Ellie's POV
Katatapos ko lang ireread ulit ang Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley. It still surprises me how deep it is. Akala ko dati it’s just about a man who created a monster, but it’s more than that. It’s about loneliness, grief and about how someone could be alive yet feel invisible to the world. Parang habang binabasa ko, nararamdaman ko rin ‘ang bigat ng bawat tanong ni Victor at ng monster na nilikha niya.
Sometimes I wonder, sino ba talaga ang ang halimaw sa book? The one who created a monster and tossed it aside, or the monster that loathes his own existence?
Huminga ako ng malalim at inilagay ang libro na katatapos ko kang basahin sa shelf. Pumunta ako sa study table ko para pag aralan ang lesson plan na ginawa ko kanina nang tumunog ang cellphone ko. It came from Anna. She's my father secretary. Palagi n'ya akong kinakamusta. 
“Hello Anna,” Ani ko.
“Kumusta ka?” Magaang tanong n'ya. .
“Ayos lang ako, I'm on my first month of internship. Kumusta si Papa?”
“Your dad’s been well, the same.”
“Still busy ruining his health and chasing profit?” sarkastikong tanong ko.
Natahimik siya saglit, parang nag-aalangan kung paano ako sasagotin. “You know how he is. Pero don’t worry, he’s fine. I just wanted to check on you.”.
“Thanks, Anna. I’m okay,” sagot ko. It's nice that someone is still concerned for me.
“Just tired.” pag amin ko at Napatitig sa lesson plan na nakadisplay sa screen ng laptop ko. I'm really far from what I want to be. After internship. May LET pa. 
Matapos ang tawag, napabuntong-hininga ako. Kasabay nito ang paglabas ni Coco sa bintana. My tilapia cat. Naiwan na akong mag isa. The silence in my apartment felt heavier than usual. Kailangan ko ng hangin. Kaya nagdesisyon akong lumabas sandali. Maglakad lakad or bumili ng makakain sa labas.
Mabilis akong nakarating sa 7/11 na walking distance lang ang layo sa apartment ko. Naalala ko ang huling beses akong pumunta dito last halloween. Inalis na nila kaaga ang mga Halloween decorations na ikinalungkot ko. Bumili ako ng instant noodles at apat na nova. Pagkalabas ko, sinalubong ako ng malamig na simoy ng hangin, may halong amoy ng tuyong dahon at kape mula sa karatig na café shop.
Habang naglalakad pabalik sa apartment, napansin ko na dumaan ako sa park. Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero parang may humila sakin para dumaan dito. Bagamat madilim, may ilang lamps parin ang nagpapaliwanag sa parke. Maririnig mo naman sa paligid ang tunog ng mga kuliglig. It sounds nice to listen to hear them but believe me it's their mating call or whatever.
Ipinagpatuloy ko ang paglalakad, findiua shortcut to find a way to my apartment when I saw a guy wearing a hoodie. He's playing with a cat under the lamppost. Pinakatitigan ko ang pusa. Baka si Coco iyon ngunit nagkamali ako. Dumapo ang atensyon ko sa lalaki at nahagip ng ilaw ng lamppost ang mukha nito. Nagulat ako. Hindi ko inaasahan na magkikita kami ulit dito.
“Hey,” I called softly.
He looked up, his lips curling into a faint smile. “You again. Anong ginagawa mo dito?” Tanong pa n'ya.
“May binili lang,” sabi ko, sabay upo sa beach na katabi niya. The wooden bench was cold but it didn't matter.
“Ikaw bakit ka nandito? Malapit lang ba dito ang bahay mo?”
“Medyo malayo,” sagot niya. Pinagmasdan namin ang pusang kalaro n'ya na umalis pagkatapos ay naupo s'ya sa tabi ko. 
“So, do you always feed cats here in the park?”
“Yeah. They remind me of her. My wife loved cats.” That was sad. Because if everything reminds us of the one we love, then maybe we never really move on, we just learn to live with their memory, we just learn to endure the pain of their memory.
Nabalot ng katahimikan ang pagitan naming dalawa. Bumalik ang pusang nakikipaglaro sa kanya kanina. The cats purred softly, its small bodies brushing against our legs. For a moment, everything felt still like the world forgot to move.
“So,” he said after a while, “how have you been?”
“I’m good,” I lied, then sighed. “Actually, not really. But my father 's assistant called.” He didn’t say anything, just waited, his eyes gentle and patient. Waiting for me to vent out what is bothering me. Kaya napakwento na ako.
“Almost three years ago, I left home,” I began. “I decided to be independent. Pumunta ako sa dito at doon ko tinupad ‘yong pangarap kong maging teacher.”
“Your parents didn’t agree?”
“My dad didn’t. He’s a business tycoon. Gusto niya ako ang magmana ng company, pero ayoko. That’s not what I’m passionate about. Like my mom always said, ‘Ellie, follow your heart,’ so I did.” Napangiti ako ng marahan, thinking bout my mom.
“Nag-impake ako, umalis ng bahay, and I regained control of my life again. That was the bravest decision I’ve ever made. Alam kong disappointed si Daddy, pero I just want to live my life the way I want to.” Dagdag ko pa.
Tahimik lang siyang nakikinig sa'kin.  “After that, I lost contact with him,” I continued. “Pero kahit papano, updated pa rin ako sa nangyayari kay Daddy. Dahil kay Anna, ‘yong secretary niya. She’s like my aunt. She’s my eyes and ears sa loob ng company ni Dad.”
“You still care,” he said softly. “Maybe,” I admitted. “I just want to know he’s okay. But I also know too much about the things he’s done, illegal gambling, selling unapproved medicine. Alam kong ‘yan ang dahilan kung bakit umunlad ang kumpanya niya. And that’s also why I left. I can’t take his place. I’m not willing to take that path.”
Tahimik siya sandali bago muling nagsalita. “You’re so brave, then”
“Not really,” sagot ko, tumingin sa malayo. The lamp cast a faint glow over the park, and I could see my breath in the cold air. “Takot na takot ako mangyayari sa buhay ko, Wala akong choice kung hindi magpatuloy.”
He nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. “Sometimes that’s what bravery is, choosing to move forward.”
Napangiti ako, mahina. “Oummm.”
Ang pusang kaninang naglalaro sa paa namin ay umakyat at naupo sa hita n'ya. Napangiti na lang ang ang cute sobra. Hindi s'ya natatakot sa lalaking ito. Proving that this man is a good person.
“I have a question,” I finally said.
He looked at me, half-curious, half-amused. “Go on.”
“Is that not your costume right? Noong Halloween. I mean your face, it has stitches.”
He smiled faintly, almost like he’d expected that I'm going to ask it.
“Let’s just say,” he murmured, eyes drifting away, “I came here by accident.”
“Accident?” Pag ulit ko. “Like, What kind of accident?”
He didn’t answer. Bagkus, hinaplos n'ya ang balahibo ng pusa na nakahiga sa hita nya. His silence said more than any explanation could. Something in me wanted to ask again, but I didn’t. Maybe some questions aren’t meant to be answer because it's painful to tell. I need to respect that. Tumingin ako sa relo ako. Kinailangan ko na palang umuwi.
"Bago ako umuwi, pwedeng malaman ang pangalan mo?" Tanong ko.
"I'm Hugo," sagot n'ya.
"I'm Ellie," pagpapakilala ko.