Tagalog/English [PUBLISHED UNDER POP FICTION - 2017]

A writer. A weird stranger. A lot of little conversations. An online understanding. Every night. 23:11.

Collection of ficlets/one shots for my stories (TDG, IIF, TMEUAS and TSIB).

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.

The thing with Valentine's Day is, either you hate it or you love it. And Zade Pascual definitely belongs to the first category. Para sa kanya, isang araw lang ito ng commercialized version ng pag-ibig. Walang kakilig-kilig at napakalayo sa true love stories na nababasa niya sa mga libro. Nasubok ang kanyang anti-Valentine's sentiment when she unexpectedly meets Andreau Cortez-an award-winning actor and film student at her university-in the cafe where she works-- on Valentine's Day of all days. Andreau, their new cafe regular, surprises Zade by asking for her help with his latest short film project, which she hesitantly agrees to. Despite a rocky start, Zade discovers the real Andreau Cortez beyond the camera and celebrity gossip. Over the fika-not date hangouts and late-night conversations, their effortless friendship blurs into something more, to the point na akala ng lahat (yes, friends and family included) na sila na ni Andreau. Caught off guard by her evolving feelings, Zade must confront her own heart. Hanggang best friend nga lang ba ang tingin niya kay Andreau? Can their story unfold like the happy endings she loves in books? Well, sometimes, the best love stories take time to tell.

Twenty-four-year-old hotel heiress, Vanessa Rio Perez was never loved by her husband, Allen Travis Fajardo, causing her to find happiness in the arms of another man which she will regret and pay for to earn her husband's love and trust back. *** Forced into a marriage to merge their family businesses, Vanessa did not receive any attention and love from her cold and distant husband, Allen, who had never liked her from the beginning. Despite everything, she was happy because he was exactly the man of her dreams. But as months passed by and yet she received not a hint of love from him, she ended up having an affair, worsening their already complicated relationship. Vanessa now had to pay for her mistakes and try to fix what was broken in the first place. But what if she's too late? DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A FILIPINO LANGUAGE STORY

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?

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."

COMPLETED REPOSTED Published by Bookware Publishing. --- Siya si Meredith Balajadia, ang twenty-five-year-old executive vice president ng Balajadia Industries, ang kompanyang pag-aari ng pamilya niya na may kinalaman sa lahat na yata ng uri ng industriya sa Pilipinas. Estimated net worth: US$11.6 billion. Ako si Ash Montesines, ang twenty-five-year-old na bagong graduate after seven years in college at tatlong beses na pagpapapalit-palit ng course, family black sheep at damn proud of it. Current net worth: P1,127.25. Paano nag-krus ang mga landas namin? Ipinasok ako ng Ninong ko sa kompanya nila Meredith bilang personal assistant ni Miss Billionairess matapos akong itakwil ng tatay ko dahil nabangga ko ang pinakamamahal niyang Audi R8 sa barrier sa C-5. Kung di ko mapatunayang kaya kong buhayin ang sarili ko sa loob ng anim na buwan nang hindi umaasa sa kanya, good bye, mana na hindi man $11 billion ay malaki-laki rin naman. I've never worked a day in my life, but I've never been without money either. Kaya paano ko lalampasan ang challenge na ito sa buhay ko at makumbinsi ang bago kong boss na huwag akong patalsikin matapos ang mga katangahan ko sa opisina niya? Simple lang. Lalaki ako at babae si Meredith. You do the math. --- Mature content. Reader discretion is advised. Published by Bookware Publishing Corp.