RIVALRY [ heesun ]

twenty five.

I dialed Tito Fred's number to ask him to pick me up. He eventually answered it, asking me if there's something wrong as he heard my voice tremble.

"I'm fine po, Tito. Just get here quick po please." I ended the call after that.

Patuloy lang ako sa paglakad, not minding the people's stares. My eyes were already puffy so I couldn't see that much. All I want to do now is to go home and lock myself in my room.

No presence of other people..

Because I know they would say something again.

"Johann!" I flinched from what I heard. Napatigil sa paglalakad at napako ako sa kinatatayuan.

It took me minutes to turned around, just to see the guy whose the reason of my break down.

Just why did he have to ruin this for me?

"I—"

Before he could even say something, I raised my hand to signale him to stop.

"If you are here because I lost and you pity me, then I don't need it." I turned my back at him, hindi na siya pinagsalita pa.

I heard him calling me by my name, even my surname..

the surname I'm starting to hate.

"Bakit ba ako pinanganak bilang anak nila.."

As I rushed to go to the parking lot, a lot of thoughts are also rushing through my mind. Para silang nasa karera, paunahan.

The moment I was born, masaya kaya sila Mom and Dad?

Are they happy to see me?

Are they considering me as a blessing?

If so, then why are they treating me like this?

Why do I have to carry the pressure all alone?

In the first place, hindi ko naman ginusto ang mga pinapagawa nila. I maybe a consistent honor since elementary, but it is because of my parents' desires. I need to work hard to meet their expectations.

All of these achievements–it's all product of pressure.

For the past seventeen years of my life, I'm being controlled. And what's worst is I became the robot that they could programme anytime. I was made to do this and that.

"Oh shi—" Preoccupied with my thoughts, I bumped into someone nang magtangka akong kumaliwa ng daan. The other person's bag is in the ground, her things are scattered.

"Ano ba, tumingin ka naman sa dinadaanan mo! Mga kabataan nga naman ngayon, ano!" She blurted out, nakapamewang habang minamataan ako.

I apologized and collected her things para ilagay sa bag niya. Marahas niya itong kinuha sa akin at tinignan ako mula ulo hanggang paa.

"Why? Are you going to judge me too?" Dahil sa magkahalong emosyon ay hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili na sabihin 'yon.

The lady look at me with disbelief. As if I committed a crime infront of her.

"Pinagsasabi mo!? Naku, pinapabayaan ka ba ng mga magulang mo? Hindi rumerespeto ng nakakatanda. Dapat sayo sinasaktan para magtanda—" The lady was pissed. Her hand was about to land on my face when someone held it, stopping the violence that is going to happen.

Hindi nakapagsalita ang babae. I turned my attention to the hand who stopped the lady, pag baling ko, I saw Aracosa staring daggers at her. Ang higpit pa ng hawak nito sa kamay niya.

"Stop it, you're hurting her.." I whispered. Binitawan niya ito agad at tyansa 'yon ng babae para makaalis.

He is beside me now and I still refused to talk to him. Hindi siya umimik, kaya nagtataka akong tumingin sa kanya at sakto namang tumingin siya.