Jaydee's POV
I pushed her away out of shock.
"What is wrong with you?!." Sabi ko.
Nakatunganga lang siya as if she's thinking deeply.
"I don't get it." Sabi niya.
SILENCE
"You don't get what?." Takang tanong ko.
"And first of all, why on earth did you do that?." Sabi ko pa.
"If being gay is genetic, am I supposed to be gay too?." Sabi niya habang nakatulala parin.
"If we're born in a certain way that makes us feel these abominable feelings towards the same sex then isn't it because there's something really wrong with us that requires treatment?." Dagdag pa niya.
"You're not making any sense Frances." Sabi ko.
"What if I am?."
"W-well, what if it's normal after all?."
"Babalik na naman ba tayo dito ha Jaydee?."
"The thing is, why don't you just let them be?."
"Bakit? Am I on their way?. Hindi naman diba?."
"But you hate them." Sabi ko.
"Still. And you know what else I found out?. That girl Gabb in my mom's journal is actually Mrs. Diamond. I don't know if this is some kind of curse or something--"
"It's all in the past. Can we all just live our lives and forget that 'thing' happened?." Sabi ko.
Napaisip siya.
3 DAYS LATER
Inannounce ng isa sa mga teachers namin that Mrs. Diamond won't be teaching us today and it's actually because of a sad news.
Her husband is dead. None of us even noticed, turns out he's been battling cancer for years.
No wonder his hair looks artificial and he always wear a cap.
I turned to look at Frances and I think there's a little bit of guilt on her. She's now thinking deeply.
7PM
Pumunta kami ni Ninang Gia and Frances kina Mrs. Diamond para makiramay.
Mrs. Diamond is too young to be a widow.
Mukhang malalim pa ring nag-iisip si Frances. I mean the person she thought her enemy is grieving and she wasn't ready for this person's defeat.
Mrs. Diamond seemed to be a strong woman and we never really expected her to be this vulnerable.
This vulnerability was I think the reason why Tita Ella and Ma'am Gabb became possible, or maybe I'm wrong.
Anyways, lumapit na kami and Ninang Gia offered a hug to Ma'am Gabb, she reciprocated and thanked us for coming.
And then her eyes met Frances'.
..
Frances' POV
She is now staring into my eyes intently. I can't allow myself to break right now.
Bakit ganun? It's like all of a sudden, hindi ko na kayang magalit sa kanya.
"Can we talk?." Sabi niya as she wiped off her tears.
Napalingon ako kina Ninang G and Jaydee at mukhang di rin sila sigurado sa mga kaganapan and then I went back to look at Mrs. D.
Tumango lang ako.
She lead the way.
Dinala niya ako sa garden ng bahay. Dahan dahan lang kaming naglakad papunta sa isang bench at umupo rito.
The first 5 seconds was deafening silence until she spoke.
"You're a smart kid so I assume that you already figured it out." Sabi niya.
Tiningnan ko lang siya, still not sure what to say.
"You see, your mom used to live here with me. We had so many happy memories--" Sabi pa niya.
"I don't really--"
"Francese Therese was derived from names of a Pope and a Nun. Most people believe those 2 are holy. Those two names were the ones I said the moment your mom asked me to give her child a name. Kung lalaki Francis, kung babae naman Therese or Theresa. She chose both."
"Makes sense, why she can't choose between you and Dad." As my voice is about to break.
"No. She already had the choice. And that is you Frances. She chose you." She sincerely said.
"She still cheated on Dad."
"Well, you're not sure about that." Sabi niya.
"How would I know I could trust you?." Sabi ko.
"You won't and you can't. The thing about being human is that we are limited beings. We can't possibly know what's going to happen next and that is why the best way to know whether you can trust someone is to trust them."
..
Gabb's POV
SILENCE
I can see that she's trying to process all of that.
"Was my Dad or your husband the reason you didn't end up together?." Tanong niya.
"No." Sabi ko.
"Then what?." Tanong niya pa.
"I met Maxine." Sabi ko.
..
Frances' POV
Well, this is something I don't know. This was never mentioned in my mom's journal.
"And it's not what you think." Correct niya.
"Actually, she's an evangelist. She was the one who fully convinced and made me understand that this world is not our home, we are just passers by and real happiness is not something we can find here. Turns out heaven isn't a place on earth.."
Halos hindi ako nakatulog buong gabi kakaisip.
KINABUKASAN
Bumalik ulit kami para makiramay but this time medyo magaan na yung pakiramdam ko, para bagang nabunutan ako ng tinik.
Kausap ngayon ni Miss Gabb ang isa sa mga guests.
Katabi ko ngayon si Jaydee, while busy naman si Ninang Gia sa pakikipag-usap dun sa ibang guests.
"Parang maganda yung kinalabasan ng pag-uusap nyo kagabi ah." Sabi ni Jaydee.
I looked at her with guilt on my eyes dahil na rin sa inasta ko towards her sa mga nagdaang araw.
"I'm sorry." Yan nalang nasabi ko. But I mean it.
"Sus, okay lang yun. By the way, I found something interesting." Sabi nito.
Awe, I miss that smile.
"Ano?."
"Ninang Gia's Forbidden List." Sabi niya.
Here we go again.
"Jaydee--"
"Hey, don't worry. Wala naman akong plano."
"Dapat lang. What we found out about my mom's past is enough. Besides, can we just respect their privacy?." Sabi ko.
"Okay." Sabi nya lang.
"But you know what, I wonder how that girl named Maxine convinced Mrs. D in the past. I mean what did she particularly said to change her mind?."
YOU ARE READING
THE FORBIDDEN LIST (UNIPHANT)
FanfictionElla is a pastor's daughter. Their family just moved in a town with good and hospitable people around. She's known for her sweet and innocent character, until she met rebellious Gabb. The latter is notorious for her bad reputation in the neighborhoo...
