“We’re playing a game today?”Napangiti ako sa excitement nang marinig ang announcement ng teacher namin. It was the second day of our trip, and they had set up a treasure hunt. Finally, something thrilling. Something worth my time.I glanced around at my classmates, some of them were already pairing up, discussing strategies. Others were groaning, clearly not fans of running around looking for clues. Pero ako? This was my kind of game.“You all have to find the hidden treasure before sundown,” our teacher explained. “There will be clues along the way. Follow them carefully. And of course, stick with your partners.”Partners.I frowned. My excitement immediately dropped.Anak nang patis, bakit may ganon pa?!As if on cue, a familiar annoying voice spoke up beside me.“Guess we’re stuck together, partner.”Napalingon ako kay Cole, wearing that irritating smirk of his.“Like hell we are,” I shot back. “I can do this alone.”His brows lifted in amusement. “Wow. Ang bilis mong kumontra. B
I woke up to a white ceiling and the cool air brushing against my skin. My forehead creased, my throat felt dry, and I slowly scanned my surroundings. I was in a small, simple room with a thin curtain over the window, an old electric fan whirring, and an IV drip attached to my hand.Rural hospital?Napapikit ako saglit, pilit inaalala ang nangyari. Ang huling natatandaan ko ay ang pagod na katawan ko habang nakayakap sa sarili sa loob ng isang kweba. Ulan. Lamig. Si Cole.Napabalikwas ako pero agad din akong napangiwi nang sumakit ang ulo ko. Shit.Sakto namang bumukas ang pinto, at pumasok ang professor namin, may dalang folder at mukhang nagmamadali.“Oh, you’re awake,” aniya at bahagyang ngumiti. “How are you feeling?”“Better, po.” Kahit medyo paos pa ang boses ko, pilit kong bumangon nang maayos.Tumango siya. “That’s good to hear. Pero gusto ko lang ipaalam na ikaw at si Cole na lang ang natitira dito. The rest of the class had to return to the city immediately—may urgent matter
The house was dimly lit when I stepped inside. The familiar scent of home wrapped around me, but something felt off.As I walked past the living room, I froze.“What the hell are you up to?”A voice—low, hushed—came from the study.Edward.I took a slow step forward, pressing myself against the wall as I listened.“You have to be patient,” his voice was firm but quiet, like he didn’t want anyone to hear. “I told you, I’m handling it and I already told you, this isn’t the right time,”My stomach twisted.May sumagot sa kabilang linya, isang boses ng babae—mahina, pero sapat para marinig ko ang tono nito.“You’ve been saying that for months, Edward. I’m tired of waiting.”A softer voice responded, too faint for me to make out the words, but I knew. I knew.Nanigas ako.Mistress.It was her.I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. He hadn’t changed. He was still lying, still betraying My Mom—still making a fool out of her.“Lower your voice,” Edward hissed. “Do you want her
“Hello, excuse me? Is this Laura Smith’s designated room?” Automatic na huminto ang kamay ko sa pagsusulat nang marinig ko ang isang pamilyar na boses mula sa entrance nang room namin. “Yes, this is her classroom, do you need anything?” Kalmadong sagot ng professor ko na nakaupo at nag di-discuss ng life or Rizal. “Uh, yeah,” nag angat ako nang tingin, sakto naman na umiikot ang mga mata niya tila may hinahanap, at isang nakakasilaw na ngiti ang pinakawalan nya nang mag tagpo ang mga mata namin. “Fuck,” I muttered, “Putangina talaga,” I added, at pinilit hindi siya pansinin. “What is it? You’re actually welcome to seat in my class, I don’t mind,” napairap ako dahil sa kalandiang taglay ng propesor ko, ilang taon lang naman kasi ang tanda niya sa mga tinuturuan niya, dahil apparently, she is wway too smart, kaya nag accelerate sya nang ilang taon at naka graduate agad. “Oh, no, thanks for the offer,” ramdam na ramdam ko ang init nang tingin nang mga kababaihan sa loob ng room
“What? Mom, are you insane? Two years pa lang nang mamatay si daddy, and you’re telling me, magpapakasal ka na sa lalaki na yan, how could you?!” nanggagalaiti na sabi ko habang nakaupo sa sofa, at ang nanay ko katabi ang lalaki na pakakasalan daw niya. “Laura, please, don’t lose your respect, I’m still your mother,” bakas ang pag pipigil nang inis sa boses nang nanay ko, but I don’t care, “He is Edward, close friend namin siya ang dad mo, matagal na namin siyang kilala and I know he is a good man,” Isang pagak na tawa ang pinakawalan ko, “And then what, after dad’s funeral, you guys found comfort to each other’s arms, and then what? You wanted to replace dad two years after his death—” isang malakas na sampal ang naramdaman ko, dahilan para mapahinto ako sa pag sasalita, agad na namanhid ang kaliwang pisngi ko at naramdaman ang metal na likido sa gilid nang labi ko. “Wala kang karapatan kuwstyunin ang nararamdaman ko para sa daddy mo, hindi mo alam kung gaano ako nahirapan sa pagk
“Ano, hindi pa ba tapos ang surprise, araw-araw ba may kailangan ka talaga gawin huh?” “Laura, watch your words, I am still your mother, you cannot talk to me like that!” Bakas sa boses niya ang magkahalong inis at sakit, but who cares?” “Anong problema sa bahay natin at kailangan natin lumipat sa bahay nang lalaki mo? We lived here before I was even born, why are you selling this house?! Wala ka na talagang pakielam sa memories ni daddy?!” nanggagalaiti ako, my voice is really high for a daughter speaking to her mother, but I fucking don’t care!“Laura, we have to move on, hindi na babalik ang daddy mo, at masyadong masakit sa akin ang mga naiwan niyang ala ala, he may not be a very faitful and good husband to me, but he is a perfect father for you,”“Yeah, that’s right, that is freaking right, he is the perfect and best father for me, so don’t expect me to accept this ridiculous plan of yours, because there is no hell way I would do that!” “Laura, I’m not asking you to replace yo
“What the hell is happening?” hindi ko alam kung ilang beses ko na iyon binulong habang nakaharap sa laptop ko at nanunuod ng serial killer documentation. Hindi ako makafocus sa pinapanuod ko dahil nasa utak ko pa rin ang nangyari kaninang dinner. Sa dinami dami nang pwede maging anak nang nagustuhan ng mommy ko, bakit ang hambog na lalaki pa na iyon talaga?Tinatarantado yata ako ng tadhana, “Ah, shit!” hindi ko napigilan sabihin at ibinato ang hawak ko na kapiraso ng popcorn sa screen sa sobrang inis ko. “Kaya pala masakit tyan ko, may kumukulam sakin dito,” “Fuck!” sigaw ko nang may biglang magsalita, nag angat ako agad ng tingin, at ganon na lang ang dagdag nang inis ko nang mapagsino ang nakapameywang at naka sandal sa hamba ng pinto, “What the fuck, you really know how to get into my nerves, fucker,” Imbes na mainis ay lalo pa siyang natawa, “Oh, come on, let’s be real here, why are you even mad at me? I didn’t do anything wrong, and to tell you the truth, I should be the on
“We will be having a trip this coming 30th of the month, details will be posted later today, all students who are interested on joining can fill out the form, I will send the link after lunch. Deadline would be next Tuesday around 12 in the afternoon—class dismissed,”Nang makalabas ang professor namin ay mabilis na dumukdok ako at pumikit. Nakaka-stress ang up coming exams namin, exam na simula bukas at talaga naman halos hindi na kami makatulog dahil sa pile up ng reviewers. Midterms pa lang ganito na kami, paano pa kaya kung finals na? Hay, hirap. And I’ll be doing this for the next two years.Gusto ko na lang maging hotdog sa freezer.Speaking of hotdog—tanginang Cole na yon.Dalawang buwan na nang lumipat kami sa kanila, pero yung bwisit na nararamdaman ko sa kanya, nare-renew everyday. Talagang araw araw ako tinatarantado nang isa na yon. Kaya madalas, sa kwarto na lang ako kumakain or nananatili, minsan naman lumalabas na lang ako para naman maiba environment ko, baka kasi maag
The house was dimly lit when I stepped inside. The familiar scent of home wrapped around me, but something felt off.As I walked past the living room, I froze.“What the hell are you up to?”A voice—low, hushed—came from the study.Edward.I took a slow step forward, pressing myself against the wall as I listened.“You have to be patient,” his voice was firm but quiet, like he didn’t want anyone to hear. “I told you, I’m handling it and I already told you, this isn’t the right time,”My stomach twisted.May sumagot sa kabilang linya, isang boses ng babae—mahina, pero sapat para marinig ko ang tono nito.“You’ve been saying that for months, Edward. I’m tired of waiting.”A softer voice responded, too faint for me to make out the words, but I knew. I knew.Nanigas ako.Mistress.It was her.I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. He hadn’t changed. He was still lying, still betraying My Mom—still making a fool out of her.“Lower your voice,” Edward hissed. “Do you want her
I woke up to a white ceiling and the cool air brushing against my skin. My forehead creased, my throat felt dry, and I slowly scanned my surroundings. I was in a small, simple room with a thin curtain over the window, an old electric fan whirring, and an IV drip attached to my hand.Rural hospital?Napapikit ako saglit, pilit inaalala ang nangyari. Ang huling natatandaan ko ay ang pagod na katawan ko habang nakayakap sa sarili sa loob ng isang kweba. Ulan. Lamig. Si Cole.Napabalikwas ako pero agad din akong napangiwi nang sumakit ang ulo ko. Shit.Sakto namang bumukas ang pinto, at pumasok ang professor namin, may dalang folder at mukhang nagmamadali.“Oh, you’re awake,” aniya at bahagyang ngumiti. “How are you feeling?”“Better, po.” Kahit medyo paos pa ang boses ko, pilit kong bumangon nang maayos.Tumango siya. “That’s good to hear. Pero gusto ko lang ipaalam na ikaw at si Cole na lang ang natitira dito. The rest of the class had to return to the city immediately—may urgent matter
“We’re playing a game today?”Napangiti ako sa excitement nang marinig ang announcement ng teacher namin. It was the second day of our trip, and they had set up a treasure hunt. Finally, something thrilling. Something worth my time.I glanced around at my classmates, some of them were already pairing up, discussing strategies. Others were groaning, clearly not fans of running around looking for clues. Pero ako? This was my kind of game.“You all have to find the hidden treasure before sundown,” our teacher explained. “There will be clues along the way. Follow them carefully. And of course, stick with your partners.”Partners.I frowned. My excitement immediately dropped.Anak nang patis, bakit may ganon pa?!As if on cue, a familiar annoying voice spoke up beside me.“Guess we’re stuck together, partner.”Napalingon ako kay Cole, wearing that irritating smirk of his.“Like hell we are,” I shot back. “I can do this alone.”His brows lifted in amusement. “Wow. Ang bilis mong kumontra. B
“Truth or dare, Lau?”Napatingin ako sa kaklaseng nangisi sa akin habang hawak ang bote sa gitna ng table. The whole class was gathered inside one of the log cabins assigned for us on the trip, some playing card games, others drinking, and the rest—like me—forced into this stupid game.I should’ve just gone straight to my room.“I’m not playing,” malamig kong sabi at tumayo na sana para umalis, pero agad akong hinila pabalik ni Lenie.“Oh, come on! Just one round,” she pleaded, eyes wide with amusement. “Game lang ‘to, an besides, ikaw na lang ang hindi natatapatan,”“Yeah, Lau,” another classmate smirked. “Don’t be such a killjoy. Unless… you’re hiding something?”Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin ko sa kanila. Nakakaasar. Wala akong time para sa mga ganitong kababawan.“Fine.” I sighed, rolling my eyes. “Truth.”Napangisi ang kaklaseng nagtanong. “Tell us your biggest secret.”My fingers clenched into fists under the table. The room buzzed with anticipation, everyone waiting for me to spi
The bus finally stopped, and I stretched my arms, relieved to be away from home even for just a few days. The school trip was supposed to be a breath of fresh air—a chance to escape from everything, especially Edward and Cole.Three days of peace. No fake smiles. No walking on eggshells. Just me, my classmates, and a normal school trip.I slung my bag and a hand carry over my shoulder and followed the rest of the students as we stepped off the bus. Hindi naman ako nagdala masyado nang damit, at gamit. This is just a 3-day vacation for me. We were at some nature retreat, the kind with hiking trails, lakes, and a bunch of outdoor activities I wasn’t particularly interested in. But it didn’t matter. As long as I was far from that suffocating house, I was fine.I took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of fresh pine, and let my shoulders relax.“So, where’s our cabin?” one of my classmates asked as they gathered around the teachers, waiting for room assignments.“Dapat maganda yung view,”
Tangina.Parang bulkan na sasabog ang ulo ko sa inis.Sa bawat hakbang ko papasok ng bahay, lalong umiinit ang dugo ko. Punyeta, ang kapal ng mukha niya.I just saw Edward kissing someone inside his car, and now? Nandito siya sa bahay namin, having the time of his life with my mom—as if nothing happened?Nakasalubong ko agad sila sa living room.Mom was laughing at something Edward said, her face glowing with happiness. Ang saya niya. She looks so damn happy.And Edward?Nakaakbay sa kanya. Mukhang masaya rin. Parang wala lang nangyari. Parang hindi ko siya nahuling nangangaliwa ilang oras lang ang nakakaraan.Putang ina, ang galing mo umarte, Edward.Napansin ako ni Edward at ngumiti. “Oh, Laura! You’re home early.”Nagpanting ang tenga ko sa boses niya.Napakuyom ako ng kamao ko, pilit na kinokontrol ang sarili ko.Wag ka muna sumabog. Wag dito. Wag sa harap ni Mom.Ngumiti ako, pilit at matipid. “Yeah… early enough to see things I wasn’t supposed to see.”Nagtama ang mga mata namin
Two weeks had passed, pero hindi pa rin mawala sa utak ko ‘yung narinig ko. Simula noon, hindi ko na kinausap si Edward. Kapag nasa bahay siya, dumidiretso ako sa kwarto, o kaya naman ay kunwari’y busy sa phone ko. Ayoko siyang makita, ayoko siyang marinig—ayoko lang talaga.“Laura, can you pass the salt?” tanong ni Edward habang kumakain kami ng dinner.Hindi ko siya pinansin, bahala ka sa buhay mo.“Laura?” mas malakas ang boses niya ngayon, pero hindi ko pa rin siya tinignan. Sa halip, ako mismo ang kumuha ng asin at tinaktak ito sa plato ko bago ibinalik sa gitna ng mesa na parang wala akong narinig.Nararamdaman ko ang tingin ni mommy sa akin, pero wala akong pakialam.“Laura,” mas matigas na ang tono niya ngayon, at nang hindi pa rin ako sumagot, bumagsak ang kutsara niya sa plato. “Ano bang problema mo, are you okay?”Napatigil ako. Dahan-dahan kong iniangat ang tingin ko at tinitigan siya. “Wala,” malamig kong sagot.Nagpalitan ng tingin si mommy at Edward.“Laura,” si mommy n
Pagod akong bumaba ng taxi, dala ang dalawang paper bags sa isang kamay at ang bag sa kabila. Three days had passed since that day, pero hindi ko pa rin matanggal sa isip ko ‘yung narinig ko.Pagkapasok ko, napansin kong nasa sala si Mom, hawak ang phone at mukhang may tine-text. Perfect timing.“Mom,” tawag ko habang inilapag ang mga gamit sa lamesa.Napatingin siya saglit pero bumalik din agad ang atensyon niya sa phone. “Hmm? Bakit?”Huminga ako nang malalim. Okay, Laura. Just say it. “Can we talk?”Medyo natagalan bago niya ako tinignan ulit, pero nag-angat din siya ng tingin. “Ano ‘yun?”I bit my lip before speaking. “It’s about Edward.”Napakunot-noo siya. “Anong meron kay Edward?”I hesitated, pero wala nang atrasan. “Three days ago, napaaga akong uwi. Narinig ko siyang may kausap sa phone—” I swallowed. “At hindi ako tanga, Mom. He was sweet-talking someone.”There’s an awkward silence.Then she scoffed. “Laura, seriously?” She shook her head, crossing her arms. “You must have
“Shit,” napahawak agad ako sa ulo ko nang magising, para kasing binibiniyak sa sakit. My vision were blurry, pero pinilit ko iikot ang mata ko. What happen yesterday—Shit! Were am I?! The last thing that I remembered was when the asshole Troy was dragging me to nowhere—-shit, did I got raped?! Is this his room—beige walls, rustic interior designs, huh? Why does it look like my—room?Mabilis na tinignan ko ang damit ko, mas lalong napakunot ang noo ko—I’m wearing my PJ’s? Nababaliw na ba ko? Panaginip ba yung kagabi? Teka, hindi. I was about to call Sue nang may kumatok sa kwarto ko. “Shit, my head,”“Laura, wala ka bang pasok? Almost 7 am na,” si mommy, nakasuot pa siya nang apron, at naka bun ang buhok, nakakunot din ang noo niya, paanong hindi? Eh never pa akong tinanghali nang gising, “Antok na antok ka kagabi, nakatulugan mo na daw ang research mo, sabi ni Cole. Don’t forget to take of yourself, ija,” natulala ako dahil dun, “Mag ayos ka na at sumabay ka na kumain samin, I’ll