Living in the Dark

Chapter One

I was walking alone holding the latest Chanel Bag. Murmurrings are what I'm hearing. Insecures, tsk. I knew that I was the one they're talking about. I always encounter stuffs like this everyday. Of course, I'm filty rich, I'm famous, I'm a certified bitch, I'm Neon Jennova Collin.

I wasn't like this back then. I was just like an average little kiddo. Playing barbie, watching disney, and other stuffs that normal kids do. But everything changed when my parents separated. It was because of my dad's mistress.

But I'm not suppose to blame everything on him. Nagkaroon din ng lalaki si mom bago siya mambabae. Laging nanlalalaki si mom, hanggang sa nagsawa si dad. Pero agad namang lumambot ang puso niya at pinatawad ang mom. My mom told us na titigil na siya at magseseryso. 

Until one day, while my dad was taking a bath, he's phone started ringing. I looked at the caller's name, "hon." At first, I thought it was mom, especially that she's not around. Alam kong nasa lalaki lang niya siya kahit na sinasabi niyang nagtatrabaho siya. And so, I answered the call.

"Hello po?" I said politely, without knowing the fact that the caller wasn't my mom.

"Gregory, babe? Where are you? *giggles* I'm here at the motel already." Why is mom's voice like that? I said to myself. My hands are already trembling and at the same time, my heart's beating twice as fast.

"M-mom, ikaw ba yan?" I asked nervously to make sure.

"Oh gosh— *toot toot toot*" Then she hung up. Eksaktong-eksaktong paglabas ni dad. Hawak-hawak ko yung phone. Dad wasn't the same when he saw me holding his phone.

"Punyeta kang bata ka! Napakapakialamera mo!" That's when my tears started falling really hards. I just ran outside and went to the nearest place I could go. I ended up at a playground. I sat down at a swing and swung as fast as I could.

I looked at my wrist watch, then I saw that it was midnight already. I went home and there I saw no one. I went to my parents' room and searched for my dad's closet.

"D-dad?" Wala na siya. Umiyak lang ako nang umiyak nung gabing yun.

Days after, hiwalay na ang mga magulang ko. And that's when my life became all screwed up. Mag-isa na lang ako. May kanya-kanyang pamilya na ang mga magulang ko.

Isang araw, may nabalitaan ako. Nagkasakit ang nanay ko, leukemia— stage four. She wants me to visit her, and so I did.

"M-mom?" I said, upon entering her room. She smiled at me, but I know that she's not happy deep inside. Her skin looks pale, 'yung mga ilalim ng mata niya'y maitim, she became thin and bald. I sighed, a deep one.

"Come here, Jennova." She said weakly. I walked as fast as I could, then hugged her.

For a moment, I felt loved.

"I'm sorry anak. If you could just forgive me." I ended the hug and looked at her.

"The moment I stepped in here, I already did mom. I love you." Then I kissed her cheek.

"I love you to sweetie." We hugged again. Then I heard the machine beside me. Straight line.

That is the day when she gave up— in my arms.