A warm sunlight greeted me. I could feel its warmth, but the wind didn't seem to match the season. Even though it was hot, the breeze is very cold. My long, wavy hair is blowing in the wind as if it is dancing. "I could just wait here. I really can." I said, reassuring Craig that I am fine right now. He doesn't need to accompany me anymore. Besides, he's busy and I don't want to burden him more. We are now here on the ship going to my province. La Carles. I have to admit, I know I need to go home, but I don't want to go back there. "For Pete's sake, Viv, don't be so stubborn!" Craig laughed without humor. Here he is, I'm like a child he's taking care of! I pouted as I realized that I can't do anything here in Manila. My life here in Manila is like a one-shot thing. Party here, party there. I never thought that I was chasing the wrong things in my life. Until, everything fell apart. I got fired from my job and my money is running out. And because of my bad record, I was not acce
Minutes later, the ambulance came and took my father in. With us, the ambulance sped its way to the nearest hospital. "Rogelio!" my mother's voice makes me hurt more than it is. I hugged her while she was crying about all these happenings. Fear encircled my system. The only thing I could do was hug my mother, who continued to cry through all of this. My mother is so precious to me, and seeing her cry her heart now is making me break into pieces, too. I don't know what is happening, father is not sick. That's what I know because if there was, my parents would have let me know it. Until we got to the hospital, I continued to worry about what could be the reason for his sudden fainting earlier. I threw my body against the cold wall of the hospital when we arrived. I let myself think of that. "D-doc, what happened?" Mother said with tears in her eyes. The doctor just came out and he looks like he's in trouble, based on his expression. "There are two reasons for his sudden relapse
As the days go by, it's tiring. It's really hard to study and have a sideline at the same time. "Viv, are you coming later?" my friend, Isa, asked me, who is eager to go to her talking stage partner's birthday. "No, I have a shift to my sideline at the mansion later," I said to her. To be honest, I really don't know if I can attend the gathering with everything that is happening in my life right now. "Alright. Too bad, there are still a lot of boys there!" she said while we were busy choosing what to eat at the canteen. "I thought Greg was your boyfriend?" I asked, confused. Last time she introduced Greg, and now? I don't know his name, he hasn't introduced it yet. "That's just a fling, isn't it!" she winked and smiled at me. I almost scoffed at my friend's answer. I know that she's hot, alright. She looks like a model, with her tall height, whitish rosy legs, and beautiful face that looks like Renaissance art. And there's no offense to that, I'm just really confused abou
Despite the silence of the surroundings that I passed, I still continued to walk on the rocky part of the path to this mansion. "Please be careful." a warm touch of a hand from my waist woke me up completely from my meditation and the difficulty of walking on this rock. "What are you doing here?" Simoun glanced my way while he's holding my left waist to support me. "There is another way." he looked at me again. This time, he put me gently and I felt the shivering water on my feet. "Because it's faster here," I said as I continued to look at my feet. It hurts. There's blood in it, while the ocean water makes it more of a torture to bear. "Even so, you might end up in danger here." he kept looking at my feet and then called someone on the phone to ask for a first aid kit to be delivered to his room. "Good afternoon, Manang. Please bring a first aid kit to my room. Thank you." he said as he glanced at me. I was still in shock encountering him here. "Yes, I'm coming back." he put
Today is a new hope. As long as there is life, there is hope. In my life, that is the principle that I stand by. I've already put on my clothes to go in today. Wearing a white button-down shirt, I paired it with a black pencil skirt and simple high heels that Isa gave me. I then tied my hair in a bun and went down the stairs. Yesterday seemed like a dream, Simoun giving me a ride home and asking me about my dreams… that no one had ever been interested in before. I tried to snap out of reality and slightly tilted my head to get out my memory of him, smiling and his eyes, reflecting the dimmed lights of the road’s nights. "Good morning, iha. You are so beautiful!" my mother greeted me with a hug when I went down the stairs. I smiled and hugged her back. "Good morning too, mom. You are also beautiful!" she giggled when she heard my response. I wanted to hear her laugh, and even her smile is enough. "Oh, Peter is already in the living room. Join him and have breakfast there." "
This is painfully excruciating. Three days have already passed and now is the fourth day of my father's funeral, and I don't want to leave here. Father's tombstone looks like a bed, and his engraved name is a nightmare. “I still can’t believe it, dad.” Only crying is what I can handle to release all the resentments in life. I did not expect that the month of December would welcome us like this. The month of my birth is also a month of mourning for my father's death. The month where the breeze is cool, the month leading to Christmas celebrations, Noche Buena dinners, and welcoming in the new year. What about now? "Why?" I sobbed hard as I continued to caress his tombstone. How will mother and I cope each month, if our pillar of home is gone? The breeze will never be the same. The Noche Buena party is not as sweet, without the smile on every face. Lips that prove enjoyment, not because of the food, but because of each other's presence. "Goodbye, dad. And no matter where I
"Mom, always remember that I am here by your side. I love you and dad very much." these are my words looking into my mother. I hope that she will regain her strength again. “I’m always grateful to have you as my daughter.” mom’s words sent daggers into my heart. She tried to stay strong, but I can see how much she’s in pain. After six months of my father's absence, I can say that we are adjusting. But as expected, the wounds left behind are painful. However, it is still necessary to continue. While everything is messed up, there is still hope that things will work out. Mother works in a factory that Simoun indicated to me. As for me, I'm about to pass my first-year college. My mother and I need each other more than ever. “Thank you for being strong, I love you and your father." no words can describe how sad our hearts are, only tears and hugs are the sign of our grief. I hugged my mother more. "I love you, too, Mother. I'll go to school." "Viviana, let's eat." Angelo's words c
I woke up feeling like yesterday was a dream. Somehow, after my conversation with Simoun, I felt at peace. I started taking a bath first and found courage today. "Good morning, Mom." I greeted my mother, she was already in the living room having coffee. "Good morning, Viviana." Mother greeted me without enthusiasm. Why is it? Maybe because of what happened yesterday? I know that Mother's condition is quite good when it comes to Simoun's. But of course, it's inevitable to have a little doubt that my mother had. I know she was afraid to trust Simoun, even though he used to defend us, we know that he is the son of those who wronged us. And maybe more than all is the love of family. You can protect your family even when it's wrong because you can't bear to see them suffer. But, is Simoun really like that? "Viviana, how was your conversation with Simoun? I went to sleep last night because I know that you and your friend Simoun will be fine." I stared at my mother, her eyes were l