Chapter 1
Mama
I woke up to the fresh scent of morning dew, signaling the impending sunrise. The sound of the chicken clocks filled the quiet air. It was only 5 am, but I needed to get up and start my day. Before heading to class, I had to sweep the floors of the library.
The house was still asleep, as my mom wouldn't wake up until 6 am to prepare breakfast for my younger brother. I yawned, stretched, and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I had lost a little weight, perhaps due to the breakup, which had affected my appetite.
I decided to buy some bread and instant coffee from the nearby bakery. Although I usually cooked breakfast for myself, I didn't feel like cooking today.
"Ate sa 50 po na pandesal tapos dalawang kape at isang Milo," I handed the vendor a one hundred peso bill.
She rolled her eyes at me, displaying the unfriendly nature of some people in this town. I was born in Manila and moved here when I was only 6 years old. My brother Troy was just 4 months old when we made the move. Unfortunately, Papa had an accident as soon as he boarded the ship. She handed me a red bag filled with bread, coffee, and Milo. I smiled at him and walked away.
My dad used to be a captain in a tanker ship until the accident that left him bedridden. Sadly, he passed away. The company compensated us with five million dollars, which we used to purchase land in the small province of La Castillana. Mom bought fifteen hectares of land and divided it into five sections. Our vast lands were covered with crops such as corn, sugarcane, rice fields, and pineapples. In the middle of it all, our muji-style house stood, surrounded by coconut trees. Mom used the remaining money to invest in companies.
I don't remember much about my first day here; it's all a blur. Our grandparents and other relatives live here, while we were the only ones in Manila. I don't know anything about Papa's relatives or where they are. He was an orphan who worked hard to put himself through school until he eventually joined the ship. I admire him for being a self-made man.
Realizing I was running late, I hurried back home and quickly ate my breakfast. I nearly choked on my food in my haste. After eating, I took a quick shower and put on my school uniform—a pair of black trousers and a white V-neck blouse. I let my mid-length dark brown hair cascade down and fixed my side bangs. Since they had grown quite long, I used a headband scarf to keep them in place. Our house was located in the middle of nowhere, so I had to walk until I reached the cemented streets of Campoverde.
To save time, I hailed a tricycle to get to school. It was already 6 am, and my class started at 6:45 am. I still had a little time to sweep the library floors. I unlocked the rusty padlock of our library, some rust staining my hands in the process. A few early students were already sweeping the pathways and corridors, while others were taking their morning walks.
"Aki!" I heard someone call out.
I turned to see Dos and Heather approaching. They weren't usually this early, as they caught their breaths and still had their backpacks on.
"What are you doing here so early?" I asked, furrowing my brows.
"We're here to help you," Dos replied, winking at me.
"Yeah, so you won't have a hard time," Heather chimed in, holding a feather duster.
Dos began arranging some books that I hadn't finished putting back the previous day. I couldn't help but smile at their small gesture. Despite their nagging tendencies, they could also be incredibly sweet.
The wind chimes tinkled, capturing our attention simultaneously. There stood Morgan, donning his complete uniform and black suede shoes. They briefly glanced at him but resumed their tasks.
