It's hard to prove yourself when everyone thinks that everything's being given to you on a silver platter. And in Siobhan Margarette's case, she'll do everything to make everyone see that she's worth it. But what will she do if someone unexpected sees her worth? Will she stay and accept? Or will she continue pretending that she doesn't feel a thing... too?

(Yours Series # 5) Graciella Rae Arevalo just wants to love and be loved. She feels like she has a lot of love to give and she just wants her own person to love. Mayroon na kasing mga boyfriend at girlfriend iyong mga tao sa paligid niya. She doesn't want to be a burden to anyone. She wants her own person to love and to spoil. Ang problema, parang ayaw naman sa kanya ng pag-ibig. She has been told to just wait for it because it will eventually come to her. And she wants to, ang kaso, she's always surrounded by death that she feels like she's always running out of time. Ilang blind date na ang napuntahan niya. She always tries to find the good in the person in front of her, but for some reason, walang spark. Ayaw niya naman na i-sacrifice iyon. Alam niya na nag-eexist iyon. She's seen it. She just needs to look harder. Pero baka tama nga sila... na kapag hindi mo hinahanap, saka doon dadating. Because apparently, she's been looking for love in all the wrong places when all along, he's always been right in front of her.

(Yours Series # 3) Kelsey Fuentes thought that after her failed experience in marriage, she would never dare try again. She was contented with her work and with her daughter. All she ever really wanted was for the people around her to let her be and to stop asking her to find someone to marry and 'complete' her. She tried that. It did not work. It was quite traumatizing. Never again. End of discussion. But apparently, it is true... that when you are not looking and least expecting, that is when you will find 'the one.'

(Game Series # 10) Tali coursed through life with ease. Coming from a family full of lawyers, she knew that getting a job would not be a problem. Kailangan niya lang pumasa sa school at pumasa sa BAR exam. Madali lang naman iyon lalo na kung wala ka namang ibang iniisip kung hindi ang mag-aral. Hindi niya kailangang isipin kung may pambili ba siya ng libro o pambayad ng tuition. Life had been really good to her. But one night, she met this guy named Lui... She had heard stories about him, but has never really met him. And when she finally put a face to the name, that was when she understood the stories about him. Nakaka-baliw nga pala talaga iyong lalaki na iyon. There's just something about him that makes you want to say yes... So, she said yes. Yes to kissing him. Yes to making out with him. Yes to everything. Tali told herself that it was just for one night, but she found herself wanting for me despite all the protest of the people around her. She kept on convincing herself that he's not worth it... but she knew the moment his lips touched hers, it was already game over.

(Game Series # 9) Mauro Eugenio dela Rama's life revolved around school and work. At times, he felt like drowning pero hindi siya pwedeng magreklamo kasi pinili niya naman 'yon. For him, he'd rather be exhausted with his 9 to 5 and 5 to 9 kaysa humingi ng pambayad ng tuition sa tatay niya. He was doing fine kahit nahihirapan siya. Akala niya hindi niya kailangan ng tulong... Then he met Atty. Achilles V. Marroquin. Mauro thought that he was just being nice to him dahil abogado na 'to ay siya ay 'di hamak na struggling law student lamang. Kahit nahihiya siya, humingi siya ng tulong dito. Kakapalan niya na ang mukha niya kaysa bumagsak siya sa subjects niya. He thought he was just being regular nice to him... hanggang isang araw ay napapatanong na lang siya sa sarili niya kung normal pa ba 'to o nilalandi ba siya ng abogadong 'to?

Sa isang pagwawakas, hindi maaaring walang masasaktan. Isa man sa inyo, o kayong dalawa pareho. Sa bawat mga hakbang palayo, ay ang unti-unting pagkawasak ng mga puso. Sa pag-angat ng kamay upang punasan ang mga luha, may naglalandas na panibago. Isang pangakong ikaw lang ang naglikha. Paninindigan na magkahiwalay niyong ipinaglalaban. Pero sa hindi inaasahang pagbitaw ng isa para sa iba, alam mong may magbabago, at inaasahan niyo na ito. Pero hinahayaan niya lang. Dahil alam niyang babalikan mo siya. Babalik ka sa kanya. Babalik kayo para sa isa't isa.

WHILE ON THE OTHER SIDE EPILOGUE JAXON AVERELL Z. MONTERO

[First of HIDDEN BEACH Series] Savannah Brielle Palomarez is one opinionated woman. She never backs out in arguments kahit sino pa man ang kaharap niya. But that one strong asset of hers is the prospect that ruined a long-lived relationship. Kaya walang pag-aalinlangan siyang lumuwas palayo sa siyudad at nahantong sa probinsyang unti-unti nang tinatakpan ng alaala niya. From that moment, her life changed. At ito ay sa katauhan ng isang lalakeng sinasangga lahat ng patutsada niya. Bawat bala ay tinutumbasan nito ng patalim. Not to mention his oh-so-hot charms. So basically, she just met her match. Savannah knows better. She's done with sinister-looking guys. They break hearts. But from the moment she saw her walls crumble, lahat ng pagpipigil sa sarili at matibay na paniniwala ay parang bula na nag-laho. Kahit ano pang gawin na pag-puwersa sa sarili at isipan mo, when the heart speaks, there's nothing you can ever do. Screw mind over matter.

A series of my random poetic endeavours