im finally free

My African American Mom married a rich Japanese man. As I moved the skeleton of my new bed next to the window, I felt a gaze focused on me. Outside my window, was the house next door. The house shape was similar to ours, so it also had a window facing mine at the same level. Standing there on the other side was a skinny Japanese boy. As soon as I laid eyes on him, he stiffened, then shyly smiled and waved. His hair was all over the place, seeing him in his tanktop I thought to myself that he must've just rolled out of bed. But wasn't it the afternoon already? The boy says something but of course I can't hear him with my window closed so I slide it open. "Eto....hi." He tried in English. If someone were to tell me later I'd come to care about him deeply, I'd find that hard to believe. For as long as I could remember I've always felt empty. And that emptiness, I hid on instinct.

If it was my sister being bullied, Mom and Dad would have believed her right away and fought for her without a second thought. However, it did not matter anymore. In my next life, I would pick parents who really cared about me.

RISE ABOVE THE ZODIACS SERIES | Dos - PISCES Free Phillian Zodiac is a frustrated painter and a full-time fisherman. Mula gabi hanggang madaling araw ay nasa gitna ito ng karagatan kasama ang mga tauhan para mangisda, at sa umaga naman ay tulog at nagtatago sa araw. In the afternoon, when the sky is red, he would go out of his room and sit on his veranda overlooking the mountains and the sea, and from there, he would start painting. He paints everything his eyes could see, and not a lot of people know this. Isang hapon, habang nasa veranda siya ng kaniyang silid at ipinipinta ang karagatan ay may nakita siyang palutang-lutang na kahoy sa dalampasigan. Using his binoculars, he learns that it isn't just a piece of wood but a raft with a person on it. An unconscious--probably almost dead person who might need some help. Naisip niyang baka isa iyon sa mga mangingisdang nagkaroon ng aksidente sa gitna ng karagatan. At dahil siya ang nakakita ay responsibilidad niyang tulungan ang taong iyon, lalo at nasa bahagi ito ng beach na pag-aari na ng pamilya niya. Nang marating niya ang baybayin ay saka niya napagtantong hindi mangingisda ang naroon, but a woman wearing a bridal gown. Nakadapa ito at nanginginig sa lamig. He saved her and brought her to his place. His female assistant nursed her, and when she woke up the next morning, she claimed to have no memory of the night before. Naisip niya na maaaring nagka-trauma ito kaya nalimot ang nangyari, pero anong gulat niya nang magkaharap sila sa unang pagkakataon ay bigla siya nitong pinagmumumura at binato ng kung anu-anong madampot nito. Odd, but she knows him, and she is furious at him. Bakit daw hindi siya sumipot sa kasal nila? Like, what the f*ck?

Joana Alexa Claudiana, seorang mahasiswi yang sejak lahir sudah dijodohkan oleh orang tuanya pada cowok bernama Stiven mulai lelah dengan nasib bucinnya yang tak kunjung merdeka. Faktanya Joana menyukai Stiven yang kini menjadi calon dokter muda itu sejak puluhan tahun lamanya, namun Stiven tidak pernah menganggapnya ada. Meski lelah dan kesal dengan cintanya yang tak pernah dihargai, Joana tak pernah bisa menangis sama sekali karena trauma masa lalunya yang sampai saat ini masih belum ia sadari. Keaadan membaik saat seorang barista bernama Kelvin datang mewarnai hidupnya, ia lambat laun bisa melupakan Stiven. Berkat Kelvin juga Joana kembali mengingat sebuah trauma terberat dalam hidupnya sehingga ia bisa menangis lagi seperti orang normal lainnya ketika sedang merasa terpuruk. Sejak itu Joana mulai membuka hatinya untuk Kelvin. Namun disaat ia melupakan Stiven, Stiven datang untuk mengungkapkan perasaanya "Sorry, sorry if Im late to love you," ujar Stiven dengan suara halusnya dengan penuh penyesalan. Hanya saja, Kelvin bukan seorang cowok yang menyukai lawan jenis pada umumnya. Yah, menurut informasi dan banyak fakta yang Joana tahu, Kelvin adalah seorang gay. Lantas bagaimana nasib Joana seterusnya yang mulai menyukai Kelvin disaat Stiven mulai peduli dengannya?

My mother hated me, to the point that she wished I were dead. I knew I deserved to die. Sixteen years ago, if I hadn’t insisted on going out, my brother wouldn’t have died while trying to save me. Eventually, both of us got what we wished for. I got brain cancer. She had become a stranger to me as I forgot everything and went to die in blissful ignorance. Then, she went mad.

For centuries, Dominic has had to share his mate. To make it worse, he has to share her with his brother, Alaric. Their first mate, Elizabeth, was kidnapped by a witch named Morgana. She turned out to be the mother of their second chance mate, Liza. Morgana made it appear as if Dominic had kidnapped Elizabeth. This caused a huge strain in the brother’s Once they found their second mate, Morgana gave them back their first mate. She awakened her from the sleep spell she was under. Liza, dethroned the Dragon Council in the hopes to provide a better future between all the shifters, night creatures, hunters, and the humans. In this new world will Dominic finally find love in his first mate Elizabeth? Or will he be destined to live with his curse, always sharing a mate with Alaric? Will Elizabeth finally choose Dominic, or try to come between Alaric and Liza? What other truths will be revealed?

"SA TINGIN mo papayag ako sa divorce na gusto mo, Amanda? Never. At tsaka ito naman ang gusto mo noon pa man, hindi ba? Gustong- gusto mong maikasal sa akin..." Humalik ang labi nito sa balat ni Amanda na siyang nagpatindig ng kaniyang balahibo. "Ngayon, hindi ka na makakawala pa. Magdurusa ka habang buhay bilang asawa ko..." *** Noon pa man ay mahal na ni Amanda Fabregas si Theo Torregoza. Lahat ay kaya niyang gawin para sa lalaki maging ang pagbitaw sa sarili niyang pangarap. Kaya naman nang makasal si Amanda kay Theo, wala siyang ibang ginawa kundi maging masunurin at perpekto sa lalaki. Naging mabuti siyang asawa kay Theo. Ibinuhos niya ang pagmamahal niya rito ng buong puso pero sa huli... iba pa rin ang nasa puso nito. Nang sa wakas magising si Amanda sa kahibangan niya kay Theo, naisip niyang makipagdivorce na sa lalaki. Pero ayaw ni Theo. Gusto niyang magdusa si Amanda sa kasal at pagmamahal na ni minsan nasuklian. Gusto niyang pahirapan si Amanda. Hanggang saan aabot ang pagtitiis ni Amanda kay Theo? Hanggang saan aabot ang pusong paulit-ulit lamang sinugatan at kailanma'y hindi napahalagahan?

When divorce and betrayal turn into a real life fairy tale after a chance encounter with a movie star, Pearl’s life becomes a whirlwind when a love triangle she wasn’t prepared for changes everything. Rock stardom, romance and getting a second chance at life and love means everything when you have nothing to lose.

Jenny posted a picture of me and her brother, who had an intellectual disability. The caption? "Finally, a happy ending!" The comments were all the same: "Is this your sister-in-law? She’s gorgeous!" I simply replied with a question mark, but Jenny ignored me and responded to someone else instead. "She's kinda my sister-in-law, yes!" It didn't take long for Steven to call me, his tone full of anger. "It was just a little edit, do you really have to blow things out of proportion?" Half an hour later, Jenny posted another photo of her sitting in Steven's luxury car, and even tagged me in it. "We may not be related by blood, but this big brother of mine has always been my rock!" Steven commented. "I'll always be here." I knew he was trying to get a rise on me on purpose to appease Jenny, but I didn't grace them with a reply this time. All I did was like the post and file for divorce.

Setiap rumah memiliki jendela dan setiap jendela memiliki cerita." Youmna memiliki kebiasaan menatap dunia melalui sebuah jendela, baginya seperti halnya menonton film, selalu ada hal yang dinanti-nantikan. Momen ketika sosok pria di masa lalu muncul dihadapannya dan pernah menorehkan sebuah tinta hitam dipertemukan kembali ke masa kini tapi dalam sentuhan yang berbeda. Apa yang akan terjadi setelah ini? Akankah Youmna bersama dengan sosok itu? Dengan segala kisah masa lalu yang rumit serta kebencian sedalam mata kaki?