While we entered a deluxe hotel restaurant, a female clerk immediately approached us at the main reception area where she guided us to our reserved seats. The inside was grand, not the typical romantic diner. It was more of a victorian-style restaurant. The white walls were unbelievably sculpted into a garden of golden curvy blossoms. Even the tables and chairs resembled a throne, with red foams and throw pillows to support our bottoms. Nanguna ako sa paglalakad habang nakasunod si Shanta. Nang ituro ng clerk ang ekslusibong lamesa malapit sa malawak na bintana, na tanaw ang ilaw ng siyudad, mas binilisan ko ang paglalakad. And as I got there, I pulled the shiny wooden chair for Shanta. "Why do you think your dad invited me here?" I asked after we both settled down on our co

NICE, NICE…" sabik na sabik na komento ni Katlego nang marinig niya na pupunta kami sa ancestral house ng mga Heichel. Nakaakbay siya kay Lachlan at Jirario habang abot-tainga ang ngiti. "Sheeet! Where ba is your house, Dalshanta? Is it malayo? Ba't hindi pa kami inaaya ni Clave doon? Pangit ba mansyon niyo?"Sa ilang taon naming pagkakaibigan ni Clavis, wala pa kaming alam tungkol sa buhay niya. Somebody would think he's the type of person that would open up about his personal life, pero hindi ganoon ang kaso sa kanya.Kahit na kaibigan niya kami, we only knew bits about his family. Although he seemed jolly, open, and honest, he's still the secretive Clavis that we all became acquainted with. Kay Shanta ko lang nalaman na apo pala sila ng gobernador dito sa probinsya namin.We had no clue why it was so hard for Clavis to open up, pero hinahayaan na lang namin siyang magsabi ng mga problema. We don't force him to tell us about his whole life, like the most traumatic or

I STOPPED EATING when I heard of what Lolo Sherwood wanted Shanta to do. My mouth slowly fell open as I shifted my gaze from him to his granddaughter.    Akala ko ay sisimangot siya at tututol dahil hindi niya gusto ang pinangungunahan siya. But from what I could espy, she seemed pumped up and delighted.   Shanta's pretty smile reached to her ears as she wiped her lips with a clean napkin and paused eating. Her body was leaning forward, obviously showing that she's interested with this grandson of a business partner of his grandfather.    I squinted my eyes and followed her every movement. Sumisingkit ang mga mata niya habang nakangiti. I snorted on my seat with her thin figure on the surface of my eyes.   

SHANTA? Is that you?" I asked the woman in black dress walking towards me while I was feeling elevated and ecstatic inside. "I was fucking looking for you! Saan ka ba nagpunta? I'm worried! You should be looking after me first, not the guy! Okay?! Hmm?" Ngumiti ako nang napakaluwag kahit malabo siya sa paningin ko. And as my body swayed and felt heavy, my dearest still managed to lift my soul up. Kung hindi lang mahigpit ang hawak nina Clavis at Jirario sa katawan ko, tumakbo na ako at kinulong siya sa mga bisig ko.  And in those times, I would cherish her comfort. I'd never let her go and she would be living inside my heart. She'd be staying only by my side and in between my arms. Because she'll remain protected when she's with me. "Dalmi, pumasok ka na sa loob. Kami n

SA ATIN…” maingat at mabagal na saad ko. “Did something happen… between us… last night?”   Silence. Silence lingered with her thin brows involuntarily flickering. The way she stared at me said that something bothering was taking her so long to answer. Ngunit hindi ko ininda iyon. My eyes didn’t leave her sight. The two black stones sank into her shallowest thoughts, searching for that one piece that would halt me from further questioning.   “Shanta-”   “Wala,” mabilis na tugon niya. “Walang nangyari sa atin kagabi.”   “Is that it?” I eyed her.   “Hmm.” Tumango siya. Her back straightened and her gaze focused somewhere. “Walang nangyari… Hindi ako ang naghat