Nakakabagot ang buhay. Lalo na pag papasok ka nang school, kakain, humiga sa pera, maligo sa puri, mamili ng babae, at matulog. Paulit-ulit lahat araw-araw. Lahat nalaro mo na, poker hanggang pag-ibig naipanalo mo na. Kung sana may pwedeng paglaruan. Yung unique. Yung nakakatuwa. Nang dumating siya sa buhay ko, natuwa ako kasi pinaglaruan ko siya. Humingi siya ng pabor. Binigay ko. Nagpaturo siya. Tinuruan ko. Humingi siya ng masasandalan. Binigay ko. Kasi nakakatuwa siya! Pero habang tumatagal, bakit siya na yung natutuwa at ako na pinaglalaruan? Hate. Lies. Temptations. Betrayal. Pain. Love. All in one. Training To Love.

Alam mong kalaban pero nagawa mo paring mahalin. Alam mong hindi pwede pero mas lalo ka paring nagpupumilit. Alam mong mali pero ginagawa mong tama. Totoong masarap ang mga bawal. Pero masarap parin ba pag magkasakitan na? Masarap parin ba pag pinaiyak ka na? Hanggang kailan mo kayang ipaglaban ang pag ibig na hindi mo mabitiwan? Hanggang kailan mo kayang ipaglaban ang pag ibig na bawal?

Elevators. Airplanes. Palaman ng Sandwich. Yung feeling na papunta ka pa lang at excited ka pa lang sa pupuntahan mo. Yung feeling na palapit pa lang yung birthday mo. Yung feeling na palapit pa ang isa pang espesyal na araw. Yung feeling na ilang oras na lang ay pasko na. Yung feeling na tatlong araw na lang simula na ulit ng pasukan. Yung feeling na nasa gitna ka pa lang at di ka pa nakakarating. Yung feeling na malapit na pero hindi pa. Yun ang laging gusto ko. Yung nasa gitna pa lang. Yung nasa gitna ka ng dalawang bagay. Gitna ng isang building. Gitna ng langit at lupa. Gitna ng dalawang matatabang tinapay. Gitna ng byahe papuntang disneyland. Mas gusto ko yung feeling tuwing nagbabyahe kesa doon sa nakarating ka na. Mas gusto ko yung feeling na may inaantay ka kesa doon sa nandyan na. I always like the things in between. "You only like things in between, Coreen. You only like the chase... You only want me chasing after you. You don't want to decide... Pero pakiusap naman, magdesisyon ka na, kasi tao rin naman ako, nasasaktan. And you? I don't think nararamdaman mo yung sakit na nararamdaman ko... You are just too heartless."

All her life, Mary Imogen Suarez was led to believe that she should end up with Parker Adrian Palma. Na dapat, kay Parker lang siya. Na si Imogen ay para lang kay Parker. But the problem was, Parker never looked her way, at least, not the way she wanted him to. For him, she's just the best friend-and a reminder of something he badly wanted to forget. For years, she lived with the knowledge that Parker would never like her back. Akala ni Imo, hindi na siya makakaahon sa naraaramdaman niya para kay Parker-until she met Saint Iverson Gomez de Lianño. Saint was a breath of fresh air. He's attentive, and he made Imo feel loved and appreciated-something she never felt during all the years she loved Parker. But when things started to fall in their right places, Parker decided to finally look her way. What would Imogen do? Would she brave the storm to be with Saint? Or would she tread the strings that connect her with Parker?

Portia Cecilia Ignacio is a model daughter. Siya na ang mahal na mahal ang kanyang mga magulang. Gagawin niya ang lahat para lang sa ikakasaya ng pamilya. She would climb mountains and swim vast oceans just for the happiness of her beloved parents and family. Pero minsan, sa sobra sobrang pagmamahal sa ibang tao, nakakaligtaan na ang pagmamahal sa sarili. Is it really worth it? She shouldn't ask right? It's family! But then... how could one person make her doubt her decisions? Is it really worth the sacrifice? To give all of her? To give everything? To give up everything? All for what she's been hoping for since time immemorial?

Our last dance, my last chance.

A compilation of Alyloony's short story :)