Someone will judge you no matter what you do. But always remember that there are still people who love you "

Chapter 1

In the town of San Leandro, there is a remarkable maiden not because of its enchanting beauty.

But because of the attention-grabbing large birthmark on his right cheek.

She just crouched down while walking while wearing a hoodie.

"She's here again!"

"I heard that she eat children so her face turned out to be like that"

"I heard also she race witches so no one wants to adopt him" she heard whispers whispering around as he walked.

She bowed even more and walked straight to the church. She is already used to the conversations she hears every time he goes shopping.

Dire she just walks straight into the church I grew up in.

"Good morning Father" I happily greet the parish priest of our town.

"Good morning to you too Crystal." he also greeted me happily.

"Father, why are you already awake?"

"I need to wake up early to prepare for our town's upcoming fiesta"

After Father said that, I was surprised. I didn't realize it was a fiesta in our area again. I don't go out at such times because many visitors and tourists visit our small town.

"Crystal, it's good that you're here, I've been looking for you for a while" Mother Dessa called me immediately.

"Why are you looking for me?" I asked him in surprise.

"I want to ask a favor from you." She gently answered me.

"What is it?" I was even more surprised because Mother Dessa wouldn't ask for a favor if it wasn't important.

"My nephew will come later from Manila. You know that a lot more needs to be fixed here in the church before the mass starts later."

"Is that so"

"So I would beg you to pick him up later at the pier"

"What time will she come?"

"She told me that the pier she was riding in would arrive later at noon"

"All right, I'll pick him up later. I'll have to leave because there is a task that I have to finish"I immediately said goodbye to them.

"All right, You have to leave immediately before Sister Cecil scolds you" Father teased me.

"Goodbye"

After saying goodbye to them I went straight to the kitchen. I instantly put down what I bought from the market.

"It's good that you've been here. I'm waiting for a long time for you to come" Nanay Cecil immediately complained to me.

"Nanay Cecil these are the things that you have to give me to buy from the list. I was just caught because I met Father and Sister Dessa."

"Hurry up so breakfast can start before the kids wake up". I immediately helped Nanay Cecil cook breakfast.

I have been here in the orphanage for a long time since I was a baby. When I was young I was like other children here in the orphanage. Waiting for someone to adopt me and let me into their small home.

Years passed but no one adopted me. I knew from the beginning that no one would want to adopt me. But is it wrong for me to hope that a family will accept me even though I look like this?

I also didn't finish high school so I have nothing to be proud of. I could not stand the judgmental eyes of my classmates. I always suffered every year when I was in school it was like hell.

They know I can't complain so they do whatever they want. I don't want to cause any burden here within the church. So I could do nothing but give up my dream of becoming a great teacher.

"Ate Crystal!" I heard him call me. So I immediately removed the clutter from my mind.

"Why Cindy?" I asked her.

"What's for breakfast?" she asked me.

"You already know what is it..."

"Rice, tuyo, and eggs," we said together as we soon laughed.

"Hahaha that's always our dish in the morning," she said forthwith.

"You know sometimes we run out of budget for a month" I directly explained to him.

"It's okay at least we still have food" She helped me set the table and called the children.

Cindy was the child I was closest to at church. She is not like others who cry when they see me. She is still ten years old so she still has hope for adoption. Her parents left her when she was 3 years old.

She was left in front of the church crying. We thought that his parents would come back to him the next day but a few days later they did not come back.

"Hurry up before you get caught late at school" I instantly told them.

They immediately hurried to eat and headed to the bathroom.

There are four bathrooms in the church, one for Father, one for the sisters, and two for the children and church staff.

After they left, I shortly put away the food and washed the dishes. I also help here at church because I can't find a job. Not because I was lazy to search but no one even accepted me.

I think I have already applied for any kind of job that I can apply for. From here in our town to our neighboring town.

No one accepted me yet so I just worked here. I work for free because I also feel grateful to the church to take care of me even though I look like this.

Then I immediately took a shower and got dressed for the task to the pier. I immediately put on the hoodie and took a mask to apply to my face later.

Maybe later I'll be scared of what I'll fetch and say I'm a witch or maybe I'm a ghost. I put the mask in the pocket of my hoodie and started cleaning the church.

I wiped each saint one by one and wiped the floor thoroughly. When I looked at the clock it was 11:30 so I hurried to act. I quickly soaked the children's clothes before I left.

"I'm leaving first," I said goodbye before walking to the pier.

•••

Ate- means older sister in Filipino

Tuyo- a type of Filipino sun-dried fish

Nanay- means an affectionate or honorific term for an older woman.