If All Else Fails (Light Bearers Series #1)

Prologue

Prologue
hya
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Long before petals dared to open beneath the warmth of the sun, they whispered their secrets to the soil, where roots tangled in darkness and held stories no one would ever see. There lived a quiet promise, like a silent pact between beauty and struggle that no one else would ever understand.

"Ampota! Nadagdagan na naman ng isang tanga ang populasyon ng mga single!"

Gulat akong napatigil sa mapayapang pagbabasa nang dumating bigla ang kaibigan naming si Zoella. Nakabusangot ito at agad na isinalampak ang katawan sa pang-isahang sofa malapit sa may bintana. Pati si Aisha na tahimik lang sanang nanonood ng pelikula at katabi ko sa kama niya ay napatingin din.

"Gago! Lakas ng loob makipaghiwalay, kasing liit lang naman ng pinky finger niya 'yong tite niya!"

"Zozo, your words. What the hell?" Aisha grimaced.

But Zoe just rolled her eyes at her. "Tangina kasi iyong hinayupak na 'yon, e. Kung makasabi na hindi ako enough akala mo naman enough na 'yong tite niya. Eh, ang liit nga no'n! Para iyong tite ng six years old!"

"Sweet Mary, Zoella, your words are giving me goosebumps! Can you censor them a bit?" Aisha held her head and sat down properly. "Calm down, okay? Let's talk properly..."

Pati ako ay napakunot ang noo. Kung kanina iyong mga isinulat ni mama noon ang pilit kong iniintindi kasi masyadong malalim at mahirap intindihin, ngayon naman ay ang kakarating naming kaibigan. Medyo sumakit tuloy iyong ulo ko. Masyado ring halata ang pamamaga ng kanyang mga mata, senyales na kakatapos lang umiyak ng todo.

Hay, sino na naman kaya ang lalakeng iniyakan nito?

"You're single again?" Maingat na tanong ni Aisha habang titig na titig kay Zoella. Her face staring at our friend looked so lost and confused. "You told us you just got back with your ex last week, 'di ba? Did you guys broke up again? Why is it so mabilis naman? What's the cause of your break up this time?"

"Tangina. Alam kong ang bilis, okay? Hindi mo na kailangang isampal pa sa akin." naipadyak ni Zoe ang paa niya sa sahig at tinakpan ang mukha, lumalakas lalo ang iyak. Nasapo ko tuloy iyong noo ko at huminga ng malalim. "Medj harsh ka rin, e. Palagi mo na talagang ipinapamukha sa'kin na tanga ako masyado! Hindi ko naman kasi kasalanan kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay hindi parin ako pinapaburan ng mundo sa lintik na pag-ibig na 'yan!"

Bahagya kong kinalabit si Aisha kaya napalingon siya agad sa'kin, nagtatanong ang expression ng mukha. Pinanlakihan ko naman s'ya ng mata at sumenyas na patahanin iyong kaibigan namin. Mabuti naman at agad niyang nakuha iyong pinupunto ko.

"Oh no, Zozo, I think you got it wrong," Aisha shook her head in panic while trying to explain herself. "I did not mean to insult you, okay? It's not like that. What I mean is-"

"Hindi, napaka-tangina lang talaga ng buhay ko," nag-iwas ng tingin si Zoe at mabigat na napabuntong-hininga. Marahas niya pang pinunasan ang luha sa pisngi niya. "Wala na talaga akong chance sa love love na 'yan. Most people nowadays don't even believe that anymore! All they want is sex sex sex! They're obsessed with fucking different people!"

Worry immediately flashed on Aisha's face upon hearing Zoe's words. "And you'll let those people influence you? You'll define love like how they define it as well?" her voice came out so soft, so gentle, and so careful.

Umayos naman agad sa pag-upo si Zoe at hinarap si Aisha, may sarkastiko nang ngiti sa kanyang labi ngayon kahit medyo basa parin iyong pisngi niya dahil sa kakaiyak.

"Aminin mo nga sa 'kin," Zoella stared at Aisha with judgemental eyes. "Do you think that fucking thing called love still has a fucking meaning?"

Silence consumed them both for a few minutes. I even saw Zoe squinting her eyes while staring at Aisha. And by the moment she realizes that she will no longer hear any response from her, she scoffed and laughed sarcastically while shaking her head slowly.