Aubrey

CHAPTER 1

Every person has a story to be told, a narrative with a purpose to be shared.

"Look at her, everyone! The pathetic loser who thinks she's worth something!"

Laughter erupts from the crowd, echoing in my ears like a painful symphony. Tears well up in my eyes. But the cruelty doesn't stop there.

"Look at me weirdo! Look at me!"

Ethan, my once closest friend, and my one and only boyfriend joins in, his laughter blending with the others. He looks at me with disdain, his words laced with betrayal.

"You're nothing, Aubrey. Just a pathetic loser. No wonder no one wants you."

Each word pierces through my heart like a thousand needles, tearing at the fragile remnants of my self-esteem. The pain is unbearable.

"Come on guys stop it, that's enough."

And then, as if the universe wants to add insult to injury, Audrey my best friend, the girl who stole Ethan's heart, approaches with a smirk on her face.

"Ako naman ang magpapahiya sa kanya."

She looks at me with a superiority.

"You thought you had a chance with Ethan? Please, he would never choose someone like you over me."

My heart shatters into a million pieces as I watch Ethan and Audrey walk away, hand in hand, leaving me behind in a sea of humiliation and pain. In that moment, I feel the weight of their betrayal crush my spirit, leaving me broken in million pieces.

***

*Aubrey POV*

"Come on Aubrey it's time to wake up!"

I was abruptly awakened by Sea incessant chatter, overtaking even my alarm.

"Malapit na tayo ma late!"

Irritated, I mumbled,

"You can go to school without me, Sea. I'm tired, can you please go away--"

"You always says that! Bangon na!"

But Sea, persistent as ever, reminded me of our prolonged vacation inside this mansion for over three months and the potential consequences of not attending school.

"Hurry up, Bre!" she insisted.

"Fine! You're too pushy."

I responded as I reluctantly got up wearily pushed the covers off,

"Gosh, she's so annoying."

I couldn't help but feel the weight of the past simula nung bumalik kami dito sa pinas at sa over three months that we spent here inside the mansion, living like a slug.

The mansion was beautiful, no doubt my parents choose this for us, but it was also suffocating. It was a gilded cage, and we were the reluctant birds trapped within.

Sea, on the other hand, seemed to have adapted to the change better than I had. She was always full of life, always ready to embrace the new day with a smile.

Her incessant chatter, which I found irritating at times, was her way of dealing with the change. It was her way of finding normalcy in these abnormal setup.

"Come on, Bre! We're going to be late!" Sea's voice echoed through the halls of the mansion, pulling me out of my thoughts. I could hear the excitement in her voice. She was looking forward to take me back to my old school.

I got up, my body protesting against the early hour. I quickly brushed my teeth and washed my face, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, noting the dark circles under my eyes. The mansion life was taking its toll on me. I look like Wednesday Adams.

As we left the mansion, I couldn't help but felt sad. The mansion, for all its beauty, was cold and impersonal just like me.

It lacked the warmth and comfort, but feels like home. Kung pwede lang sana huwag ng umalis hindi na ako aalis.

But I can't do that, dahil mayayari kami sa mga magulang namin. And of course kinakailangan ko pa ang kapangyarihan nila para matupad ang plano ko.

*Evil smile*

As we stepped out into the cool morning air, I felt a sense of freedom. It was as if I was leaving behind a part of my old self, the part that was tired and weary.

The commute to school was a journey down memory lane. As we passed familiar landmarks, memories of my old life flooded back.

The park where I used to play, the bakery where I would buy my favorite pastries, the old cinema where we watched our first movie together, tsk!

Each place was a reminder of a time when my life was dumbest.

As we reached our school, I felt a pang of nostalgia. As I step out the car, I couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness.

"F*ck you Ford Academy..."