Katana Gail Velasco had been an achiever since grade school. Her classmates and friends admired her for always being at the top of the class. She made sure to stay there, not just for herself, but to make her parents proud. Then came Jamie Larisha Escodero. A transfer student. Smart and confident. Suddenly, Katana wasn't the only one shining. And she hated it. She hated her. It felt like Jamie had stolen her spotlight, the one thing Katana had worked so hard to keep. But as time passed, her frustration toward Jamie only grew stronger. Every glance, every smirk, every little victory Jamie claimed sent Katana's blood boiling. What she didn't know was that, with every glare and every word of annoyance, Jamie's feelings for her only deepened. Because every time Katana got mad, Jamie didn't feel irritated- she felt something else entirely. Butterflies. "I-I think I'm in love with her..."

"You're my betrothed." "Naliligaw ka, Miss." Inis na isasara ko na sana yung pinto ng humarang sya doon. "I don't think so. You're Terry Alcatraz right?" Terry has never been terrified all her life, ngayon lang. As she is now standing infront of a Goddess in the form of this woman with 5'10 height, pinkish white skin na hindi yata sanay sa araw, ash gray hair, at yung malalamlam na mga mata na akala mo laging inaantok. Am I still dreaming? "Sino ka ba?" "I'm your betrothed." Hay nako. May baliw na naman na naligaw. I pity her. Maganda nga. Baliw naman. "You got it wrong. Babae ako, Miss." Tsk. Bibigyan ka na nga lang din ng kapareha. Babae pa na mas maganda sayo at may saltik sa utak. Where's justice? "No. I'm in the right place. We're engaged." "Baliw ka ba?" Asar na tanong ko na sa kanya. Nauubos na ang pasensya ko dahil inaantok pa ko. Nagtatakang tiningnan ako ng mga matang kulay tsokolate na iyon. "Me?" Hinagod pa ako nito ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa. "Shit, why am I trapped with you? I wonder. I could have atleast chose a better one. My toenails is way more appealing than you!" Ano daw? Sa sobrang inis ko ay hindi ko napigilang hubarin ang suot kong house slippers at batuhin sya niyon. Sino ba naman ang hindi maiinis? Kagigising mo lang ay may kakatok na sa tapat ng pintuan nyo para lang mangtrip. Pagkatapos sasabayan pa ng panglalait. Tila naman umurong lahat ng tapang ko ng mag angat ng tingin mula sa tsinelas na tumama sa pisngi nito ang babaeng iyon na may pares ng kulay tsokolateng mata. She gave me a chillin' smile pagkatapos ay dinampot ang tsinelas ko saka ubod ng lakas na binato din sakin yung tsinelas ko. Fudge! My pretty face! "There, we're quits. That's what engaged people do. They give and take." pagkatapos ay ngumiti ng pagkatamis tamis na akala mo santita. "Hmm. Bakit parang mas maganda pa sayo yung slippers mo? You could have bought a face too." Ano daw? Papatayin ko talaga tong baliw na babaeng ito. ***

"Hanggang ganito na lang ba? Ang tingin mo sakin pamatid ng panandaliang pangangailangan mo?" Iritableng napatingin ako sa pigurang iyon ni Corinne. Si Corinne! Fuck! Bakit ko ba kasi sya dinamay sa gulong ito. "Sinabi ko na sayo nung una pa lang di ba? Stay away from me!" Gigil na singhal ko sa kanya. "Dikit ka ng dikit! Tapos ngayon ako pa lumalabas na masama." Tila matutunaw naman ako ng unti-unting tumulo yung luha sa mga mata niya. "I love you, Aria. Pero kahit ilang beses ko namang sabihin iyon sayo wala lang di ba? Kasi until now hindi mo pa din kayang ibigay yung sarili mo ng buong-buo. Kasi hanggang ngayon nakakulong ka pa din sa kahapon mo. " "Hindi totoo yan.." Nanghihinang napaupo ako. What have I done? Bakit ba paulit ulit ko na lang syang nasasaktan? "I can't save you, Aria." Punung puno ng pait na sabi nya. "I can't save you kasi ayaw mong magpasalo. Hindi lahat sasaktan ka. Kelangan mo din magtiwala na hindi ko kayang saktan ka." Natawa lang ako ng pagak. "Tell me, Corinne. What's holding you back? Akala ko ba mahal mo ko? Bakit hindi mo magawang ibigay ng buo yung sarili mo?" Pinalis ni Corinne yung luhang umaagos sa magkabila niyang pisngi. "Because I know you. I know na pag nakuha mo na ko, Game over na. And I don't want to end everything that we have just because of that. " "Wow!" Napapalatak ako sa kanya. "Now, who have trust issues sa ating dalawa ngayon? " Ngumiti siya ng pilit. Another broken smile. How many times should I break her before she gives me up? "If I give myself to you now, Will you give me your heart?" Fuck! No! I don't know. I really don't know. She can have me. But I know that she can never have my heart.

Written in Taglish • Slow-burn troupe • Haciendera x CEO

Akala ko, admiration lang. Girl crush. Normal lang naman magkagirl crush diba? Pero bakit hindi ko siya kayang kalimutan? Samantha grew up knowing what was right: girls love boys, prayers fix everything, and feelings that don't fit the mold should be buried deep. But then came Andrea-morena and soft brown curls. Eyes that felt like golden hour. A laugh that made the world quieter. A presence so effortless, it was disarming. This isn't the kind of love the world talks about. This isn't the kind of girl she's allowed to want. But it's the only kind that's ever felt real. Halos is a tender, unflinching portrait of a girl pulled between faith and feeling, shame and truth. A story about the dizzying joy of queer love-and the quiet, brutal ache of trying to erase it. It's about hiding behind "admiration," behind silence, behind what's expected-until one day, you can't anymore. For anyone who's ever asked: "Is it wrong to want this?" "Or is it just wrong to be me?"

What are you willing to do if she can't recognize you anymore? Will you let her go? Or will you stay? This is another story of pure fiction. Started: May 27 2024 Completed: September 20 2024 Rank by Category (October 1 2024) #2 wlw #2 memoryloss #20 amnesia #20 contract *This story may contain scenes and language that may not be appropriate for some readers. Read at your own risk.

She falls in love with a stranger on their first encounter, but the question is: Is she real or not? DATE STARTED: September 10, 2024 DATE COMPLETED: October 06, 2024 Ranking by Category: (October 06, 2024) #1 hallucination #2 daydream

Muse #1

After losing their parents, Colette sees her identical twin-Cosette-as her light in the dark even though their two older sisters are still with them. She looked up to her as if her twin was years older and had already earned years of life experience. She trusts Cosette more than anyone and never once doubts her decisions and choices in everything. But that changed when a woman from an infamous family-Fraulein Monreal-made their lives take an unexpected turn. She took them in as if they were her responsibility. Colette didn't understand how her sisters, especially Cosette, immediately grew fond of the woman. Her sisters see this woman as their new mother figure and all Colette can feel is indifference and curiosity. It had been two years since they were living under her roof and sometimes, at night before she slept, she wondered if that would even change.

Sage Reagan is a student at Xaxen University. A brat, naughty, and easygoing person. She loves to tease the terror Professor Avany Amara Martinez. What would happen if they switched? Imagine a spoiled brat who doesn't care about grades, and teaching in front of the class. What will happen to Miss. Avany's reputation as a top professor within the institution? A mishap resulted in the placement of souls in unexpected bodies. Copyright©12/11/22 by RD. Date Finished: 04/21/23