Sinagtala (ONGOING)

Joey Alvarez is a nobody.

It was not a choice she made for herself just because she wanted attention, it's simply the truth. At kuntento na roon si Joey, o iyon ang paulit-ulit niyang sinasabi sa sarili niya. Because being a somebody attracts attention; it seeks connection, it craves warmth, it yearns for something she knows she does not deserve. Hindi para sa kanya ang mga ganoong bagay, hindi siya ang tipo ng taong hinahanap o pinipili. So she remains unseen, untouched, safe and living quietly in the shadows where nothing is asked of her and nothing is expected in return.

Until Sunshine comes into her life, like a literal sunrise in the midst of her dawn, like starlight breaking through the darkness of her mind. Bigla na lang siyang dumating, liwanag na hindi naman hinihingi, ngunit hindi rin kayang tanggihan. She is everything Joey has learned to avoid: warmth, light, and the terrifying possibility of being seen. And just like Icarus, Joey cannot resist the urge to come closer to the Sun, it feels inevitable, like a force she cannot fight. Parang tadhana na hindi niya matakasan, kahit alam niyang siya rin ang masasaktan. She keeps flying toward her, even if it means her own undoing, even if it means burning herself alive.

Kahit alam niyang sa dulo, siya rin ang mauubos.