SAGADA Inspired by the song "SAGADA" by Cup of Joe WYATT ALEXIS GATCHALLIAN She vowed her life to God. He never believed in forever. So why does it feel like their hearts were written in the same prayer? AYOKONG IKASAL. I never dreamed of a wedding. It was beautiful, sure---for some. But not for me. Hindi 'to ang buhay na inaasahan ko. Hindi ang pinto na 'yon ang naghihintay sa'kin. Hindi sa ganitong paraan ako magsusuot ng telang puti. Hindi. Ayoko. Hindi ito ang pinlano ng Diyos para sa'kin. Because my dream was different. I thought I heard it in the stillness of dawn, in the hush of chapel walls, in the gentle rhythm of prayers. I thought I knew the life God was calling me to live. But then, he came---Wyatt Alexis Gatchallian. Parte ng isang bandang kinakabaliwan ng lahat. His life is loud music, late nights, fleeting kisses, and freedom without consequence. Palaging lasing. Palaging magulo. Palaging hindi ko maintindihan. and yet somehow, he's the one I'm told to marry. Arranged. Unexpected. Unwanted. I wanted to serve God. They wanted me to serve tradition. Now I'm stuck in the space between this mess. Between a God I've always loved and a man I never asked for... Pero bakit habang tumatagal parang hindi na makuhang lumayo pa ng mata ko sa pagtingin sa kaniya. The more I try to push him away, the more he starts to feel like a hymn I never meant to memorize. And maybe... just maybe... He's been searching for something sacred, too. How do you choose between a calling you've always known... and a love you never saw coming? 05/22/25

Suzerain Rosales spent her life avoiding even the tiniest wound-because with her rare blood disorder, one cut could mean death. She lived carefully, never letting herself bleed. But the night she found a man, bleeding, broken, unconscious in the trash, and chose to save him, everything she'd tried to escape came rushing in. Violence. Danger. Trouble. Blood. The man she saved was an Italian mafia boss. And from that moment on, her life began to soak in blood in his hands. Since then, she hasn't stopped bleeding. But she has to, because of him. . . Vlodemir, who she would die for. . . . Mature Content Warning: R18+

poetry || raw and vulnerable words and feelings buried deep

PUBLISHED UNDER LIB Note: If you're not into flawed characters who make wrong decisions, don't read this. Save yourself from stress. Started: 11/20/2020 Ended: 01/29/2021 How far would you go for someone? How many hailstorms and dark clouds would you endure? How many falling stars would you wait for to make a single wish come true? For Reese Deborah Madrid, the sky was the limit. She was used to having whatever she wanted. Clothes? Shoes? Jewelry? Name it. She could get it without putting in so much effort. So, when she hoped for another shot of love with her ex-boyfriend, she was ready to sacrifice everything to win him back. Even if that meant she had to look stupid and desperate. Even that meant she had to suffer through the pain of watching him be disgusted by her. Even if that meant she had to deal with his harsh words and apathy. She did everything in her power to go back into his arms. She stood up to the rain that soaked her and the sun that burned her skin. She waited from daybreak to nightfall, hoping that he would eventually fall back in love with her. She thought she was getting there. She felt like she'd made it. But then, in the world where she could be anything, she lost everything in the name of her love for him. Because much like the sky, Harvin Rouge Foster was only meant to be loved from afar.

THE LOSERS' CLUB SERIES #2 Someday you'll look back on your mistakes and laugh. To name a few instances, these are those awkward first kisses you shared with your first boyfriend, those failed recitations that your classmates don't seem to forget, and those poor outfit ideas that you once thought were cute. Iyong mga dating nakakahiya, nakakainis, at masakit para sa 'yo, pagdating ng araw, ngingitian mo na lang. Maybe by then, you'll realize how much time you've invested in being too emotional. Pero may mga bagay na kahit matagal nang nangyari, hindi natin magawang tawanan. Siguro dahil nakakahiya pa rin? Siguro dahil nakakainis pa rin? O siguro, dahil masakit pa rin? For Amari Sloane Mendoza, it's all of the above. Among all the awkward, failed, and poor instances, falling in love with her classmate, Leon Ysmael Zamora, is the only mistake she can't laugh about.

As she navigates the turbulent journey of self-discovery, Wednesday Denise learns that true freedom comes from within. She realizes that letting go of toxic relationships and embracing her own desires is not only necessary but empowering. *** Wednesday Denise's life is a constant struggle to win the approval of her indifferent parents. Despite the obligations she never asked for as the eldest, she can't bring herself to abandon her family. As a founding member of the Anagapesism band, her dreams take a turn when she leaves the group to pursue a nursing career, wanting to find a solid route that will eventually validate her. Having North Barrinuevo beside her, offering her the support and understanding she's been yearning for, is a blessing, as she discovers her voice, the importance of self-love, and the courage to break free from the chains of expectation. DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish. COVER DESIGN: Louise De Ramos

If we were to talk about making the first move, boys are usually the ones who do it, but not in the case of Ireena Razon. For her, it was a now or never situation. Given that it was her last year of high school, she felt she had to do everything. You only turn 17 once in your lifetime, and after that, you can't afford to make foolish decisions anymore, she thought. Little did she know, this "foolish" 17-year-old decision she was about to make would shape the rest of her life. Book Cover from: Su Minh in Pexels

Valerie Dana F. Encarnacion, a senior high school student, hates this particular guy because no matter how much hard work she puts into everything, she always ends up being second. Kaya naman, para makaganti, harap-harapan niya itong sinasabihan ng masasamang salita pero sa huli, hindi pa rin siya nananalo dahil wala naman itong pakialam sa kanya. But circumstances changed. They became close, and she never thought she would end up liking him...given that she has a boyfriend. Book Cover by: Jasmin Chew

Yvonne Maica Lim is an aspiring UAAP court side reporter for UST, she was so close to getting her football player crush after plotting on him for almost a year...but everything fell apart when she had to fake date the infamous star basketball player of the UST Growling Tigers instead. Book cover by cottonbro studio in pexels