Umalis ako pero hindi ako tumakas dahil tinapos ko ang lahat ng kailangan kong tapusin sa Pilipinas bago ako umalis.
I was the reason why Rain is dead, but I didn't serve time in prison because they had proven that I acted in self defense—my bruises served as evidence.
Another finding on Rain's autopsy report was made to the public, where his wrists were marked with my fingernails from when I tried to free myself.
Sinubukang itago iyon ng mga magulang niya kaya hindi lumabas noong mga naunang trial, pero sa huli ay lumantag din ang katotohananan.
I remembered everything that happened and even though I knew how important it was, I still prayed every night to forget because the memories were haunting me.
Whenever I close my eyes, nakikita ko ang mga mata ni Rain habang dahan-dahan siyang nalalagutan ng hininga.
In the middle of the night in my sleep, I saw shadows wrapping its fingers around my neck—suffocating me until I woke up drenched in my own tears and sweat.
In the shower, I hear his voice echoing through the walls like he was stuck there.
Every second of my life since he died was a horror movie, but I was enduring it because it was my punishment.
Hindi ako nakulong pero isang bilanggo ang pakiramdam ko.
Lastly before I finally left the Philippines, I trusted Blues with Lani dahil alam kong matalino siya, kaya naging kampante akong iwanan sa kanya ang mga pinaghirapan ko.
Now, I was in Greece.
Dito ako dinala ni Keisha—sa isang private island na may nag iisang cabin kung saan ako tumutuloy.
Wala akong nakakausap dito maliban sa mga mangingisdang paminsan-minsang napapadpad dito, kaya sa tuwing dinadalaw ako ni Keisha at Hiruki ay sobra akong nagdadaldal at namamalayan ko lang iyon sa tuwing umalis na sila.
"Two-hundred and twenty-one," I uttered under my breath as I dropped a seashell on a glass bottle.
After I dropped the seashell for today, I wrote the number on the white sand where I sat.
Isa na ito sa mga nakasanayan kong gawin—ang bilangin ang araw sa pamamagitan ng paghulog ng pebble or seashell sa isang babasaging bote.
I was already on two-hundred and twenty-one days—seven months to be exact.
Sighing, I gathered my now long hair and placed it on my right shoulder as a fresh gush of salty air brush through my tan skin.
Sa sobrang tagal kong pamamalagi rito sa isla ay humaba na ang buhok ko at naging tan na ang balat kong kakulay lamang ng perlas pitong buwan ang nakakalipas.
Nadagdagan din ang mga hobbies ko dahil araw-araw ay naghahanap ako ng mga bagay na pwede kong pagtuonan ng oras.
Every time the sun sets, I sit here on the white sand along the crystal blue beach with my kalimba and ukulele to humm the song I composed, which I harmonized with the waves and wind because only them and I could understand its message.
I usually spend two hours sitting here every day to watch the sun disappear from the horizon, which I did today before I stood up and turned around on my heels to go back to my cabin.
"Oh my go-- kanina ka pa ba anjan?" I held my own chest where my heart took a leap as I stared at Mika who appeared from nowhere.
She was wearing a black long dress and sunglasses just like what she normally wore whenever she visited me, which was so rare.
