DOON TAYO! Bilis, gutom na ako!" Nanguna sa paglalakad si Shanta habang sumusunod kaming lima sa likod niya. "Anong gusto niyo? Sagot ko lahat. Kunin niyo na ang kaya niyong ubusin."
Her energy tank tonight was full. Hindi ko alam kung nababawasan ba iyon dahil bawat segundo, tumatakbo siya at sumisilip sa iba't ibang food stalls.
As we followed behind her, I couldn't help but notice the eyes that were looking up at us while we walked past them. Gumagawa sila ng espesyal na daan, na kung saan may mga rosas na sila lang ang nakakakita.
Their mouths slowly fell open while gray fragrant smoke came across our path. I squinted and rubbed my nose, pero bigla na lang silang ngumiti sa hindi ko malamang dahilan.
SINCE THAT NIGHT under the cloudless sky over a cliff with the woman I ought to protect, she became the changed woman that she promised, every single day. She can be far more than her old self, but there was more than her old self that was left - a mouthful of her kindness, her huge champ of jest, and crumbs of her merciful self. For the past few days of bonding with her, being with her, and together with her alone, I had seen new phases of her, a brighter one, the truest of her where lying is the most hideous face. From the reckless Shanta to a more careful Shanta, she receives news like a porcelain jar, brittle and vulnerable, requiring gentleness and precision. Ngunit pansin ko parang wa
SO, YOU REMEMBER?" bulong ko habang naglalakad kami sa pasilyo. The shock was still there when I opened this up to Shanta. Hindi ko man lang nahimigan ang pagkakaalam niya, lalo na sa mga panahong nag-uusap kami tungkol sa sugat ko at kanyang pagka-ospital. Ang alam ko lang na alam niya ay isa ako sa mga napuruhan noong gabing dinakip siya. Ngunit hindi sa puntong ito. Not on this point that she knew every detail of how I saved her. Somehow, it flattered me. Masaya akong siya mismo ang nakaalala niyon kaysa sa iba ang pagsabi sa kanya. I just didn't expect she also remembered who stabbed me. Ni hindi ko nga namukhaan ang sumaksak sa akin till now. Para akong sinapak sa pisngi noong malaman
IT WAS like a bomb dropped to destroy all my senses; a tornado, picking up wild thoughts inside my tousled brain and smashing my sanity before I could even feel sober. It was more like a kid shouting near me and a gong situated under my ear. It disrupted my eardrums and all I could hear was my heavy breaths. "Namatayan ng mag-ina si Euart," bulong ni Shanta. I covered my mouth and rested a hand at my back hip. My heart was in a drag race, it took too much of my fuel to drive my head insane. Bata pa lang ang kaibigan ko para magkaroon ng anak. He's unstable and broke. Hindi siya nag-iingat. If the child was alive, hindi ko alam ang mga mangyayari. Although for sure, this would be a total mes
THE WAR HAS EMPTIED ITS BARREN, leaked its last drip, and twisted its faucet close. No river of evil will ever enter the estuaries of goodness. It will no longer wave its big tsunamis to the calm ocean of serenity and prosperousness. From now on, it will flow as fresh milk, white and nourishing. For the battle has been fought and won. "For the grounds you've committed and the substantial evidence submitted in this office, the Board has decided to expel you, Avancea Vega and Alleva Brookes." "No! There's no way!" sigaw ni Avancea at sinampal ang mesa pagkatapos isara ni Dr. Principio ang folder, na naglalaman ng hatol sa kanila. "I am innocent! I didn't do anything to any of these two!" "Sit down, Ms. Vega," matigas na utos ng punong guro. "Your behavior will put you into more danger." "You're not expelling my daughter!" sigaw ng isang ginang, na mukhang batang tingnan dahil sa iksi ng suot at mga alahas sa katawan niya. "This is unfair! I will Dalmaceo! He will not approve of t
SHE AGREED. Amadena, Avancea's mother, surrendered. She let the battle be won by the victor. Hindi dahil sa nagpaubaya siya, kundi dahil wala na silang laban sa mga ebidensya, na nagtuturo sa anak niya. However, unlike Alleva who accepted her punishment wholeheartedly, hindi pa rin tanggap ni Avancea ang kaparusahan niya. She wanted to appeal because expulsion was a biased penalty to her. Mas tatanggapin pa raw niya ang community service kaysa mapaalis sa eskwelahan. However, her bargain immediately led to her downfall. She dug her own hole and fell for it. Walang kaparusahan dapat ang hingiin niya dahil, ayon sa kanya, wala siyang kasalanan. Matalino ang punong guro. Hindi siya nakalusot. It onl
IT WAS EASY to say than to make it happen. Sometimes, it isn't the one who promised that has not acted upon it, but the person who receives it does not accept the will. I accepted Shanta's initiative. I helped her not because she asked me to, but because I would've suggested it, too, if she hadn't said it first. Anything for her growth, I will take measures. And these measures involve asking each of her victims to give her another chance and attend to what Shanta prepared for them. Others may see it as simple and not hard at all, not until they're in my situation. "Please, this is not… a joke…" I prayed to a nerdy-looking woman who only walked past me when I told her about my friend's sweet plan. "This is real. As in, for real. Give her a chance, please… last chance… a
SALAMAT AT NAGPUNTA KAYO," Shanta said with her purest heart while holding a microphone on stage. "Sa pagdalo niyo, masasabi kong pinalad pa rin ako kahit ilang ulit man sabihin ng iba na isa akong malas." There was still a moment of shock in me as I watched her up here. Nasa gitna ako ng mga kaibigan ko. Clavis and Jirario were seated at my right side and Lachlan and Katlego at my left, respectively. They were silent and serious as to why I could clearly hear my heart beating in excitement. Below us were Shanta's victims who scammed me into not attending and putting my handsome face on the line! I didn't expect they would come after refusing me despite my cries, na halos lumuhod ako sa harapan nila, makapunta lang sila. My mind was blank to know what encouraged them t
I THINK I FORGOT something,” sabi ko habang kinakapa ang bulsa noong makarating kami sa parking lot ng school. “Mauna na kayo doon sa bahay nila. I’ll follow after this. Don’t wait for me.” “Ano bang nakalimutan mo?” may bahid ng duda na tanong ni Lachlan nang akmang papalis ako. “Dala mo naman bag mo. Anong klase ng gamit ang nawawala sa bulsa mo?” “Wala ka na doon,” inis na pahayag ko. “Eh, ikaw? Kailan ka aalis? At… Bakit ang tagal ninyong umalis? Don’t tell me you’re still gonna wait for me?” “Tanga. Hindi.” Jirario said and walked past me, intentionally hitting my shoulders as he went to his black car. “Arat na. Gutom na ako.” “Bwisit ka,” angil ko kahit hindi masakit iyong bangga niya. &