"Are you sure about that, Apollo?"I overheard mom and Kuya Pol talking one day. I have no idea what they were talking about but when I heard CLPH, I realized that they have another business thing going. Nagtuloy ako sa silid ni Mama at Papa. I saw Kuya Apollo in their sitting on the side of our parent's bed. He was wearing a tailored suit and tie. Mukha din siyang bagong paligo. I smirked."To what do I owe the miracle of you taking a bath, dear Kuya Pol?" I mocked him. Sumampa agad ako sa kama ni Mama. Napansin kong hawak na naman niya ang notebook niya."Oh, Tia, tigilan mo ako, baka samain ka sa akin." Sumimangot ako. Mama just shook her head and stopped us."Apollo, are you sure about this?""Yes, Ma. I asked Uncle about it, he said it's okay and he's putting his bet on this. Maayos namang kausap si Eos Demitri. Besides the fact that he's a real jerk to the Demitri clan, he is a good business man."My mouth literally parted hearing that from my brother. Nakayakap ako kay Mama. I
"Bakit ba iyak ka nang iyak?"Hindi na yata nakatiis si Adonis na tanungin ako. Nasa ibabaw ako ng hood ng sasakyan ko. Nakasandal naman siya sa gilid habang binabato ang kung ano. Pinunasan ko ang luha ko at saka niyakap ang binti ko."Naniwala akong hindi niya ako minahal." Malungkot na wika ko."Tsk. Paano mo naman nasabi na minahal ka?""Eh di iyong mga words niya. Arabic chuchu." Umingos ako. Sinabi ko kay Adonis iyong isang sinabi sa akin ni Eos kanina.'Ah! I cannot let you go. I don't want to leave."Lalong nagngalit ang puso ko. Why the fuck did he say all that?Piningot ko si Adonis. "Aray ha! Hindi ko kasalanan kung Malabo kayong dalawa ni Tandang Eos slash Rayuma Man. Tsk! Tia, iyan ang sinasabi ko sa'yo. It's in you if you want to live in the past or throw it away. Sabi nga sa paborito kong pelikula, keep moving forward.I found myself smiling. "Paborito ko rin iyon...""See! May similarities na tayo! Malapit na tayong hindi maging tao kasi magiging bagay na tayo!" He gi
I left the house. I don't know where else to go or who else to call. I have no friends. I have no one else. Kung sa mga pinsan ko naman ay pauuwiin lang nila ako sa bahay. I don't want to see my mom. I just want to be alone and I wanna think for a while.Hindi ako makapaniwala na ginawa ni Mama iyon sa akin. All the while I thought Eos just left me to be with Lualhati. Now, I can't think. What if he was in love with me like what Adonis have said? Now, paano ko pa maibabalik ang chance na nawala sa aming dalawa?I sighed. I kept on walking. I was inside a mall. Nakapambahay lang ako. The only cash I have was a thousand peso. Saan ako dadalhin ng pera ko. I paid the taxi earlier with my Cartier bracelet. I have nowhere to go.I sat on a bench near the fountain. I was looking at the people walking around. Buti pa sila may patutunghan sila. Buti pa sila may kasama sila. Buti pa sila... paano naman ako?Bahagya akong nagulat nang maramdaman kong may naupo sa tabi ko. I looked at my right a
"Ma..."Mama was asleep when I got into their room. Naiuwi na namin siya for like five hours ago. Papa was outside the balcony making calls. Palagay ko ang kausap niya ay si Ninang Bathseeba. The ride home was exceptionally quiet. Kuya Apollo was gritting his teeth while driving. Percy started researching about Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease - I dunno about Kuya Achilles because he rode with Mama and Papa, kasama niya rin si Betchay.I sat beside Mama's bed and touched her face. She stirred a bit and then she opened her eyes. Nagulat ako kaya bahagya akong lumayo sa kanya. Akala ko ay sisigawan na naman niya ako but she smiled. She sat up on her bed and faced me."Kanina pa kita hinihintay." Nakangiti siya sa akin. Hindi naman ako makapagsalita. I wanted to say sorry for not going after her kanina sa mall. I wanted to apologize for breaking her heart back then but words cannot express my thoughts. Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya at naiiyak."Ma, ang tagal mo. Busy ba sa ospital?" Tanon
"Alejandros!!! O to the M to the G!"Nanlaki ang nga mata ni Elisha nang pumasok sa silid naming dalawa ni Sabino nang umagang iyon. She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes because we were about to make love and then she just barged in."I'll be taking a bath." Sabi na lang ni Sabino. He chuckled and turned around. Tinitigan ko naman si Elisha. Her eyes were still closed. Nakatitig ako sa kanya. I put my robe on and sat on my bed and still looked at her."Tapos na ba? O to the M to the G!"Elisha Marie Lamico sounded so much like my mother when they were the same age. She was my mom's goddaughter, Pan's best friend and my business partner. Halos kasabay ko na siyang lumaki. Pan and her would always have sleepovers when they were growing up. Isa din siya sa mga unang taong nakaalam kung ano talaga ang kasarian ako and she was okay with it."Eli, its fine. Sabino is inside the bathroom now. What are you even doing here? Hindi ka pa marunong kumatok?" Inis na tanong ko. She made a face
Eos Demitri deserve more than this.It was all I could think about while I sat inside the precinct that dreadful night. I couldn't stop crying. He's dead. The medic told me that after they tried taking his pulse and got nothing, he's dead. And I really think that he deserve better than this. He deserve so much better than this.The police took me to the precinct for questioning. I demanded to have a lawyer before answering any of their questions. Agad ko namang tinawagan si Piedro para puntahan ako. I asked him not to tell my brothers – especially my parents but I guess, Artie just couldn't keep anything for herself. So, now, I'm just waiting for Apollo to come and get me.I hate this.I don't want to be here. I don't even know if I should be mourning at all. Ano ba naman ako sa kanya. He only said he loved me. We were never an ite. – or any labels at all. Mahal daw niya ako. Mahal ko rin siya. Sapat na ba iyon para magluksa ako?"Eleithiya..." It was Apollo. I looked up and I saw him
Tia Vejar took me home that afternoon. I never liked her rotten spoiled brat attitude because it's getting to my nerves. Nakisakay lang ako sa kanya kanina dahil matatagalan ang driver ko sa pagsundo sa akin dahil nagkasakit ang driver ni Mama kaya ipinahiram ko muna ang akin. Pwede namang sunduin ako ni Daddy or ni Heath or Hunter pero hindi ko bet kaya inasar ko na lang si Tia. Natuwa naman ako sa reaksyon niya. Her reaction made my day. Pikon talaga si Tia."Nandito na si Daddy? Si Mama po?" Tanong ko sa maid nang masalubong ko siya. Sinabi niyang nasa itaas daw su Daddy at nagpapahinga. Agad naman akong tumakbo paakyat sa itaas para puntahan siya."Daddy!" Bungad ko sa kanya. Nakaupo siya sa swivel chair niya at para bang may binabasa. Agad naman niyang ibinaba ang papeles at tiningnan ako. Sinalubong niya ako ng ngiti."Hello, baby girl."I giggled when he called me that. Sabi niya kahit ilan taon na daw ako, ako pa rin ang number 1 baby girl niya. Naupo ako sa visitors chair na
Tia left the prom already. I saw her exiting the premises and I found myself wondering where she went. It's not my business, I know but I wanna know. Pakiramdam ko kasi ay may ginagawa si Tia na lingid sa kaalaman ng lahat. I just want to know so I can tease her about it.The prom was a bit boring for me. I was just sitting on my corner watching my classmates as they danced the night away. People were asking me to dance too, but I don't want to move a muscle. Pakiramdam ko kasi ay walang kwenta kung gagalaw man ako. I don't like this event. Pumunta lang ako para maisuot ang gown na binili ni Mama para sa akin. She bought the gown from Paris Fashion Week and I could already imagine her reaction kung sinabi ko sa kanya na ayokong magpunta talaga doon.I wanna be somewhere else...I wann be away... with that one person who can make my heart beat faster and faster and faster... Iyong tipong hinihingal na ako pero kinakaya ko dahil masarap sa pakiramdam na kasama ko siya. I want to be with