Survival has always been the only thing I'm good at. Life never really gave me the luxury of being soft, so I learned how to be tough instead. While other people worry about grades, parties, or what others think of them, I worry about something much simpler-how to make it through the next day. Fighting became normal to me. Not because I enjoy it, but because sometimes it's the only way the world listens. Somewhere along the way, the wrong people noticed that about me, and before I realized it, I was already stepping into a life far more dangerous than I ever imagined. Then there's Finn Sailor-the one person who managed to see something in me that I never believed existed. When I'm with him, everything feels quieter, lighter, almost normal. He doesn't know about the fights, the deals, or the things I've already done just to keep moving forward. To him, I'm just Denize-the girl he laughs with, the girl he trusts. And sometimes I wonder if it's selfish to keep it that way. Because the truth is, the deeper I get into this life, the more secrets I carry, and the harder it becomes to pretend that I'm still the same person he fell in love with. People say every choice has consequences, and I've made too many choices that can't be undone. I know that one day, the world I stepped into will finally catch up to me. Maybe that day will take everything away from me-including the only person who ever believed I was worth saving. But the strangest part is this: if one day the girl Finn loves suddenly disappears... and someone who looks exactly like me takes her place, will he still recognize the difference? Or will he slowly realize that the girl standing in front of him isn't really Denize Ivory anymore?

Akala ko noon, sapat na ang buhay na ginagalawan ko-hanggang sa dumating sa puntong unti-unti na pala akong nilalamon nito. I escaped, not just from my home, but from the world I used to live in. Along the way, I met a man who was always there-someone who became my lifeline. He was the kind of person who appeared even when you didn't call for him, showing up right exactly when the weight of your shoulders feels too heavy to carry. He reminded me that no matter how cruel the world can be, there will always be a place to breathe-a place found is his warmth and in the safety of his arms. And after a moment, I believed that maybe life isn't just about surviving, but also about finding refuge in someone who made the world less frightening. But life is a cycle of emotions. You can be happy today and forget how to smile tomorrow. Some smile are meant to last forever... but mine wasn't.