ABELON (Book 1)

Simula

Isang batang babae na may hawak na lumang aklat. Natapos na niyang basahin ito at ang kanyang ama ay minamarkahan ng hugis-pentagrama ang dulo ng pahina sabay sabing,

"Always remember, you are good enough on your own."

Every night, I keep having this old, recurring dream, and I always wake up in a cold sweat, gasping for air to breathe. It was about that young girl again doing the same thing, and her eyes were bursting with curiosity about the world.

Buti nalang nagising ako ng alas-otso ng umaga hindi katulad noon na nagigising pa ako ng madaling araw. I used my phone to help me erase the fragments of this young girl. Nanood ako ng random videos at nag-like ng iilang posts. That's when I catch sight of the mess on the center table beside me.

Oh right, another night of squandering away my life.

Ilang taon na akong nakikitira sa condo ng kaibigan ko at ang foam ng sofa niya ay manipis na dahil ginawa ko na itong tulugan.

"Scrolling on your ex's posts again?" Pababa palang ng hagdan si Celia, nag-assumed na agad kung ano ang ginagawa ko.

"No." I shut my phone off bago tumayo mula sa pagkakahiga sa kanyang sofa. "Nagbasa lang ng latest news."

"Uhuh..." She only nodded, but her keen eyes never believe anything I say. "and?"

Napakibit-balikat ako habang nililigpit ang used paper cups, empty pizza boxes, at ang Black Label na naubos namin kagabi.

"Misinformation spreads like wildfire on social media. That's not good."

"Yea..." Tumango-tango ito habang paisa-isang nilalagay sa trash bag ang hawak ko. "Just like the misinformation you got from your ex, telling you that she's straight, but the truth was she was flirting with another woman who's a famous influencer online?" She pretty much summed up my love story.

Naningkit ang mga mata ko sa kanya. "Is it just me, or are you getting more opinionated with age?"

She slightly raised her shoulder and showed me her half-smile. "Buddha once said there are three things that cannot be long hidden. The sun, the moon, and the truth."

"And I wish for you the wisdom to mind your own business." Kinuha ko ang trash bag sa kanya.

"Who said that?" Nakapameywang na tugon ni Celia.

"My alter-ego," nababagot kong sagot.

"Alam mo, super bored ka na. Bakit hindi mo nalang tanggapin ang job offers sayo?" Celia really likes to ask questions for her own amusement, and this is not the first time she asked me that.

"I'm still injured." At ito ang laging dahilan ko sa kanya.

"You're a liar." She slapped my injured arm. "See? You're okay."

"Does having your heart completely broken also count as an injury?" Napaupo ako sa sofa.

Lumapit ito sa akin habang nakahalukipkip. "Is it just me, or are you getting better at lying as you age?" Kinuha niya na sakin ang trash bag. "Itapon na natin, okay? She's not your soul mate. Move on ka na." Lumayo na ito para itapon ang basura.

Napahilot ako sa braso. I got into an accident just a few months ago due to reckless driving. I remember being so drunk that night, and I have no idea where I was going.

Celia may have a point. Maybe I'm just acting like everything is fine. Perhaps I'm just really skilled at deceiving others. I continued claiming that I hadn't moved on. Naging reason ko lang 'yon for them to leave me alone.

People would probably cease posing questions about the way I live if they understood the truth about who I am, especially if they didn't want to hear another deceit.