#1:That Heartless Woman (Y.JW)

THW:03

ASTRID'S POV

I didn't even enjoy my first day.When Mang Lito picked me up earlier while Estella was about to go home.I called her at isinama para mag sleep over.

But I will never forget that two annoying guy that I met earlier.

"How was your day Astrid?"Mang Lito asked.

"Well,if you just know Mang Lito.There's nothing good on my first day"I said crossing my arms.

"Eh ikaw Estella? how's your day?"

"It's good Mang Lito.I really enjoyed it"I look at her reflection on the front mirror.She's smiling on Mang Lito.I remember the day when I can still smile I just realize that it's not appearing anymore.

"Talaga Estella?edi dapat pala lagi mong sinasama si Astrid"

"Kasama ko nga po sya.Parang di nyo naman po ata kilala si Astrid Mang Lito?"then she giggled.

"Shut up Estella"

"Naku!kung lagi kang nakasimangot Astrid wala ng nagkagusto sayo sayang pretty pretty mo pa naman ineng"umiling-iling nalang ako kay Mang Lito while laughing inside.

"It's better Mang Lito"

"Sus Astrid!Di mo rin masasabi!malay mo yung lalaking naka black cap yung maging boyfriend mo.Shala!daming gwapo sa Bartholomew Mang Lito!"kwento pa ni Estella that made Mang Lito laughed.

"Do you want me to cut your tongue huh? You're being a chicken's butt again"

"O' sya tama na yan at nandito na tayo"hindi ko man lang napansin na walang traffic sa daan kaya sobrang bilis naming makarating.

Kung hindi ko pa nasasabi,Mang Lito is my dad's closest friend.Dad treat him like a brother so I treat him as...as a friend of mine also.

Pagbaba namin ng sasakyan ay nanguna-nguna pa si Estella sa pagbukas ng pinto but then I stop when the main door opened.Nakita ko ang di ko dapat makita in our house.

"T-tita Vhallerie!Welcome back!I miss you!"Estella greet to my mom who's smiling at us.My eyes twitched when I saw her coming towards me opening her shoulders wide to hug me but I refuse.

"Welcome home my daughter!"

"Bakit ka umuwi?"tanong ko that made her smile slowly fades.

"Aren't you happy that I'm already here?nakakapang-tampo ka na ah"

"By the way the food is ready"right,wala syang alam sa mga pinaggagagawa ko since she left me without giving a proper goodbye.Inutusan nya pa si kuya na ipasyal ako and viola!I didn't see her anymore when I got home nakita ko na lang na wala na yung mga gamit nya.Pumunta sya ng Canada because of her company without giving me s proper goodbye?!Then now she came back like nothing happened?!

"Oh!Astrid you're home!"Sunghoon sarcastically said habang nababa sa hagdan.

"Isn't obvious?"

"Good evening kuya Sunghoooooon!"bati ni Estella sa kapatid ko who's smiling sarcastically.

"Good evening too Estella!so how was your day Astrid?Is it fun to hurt someone physically?"gulat akong napalingon sakanya who's still smiling at me that made me annoy more.

"What did you just said,son? Astrid is hurting someone in school?"

"I thought you have an eyes in school mom?bakit parang you don't have an idea?"I said sarcastically.

"Wow Astrid! You're still proud to yourself for being a bully?"Sunghoon said na tuluyang bumaba ng hagdan at umupo sa sofa,crossing his legs.

"Astrid?Is that true?"

"What the hell is your problem Sunghoon? I'm not a bully!Hindi ko nga sinaktan yung bwis*t na Jungwon na yon eh!"

"How about the students in garden na nagt-training for their sports?How about the man you kicked many times because he told you that it's not right to hurt someone?"

"Astrid,is that really you? You're not like that before!What's happening?"

"I'm tired please not today" I said before turning around.

"Astrid, I'm talking to you!Nawala lang ako ng ilang years!Parang nakulangan kana sa aruga can you tell me what happened to you huh?!"

"Wow!How about you who came back here like nothing happened?!"

"Astrid..."Estella walk near at me and hold on to my arms.

Kumunot ang mga kilay niya't napabuka ng labi dahil sa mga inasta't sinabi ko.

"What are you saying?"

"What are you saying?really mom?what are you saying? Ang itatanong mo?Hindi mo ba itatanong kung anong naramdaman ko when you left me?"I think it slowly enlightened her dahilan upang humugot sya ng hininga while trying to hold my hands.

"No! don't touch me!"

"Astrid...look I'm sorry if---"

"If what mom?what happened when you left me?hindi man lang ako nakareceive ng tawag,ng message o ng kahit ano from you!Hindi ka nagparamdam saakin ng ilang taon!"my voice cracked when the past slowly flashing back in my head.

"...Kay kuya kalang tumatawag..."unti-unting humina ang boses ko.

"Ow!about my great brother Sunghoon! he's not always here so I'm always alone.His priority is their theater,theater,theater since you left us.Kaya wala"lumunok muna ako ng sariling laway even my voice is cracking.

"Para akong walang kasama..para akong...para akong nabubuhay mag-isa mom"I said before wiping my tears that rolls on my cheeks.

"Astrid...I-im sor---"

"So don't blame me for being like this!blame yourself for being a careless mother and a wife!"

*Pak!*

Natulala ako sa kawalan when her palm hits my face hard.She hurt me...she can now hurt me!

"A-astrid I didn't mean to---Astrid"I walked away as she tried to touch me.Pagtaas ko I saw the two annoying guy on my brother's door.Nilagpasan ko sila't dumiretso sa kwarto ko then slammed the door.

"BW*SEEEEEET!!"sigaw ko then throw all of the things that I see inside of my room dahilan upang magsibasagan ang iba.

I can feel the anger and pain inside me.They don't know what I experience more when they left me alone.There's so many things happened to me that they still don't know!
They don't know how much they hurt me!
They don't know what I feel more when they left me alone!

I miss dad... he's the one who's always there for me.My life is colorful when he's still alive,when I can still touch him,when I can still hug him,when I can still eat with him,when can I still sleep beside him.

And when he died...

It all turns in to black and white.

It became colorless.

I'm eating alone

I'm sleeping alone

No one's telling me a story everyday.

My brother Sunghoon is my closest friend before when Estella went to Australia when I was 16 and as the time pass by?unti-unti syang lumalayo until our closeness disappeared.

All they made me feel is anger and pain!