Wounds heal, but scars remain. So even with the possibility that one can accept and move forward, it's impossible to forget. Because there will always be an irremovable mark that will remind you of every bit of pain. Growing up without a mother was Zarih's first heartache. It scarred her more than anything else. She sees how her dad grieves for her mom all the time-even after years-and it breaks her. When Zarih learned about the possibility that she might have inherited her mother's heart disease, she knew she couldn't afford to love because she wouldn't want anyone to suffer at her death. She wouldn't want to love someone just to wound him at the end. It was easy not to fall in love, only if Ace Timotheo Salvador, her summer enemy, didn't dare touch her scars... as if they were the most beautiful parts of her existence. Zarih feels like losing it... She wants to love and be loved. Maybe he can heal her scars. Maybe their story is different from her dad's. Maybe they can have a happy ending. Or maybe... She should've not risked it at all. Maybe she could've not scarred her heart more. Finished: July 21, 2022

[COMPLETED, UNDER EDITING] First story out of Altarieno Series. Academics is an ultimate priority for Leigh Jasmine Altarieno. She will do everything just to maintain her high grades and be the valedictorian of their class-since that's her parent's biggest desire. On the other hand, her classmate and her ultimate rival, Renji Zoel Enriquez wishes to be the top one, as well. He's afraid of not obtaining that title as he won't be able to receive a full college scholarship from his current university. As the academic year goes by, who will win between the two of them? Is it Leigh, Renzo, or... love?

Student Series 2: "Bahala Na" Attitude 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝 Manifesting a fatalistic attitude is nearly a norm inside a classroom and is often practiced by students who have lost their will or do not have any will at all to make a change in their life. They submit themselves to the Higher Being or anyone superior to them through tough times. Bahala na si Lord. Bahala na si Batman. Bahala na; babagsak din naman. Bahala na; at least tapos na. Aspasia Estiana was naturally born to be competitive for a reason so this kind of philosophy and bad habit is a blur in her dictionary. Alam niya ang sariling kakayahan at hindi siya kuntento sa 'puwede na' kung kayang higitan pa. Hindi puwedeng basta 'bahala na' kung may mababago pa. In fact, she can secure her valedictorian award if only not these two geniuses have to transfer in her school and overtake her place. But instead of feeling threatened, she sees them as some worthy academic rivals. Finally. Eventually, she builds a friendship with the kinder as she secures a special space in her life for the austere one... not realizing she just takes the risk of letting things happen out of hand for the first time. Little does she know, saving him a spot in her heart means taking her life into the pit of devastation.

Lost, Lose (Loose Trilogy #1) Two high school students from different academic tracks, one from Humanities and Social Sciences (HumSS) and the other from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), are united by tragic pasts that continue to haunt them. Both have lost loved ones due to past injustices-one stemming from a societal failure, the other from a scientific or technological disaster. As they work separately to seek justice for their families, they find solace in each other's company. Together, they navigate their personal struggles while discovering the possibility of love amidst their shared pain.

THE LOSERS' CLUB SERIES #1 Have you ever been so smitten with someone that you were just so grateful they existed? Tipong makita mo lang siya, solved ka na. Kahit hindi mo siya makausap o makasama, inspired na inspired ka. That was the case for Dawn Karsen Navarro, a die-hard fan of a prominent singer and songwriter, Dior Kobe Gallardo. Kahit pa laging General Admission ticket lang ang nabibili niya at halos kasinlaki lang ng gagamba ang natatanaw niya mula sa upuan, marinig niya lang ang boses ng binata, kuntento na siya. So, when luck pulled a trick on her poor heart, she didn't hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity. She went from being in the farthest row to being in the backstage, from seeing only a glimpse of her idol to a face-to-face encounter, and from hearing only a fraction of his life to knowing everything there was to know about him. She had made a lot of progress. But, why did she go back to being seated in the farthest row? Why did she go back to being just a mere fan? After everything they vowed, why did she go back to being a stranger in the midst of the crowd?

(PUBLISHED UNDER Flutter Fic) seniors series #2 A Senior Highschool series. complete [unedited] 2# NBS Bestseller under Local Fiction [November 2024] Maraming nagsasabi na hindi naman daw patimpalak ang buhay, pero bakit ang daming hurado sa bawat galaw ng tao? Arrisea Cabrera knows this very well. Her beauty leads people to believe she is there to appease them - pero kabaliktaran naman ng kanyang ganda ang kanyang ugali. She doesn't filter her words and actions, she is rebellion itself. Bilang estudyante ng TVL track, she gets all the nasty comments when it comes to being inferior but she fights back with her savage comebacks. Para sa kan'ya, her life means her rules. Adonis Renoir Reverio appears to be the perfect preppy rich boy of the ABM strand because the dark and ugly parts of his world are hidden from the rose tinted perspectives of the people around him. Pero hindi sa kan'ya, sa isang babaing nakipagpustahan na mahuhulog siya rito. It was farfetched for her to know him more than what the surface offers but she did...and both of them suffered a lot because of it. Sometimes, we are only brave enough to try - not knowing the potential losses and not knowing the cost of tasting this kind of euphoria.

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.

THE LOSERS' CLUB SERIES 3 In need of juicy news for her online publication, the struggling journalism student, Millicent Rae Velasco, was forced to interview the intimidating student council president of their university, Juancho Alas Montero. But, not wanting to be the subject of rumors, he rejected her instantly. So, paano siya? Paano ang last requirement niya bago maka-graduate? Si Juancho ang iniatas sa kanya ng isinusumpa niyang prof na gawan ng profile article! Isa pa, dito na lang siya makakabawi! Kailangan niya pang higitin mula sa dulo ng impyerno ang grades niya! Being in a hopeless predicament, she ended up chasing after him. She hid behind the bookshelves where he was studying, memorized his schedule by heart, and talked to him straight on when she could. She only had one goal---write an article about him. Nothing more, nothing less. But life had a lot of things in store for her. Because through the glances she'd stolen, she picked up the sharp fragments of his life. Through the hidden smiles, she unraveled the content of his heart. And through the pages she'd written, she caught herself falling in love with him.

erps series #2 complete [unedited] If only you loved me; maybe our fate would have become better and maybe the pain would have become worth it. Princess Aziah "Ziah" Florencio doesn't believe in being attached to the concept of love and she had given up the idea of finding a prince as she never had been introduced to fairytales. Okay na sa kan'ya ang hindi magmahal, basta hindi rin siya masasaktan. Her habit of making players cry unexpectedly made her cross paths with a known player who seemed to be interested in her. . .but also sends her a lot of mixed signals. Ryker Miguel Adeva is the epitome of the reason why Ziah avoids being in love. . .unfortunately, he is also the reason why being loved seemed to be a good experience. With all the contradictions and bending of beliefs, will Ziah finally be able to let herself experience being loved? In exchange for also unguarding her heart against Ryker? If only she allows herself to love him?