Rough Roads Ahead (COTABATO SERIES#2)

Prologue

Prologue

Everyone wants a happy ending... of course who wouldn't? I want that too. Pero walang wakas kung wala ring simula. Everything has it's beginning and its end. Lahat... maging buhay man, relasyon, kasiyahan, kalungkutan, sakit... lahat lahat, may katapusan.

And I know it'll end this way, I know I'll end up being hurt and broken. Pero kahit alam ko nang ganoon hindi ako umilag kaya natamaan ako. I am neither a furtone teller nor a god, pero alam ko, ramdam kong dito matatapos ang lahat.

Humugot ako ng isang malalim na hininga, at ayaw kong pakawalan ang hiningang nahugot ko dahil hindi ako sigurado kong makakahinga pa ba ako pagkatapos neto. Unti-unting tumulo ang luha sa aking mga mata, kasabay ng pag-agos ng aking luha ay siyang pag-agos ng dugong mula sa aking dibdib...

"Ivy!" I heard someone shouted my name, but instead of facing that person, I chose to close my eyes.

One thing for sure, this is not what I wanted, this is not the ending I want.

Hinayaan ko ang walang lakas kong katawan na matumba sa mabatong lupa. I felt something hard hits my head, but I'm too weak to even groan because of the pain I felt.

Ilang saglit lang ay may naramdaman akong haplos sa aking magkabilang pisnge, kasunod neto ang pag-angat ko sa ere dahil sa pagkarga sa akin ng kung sino. I tried to open my eyes but I feel so weak to do so... mamatay na ba ako?

Please, if I'll die anytime soon, please let me at least confess to him. Lord please, let me at least tell him the truth.

"You'll fucking pay for this..." those are the last words I heard.

Kamatayan. Kung namatay ka ba, tapos na ang lahat? Kapag ba patay ka na, wala ng sakit at problema? Is death the dead end? Or not?

Ilang taon na akong nabubuhay, seventeen years... at di ko parin nahahanap ang sagot sa tanong na iyan.

I remembered, it was raining that day but at the same time there's a sun that shines, umuulan habang may araw. I often encountered that kind of weather lalo na kapag malungkot ako. It always reminds me that the sadness I am feeling is just for temporary, babalik din ang araw sa madilim kong parte. I am just experiencing a short-time sadness, and that's for sure. Like everything else, it won't last long.

Pinagpag ko ang ginamit na payong saka ako pumasok sa loob ng coffee shop, the coffee shop owned by my Tito Magnus. Nang makapasok ako ay kaagad akong sinalubong ng isa sa mga staff at kinuha mula sa akin ang dala kong payong, siya na mismo ang naglagay neto sa bakanteng pwesto para kahit papaanoy matuyo ito.

I thanked him and sat on my spot, I am always here, tuwing wala ako sa school at bahay nandito ako. This is the place where I write the things that happened to me on my diary, my problems and my possible solutions. I am a conscious person. I want everything to be organized--- on it's right place. Ayaw ko ng mga pabigla-bigla. Ayaw ko sa mga bagay na biglang dumadating o nangyayari na walang babala. I always anticipate and conclude on my own. In short, I hate surprises. I want it more if I'm informed.

"Anong iinumin mo ngayon, Ivy? Iced coffee parin? Umuulan baka gusto mo ng mainit na kape?" Tanong ng pinaka matandang staff ng coffee shop.

I don't know her name but she knows mine, I have reasons why I don't want to ask her name even though I can anytime I want. I don't want to be attached to anyone, not even her.

"Iced coffee is fine." Pormal kong sabi.

Bahagya siyang napangiwi, pero agad din siyang tumango at naglakad na papunta sa lalaking gumagawa ng kape. The Barista threw me a glance as the staff talked. I sighed and took my diary out from the mini bag I brought.