HER
 
"Aalis ka o kakaladkarin kita?" Iyan agad ang bumungad sa akin pagkalabas ko ng pasilyong puno ng mga estudyante.
 
May tatlong kababaihan ang sapilitang pinapaalis ang nananahimik na freshman sa pinakagilid ng bench malapit sa field. Hindi ko nais pansinin ang kanilang walang kwentang gawain ngunit traydor ang aking mata.
 
This scene is normal here in this campus as long as hindi makita ng council particularly the strict president.
 
As usual, bullies can't be gone in an institution and all I could do is to ignore them.
 
"Tss." I rolled my eyes and continued heading to the parking lot.
 
I don't wanna meddle with any childish acts. That is so not me.
 
Perks of being a spoiled brats.
 
I am walking with a fierce looking with stoic and poise for that's how I maneuver myself. 
 
My parents taught me the proper etiquettes with perfections that's why I live with it.
 
Prente lamang ang aking paglalakad at walang pakundangan din ang paglinga ng mga tao sa aking paligid.
 
But like what I've always did, I am just pretending that i'm all alone in the hallway.
 
"Get out of my sight!" Bulalas ng isang senior sa isang freshman nang bigla itong lumapit at akmang pupunasan ang sapatos nitong puno ng apple juice.
 
Nakaharang sila sa daanan at saktong nakaharap sa akin.
 
The hell I care kung nag-aaway sila? I need to pass through them.
 
My curse blurted when the boy he once pulled landed on me resulting for me to almost stumbled. Thank goodness I still managed to balance myself pero hindi nakawala ang isa pang apple juice na hawak kanina ng freshmen kaya't natapon ang lahat ng 'yon sa blazer ko.
 
"Fvck, tsk." I bit my lip, controlling my anger from its sudden outburst.
 
Pinahiran ko ito gamit ang aking kamay at pagalit na tiningnan ang nanulak kanina pabalik sa nakabasa sa akin na ngayon ay halos maiihi na sa panginginig.
 
I managed to control myself, still with my actual posture.
 
Nakaagaw ng atensyon ang buong pangyayari kaya't dumami mga taong pumalibot sa'min dahilan upang mas lalo akong mairita.
 
Another scene, ey.
 
The guy smirked on me.
 
"What? It's not me who spilled you a stinky juice." Lalong sumiklab ang aking inis sa kanyang tinuran at huminga ng malalim.
 
I tilted my head and stared at him from head to toe like I am insulting him in my mind. I smirked and gazed at him again.
"I pity you, boy. Why so ugly? Such a disgrace tss," I uttered my cold insult and shook my head  dahilan upang mawala ang nakakalokong ngiti niya kanina at napalitan ng pagtagis ng bagang.
 
"What did you say?"
 
"What? Just stating facts." I raised my brows and gazed at the boy who almost fainted at my side.
 
"Run. I don't need your fvcking face here," I uttered.
 
He just nodded hesitantly and followed what I ordered.
 
"Ulitin mo nga?" Nagtitimping saad niya.
 
"Bro, chill. She's just a girl." Hinila siya ng kasama niya palayo sa akin dahilan para mas lalo akong ngumisi.
 
"What? That you're ugly?" I raised my brow and crossed my arms.
 
"Eros, come on. Tara na," pagpipigil sa kanya ng isa sa mga alagad niya.
 
"The fvck! Ian, She just called me ugly!" Halos pumutok na ang kanyang ugat sa galit habang nakatutok ang kanyang kamay sa aking harapan.
 
Napailing na lamang ako.
 
"So childish. You're wasting my time," saad ko at akmang hahakbang nang bigla niyang hinawakan ang aking kanang kamay.
 
Tahimik akong napamura at binigyan siya ng makamandag na tingin.
 
I measured our distance and just 'tssed'. I stepped my left foot backward for me to move freely and held his right hand in just a half minute.
 
I twisted it using half of my force but tight enough for him to feel the pain.
 
Nilagay ko ito sa kanyang likuran at tinulak sa pader dahilan upang mapaigik siya sa sakit.
 
I placed my lip near his right ear and whispered mockingly.
 
"Who the fvck told you to touch me with that filthy hands of yours, hmm?" I'm still wearing my serious aura while holding him, now crying in pain.
 
"N-No one. I-Im sorry. P-Please get off me," he pleaded.
 
I sighed and slowly releasing him from my grip.
 
"I'm watching you," saad kong muli at tinunghay ang daang tinahak ng lalaking pinatakbo ko kanina.
 
Mukhang nakuha niya naman ang aking pahiwatig kaya't tumango na lamang ako at inayos ang blazer na ngayon ay gusot at basa na dahil sa natapong juice.
 
Tikom ang aking bibig habang pinasadahan ng tingin ang kanyang mga kaibigan pati na rin ang mga taong nakapalibot sa amin ngayon.
 
Hindi naman sila magkandaugaga sa pagyuko nang magkaabot ang aming mga mata.
 
Napailing na lamang ako at inayos muli gusot kong blazer bago nagpatuloy sa paglalakad na parang walang nangyari.
 
-
 
I am now inside my car and was about to maneuver it when a kid knocked my door. I conclude he's only 8 years old.
 
I opened the slide, enough for me to hear what he's about to say.
 
"Ate, may pagkain ka po? Gutom na gutom na po kasi ako e," he asked while holding his little stomach.
 
I just stared at him without wearing any emotions.
 
Madungis, payat at butas butas ang kanyang damit. I felt pity for this kid.
 
I just sighed and grabbed my bag from my backseat.
 
Bigla kong nakita ang chocolate na bigay ni Sean kanina kaya 'yon na lamang ang binigay ko sa bata. Dumukot na rin ako ng isang daan sa wallet at binigay iyon.
 
"Pakabusog ka, alright?" Saad ko habang nakakunot ang noo pinasadahan ulit siya ng tingin. 
 
Ilang beses itong nagpasalamat dahilan upang mapangiti ako ng wala sa oras. Umalis siya nang may ngiti sa labi na siyang inilingan ko.
 
Bakit nagagawa niya paring magpasalamat at ngumiti sa kabila ng nangyayari sa kanya?
 
He's just a child yet he's already fighting for survival.
 
He deserve to just play in their house, doing some homeworks and having fun like what normal kids do. 
 
At the very young age, he started to experience the cruelty of the world yet he still managed to smile despite his situation.
 
Well, we are somehow similar but with different circumstances. I don't have a rights to compare my situation to anyone since we have different stand in life.
 
I just smiled bitterly. Life really is not fair.
 
I just shrugged and motioned my car, off to our house.
 
Hindi ko mapigilang magmuni-muni habang nagmamaneho habang inaalala kung kailan ako huling ngumiti ng totoo. Then I realized, I have never experienced being a normal kid who always put a smile on thy own face. Instead of drowning myself to bitterness and negativeness, I speeded the car to divert my thoughts.
 
Alam kong nagtataka kayo kung bakit nagmamaneho na ako despite my age. Well, dad already gave me a car since they want me to be independent and with the help of their influences, they pulled some strings.
 
Konti nalang at masasabi ko nang walang imposible sa kanila.
 
I was about to cross the hallway when someone almost cross the road.
 
"Fvck!" Buti na lang at napapagpreno ako agad.
 
It's already past 6 kaya medyo madilim na ang daan.
 
Hindi ko maaninag ang kanyang mukha ngunit batid kong nakatingin siya sa akin. Pinagsawalang bahala ko na lamang iyon at nagpatuloy sa pagmamaneho.
 
Tsk. I don't waste time for shits.
 
-
 
"How's your day, sweetie?"
 
"Doin' great, Mother. Still the usual," I answered bluntly, focusing on slicing the steak on my plate.
 
"That's good—wait. Hello? Ahh yes, yes." Dahan dahang nawala sa paningin ko si mom kaya't kami nalang ni dad ang natira sa hapag sanhi upang mas lalong dumilim ang aking mukha.
 
Hindi ko mapigilang umiling.
 
Kahit sa hapag, trabaho pa rin ang inaatupag nila at naiwan na naman ako.
 
They want me to call them mother and father since it sounds so classy, base on them.
Tsk. I can't complain though so I just let them be. It is as if I have a voice in this house to complain even a simple issue. I just shrugged.
 
"You're going to visit the company tomorrow. Me and your mother will be off to abroad this thursday for some business proposal kaya ikaw muna ang mamahala sa kompanya natin dito. Can I trust you with that?"
 
I looked at him but not in his eyes as a sign of respect and nodded.
 
"Yes father. Ako nang bahala," I uttered without any emotions and diverted my gaze on my plate. Until now, still can't forget what happened back then. Those memories are still vivid in my mind that keeps taunting me. 
 
Hindi na bago sa akin ang ganitong eksena. I was trained to rule and be knowledgeable enough in terms of handling the company since I was a child and having this awkward situation with my father is not new to me. I'm used to it anyway.
 
Like what I always did, I follow their orders, they let me do whatever I want and that's it. 
 
After that conversation, dad left for a phone call and I remained alone, again.
 
I just sighed and continued eating like nothing happened.
 
Ang laki ng hapag namin pero ako lang mag-isa ang kumakain.
 
Ang laki ng bahay na halos hindi kami magkakitaan ngunit iisa lang ang laging naroon—ako.
 
I don't have any rights to complain.
 
In fact, I must be thankful because I have experienced this kind of life where everyone in this world have dreamed to experience. But why am I unhappy?
 
Why can't I find the happiness I desire for a very long time?
 
I don't wanna live like this.
 
I don't wanna imprison myself from the past. I want to be free.
 
I want to feel the happiness I deserve.
 
I want to be somebody whom I really am.
 
I wanna rest, i'm so tired, Tsk.