Querencia (Midnight #1)

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Prologue
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈✧༺♥༻∞

I ran as fast as I could. . . and yet they still haunted me–the nights I can make myself better, the days I could've done the best, bakit tila lagi na lamang may mali at kulang sa akin? Na kahit anong gawin ko. . . hanggang dito na lang ako.

I hate when I say this word but I really am a trash in our family. Running. . . equivalent to working so much hard; why my siblings and cousins doesn't seem to be having a hard time, pero bakit ako? Hirap na hirap palagi?

They are smart, certain on what path they are taking, and achieving academic awards without struggling too much, they are effortlessly achieving a lot of awards. . . my Mom's been asking me to be. But I couldn't. That's why she hates me.

That's why I hate being here, I hate being compared, I hate being pressured, I hate how I am belittled every single time. Ngunit wala akong magawa.

"Pst. . . ayos ka lang? Antahimik mo, 'di ako sanay!" Kuya Hunter noticed as he sat next to me.

Bahagya akong tumititig sa kanya. . . he's an example na kahit gago, sobrang talented at talino. My Mom was always bragging them out to her friends, halos hindi ako makilala ng mga kaibigan niya. There's this time pa nga na inakalang bunso na si Ate Hera dahil if there's an event that is about to happen, Mom won't inform me about it.

She'll leave me alone at home.

And that's fine.

Kasi tama naman siya, ano nga bang ipagmamalaki sa akin? Hindi naman ako matalino, saktuhan lang ang itsura, wala akong talent, I am not like my siblings and cousins you could brag anymore because of an achievement.

My thoughts were interrupted when Kuya Hunter arrogantly snorted at me.

"Alam ko namang gwapo ako pero 'di mo naman kailangang titigan ako nang gan'yan, Harms. Baka tumaas nang tumaas 'yang standard mo at 'di ka na makahanap nang tulad kong sobrang gwapo, ha." Mayabang na anas niya sa akin.

I rolled my eyes heavenwards. Eto na nga ba ang sinasabi ko. "Kuya! Ang kapal, ha. . . you wanna know what I was thinking about?" I asked him, grinning.

"Kagwapuhan ko? 'Lam ko naman, 'wag mo masyado ipahalata,"

"The nerve, I was thinking kung paano kita tatayain." I told him, "taya!" I shout as I run away from him. I saw how annoyance built up on his face. Hah! Success.

"Gago! Humanda ka sa 'kin, Harmonia. . . traydor ka, concern lang 'yung tao kung bakit ka tahimik tapos biglang tatayain mo 'ko?!"

I saw how my cousins laughed with Kuya Hunters' reaction, ni hindi nila napansin na nagpupuyos na sa galit ang kapatid ko dahil sa pikon. Kanina pa kasi kami naglalaro ngunit hindi pa siya natataya kahit isang beses, ngayon pa lang. They thought Kuya Hunter will come after me, when the fact is they are all close to him. Tumakbo ako palayo sa kanya dahil batid kong p'wede ang balik-bayan sa laro namin.

There, Kuya Hunter being Kuya Hunter, he tried to copy how my siblings and cousins laugh at saka mabilis na sumunggad kay Ate Crystal at sumigaw.

"Hunter ka talaga! You were pretending that you were happy with us pero ang ending isa-isa mo na pala kaming target, siraulo. Andaya mo!" Ate Crystal exclaimed.

Kuya Hunter grinned. "Sus, strategy kasi 'yon ng mga pogi," pagmamayabang niya.

I almost face-palm my face with what he said. Palagi na lang bina-brag ang kagwapuhan niya. Hindi na lang sarilinin.

"Kuya, you know what? Those words deserve to be gate keep. Shut up na lang, will you?" I told him with my rolling eyes.

His reaction was priceless, it was as if someone he truly cared about betrayed him. We all laughed at his squinting eyes. May pagsinghap pa na akala mo'y offend na offend talaga.