"HINDI TOTOO YON!"Kimberly's throat felt like tearing into pieces as she screamed those words for the hundredth time. Marahas na sinipa niya ang brake ng kotse nang biglang may gumuhit na hapdi sa kanyang ulo.I did not do that. It wasn't me. It wasn't my name!The sudden stop created a loud screeching sound in the middle of that damn stormy night. Gumewang ng sinasakyan niya pero hindi na niya inalintana man lang nang sumalpok ang gilid noon sa isa sa mga punong nasa gilid ng daan.Her head crashed against the window of the driver's side door and yet she didn't even move to protect herself from the impact. She closed her eyes before parting her mouth to breath when a warm streak of blood ran down her cheek.She felt her new wound stung and burned but it wasn't anything compared to the pain that had been eating her guts since she started driving."Hindi ako yon." she denied with her shaky voice when she opened her eyes and met a broken girl staring back at her from the rear view mirr

Night came too early that day. The whole city was already dark at six. She lost count of how many hours passed since she sat behind that couch. Her back against it as she rested on the floor.Trying to count all her mistakes wasn’t an easy task. Napakarami niya palang nagawang pagkakamali. At malamang mas marami pa iyon kaysa sa mga patak ng ulan na humahampas sa floor-to-ceiling na glasswindow sa kanyang harapan.'Si Pete, Jace, at ako...’ Galit na naisata ni Kimberly ang hawak na folder nang sumigid ang sakit sa kanyang ulo. Nanginig pati tuhod niya sa kirot nang saluhin nang mapasabunot siya sa kanyang buhok at ibuhos ang gigil doon.Aside from understanding how she ended up believing that she killed someone, the cassette player lying silently near her toes gave her a clear idea of how she had an accident that day too.Tama si Pete. Nai-record nga pala sa tawag niya ang buong pangyayari. Mula sa oras na nangangako si Jace na darating ito sa kanyang kaarawan, hanggang sa pag-uusap n

"Woah! The air!"It was that loud voice that made Jace look up from the documents he was reading. He'd been busy for hours skimming through works he could have read the previous night. Well that is, if only he slept on his own bed."The air smells like..." Nilabas pa ng bagong dating ang dila na tila tinitikman ang hangin. Mayamaya ay pumalatak ito kasabay ng pagpitik. "P*ssy," the guy dramatically popped the word before walking to his own desk, passing two more tables before sitting to the one next to his.That made him smirked. He knew that the insult was for him. "Good morning, Mr. Sandoval.""What's good with the morning Mangino?"Jace silently laughed the indifference off. God knows how much he hates the guy who'd been battling neck to neck against him for his promotion. "It smells like pussy. Isn't it enough reason?"His competitor gave him a blank stare. Lalo namang natawa si Jace sa inuupuang swivel.Balewalang hinatak niya ang case mula sa ilalim ng kanyang desk. He shove the

PAST ONE IN the morning. She was tired from traveling another two hours after the hospital visit. She felt sore all over. The mattress on her back was very comforting, pero ni isang segundo ay hindi makuha ni Kim ang umidlip. There was a huge turmoil inside her head that was keeping her from closing her eyes. ‘Sh*t!’ Marahas siyang bumiling mula sa hinihigaan. Her hand closed into a tight fist when her throat started to burn. Ginamit niya ang likod ng palad para padabog na punasan ang luhang basta nalang kumawala. ‘Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t!’ She remembered what happened in Aling Pining's hospital room. How she lost her thoughts, how her world stopped just by the sight of the only man he ever loved as hard, and how his eyes cut her in half with so much anger that she feared even opening her mouth. . . Jace was dreadfully composed. He was smiling at everyone but Kimberly could easily tell that the facade was fake. For a stretch, his presence alone made her felt like standing on a temporar

It was a long drive. Madilim pa ang buong paligid nang sa wakas ay maayos na maiparada ni Jace ang minamanehong kotse. Time on the radio says four in the morning. He felt consumed, not to mention tired.His eyes we're droopy but that didn't stop him from grabbing the only companion he had inside the car, a half full bottle of Kavalan. One twist, and he got the whiskey burning his throat as the image of her crossed his mind again.‘Drown it, Jace. The b*tch is happy.’ Mapait siyang napangisi. ‘It's over...’Nagsindi siya ng sigarilyo oras na makalabas ng kotse. He begun alternately puffing his Marlboro and gulping from the liquor bottle.Umiikot ang paningin niya sa bawat hakbang pero nakarating pa rin ang pasuraysuray na lakad niya sa harap ng antigong pintuan.He pulled out a set of key from his backpocket then started aiming for the key hole. His sleepy eyes were squinting while figuring out how to get the key in.Ilang minuto rin siyang paulit-ulit na nagmintis dahil sa pagkahilo h