita nya ang takot nito na nakarehistro sa Mukha.

"you brat, what noddles your talking about?" nang gagalaiti na bulyaw naman ni Veron.

"you search it, goggle it bobo." mataray na wika nya dito at tiningnan ang buhok nitong sobrang kulot na parang instant noddles napatawa naman si Tasha sa isip.

"you brat, tinatakot mo kami sa ama mong General, what a shame you really a brat kaya ka ipinag palit." akmang tatawa pa si Veron.

"sege lang, tingnan kulang kung makakangiti kapa," wika ni Tasha dito, at muling hinarap si Devon, "remind kulang sayo, you have one year and half na utang sa apartment ko, and one million na inutang mo for your small and soon to be bankracft business pay it as possible you can or else you know what I'm capable to do." matigas at matapang na turan nya dito.

Nakita nya sa gilid ng kanyang mata ang pag iba ng reaksyon ni Veron, tila ito di maka paniwala sa narinig.

"you own this apartment?" na biglang tanong nito.

"you heard it right Veron," may pag mamalaking sagot nya sa tanong nito, "I own this apartment, the whole apartment here is mine that's why it name ATASHA'S LAND, I mean the whole compound is my property." mayabang na pahayag nya, at tiningnan nya ito mula ulo hanggang paa at iiling-iling, "you see, I am a successful painter at age of 27 I already own a successful renting home, how about you? what do you do for a living? Ang lumandi?" dagdag nya sabay silay ng nakaka uyam na ngiti.

"mayabang kalang, may pera ka nga hindi ka naman mahal ng taong mahal mo." ganti ni Veron sa ng iinis na boses.

"well, maybe your right but then I think I must owe you big time coz I guess tama lang na si tadhana na ang pumutol ng walang ka kwenta kwentang relasyon nato, thanks to you any way for keeping my trash."

"Tash please stop, let's fix this." tila maamong tupa na pakiusap sa kanya ni Devon.

"what are you fixing?" Ani nya na akma syang hawakan ni Devon iniwas nya ang kanyang kamay, "there's nothing to fix in fact I want to congratulate you, seems like you look good together, hunmmmm, ano nga yong pag pakilala mo sa akin she's your secretary? well that's good mag tulungan kayo how to pay me, or else see you in court." mataray na turan nya.

aksidente lang ang pag punta nya sa apartment ni Devon dahil hindi naman nya ugaling bumisita dito in their one year and half relationship she never give herself not even a chance kahit pa super in love sya Wala syang balak ibigay ang sarili hanggat hindi sya ikinakasal.

"don't do this Tash." nakikiusap na wika ni Devon.

"your too late nagawa muna tinatapos kulang," tumalikod na sya at humakbang papuntang pintuan ng lingunin nya uli Ang dalawa, "and by the way I just drop by for giving this cake for an ex unhappy anniversary," ibinato ni Tasha ang cake sa harapan ng dalawa na kasalukuyan paring naka higa sa kama, "and thanks to the open gate and door dahil naka pasok ako, nakalimutan nyo atang e lock dahil masyado na kayong sabik sa love making nyo, but don't forget to leave and clean your mess soon as possible, I will just give you twelve hours na umalis sa pag aari ko." matigas na utos ni Tasha sabay balibag ng pinto at tuluyang lumabas na ng apartment.

HUG A FRIEND

"what happen Tash?" tanong agad ni Bethy nang mabungaran sya sa pintuan.

niyakap nya agad ito.

"your right," wika nya at humagogol sa kaibigan habang yakap-yakap nya ito.

"what?" kunot noong tanong naman ni Bethy.

"he cheated on me, tama ka sa hinala mo mars." iyak nya.

"I told you, but you keep insisting na walang malisya," anito na galit ang boses, "so am I right that he told secretary is the other woman?" paninigurado nito habang taas kilay at di maikakaila ang inis na reaksyon ng mukha.

"yes, she is." iyak parin ni Tasha.

"iiyak mulang yan Tash," napa buntong hinga Ang kaibigan.

"I'm so stupid to believe, nag mukha pa akung baklang may jowa na halos pati kotse bibigyan ko pa, tapos yun pala may iba." iyak parin nya.

"shhhhhh, tama na yan mars it's ok atlest you knew it already habang hindi pa kayo kasal naka ligtas ka." pam pakalma na turan ng kaibigan.