Bata pa lang ay namulat na si Sunny na tatlong bagay lang ang kailangan niya sa buhay: bahay, pera, at pamilya. Namuhay siyang mahirap sa loob ng labing siyam na taon at ngayong bente na siya ay hindi iyon nagbago. Ang tanging nag bago lang siguro sa kanya ngayon ay ang pagkawala ng kanyang katuwang sa buhay: ang kanyang ina. Hindi pa nakakabangon sa sakit ay pinili niyang magpakatatag at mabuhay para sa sarili at para sa mga pangarap. Life is hard but it's easy to be strong. Iyon ang panlaban niya, ang pagiging matatag at pursigido. She was invincible because of that, but will she still feel invincible with a beast around? Lalo na pag napaibig na siya nito? Mahina ba talaga ang mga babae pag dating sa pag ibig? Because she was sure as hell beginning to lose all her strength. Ano nga ba ang gagawin Sunny kung ang magiging hadlang sa kanyang maabot ang lahat ng gusto ay ang siyang magpapaibig rin sa kanya ng husto? Worst. May magagawa talaga kaya siya?

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."

an epistolary (#1: Riley Validivia)

Sydney James Wantirano is a woman of contrasts. With a fiery, untamable spirit and unyielding principles, she commands respect and admiration. Yet, behind this formidable exterior lies a tender heart that remains devoted to her parents, despite their harsh treatment and the absence of familial love. Her efforts to honor and make them proud are both a testament to her resilience and a source of hidden pain. Everything changes one fateful night when Sydney meets Xarius-a charming, effervescent man who shatters her rigid world. His presence awakens something in her that she never knew she was missing. For the first time, Sydney feels truly at home, valued, and loved-experiences she thought were forever beyond her reach. The irony of finding solace in someone so different from herself only deepens the impact of their connection. But such profound change comes at a cost. Sydney is faced with an impossible choice: between embracing the happiness Xarius offers and fulfilling her obligations to those who have always been her burden. Torn between two conflicting paths, she must decide whether to pay the price for her newfound joy or abandon it to maintain her old responsibilities. Will Sydney find a way to navigate these treacherous waters, or will she escape into the safety of the familiar, leaving behind the twisted wildlands of her heart? Started: July 18, 2020 End: December 17, 2020

To transform her family's life from rags to riches, Cari is determined to focus on her studies and set the idea of love aside. But upon meeting the mysterious Ross, she knew things will never be the same again. Will Cari be able to tame the fiery beast in him--or let herself burn from the heat? ___ Possessing both beauty and brains, Carmilla Rina Dela Pente is dearly called 'Aphrodite' by her best friends. Despite being a head-turner, Cari has no intention to entertain suitors because she has strict goals set up- to fulfill her family's dreams. One soccer game unexpectedly changes her life, ultimately drawing her to the cold and handsome Ross. For the first time in their lives, both Cari and Ross experienced the bliss of falling in love. But with their feelings growing stronger, Cari soon discovers that their love comes with a price- one that may cost her not only her special love ones, but even more. Disclaimer: This story is written in Taglish. Start: May 12, 2020 End: July 18, 2020

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, songs, places, events, and incidents are either product of author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. ©Reynald Hernandez (Penguin20)

You can understand the story without reading the whole Death Game series.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, songs, places, events, and incidents are either product of author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. ©Reynald Hernandez (Penguin20)

Once you've start to read it, there's no turning back. Season 1 Start: December 22, 2015 End: April 11, 2016