After My Death Tomorrow (Published Under PSICOM Publishing Inc.)

Episode 10

It still happened.

The video scandal episode still happened.

And it was brought by me . . . again.

Fucking again.

Kung hindi sana ako nagpakain sa inis kagabi, I would've have stopped Vaeden. I would've made him realize everything.

Everything.

Everything now is a painful would've been.

Kailan ba ako magtatagumpay sa misyong ito?

O dapat ko bang itanong na magtatagumpay pa ba ako dito kung mismong tadhana na ang gumagalaw para mabigo ako?

Am I destined to fail this mission?

Does Marco still fated to die even if I try all of my hardest?

I shook my head as tears started to form a small dot on my eyes. No. It can never happen. Not on my universe. Nor on my lifetime. Never on my watch.

Natigil ako sa pag-iisip nang may tumigil na kotse sa harap ko. Ngayon kasi ay nandito ako sa waiting shed malapit sa school namin. Naghihintay kay Marco. Kasi ewan ko. Out of guilt? I really don't know. I just found myself here. Sitting. Waiting for him for a reason that I can't decipher.

Bumukas ang bintana noong kotse. Sa kulay pa lang nito ay kilala ko na kung sino ang nasa loob noon. It's Magne. My best friend.

"Margot!" She is smiling with all of her perfect teeth. Ang kanyang buhok ay, as usual, ayos na ayos na aakalain mong may photo shoot siyang pupuntahan. Habang ang make-up naman niya ay sakto lang. Well, hindi na naman niya kailangan iyon, maganda na naman talaga siya kahit wala pa iyon.

I waved at her. Smiling genuinely. Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin ko sa kanya at sa kanyang driver na naka-close ko na rin dahil sa hindi mabilang na pag-gala namin ng kaibigan ko.

"Sinong hinihintay mo diyan?" Came by her loud voice. Hindi ko alam kung bakit napakalakas ng boses ng babaeng ito. Para bang nakalunok siya ng megaphone.

"Ah," I am trying to find my way out of the question. I resorted with, "Mom. May nakalimutan kasi ako sa bahay."

"Ano naman 'yon?" She squinted her eyes. Patay. Kilalang-kilala ako ng babaeng ito. Alam niya kapag nagsisinungaling ako.

"Books." I roll my eyes. Hoping for her to freaking just believe me. Nauubusan na ako ng confidence para magsinungaling! "Physics. You know? Ma'amshie's rule? Alam mo namang may bawas sa grade kapag hindi natin iyon nadala."

"Really?!" She gasped.

I pokerface. As far as I know, araw-araw iyong pinapaalala ni Ma'amshie sa amin.

"I forgot mine!" She continued to cover her mouth.

Napangiwi ako. This girl is a hopeless case. Daig pa ang matanda sa pagka-makakalimutin, eh. Pero kahit ganiyan iyan, she still has something to be proud of. She is a loud advocate for rape victims. Katunayan niyan, siya iyong Presidente ng club na nangangalaga sa mga karapatan ng mga babae. Mostly and especially, those rights that deal with sexual harrassment.