Prologue

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"She said, love lasts forever but lovers don't. So why does  she chose to love if she's destined to die?"

"Can a three-month relationship define true love?"

10:48 A.M

I smiled looking at the journal I wrote a while ago. I got through even though it's just twelve minutes more to pass this paper.

Ito na ang tunay na moment, Muse. Kaya mo 'to.

National Schools Press Conference o mas kilalang NSPC is my dream competition. I've been preparing to pass this since I was just eleven. And now, I'm twenty-two. Isa ito sa pangarap kong mapanaluhan dahil hindi lang ito isang simpleng kompetisyon, ngunit ito ang magpapasok sa akin sa University of the Philippines, Diliman.

It's my dream school at napakalaking score no'n kung sakaling maging isa ako sa mga reporter na napapanood sa telebisyon.

I smiled again with nervousness over my body as I stood up ready to pass my work. I swallowed hard and hung up when I felt my throat aches when I did that. Students from different schools were also looking at me as if I did something wrong.

Ako pa lang ba ang natapos na? Hala...

Ngumiti ako at umayos ng tindig.

Right, Muse. Stand up straight and pass this paper of yours.

I walked to the hallway of the convention, kung nasaan nasa pinakadulo ang bantay naming mga sumubok, holding my papers tight. Kaliwang kamay ko pa nga ang aking 'pinanghawak ng papel dahil namamasa ang kanan at kailangan ko pa itong punasan.


When I've reached my final destination, suddenly, my body stopped from working and I've even noticed my whole sense were shutting like a robot ready to power off. Bigla akong nahilo.

I placed it on the table and smiled even though I'm not feeling well and said, "Sir, here's my paperwork. Muse Isidro from PUP Mulanay, Quezon."

The professor then looked at me smiling, and then vanished when he noticed something. I looked into him half-smiling, unsure if he's okay with my work or not. Dumagdag ang kaniyang tingin sa bigat ng aking pakiramdam.

"May I ask, Muse, are you white or it's just you're pale?"

Bagamat nagtataka, umiling ako at tumalikod na. Napapitlag pa nga ako nang magisnan ang isang lalaking nakatingin sa akin at wari ko'y magpapasa na rin. He's wearing a gray t-shirt paired with a denim pants and some Jordan white shoes.

He's staring at me, and I felt uneasy. Kung kanina ay hindi na maganda ang aking pakiramdam, ngayon naman ay hindi na ako makahakbang. Para akong nilagyan ng super glue sa sapatos dahil hindi ko na kaya pang ihakbang ang mga ito. And if I forced myself, I'll fall. 

You need to stand, Muse. Uuwi ka pa.

Ngunit sa pagsubok ko ay biglang nagdilim ang aking paningin at naramdaman na ang pagbagsak sa malamig na sahig ng buong convention. I heard some screams but, can't even move. That's when I felt some force, lifting me.

What's happening?!
____

Three days later...

"The patient tested positive for blood cancer, Mr and Mrs Isidro. We tried to retake the tests but it both showed the same answer."

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