The Place Where It All Starts (Sitio Series #1)

The Place Where It All Starts

Prologue

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Is home a person or a place? Well, it can be your family or a specific area. Either of the two, we will all still feel the same feelings—the tenderness of love and peace. Our home can be our house or it can be in someone's arm, it can be anywhere or anyone that makes us feel the warmth of comfort and safety.

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Making someone my home is the biggest regret I've had in my life. Ginawa ko silang tahanan pero nang magkabagyo, sila iyong napagod at iniwan ako ng walang matitirhan at mapapagpahingahan.

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If I were to choose, I'll not make the same mistake twice. Tama na iyong isa. Hindi ko pipiliin na muling bumalik doon. Sa lugar kung nasaan ang tahanan na umabandona sa akin. Sa lugar kung saan bawat sulok ay nagpapaalala sa akin ng madilim at mabagyo kong buhay.

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But... Unfortunately, I'm not the one who'll choose. I'm not the one who'll decide. I've left with no choice but to go back to that place.

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Wala akong magawa lalo na nang nag-anunsyo ang aming guro tungkol sa aming gagawin.

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"Venturi, Salonga, Lim, Estrella, and Cabrera," our professor said while pointing to us one by one. Nakita ko ang mabilisang pag-ayaw ng mga kaibigan ko sa kanilang mukha.

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Katulad ko, mukhang alam nila kung saan ito patungo.

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"The mentioned students will be the leaders for the upcoming seminar we will conduct in Pampanga. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me in my office later. That's all for today. Class dismissed."

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It's just another normal announcement for us. The said place doesn't even ring a bell in my mind. Siguro'y wala akong naalala dahil mas nangibabaw sa akin ang pagkainis. Inis dahil kami na naman ang inatasan sa seminar na ito.

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"Favorite talaga tayo ni Ma'am Martinez 'no? Lagi tayong ginagawang leaders. Akala niya ata sa 'tin ay walang ibang ginagawa! Hindi naman tayo robot! Tao lang, napapagod din!" Killuash complained when he, with our other friends, went towards my chair.

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Hanz patted his shoulders. "Hindi ka pa nasanay, Ash. Sa atin niya kaya lagi binubunton ang galit niya. Palibhasa menopause na kaya ganyan."

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"Just be grateful, guys. New experience din 'to ah! Malay ninyo masaya pala." maligayang sambit ni Jovanne na naging dahilan kung bakit nakatanggap siya agad ng batok mula kay Killuash.

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"Nako, Jovanne! Tigil-tigilan mo 'ko ah! May binigay ba na task si Ma'am sa atin na sumaya at nag-enjoy tayo ha?!"

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Jovanne became silent for a second like he was thinking deeply before shaking his head. "Uhm... Wala," sagot niya.

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"Oh, paano mo nasabi na masaya 'yang seminar na pinapagawa sa 'tin, ha?!"

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"Ewan ko sa 'yo, Ash. Napaka-nega mo."

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Sabay kaming natawa ni Symoune, ang aking bestfriend, dahil sa kanilang tatlo. Patawa-tawa pa ako, without even knowing where we will conduct the seminar.