MasukDARIUSMy hands clenched into fists so tight my knuckles turned white, as if I could crush the heavy, suffocating air hanging around me. I stood staring blankly out the large bedroom window, but not a single detail of the view registered in my mind—only Eithan’s face kept playing over and over, tangled with a sharp, unexplainable irritation that gnawed at me from the inside out.I tried to find a reason for this anger. He’d done nothing wrong. No matter how many times I replayed every moment we’d all shared, no matter how hard I searched for a logical cause, I could not explain why every time I saw them together, every time I heard her laugh at something he said, a bitter, burning jealousy coiled tight in my chest.Pinipilit kong labanan pero ang ending sarili kong nararamdaman ang nagiging kalaban. Siuro.... Siguro ay natatakot lang ako. Natatakot ako na kapag naging malapit sila ni Eithan ay iwanan niya ako at sumama sa lalaki. That was the only truth I refused to admit even to m
AKIA Nakakagulat kung paano biglang nagbabago ang lahat—parang agos ng tubig na humihinto bago mo pa man namamalayan na nasa pampang ka na. Nang dumating si Reina, unti-unti ring nabawasan ang pagiging malambing at madikit ni Damon sa akin. Wala na ang mga biglaang yakap, ang mga biro na tila may ibang kahulugan, at ang mga tingin na dati’y nagpapagulo sa isip ko. Noong una, akala ko ay naintindihan na niya—na nakita na niyang hindi ko siya tinitingnan nang katulad ng pagtingin niya sa akin. Ngunit parang may napupunan agad ang puwang na iniwan niya, at sa pagkakataong ito ay mas mabilis pa at mas maingay. Eithan is Darius’s cousin, the one who just came back from Canada, and ever since that morning I stumbled out of my room in those silly Hello Kitty shorts—my face burning so hot I thought I’d melt right there on the spot—he hasn’t taken his eyes off me. Every time I turn around, he’s there. When I’m wiping down the dining table, he leans against the wall making small talk. When
DARIUSEven though it was still early, I forced myself to get up. I pressed my temples because of the throbbing pain, but my eyes landed on something else. Red liquid had stained the white bedsheet on my bed. My eyes went wide, and I tried desperately to recall what happened.It was.....AKHIRA.Damn! She's a virgin...As the water poured over me, every detail of last night came rushing back—how we’d lost ourselves in that heated moment. I closed my eyes, hating that I’d broken the promise I’d made to Amara. I’d sworn I would give her my first time. Yet I’d given it to the new maid who’d taken her place. I hit my forehead in frustration at my own stupidityKnock! Knock!I instantly covered myself and hurried into the bathroom. I ignored the knocking, determined to shut out whoever was ruining my morning.As the water poured over me, every detail of last night came rushing back—how we’d lost ourselves in that heated moment. I closed my eyes, hating that I’d broken the promise I’d made t
AKIA I noticed the shift in him long before I could name it. Ever since that quiet conversation we’d had, Darius had withdrawn behind walls higher and thicker than before. The brief moments of understanding we had shared, the faint glimmers of something softer beneath his cold exterior—all of it vanished, replaced by a silence so heavy it felt like a physical weight pressing down on the entire house. It was as if we had snapped right back to where we started: two strangers bound only by a contract, by the wishes of people who had never asked us what we wanted. He had locked himself in his room all day. From where I stood in the hallway, I could hear his restless footsteps pacing back and forth, or the sudden, sharp silence that stretched on for hours at a time. Once, I heard something strike the wall—hard—followed by a ragged breath that made my chest ache with worry. I knew I should stay away. I knew I should respect his space, remember my place, and wait for him to come out on his
DARIUSNgayon nga pala ang pag-alis ni Akia and hinihintay ko naman ang pagdating ni Akhira. Sayang lang at hindi sila magkikita.Maaga pa lamang ay umalis na si Akia kasama ang kanyang personal Driver. Gusto ko pa sanang ihatid siya pero hindi ko na magawa dahil mukha namang hindi siya interesado. Sabik na sabik siyang umuwi sa kanina. Hindi ko maiwasang makungkot dahil sa pangalawang pagkakataon ay naiwan na naman ako."Good morning Sir, I'm back," masayang sabi Akhira dala-dala ang isang mabigat na maleta. Hindi ko soya tinulungan, hinayaan ko siyang higitin ito papasok ng bahay.Katulad noong una, ganun na ganun pa rin ang pananamit niya. Simple, walang make up, walang kahit na anong palamuti, napakasimpleng babae."Kumusta ang bakasyon, Akhira?" Nakangiting sabi ni Reina. Napakunot ako ng noo, para namang close na close sila dahil sa paraan ng pagngiti niya.“She did not go on vacation. She went home to care for her mother,” I said flatly, forcing a polite smile at them.“Is your
AKIAAs I gazed at myself in the mirror, I couldn't help but smile. The beautiful necklace he had placed around my neck shimmered beneath the soft light of the room — tiny pearls that looked like drops of moonlight fallen to earth and turned into stone. I traced them gently with my fingers, and the warmth of his touch seemed to linger still against my skin. Hindi talaga ako malapit sa mga lalaki. Kaya nga wala akong boyfriend hanggang ngayon — hindi ako sanay sa atensyon, hindi ako sanay na may tumitingin sa akin nang ganoon, na parang may nakikita siyang iba. Ngunit pagdating kay Darius… nagiging iba ako. Sa tuwing nandiyan siya, tila may nagigising sa loob ko na matagal nang natutulog. Lumalabas ang pagiging babae ko — ang pusong matagal nang sarado, unti-unting bumubukas. "Pwede bang pumasok?" Narinig ko ang boses ni Reina mula sa labas ng pinto. Mabilis kong inayos ang aking sarili at humarap sa kanya. "Oo naman," sagot ko. Dahan-dahang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok si Reina.







