♪ i'll be - edward mccain ♪
CORA
ALL MY life, I blamed myself for my mother's death, thinking that she died giving birth to me. Buong buhay ko, mas ginusto ko na lang na ako 'yong nawala kaysa kay Mom dahil sa trato ni Dad sa 'kin. He made me feel like I was nothing to him — na hindi niya ako anak. Sobrang liit ng tingin ko sa sarili ko dahil sa kaniya. He made me feel like I wasn't worthy of a father's love.
But he lied... He lied to me. All my life he was lying to me. I don't know what to believe in anymore. It scares me to know the truth, because I think I'm not brave enough to handle it. I'm not brave enough to fight him — to fight the real him.
"You're still bothered by what you saw today?" Penny asked, snapping me out of my train of thoughts. I looked at her and saw her gave me a wry smile while filling her luggage with clothes.
Nandito kaming tatlo ngayon sa condo unit niya. We helped her sa pag-iimpake ng mga gamit. She bought a house miles away from Richmond Fields at doon na siya titira. Nangako naman siya na lagi niya kaming bibisitahin dito.
"Yeah..." I answered, obviously bothered.
"Kung nadi-disturb ka sa nalaman mo, bakit ayaw mong komprontahin ang dad mo tungkol sa katotohanan? I-hotseat mo para walang kawala," Remi suggested, eating a slice of the pizza we bought.
"To be honest..." Napahinga muna ako nang malalim bago sila tingnan. "Natatakot ako. Hindi ko alam kung makakaya ko ba 'yong katotohanan. Sobrang daming pwedeng maging sagot sa tanong ko. Sigurado akong malaki 'yong rason kung bakit nagsinungaling si Dad nang gano'n sa 'kin. And I'm scared to know that reason."
Nagpalitan naman silang dalawa ng tingin. Natahimik lang si Penny at nagpatuloy sa kaniyang pag-iimpake habang si Remi naman, lumamon lang nang lumamon.
Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako. I, Cora Olvidar, am a certified coward.
"Cora, paabot nga ng box doʼn," Penny asked kaya tumayo ako at kinuha ang box na itinuro niya. I held it and looked at whatʼs inside. My eyes squinted when I saw a familiar picture. Kinuha ko ito at inabot na kay Penny ang box.
In the picture, there was a guy and a girl hugging each other in a dark garden. Nakasuot ng pamilyar na red gown ang babae habang ang lalaki naman, nakasuot ng tuxedo. Mukhang nagtatago sa halamanan ang kumuha ng picture dahil mula sa likod ng lalaki ang angle na kuha ng litrato.
This looks really familiar. Parang nakita ko na 'to dati—
My eyes widened in shock when I finally realized what the photo was. Kaming dalawa ni Mason 'yong dalawang tao na nagyayakapan dito! Ito 'yong picture na kumalat online na naging dahilan ng pambu-bully sa 'kin dati. This is that photo!
Napatingin ako kay Penny na nakatalikod sa 'kin at abala pa rin sa pag-iimpake. Bumaling naman ang tingin ko kay Remi at doon ko napansin na kunot-noong nakatingin din pala sa 'kin, mukhang naguguluhan sa reaksyon ko sa hawak kong picture.
BINABASA MO ANG
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