mean (set trilogy #1)

Prologue

"Why are you avoiding me, Zeva? Tangina, nalilito na ko. I'm so confused." He said with his pleading eyes, touching her face with his trembling hands.

Maluha-luhang tumingin naman ang babae sa mga mata nito. Pinipigil ang luha, nagsimula na siyang magsalita.

"I'm doing this for you. Trust me, you are better, without me. Please, just let me go okay? I'll just ruin you, give you bad luck and mess you up." She paused, supressing her tears but then, she failed.

Ang kamay ng lalake ay bumaba sa baywang ng babae. Abarrane started to caress the boy's face, pinupunasan ang luha nito na hindi din matapos ang patak, tulad lang ng kanya.

"Look how messed up I am. I'm a bitch, I'm mean. You don't deserve a girl like me. You can surely look for other girls that are better than me, you don't deserve a bad girl. Actually no, you don't deserve better. You deserve the best. You both deserve the best. And that best is found between you two." she started nodding at herself. Alam niyang totoo ang mga sinabi niya dahil kilala niya ang sarili niya at yun din ang tingin ng mga tao sakanya. If they think she's a bitch, then let it be.

"No. I don't need a girl better than you. I don't need the best. I don't need her. I only need you. Please, Zeva. Stay. Just this once, please stay." The boy hugged her but she pulled away.

Itinaas niya ang kanyang kamay at hinawakan niyang muli ang mukha ng lalaki. Unti-unti siyang umiling.

"You know the meaning of my name, right? Zeva means rose." crying, she continued.

"At kagaya din ng rosas, kahit anong ganda pa nito, may tinik pa din. May mga tinik pa din na nakakasugat, na nakakasakit. So please stop holding onto me. You'll only be hurt. You'll  only be hurt because of me."

"But I'm willing to be hurt. You know I'm willing to feel the pain. I'm willing, Zeva. Even if I'll have scars, I'll sacrifice.  For you, I'm willing to bleed, Zeva. For you, I'll bleed myself dry."