PROLOGUE

"Ano ba kasing nangyari?!" tanong ko habang naghihintay lumapag ang sinasakyan naming elevator sa 8th floor ng Gonzalez Hospital.

Hindi ako mapakali sa sobrang kaba mula kanina. Kahit kailan talaga 'yang si Zea! Kinulang yata sa bakuna at lumaking abnormal.

"Aba, malay ko! Hindi ba't magkasama tayo mula kanina? Boba ka," walang kwentang sagot ni Jhannus sa akin.

When the elevator opened, Yzza was the one who greeted us first. "How's Zea? What really happened?" I asked again as we walked faster.

Wala pa man sumasakit na ang ulo ko.

Yzza sighed heavily. She looked stressed too. "Nakipag-away daw. Nawalan ng malay noong tumama ang ulo sa pader."

Si Jhannus na ang nagbukas ng pinto nang makarating kami sa tapat ng kwarto ni Zea. My brows quickly furrowed when I saw her, eating fruits while being seated on the hospital bed like nothing happened.

"Parang walang nangyari sayong hitad ka, ah?" Lumapit si Jhannus sa kanya.

"Wala, okay na ako. Pwede na raw akong lumabas mamaya," sagot ni Zea.

Umupo ako sa paanan niya. "Ano na namang nangyari?" Hindi ako sigurado kung ilang beses na siyang napaaway.

It was quarter to 12 PM when we received a call from Inna, saying that our dumb friend was rushed in hospital. Madaling-madali kami sa pagpunta ni Jhannus dahil kami ang magkasama kanina.

"Wala naman akong ginagawa! Ampucha, kumakain lang kami ni Inna sa Onyok tapos biglang may humablot sa buhok ko."

"Bakit daw? Trip niya lang?" Nagkabit-balikat si Yzza.

"Ampota na 'yon. Kasalanan ko bang ako pa rin hinahanap ni Ethan? Boyfriend niya ang lumapit sa' kin. Hindi ko rin naman alam na sila pa pala!"

"Ethan? 'Yong ex mo?" kunot noong tanong ko. Tumango lang si Zea. Bakit ba sa dinami-dami ng malandi ito lang ang tanga?

"O, anong ginawa mo noong lumapit sayo?" Yzza crossed her arms over her chest.

"Nag-usap lang!" she defended.

I raised a brow. "Are you sure?"

She clicked her tounge. "Ah, basta. H'wag n'yo nang tanungin, tapos na, e."

Pinigilan kong hindi mapairap. Zea should not go outside for days. I was certain she would get herself in trouble again. She was making my head hurt, I felt like I was her mother. Gosh.

"Nasaan si Inna?" tanong ni Jhannus. "Siya kasama mo pumunta dito, diba? Nasaan na?"

Narinig namin ang pagbukas ng pintuan. "May tinawagan lang ako saglit. Bakit?" Sabay-sabay kaming lumingon kay Inna na kagagaling lang sa labas.

Tinignan siya ni Zea. "Kiss mo raw sila isa-isa."

"Sorry, virgin lips ko." pagmamalaki niya kunwari bago nag-lipat ng tingin kay Jhannus. "Hoy, hayop ka 'yong utang mo hindi mo na binayaran." She hit him a little.

"Ay, 'wag gan'yan friend. Ang tunay na kaibigan hindi na nagpapabayad ng utang."

I shook my head before grabbing a banana in Zea's side table. I'm starving. I didn't have the time to finish my food earlier. Akala ko naman kasi mamamatay na kaibigan namin.

Tinignan ko ulit ang dalawa na hanggang ngayon hindi pa tapos mag-bangayan. Mukhang mga tanga.

"Tigilan mo 'ko, Donato Jr. Hindi mo pa kasi hiwalayan 'yang boyfriend mong supot. Baka sa susunod hindi lang motor ang ipabili niyan sayo," pag-sermon ni Inna.

Hindi na sumagot si Jhannus. Kahit hindi namin sabihin, alam naming alam niya na una pa lang, hindi na namin gusto ang boyfriend niyang sa pera ata pinaglihi.

That man cheated on him for so many times. Paulit-ulit. Lagi naming sinasabi na he should dump him already but he wouldn't listen to us. Kaya raw niya, maayos pa raw. Hinayaan na lang namin. Doon siya masaya, e. Nandito lang naman kami kung may mangyari. He knew we always got his back.

Tumayo ako at kinuha ang phone ko na nasa side table ng kama ni Zea. Binasa ko ang 5 messages na galing kay Papa. Iisa lang naman ang laman. Tawagan ko raw si Mama dahil hindi niya ma-contact kanina pa.

I looked at my own self in the mirror that was placed beside the door before leaving Zea's room. My face was already a little reddish. Ang init kasi kanina.

Mestiza ako kaya madali talagang mamula ang balat ko. My shoulder length hair was a bit curly and I have this pointed nose that I got from my father. My eyes were in a deep set shape, just enough to match my long eyelashes.

I brushed my hair with my fingers before taking my gaze away from the mirror.

I was about to open the door when Yzza spoke. "Where are you going?" she asked.

Nilingon ko siya. "Tawagan ko lang si Mama."

"Mahina signal dito. Nagpunta pa ako sa rooftop kanina dahil hindi kami magkaintindihan ng kausap ko." Si Inna.

Tatawa-tawang nag-angat ng tingin sa'kin si Zea. "Sige na, Kiela. Lumayas ka na, tawagan mo na bebe mo."

Inirapan ko lang siya dahil sa sinabi niya. I don't have a boyfriend. Well, I never really had one, actually. I just.. don't want to enter a relationship. I would rather be stressed academically than be stressed in a relationship.

"Weh? May bebe time ka na, Kiela? Hindi ako naniniwala." Jhannus laughed at me.

"Ireto kita? Baka sa reto mo na mahanap forever mo," Inna tried to bewitch me by her offer.

"Duh? Walang forever sa reto." Umirap si Yzza.

Ugh. These stupid people of mine.

"Whatever," I just said so they would stop spitting nonsense words.

I stepped inside the elevator after minutes of waiting for it to open. Pinindot ko ang button papunta sa rooftop. Inna was right. I really need to go there to get a better signal.

Nang makarating ako sa rooftop, tinawagan ko na agad si Mama. Nakailang ring pa bago niya sagutin. "Hello, Ma?"

"Nasaan ka?! Ikaw, isa na lang bi-binggo ka na sa' kin!" She roared on the other line.

I quickly put my phone away from my ear. What did I do? I'm just asking! I cleared my throat. "Papa said he couldn't contact you." I changed the topic, scared of the unending words that were coming out from her mouth.

"Ayoko siyang kausap," sagot niya. She said a lot of things before ending the call. I sighed. I'm guessing they had a fight with each other. Kabisado ko na. They were like kids for God's sake.

I turned around and was about to come back in Zea's room but my eyes caught something that caused me to stop from walking. Is that a man? My forehead was being creased as I walked closer to check if I wasn't just imagining things.

"Ouch," daing ko nang matalisod ako sa isang maliit na bato. I bit my lip and caressed my right feet for a second before I continued on walking while the air was welcoming me.

My lips parted when I confirmed that it was really a man. He was sitting at the edge of the rooftop. What the hell is he doing there? Is he insane or—wait, no. He wasn't trying to commit a suicide by jumping there, was he? I bit the insides of my cheeks. Why does it have to be me to witness this?! Really, of all people?!

I've never walked so fast in my whole life until this day came. Mabilis akong lumakad papunta sa lalaki. Napaka-walang kwentang tao. Many people are fighting for their lives! Why would he do this?!

I thought I was brave enough but as soon as I got near, almost, I felt like my tounge has been cut out. What should I do?!

Lumunok ako. It's now or never na lang talaga ang salitang pinanghawakan ko bago ako naglakas loob na sumigaw.

I was crossing my fingers.

"Hoy!" tawag ko sa lalaki. Hindi niya ako pinansin. Nanatili siyang nakatalikod sa' kin at parang walang naririnig.

Muli akong sumigaw. "What do you think you are doing?!" I shouted my lungs out. I massaged my temple and breathed heavily. "If you have a problem, you can talk to me. I'll listen. What you're trying to do now is a sin. Please, don't end your life just like thi-" I stopped talking when the guy looked at me.

I first noticed his skin tone. He has white skin and his cheeks were slighty reddish because of the sunlight. He was still sitting but I could say that he was tall and.. okay, good looking.

"Ano bang sinasabi mo?" tanong niya sa' kin, mukhang naguguluhan.

"Hindi ba balak mong mag-pakamatay-" he cut me off. Bumaba siya sa pagkakaupo at lumapit sa akin. My eyes filled with confusion. Am I not right?

He stared at me lazily. "Miss, if you're just trying to get my attention then congrats, you made it," he said, slightly scratching his brow.

Just what on earth is he talking about? I pointed where he was standing earlier using my lips to enlighten him. Naguluhan ako nang mahina siyang tumawa at tumango-tango pa.

Tumaas ang kilay ko nang dumako ang tingin niya sa labi ko. I was so confused because of his stares! Ano ba? What's wrong with him?! I swallowed hard when something came up on my damn mind. Hindi kaya ako ang ihulog nito?! I looked around and saw nothing but only the two of us.

"I get it now," he said and played with his lips using his thumb finger.

Anong I get it now?! Anong sinasabi nito?! Akala ba niya gusto ko ring tumalon kasama siya?! Mabilis akong umiling. Halos mabali na ang leeg ko sa ginagawa ko.

"Hoy, ayokong sumama sa' yo! I want to have a boyfriend first-" My eyes got wide opened when he cut me off using his lips. I was stunned and unable to make a move. It felt like my feet were glued on the ground.

What—what is happening?

My mouth parted when he sucked my lower lip, licking it and tasting me. He was closing his eyes but mine's stayed open, still couldn't process what's happening right now.

I gasped through his lips when I felt his right hand traveling on my waist down to my ass. I froze after what he had done. Did he just slap my butt?! The audacity of this man! Oh my god, I should move! Kiela, gumalaw ka naman!

While I was composing myself, hindi ko namalayan na minuto na pala ang lumipas nang makalayo siya sa'kin. What the hell just happened? I was forcing myself to remember every detail.

I was in a phone call, right? I was talking to my mother and was about to go back down but I saw a man. I thought he was trying to commit a suicide so I tried to stop him.

And then.. then—why the hell did he do that?! I wasn't expecting my second kiss to be that horrible!

I wanted to label this encounter of my life as a cliché one but the feeling wasn't! I could still feel his hand on my ass! What the hell!

"I'm a very generous person you know? No need to thank me."

What he said made me back to my senses.  My expression probably looked funny or something because I suddenly forgot how to close my mouth.

"W-why did you do that?" I asked, not taking my gaze away.

"I thought you want me to give you a kiss. I did you a favor. Hindi ba masarap?" nagtatakang tanong niya.

For once in my life, the thought of me, hitting someone's head made me feel good. "Oh my god," I whispered out of frustration.

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