Set in the 1990s, 19-year-old outgoing beauty, Tin Escalante, has always had the most cliché dream ever--to live a better life.
Growing up unprivileged, she is ready to do whatever it takes to lift herself and her family out of poverty, even if she...
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Mabibigat ang bawat hakbang ko. Pakiramdam ko ay may nakadagang mga bato. Pero nakakapagtakang wala akong nararamdamang katiting bigat sa dibdib. Wala. Wala akong makapa. Parang walang laman.
Pero habang papalapit ako nang papalapit ay tila hinihila ako ng lupa. Hindi ako nagpatalo. Nanaig sa akin ang kagustuhang isagawa ang hindi pinag-isipang plano.
"Oh, dahan-dahan lang! Hindi kayo mauubusan!" magiliw na sabi ng ginang habang tumutulong na sa pamimigay ng perang tinuring niyang Diyos.
"Maraming salamat, madam! Pinapasaya niyo kami!"
Tignan mo nga naman. Buhay nga pala talaga siya. Buhay na buhay at nagpapasaya pa ng ibang tao.
"Ay! Umuulan!"
Tulad ng mga taong nanatiling nakapila na sabik sa katiting na pera ay hindi rin ako natinag ng ulan. Tuloy lang ang mababagal at mabibigat kong hakbang habang ang walang buhay na mga mata ay nakatuon sa isang taong hindi ko inakalang makikita ko pa matapos ang maraming taon.
"Nicole! Liam! Go inside the van na!" sabi nito sa mga anak-anakan at inalalayan pang makasampa ng van.
"Everyone! Ipagpapatuloy po namin ang paghahatid ng ligaya! Papatilain lang ho natin ang ulan!"
Palakas nang palakas ang ulan. Unti-unti na rin akong nababasa. Gustong-gusto kong pigilan ang mga tao sa pag-alis sa pila para sumilong.
I wanted an audience—a huge one. I wanted each and everyone to hear that she is a horrible woman. Not only as a mother. Nor as a wife. But, as a human. That it seriously feels illegal that a person as disgusting as her is still living the best life.
I swear to God, I was dying to scream my lungs out and share to everyone her intoxicating stench. I was never scandalous, but I swear I could do that. I really swear...
But, not until she laid her eyes on me—her youngest daughter she left in GenSan when she was merely six.
I was six... just six.
I wonder if she could tell that I was the child she named Christina? Or does she remember anything at all? My name? My face? Probably not. Because I was only six.
"Elena, let's come inside!"
Her husband, Mr. Chua, gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders and lovingly kissed her temple. Her eyes were fixated on me. But, she obliged, anyway like a freaking obedient wife.
Sumara ang van. Agad na bumaba ang bintana. Muli siyang tumanaw sa akin. Base sa uri ng paninitig niya ay tila hindi pa ako nakikilala. Para bang pilit niya pang inaalala kung saan ako nakita.
Putang ina.
"Mommy, close the window!"
And like a freaking loving mother who does everything to appease her children, she actually did. At first, slowly. But as soon as I saw the realization in her eyes, she immediately shut the windows down.
