REVERSE ✓

Prologue

THE TOOTHPASTE poured my mouth as my hand moved the toothbrush back and forth over my teeth. The mirror before me showed my insipid woke-up-like-this, drowsy face. Who starts their prologue at the female lead brushing her teeth? Yes, it's me, babies! I'm the author of my own story.

But perhaps, no.

"Today is the best day!" Palagi kong sinasabi 'yan sa halos araw-araw na gumigising ako sa umaga. Yet no matter how desperate I am to drift my boring life to something adventurous, iisa lang talaga ang cycle ng buhay ko.

School, bahay, school, bahay. Repeat that again and again. Parang sirang plaka na nakakainis lang panoorin.

Nang matapos akong mag-toothbrush, inasikaso ko na rin ang sarili ko nang makaligo — sana all naliligo, 'di ba? Dumiretso ako sa living room namin para asikasuhin naman ang mga dadalhin ko sa school. I crossed path with my mother, who's laying on the couch, comfortably watching some morning news from the TV.

Medyo nagulat ako sa isang balitang narinig ko. May isang estudyanteng babae ang nasagasaan sa kahapon Crocus street — who was also studying in the same school as mine. She was hit-and-run whilst crossing the road and her body was left at the pedestrian lane. There was no eye witness in the incident. But there was an "ear witness." Before she got hit by a car, she was talking to a friend through the phone.

"Puro kasi cellphone, ayan tuloy naaksidente ka," I heard my mother mumbled with an annoyed expression.

Umagang-umaga, ang ganda ng bungad, 'no?

Palihim ko siyang sinamaan ng tingin — mahirap na baka dukutin niya ang mata ko mamaya. How could she be heartless, not even feeling a bit bad about the tragedy of the poor gal? Nasagasaan na nga 'yung tao, sinermonan pa siya.

Kalma, self. Tandaan mo, she's your mother. Then, I heaved a unobtrusive sigh. Buti nalang 'di ako nagmana sa kanya.

DING DONG! DING DONG! DING DONG!

"Wait lang!" sigaw ko. That gal pushing the door bell was so impatient. I hurried outwards whilst my bag was hanging on my shoulders then briskly wore my black shoes.

I heard the annoying metallic sound that our gate makes whenever I swung it open. Kailan kaya kami magkakaroon ng gate na hindi natunog 'pag binubuksan?

"Ang bagal mo."

A petite girl was waiting for me outside, has a silky hair and that permanent bored look on her face. Parang kahit end of the world na, hindi pa rin magbabago ang expression ng mukha niya. Minsan nga, napapaisip ako, that she was just forced to befriend me because nobody would do so — parang naaawa lang sa 'kin, hehe.

Well, it's better to have one friend than no friend at all!

Lumapit ako sa kanya at inakbayan siya. "Wow, Maisie, ang laki mo na, a!"

I often tease her about how lacking was she of heights. Hindi naman siya nagagalit so I guess we're good? Maliban na lang siguro kung kinikimkim niya lang sa loob ang galit niya. That's more terrifying. What was the term? Nasa loob ang kulo?

"Shut up, Cassien."

Sabi nila, masama magalit ang mga tahimik.

Pinagdikit ang dalawa kong palad at ipinikit ang mga mata ko. "Sana hindi galit si Maisie. Gusto ko pa ng mahabang buhay," I mumbled.

"Ano'ng binubulong mo r'yan?" Maisi asked. Nang imulat ko ang mga mata ko, nagsimula na siyang maglakad na para bang may balak pa yata siyang iwan ako. Sorry na, Maisie!

As usual, we walked together to school. Tahimik lang kami ni Maisie. Kahit anong attempt ko na gumawa ng lasting conversation, I get the feeling that she doesn't want to talk kahit hindi naman siya bad mood.