Started: 04/27/2021 Ended: 08/24/2021 Ang hirap palang tumanda. Ang hirap magbayad ng bills. Ang hirap suportahan ng pamilyang akala ay isang milyon ang suweldo mo. Ang hirap ngumiti sa nanay na mataas ang tingin sa'yo pero hindi ka kayang ipagtanggol. Ang hirap tabihan sa hapagkainan ng tatay na pinag-uubusan mo ng pera pero hindi ka maalala. Ang hirap mag-abot ng tulong sa kapatid na baon sa utang. Ang hirap intindihin ng hipag na nakakapagpa-rebond pa kahit kapos na kapos na. Ang hirap pakisamahan ng bunsong halos ilahad ang mga palad tuwing makikita ka. Ang hirap ngitian ng mga taong tanong nang tanong kung bakit hindi ka pa nakakapag-asawa. Ang hirap humarap sa mundong isasampal sa'yo na mag-isa ka. Tulong, bigay, utang. Isang iling mo lang, madamot ka na. Kasama mo sila kapag may maibibigay ka, pero hindi mo sila mahahanap kapag wala na. Ikaw ang kakayod, sila ang tutuka. Ikaw ang iiyak sa pagod, sila ang magtatamasa. Iyon ang summary ng buhay ko. Sobra-sobra ang naririnig na paghingi, kulang na kulang ang naririnig na pasasalamat. Sobra-sobra ang pagpapasensya, kulang na kulang ang natatanggap na pagpapahalaga. Sobra-sobra ang binabayaran, kulang na kulang sa kasiyahan. Kaya nang dumating sa buhay ko ang nag-iisang lalaking hindi ako nakita bilang naglalakad na alkansya, ang nag-iisang lalaking nakinig sa mahabang listahan ko ng problema, ang nag-iisang lalaking nagbigay sa akin ng kakaibang saya, ipinangako ko sa sarili na sa gitna ng hirap ng pagtanda, magtitiis ako basta't siya ang kasama. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay pagtalikod sa minahal na pamilya. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay paglaban sa mundong pinatatakbo ng kapangyarihan at pera. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay ang pagdurusa't pag-iisa. Siya ang ginhawa, pahinga, at kasiyahan ko. Dumating man ang araw na tanaw ko na ang dulo. Dumating man ang araw na wala na kaming sagot sa lahat ng bakit at paano. Dumating man ang araw na pareho na kaming talo.

"Whatever happens in dorm 101 stays in dorm 101, baby girl."

FLAMES: F- Forever, L-Love, A-Angry, M-Married, E-Enemy, S... Sinister ... Isang taon na nahinto ang sikat na estudyante sa Sto. Cristo, naaksidente na sanhi ng pagka-coma nito. Nang gumaling at magbalik-eskwela ay tila ba ibang tao na. Pero para kay Kena na matagal ng may gusto kay Gabriel Juan T. Salgado, ito pa rin si Gabriel na pangarap niyang maging kaklase... Kahit pa unti-unti ay natutuklasan na niya ang nakagigimbal na katotohanan kung bakit nga ba ito iniiwasan at kinatatakutan sa kanilang paaralan.

PUBLISHED UNDER LIB Note: If you're not into flawed characters who make wrong decisions, don't read this. Save yourself from stress. Started: 10/07/2020 Ended: 11/18/2020 Elora Chin Valencia grew up in a toxic Christian family where she was viewed as the black sheep. Araw-araw ay ipinaparamdam sa kanya ng mundo na wala siyang lugar sa sarili niyang tahanan. She was a consistent dean's lister and an obedient daughter, which left her wondering what she had done so wrong to be disregarded as a speck of dust in the wind. They made her feel like she was just dirt, filling up the empty space. The one who would never have her own safe place. Feeling all of this contributed to her endless suicidal ideations. Baka nga tama sila. Baka nga wala siyang halaga at kailanman ay hindi na sasaya. She almost believed that. She almost held onto that notion. Not until she met the man in his BS Civil Engineering uniform and gorgeous grin, Troy Jefferson Dela Paz. He kissed her forehead, and her loud thoughts were silenced. Her demons calmed down. Her foes were defeated. For the first time in her life, she had proven her family wrong---a happy Elora Chin was possible. She was loved and well-taken care of. Troy embraced her sharp parts, not minding the wounds he might get. But fate had a lot of cruel things in store for her. Because when she thought she had reached the peak of happiness, she found myself drowning alone in the ocean she now called home, alone in her shame, alone with the waves she couldn't tame.

PUBLISHED UNDER LIB Note: If you're not into flawed characters who make wrong decisions, don't read this. Save yourself from stress. Started: 09/09/2020 Ended: 10/07/2020 Solene Clemente was a typical Civil Engineering student who struggled to put up with her studies. Kung pwede ngang i-bake na lang ang napakaraming itlog sa test papers niya, ginawa niya na. At a young age, she experienced the harsh reality of life-poverty, abuse, and a broken family. But, as someone who could see the bright side of everything, she knew she could make it with only her mother and best friend, Duke Laurence Sanders, whom she secretly loved. Kahit pa naghihirap, basta kasama niya ang ina, kaya niya. Kahit pa madalas niyang hindi maintindihan ang lessons, ayos lang kasi may Duke naman na tuturuan siya. Na kahit gaano kalupit ang tadhana, patuloy siyang lumalaban sa buhay dahil may dalawang taong sumusuporta at nagmamahal sa kanya. She became too dependent on the love they could offer. But little did she know, like the sun she adored, she was destined to be alone.

Archer The beast who's acting like a guardian angel.

Italian secret agent Vexen Bellucci ran away from her fiancé, adamantly refusing to marry him. She did not expect that escaping to the Philippines will lead her to a mysterious man named Death Ferrante--only to find out that he's in fact her fiancé's stepbrother and he's intent to punish her! *** Despite following all of her father's orders her whole life, Vexen Bellucci has decided on her bottom line--and that is marrying someone she didn't love. This made her run away to the Philippines, a country that her father would never think of as her hiding place. Just when she thought that she's finally having a shot at a peaceful life, then came Death Ferrante--a guy with mismatched eyes, who easily captured her heart. But with the truth hunting them down and their lives depending on a human chess game, will Vexen and Death ever get the happy ending that they are hoping for? Or will they continue living in chaos, just like from the start? Disclaimer: This story is written in Taglish.

Miss Prim and Proper and the university's top student Daphne Madrigal has a secret that can destroy her perfect image. But what if the university's notorious playboy discovers it? Will she agree to his deal in exchange for staying quiet--or will she finally have the courage to show her true self? -- All her life, Daphne Madrigal wants to be respected by everyone--especially by her mother--so she did everything to be perfect in their eyes. But Miss Prim and Proper also has secrets that can ruin her perfect reputation. Unfortunately, Apollo Gallagher, her best friend's overprotective twin brother and the most notorious playboy of their university, discovers it. To keep him quiet, she strikes an unlikely deal with him. Will this help her release her true self, the 'her' she's been suppressing from the very beginning? Or will this only add more pain to her lonely life? Disclaimer: This story is in Taglish Cover Designer: Anastasia Wright -- Originally HIDING FROM THE BILLIONAIRE'S WRATH

After getting pregnant due to a drunken mistake, Zuri decides to hide her daughter away from the devil in a business suit himself, Helios Gallagher. But when their paths cross again and he demands to be with their daughter, Zuri finds herself falling for the same guy who wrecked her before. *** Hardworking and dedicated, Zuri Fitzgerald is known to be the only secretary who lasted with the ruthless CEO of Gallagher Empire, Helios Gallagher. Called the devil in a business suit, Helios is a perfectionist and a control freak. And so when his fiancée leaves him after catching him and Zuri naked on his bed--all because of a drunken mistake--hell starts to break loose. He's intent to get even and make Zuri suffer for the rest of her life, but when he becomes silent for years, everyone believes he's finally moved on and forgot about that night. But when he finds out that Zuri hid their daughter from him for years, the anger that he once felt for her resurfaces. As they live together for the sake of their child, can Helios and Zuri finally move on from the past and let love prevail this time around? Disclaimer: This story is written in Taglish. Cover Design by Louise De Ramos

an epistolary (#1: Riley Validivia)