MORNING come when Maruja woke up because of the noise coming from her phone. She slowly opened her eyes and glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table, the time reads 11:24 AM. Hindi pa sana niya ito papansinin ngunit bigla siyang kinurot sa hita ni Ziegfred na nagpumilit matulog doon kagabi.“Answer it!” Inaantok na hinablot niya ang kanyang cellphone at mapungay na tiningnan ang caller. Tumatawag ang Ina niya at iyon ang kinabigla niya. Tumatawag lang naman ito kapag may importanteng kailangan sa kanya. So she answered it ngunit ang singhal nito ang agad na bumungad sa kanya. Napangiwi siya.“Where are you? It‘s already eleven but you still not here! Paghihintayin mo talaga kami dito?” Hindi niya maiwasang mailayo sa tainga ang kanyang cellphone dahil sa lakas ng boses nito. Ginulo niya ang buhok at inaantok na bumangon. “I‘m still sleepy Mom, ano ba‘ng —”“I texted you last night that we have a lunch date with your Ate Jessa‘s fiance! Bumangon ka riyan at pumunta dito! H

LIFE isn‘t easy with Maruja. When she was a child she always felt lonely and hurt. Umabot na rin siya sa puntong gusto na niyang sumuko sa buhay. Ngunit sa kabila ng paghihinagpis niya may mga taong dumating para hilahin siya para lumaban. They become the reason why she become strong and fighting with this rought life. Sila ang naging takbuhan, kasangga at nagpapatatag sa kanya. Ziegfred and Arvin came to her life unexpectedly and become her home and safe haven. Naging masaya ang buhay niya kahit wala ang magulang niya. She‘s genuinely happy with her new family. Ngunit nang mawala si Arvin pakiramdam niya ay muli siyang nalumpo, nahirapan na makaahon sa pagkakalugmok. Paulit-ulit na nasaktan, paulit-ulit na nabigo pero paulit-ulit na lumalaban kahit na walang kasiguraduhan kung may kahahantungan. Hindi maiwasang napatitig siya sa matiwayas at malinaw na tubig dagat. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya dinala ni Ziegfred ngunit alam niyang nasa probinsiya sila. Away from her family and th

THERE was a chapter in her life she can never forget. It was the time of stupidity, bravery, and letting go. Things changed. That what most people said. Yes Maruja changed after letting Adam go and live with Ziegfred somewhere. Everything changed according to what she wanted but the love she felt for Adam was still there. Ni hindi man lang ito nawala sa isip niya.After two years being away from him she felt her life incomplete. How long? She asked herself over and over again. How long she will endure all the pain? She's done. She's so done tolerating the pain, pretending that she's okay when in fact, she feel dying every day."You miss him na, babae?" Ziegfred asked while raising his eyebrows."Palagi naman," she whispered then sighed heavily."Then how much do you love him?" "Does it matter? Naroon pa rin si Arvin sa puso ko pero malaki ang parte niya. Sa sobrang pagmamahal ko sa kanya ay kaya kong bitawan siya para tuluyan siyang maging masaya. Adam don't deserve the person like m