"Narinig mo na ba ang balita? May bago na daw bf ang ex mo," Ethan, one member of Touch5, asks Gabrielle as they are resting from their dance practice that morning.
"Really? That's good," he just shrugged at the news. It's been a couple of weeks since he last saw her.
Kahit alam niya na nasaktan niya ang babae it's still a daggering truth that he can't be with her anymore. On the first place, they are not really for each other. Well, that's according to her dad. He still can remember her dad's last statement to him.
"You and my daughter can't be together. You're not the kind of person that I want to be with her. If you promise to stay away from her, I will make sure your radiance on the spotlight. But if you continue to meet her, I will destroy you and your father's name in the industry."
He smiles bitterly as he remembered it. He felt sorry for Shanelle. She's been her inspiration and he loved her, even still loving her 'till now. She's her first love. Pero dahil sa mga unexpected circumstances, nagging ganito ang lahat.
Di naman sana niya ito iiwan. Not because of his dad. He loves her that much that he doesn't care about her dad at all. But then...he just can't be with her. Because his life is limited now. Just like they said it's better to hurt the one you love now than to hurt her more later when you're gone...forever.
He hurts her big time and maybe she hates her with all her life now. Tawagin man siyang selfish, but he doesn't have choice but to choose the best thing for her. At yun ang layuan siya.
"Alam ko pinagsisisihan mo na ang pananakit sakanya," Ethan said as he noticed him being silent for a long moment.
"It's for her own good. And of course, for me and my family. May boyfriend na siya. I should be happy for her," he said saka tumayo. "I'll go now. Still have class."
_______________
"So dadalhin mo ang boyfriend mo sa prom?" Jam asks Shanelle as they are walking to their next class.
"N-no... I mean... busy siya, so yeah, di ko siya iimbitahin," she said. She doesn't plan to bring that ghost in the prom. Oo, ghost na ang tawag niya sakanya because of his unexplainable popping out from her sketchpad.
"Sureness ka? Ang mata nilang lahat ay sayo nakatuon tandaan mo yan. Pero... kung hahayaan mong ako muna ang unang makakita sakanya e di mas okay. Wag mo muna ipapakita sa tropang Papz dahil diba, ako naman ang pinaka closure mo," he said grinning.
"I don't think that's a good idea. Sabi ko naman sayo siya ay---" she stopped as she saw Gabrielle walking towards their direction. She noticed his shocked reaction after seeing her also.
"Uh...oh... Sa tingin ko dapat na akong umalis," kinindatan ako ni Jam and then he zooms away from her even before she can stop him.
Yeah, what a nice best friend I have. She looks at Gabrielle who is in front of her already. And yeah, he is still that hot, handsome and cool guy that made her life upside down. He's wearing his usual attire. His white t-shirt with Touch5 printed on it, his denim, pants, and his headphones placed on his neck.
Kung di niya naaalalang hiwalay na sila siguro she would jump towards him already. But, hell, no, because they are of different worlds now.
"How are you Shan?" he asked to break the monotony.
Shanelle looks away. "Kung anuman ang nangyayari sakin ngayon, wala ka na dun."
He nods. "Yeah, I know. You still hate me. Naiintindihan ko yun."
"Of course, you should know, jerk," she said calming herself from bursting into anger again and do a beastly thing towards him.
"Masaya ako na natagpuan mo na ang kaligayahan sa iba. Be happy with him," he said smiling.
Gosh I hate seeing him smile like that. This moron really drives me crazy.
"He's a million, no trillion times different from you. He won't use me for his own benefit. He is not selfish. And he won't play with my feelings," tinatagan niya ang sarili para di umiyak sa harap niya. She shouldn't cry because of him anymore. "If you'll excuse me, I will go now. Owh, one more thing, I wish I won't see you around anymore. Your face disgusts me."
She walks past him and runs as her tears fall again. She can't understand her feelings. Everything about Gabrielle is a nightmare to her, but he is the only reason why she cries even just seeing him.
Tumigil siya sa may hagdan nang Makita niya ang kumpol-kumpol na kababaihan na para bang nakakita sila ng artista. Pinunasan niya ang luha niya at tinignan ang kung sinong tinitignan nila.
"I'm here to look for someone," a voice said that made her tilts her head. That voice seems familiar. Isn't that voice from... Her eyes widen on the realization and runs to look at him.
He's wearing a blue stripes polo shirt and black plants. His hair are colored blond and his eyes are slightly covered with his hair. I didn't think he can be this cool.
"A-anong ginagawa mo ditto?!" she scoffed at him while looking around seeing all eyes are at her again.
"Who is he? Is he your relative or something?" one girl that she thinks is on one of her classes asked.
"A-ah? N-no, I mean. He's just a neighb---"
"I'm her boyfriend, Prince Chihoon," he said and flips his hair that's covering his eye.
A loud whispering is heard from the girls. She's sure they are cursing her for having a cool guy again. And more, he just said he's her boyfriend.
"C'mon, let's go," she said and pulled him away from everyone.
"Am I a dog or something?" reklamo ng lalake habang hinihila siya ni Shanelle. "You can't just pull a person like that. Tsk." Pumasok siya sa loob ng sasakyan na sinundan naman ni Shanelle.
"Why did you come here? Di ba sabi ko manatili ka sa bahay pagkatapos mong mamili?" she started driving the car. Di na lang siya papasok sa klase niya dahil sa inis.
"Tss...annoying," he said and puts earphones on his ears.
And he even knows how to wear that eh? Ibang klase. She takes off his earphone from his left ear. "Don't you dare come to my school again, understand?"
"Why? I though you needed a boyfriend to show everyone that you're not a loser? And one more thing, I need to meet other humans too. Saka humans go to school so I should go to school also."
"NO! You can't go to my school!" she yells as she slows down the car near their house.
"A human can make decisions for himself. And I'm a human, so you can't control me," he shrugged and goes out of the car.
She sighs in frustration. Yeah, I guess this can't be worked out with words. He doesn't even know how to listen to his creator.
"I did the grocery already. It's your turn to cook," anito at umupo na sa sofa at binuksan ang TV.
And he even has the guts to tell me what to do? This ghost is really something.
Kinuha niya ang remote at pinatay ang TV. "Go to my room and stay there. My dad might go home any time and he definitely can't see you here."
"What's wrong with that? Parents should meet their daughter's boyfriend," he tilts his head innocently at her.
Aisht, what do you know? "Just do what I told you to do. He can't see you here," she pulls his hand to make him stand. "C'mon. don't make everything hard for me."
"OK. Just cook and let me eat. Humans need food to survive." He said at pumasok na nga sa kwarto.
Her mouth agapes in disbelief. And how he comes he knows a lot about humans? I definitely need to interview him tonight.
_________________
"Sleep at the floor," Shanelle said as they are preparing to sleep that night. She throws to him her extra blanket and pillow together with her extra foam.
"Eh? Humans should sleep comfortably in bed. You really don't treat me as a human eh?" he scoffed at her as he fixes the foam where he will sleep.
"A guy and a girl should not sleep together on bed, unless they're married idiot. That's what normal humans believe in," she scoffed back at him.
"Why? Are there even abnormal humans?" he asked as he looked at her while leaning on the bedside table.
Yes, you are that abnormal human. Kung human ka mang matatawag. Tss... "Yes, there are. Wait, what on Earth is the reason why you became a human? I men, that's out of my imagination. You just popped out of my sketchpad," she looks back at him.
"Let's just say that I came here to be your handsome prince," he shrugged and lays down.
"That's not it. I know there is a deeper reason behind it. C'mon tell me," she throws a pillow on him to make him awake.
Kinuha naman niya ang pillow na tinapon niya at niyakap ito. "I don't know. What I know was when you almost finished me, I already can hear you. I can hear your cry and your complaints about life. Then just I remember the voice that said, 'A talented girl will bring you to life'. Then just when you finished me, I became a human," he shrugged. Di na niya sinabi na isa siyang isinumpang tao hundred years ago baka matakot pa ito.
Alam niya na andito sa mundong ito ang taong nagsumpa sakanya at gusto siyang patayin. Yun ang kailangan niyang alamin.
Shanelle slits her eyes habang pinapakinggan niya ito. How is that even possible? Is this some kind of black magic or something ominous?
"Will you not return to where you came from again?" she asked.
"Goodnight," he just said and covers himself with a blanket.
How arrogant. Tss. She turns her back from him and takes a deep breath. She still can't buy his explanation. She feels that there is something she should find out. Bago siya matulog inopen muna niya ang social media account niya.
1 new message from Louie.
9+ messages from Tropang Papz
1 message from Troy.
Troy? Sino kaya to? Una niyang binasa ang message ni Louie.
Louie: Shanshan!
Shanelle: Uy musta? Nahihilo ka pa ba?
Louie: Mejo. Nagsusuka nga ako eh.
Shanelle: hulaan ko sakit mo.
Louie: Ano?
Shanelle: Tumor sa kuko.
Louie: Mali.
Shanelle: Ay nak. E ano?
Louie: Cancer sa baga.
Shanelle: So kelan ka mamamatay?
Louie: 12: 72. Gusto mong isama kita?
Shanelle: Kingina. Walang ganyanan.
Louie. Nanlalabo na. naninikip na dibdib ko.
Shanelle: sayang free data ako. Naka messenger lang di ko mababasa ang malanobela mong pagkamatay mamaya.
Louie: Gago ka Shan!
Tumawa siya ng mahina saka inopen ang message nung Troy.
Troy: Send nudes.
Amputcha hanudaw?
Shanelle: Gago you. Epal.
Troy: Epal mo 2.
Shanelle: O tapos?
Ewan ko kung bat nirereplyan ko pa to panira bwisit.
Troy: Makikipagkaibigan lang ako. Di naman ako manghihingi ng nudes mo. Kala mo naman pagnanasahan ko yang diretso mong katawan. Elementary size naman yan.
Shanelle: PUTANGINA MO. Anong elementay size? Cup B ako noh? Epal ka Gago!
Dahil sa inis ni Shanelle ay natapon niya ang phone niya sa kung saan saka nagdeisyong matulog na.