She looked at me, confused, as she seems to be digesting all the words I just said. She scoffed before rolling her eyes at me.“Of course not. I won’t. I’ll stay where I am. Hindi por que nakipag-hiwalay ako sa ‘yo, magkakaroon na ako ng dahilan para iwanan ang dream house ni Mama.” She looked away. “I’ll come with him for a vacation but that’s for the Christmas holiday. Matagal pa. Pero babalik ako rito.”Napatango-tango ako kasabay ng mga buntonghininga ko. Buti na lang. Buti na lang talaga.“Congrats.”Kumunot ang noo niya sa sinabi ko. “For what?”“For fixing things up with your dad. You won’t come with him for a vacation if you didn’t forgive him yet, right?” I smiled.Hindi na siya sumagot pa. Ilang sandali pa kaming nanahimik habang pareho kaming nakasandal sa hood ng kotse ko. Tuluyan nang humupa ang ambon at malamig na hangin na lang ang tanging natira.“So, what really brings you here? Anong oras na, you really should’ve left by 8:00 PM already.”I smiled timi
EpilogueThe talk I had with Savannah knocked some sense into me.Since that day, I started looking at Grace from a different perspective. I realized, she’s right. She’s still not fine and my words about Savannah hurt her more than I have ever realized. I shouldn’t have told her things about her. She may not want me back as her man, but she clearly stated that she still has this love for me.“I saw Savannah at my department,” Grace said as she puts her things on the couch. “She’s talking to my professor. May pinag-uusapan sila na mukhang importante.”She sat on the couch and opened the TV. “Don’t talk about her.”I heard her laughed. “Ang tagal na, Connor. Aren’t you still moved on? Lapit na kami g-um-raduate.”I looked at her, only to see her winked at me. She’s always teasing me about Savvy. I told her not to talk about her anymore. Bukod sa nakakaramdam ako ng lungkot, nag-aalala ako para sa kan’ya.She laughed. “Connor, don’t be plastic. I know that you only didn’t w
Special ChapterSAVANNAH GREENEIstared at the dark skies above me as I listened to the beautiful sound of the pouring rain. I smiled as I stretched my hand to feel the cold water on my palm.P’wede naman akong tumakbo para makauwi pero mas gusto kong panoorin ang ulan ngayon dito. At isa pa, wala naman na si Mama para maghintay sa akin sa bahay.Napalingon ako sa sumilong sa tabi ko. I saw a guy in his uniform wearing a backpack with his phone on his hand. Napanguso ako nang makitang basang-basa na ang phone niya.Hindi kaya masisira ‘yon?“How long are you stucked here?”My mouth parted when he talked. Wow, I like his voice. Too manly.I looked at him. “Huh?”He smiled at me. “Kanina ka pa rito?”I pursed my lips before answering. “Uhh . . . one hour?”Tumango siya. “Fuck this rain. Panira ng plano, eh. My fucking shoes are ruined,” he said, looking at his expensive white shoes.Napanguso ako sa sinabi niya. Why would he blame the rain? He should always ch
AcknowledgementFirst of all, thank you so much, Almighty God, for this talent You have given me. I am nothing without all of these blessings. Thank You so much.Thank you so much to everyone who helped me with this book.Thank you, Ukiyoto Publishing for giving my story a chance to be published under your company. Thank you for all the efforts you put into this.Thank you, Guilty Reads, especially my mentor, Ate Rayne Mariano, for helping me with things regarding this. Thank you for all the lessons you gave us in terms of writing—and life! I will forever be grateful that I became a part of the community you are building. I will make good use of it, I promise!Thank you so much, Didit, for helping me with the manuscript editing/proofreading! You’re the best!Thanks to Ate Heynette for the awesome book cover! You create the best book covers ever! I love all of it—every art of yours is beautiful! Thank you so much to my friends who have helped me in my down times! Kapi Ga
About the Author Mariss Mariano, also known as marisswrites on W*****d, is a 24-year old writer living in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. She fell in love with writing at the age of 14 when she started scribbling on her big notebook about the first story she wanted to write. Two years later (2013), she found herself writing in an online platform called W*****d and that starts her career as an online writer focusing on Romance but trying to explore different genre. Mariss won The Watty Awards 2020 with her winning story Saving Serene under Young Adult category. The story is about a woman named Serene who lost her will to live because she didn’t know what she wants to do with her life and her journey to saving herself.
Napatakip ako sa tainga ko nang pagkapasok namin sa loob ng bar, para akong nabingi sa lakas ng tugtog at mga hiyawan ng mga tao sa loob.Habang naglalakad papunta sa puwestong naka-reserve para sa amin, napamura ako dahil sa sakit ng ulo ko sa sobrang lakas ng ingay, tugtog, at sa iba’t ibang uri ng amoy na naaamoy ko ngayon.“Argh, ang ingay . . .”Nang makarating kami sa isang couch na kakasya sa aming apat, itinulak ako ni Aldrin sa couch. Tiningnan ko nang masama si Aldrin.“Parang gago naman ‘to, hindi pa tapos ang plates ko!” bulyaw ko sa kan’ya.They all laughed. Hindi naman kasi talaga ako sasama dito dahil nga gumagawa pa ako ng plates. Buwisit lang kasi ng mga bobong ‘to, hindi ba sila makakainom nang wala ako? Dala ko ba yung mga shot glass at alak?“Smile ka na, pare. Eto naman, sa Friday pa naman deadline n’on, sabi mo?” sabi sa akin ni Jin. Nagbuga na lang ako ng malalim na buntonghininga, kasabay ng pagkunot lalo ng noo ko.Sinalinan na ni T
“Tabi ka nga!” pagtulak sa akin ni Jin dahil pareho kaming gumagawa ng plates namin ngayon sa condo. “Ano? Kumusta na kayo ngbar girlmo?”I sighed in frustration.“Manahimik ka nga’t baka isaksak ko sa lalamunan mo ‘tong T-square na hawak ko,” iritang sagot ko sa kan’ya.He laughed. “Gago, hindi mo pa nahahanap?” tumingin ako sa kan’ya nang nagtataka. “Schoolmate n’yo, gago!”“Hindi ko hinahanap, at wala akong pakialam, Jin Harold Ocampo.”Muli siyang humagalpak ng tawa sa sinabi ko. “Ba’t kasi hindi na naman maipinta ‘yang pagmumukha mong gago ka?” pumaywang pa talaga ang loko, akala mo naman boss ko amputa, sakalin ko ‘to, eh. “Ilang araw ka nang badtrip simula noong gabing ‘yon, hindi mo ba sasabihin?”Tumingin ako nang masama sa kan’ya bago ibinaba ang hawak kong T-square at inilagay ang mechanical pencil sa tainga ko na para bang ordinaryong lapis lang ito.“Hindi ko kasi maintindihan, pare!” I sighed. “Hindi naman nangyari sa akin pero ba’t no’ng gabing
Kinuha niya ang bote ng Tequila sa akin at siya na ang nagsalin ng alak sa mga baso naming dalawa. Para pa rin akong na-hypnotize sa tingin ng mga mata niya. Ngayon naiintindihan ko na.Nagiging dark blue ang mga mata niya kapag natatamaan ng liwanag o ng kahit na anong ilaw.Enchanted ba ang tawag sa ganitong pakiramdam?Anghiwagalang. Gusto ko pang tumawa nang makagawa ng joke sa sarili ko. Napakanta pa ako ngI was enchanted to meet you . . .ni Taylor Swift.Putek, ang corny!Iniusog niya ang baso sa akin at nakipag-cheers. Nang ngumiti siya, napalunok ako bago kinuha ang baso at nakipag-cheers sa kan’ya. Sabay naming ininom ‘yon.“May . . . gusto ka raw pag-usapan? Sabi ng kaibigan mo . . .”Nang marinig ko ang boses niya sa kabila ng ingay ng mga tao sa lugar, para akong ibinalik sa gabing ‘yon, na siya ang kasama ko. Pakiramdam ko, palaging may kakaiba kapag siya ang kasama ko.Argh! Ano na naman ba ‘to?!Ibinaba ko ang baso matapos k