What if you only have seconds to live your life, how will you spend them?
Rob a bank? Climb the highest mountain?
Live in a temple? Marry the person you love?
Or would you spend your time left with your loved ones?
I chose mine differently.
I will tell you a story.
This isn't a fairy tale.
It's about a girl who lived the perfect life.
She lived in a palace with loving parents.
She had the nicest friends a person could have.
She was in love and she was loved.
She had everything.
Yet she was not happy.
Because she was selfish.
She traded those people who loved her, even the man she promised to love and to cherish...
...for a chance of a life...for time.
Her name is Faith,
And this is my story...
Louraine Samantha Allegra was standing in front of those people, for two purposes. One was to gain acknowledgement that she was the sole heiress of Allegra Jewelry. Two was to announce her engagement to a man she never even met.
Every person always have a turning point in their lives. Hers started six years ago.
Six years ago, she had learned in a hard way that fairytale will never happen in reality. After her graduation, the man she loved dumped her and never gave her any explanation. Days passed, her parents met a tragic accident that took away their lives forever. She never felt so alone in her life until that day.
But a single tragedy opened a new door for her.
She met her wealthy aunt who helped her survive. And so she will pay her back even if she have to give up her freedom and her happiness. Wala na din namang mawawala sa kanya. She already lost everything she treasured six years ago.
I am Sapphire Lynne Stone, ang pang-apat sa aming magkakapatid, but considered as the fifth member because my twin sister was a few minutes older than me. I finished Hotel and Restaurant Management as a Suma Cum Laude. Yes, I’m proud, kahit na tinatawag akong nerd noong nasa college ako. It’s still an achievement. Something my parents could be proud of. After graduation, nagpatayo ako ng sarili kong restaurant. I called it Frost Mist.It started small, since nag-uumpisa pa lang ako. I almost had it closed down because I was busy with my apprenticeship. Napabayaan ko ng kaunti ang restaurant. But after a year of struggle, pinalago ko ito using my knowledge and skills that I honed for years. And so, at the age of twenty-three, I owned a luxurious restaurant, few cafés, and bakeshop in the country.
Hindi sa nagbubuhat ako ng sarili kong bangko, but apparently, I became quite successful with my craft. That’s why I set some set of rules in my own business to discipline my staff and those people that would work with me. Kasi ayokong mawala lang ng parang bula ang pinaghirapan ko. Unfortunately, nilabag na ng assistant manager ko ang pinaka-una roon. Ang huwag ma-inlove sa best friend kong ubod ng kamanyakan.
Lorenzo Marcus Hernandez, my very own, one and only friend in this planet, and apparently became my best friend, was the culprit for breaking millions of women’s heart – if not thousands. Sino ba naman ang masisisi ko kung na-i-inlove ang mga kababaihan sa unang tingin pa lang nila sa kulugong iyon. It was just his fault, alone. Kasi sinasadya niyang ma-inlove sa kanya ang mga kawawang biktima niya. Then, if he nailed her, he’d drop her off like a hot potato...
NAKAKAILANG hampas na ng kamay si Hanna sa nakalipas na sampung minuto pero ni isa ay wala pa rin siyang napapatay na lamok.
Kanina pa naman siya pinapapak ng mga pesteng lamok na iyon habang nasa labas siya ng klase nila, nakaluhod. Uso pa naman ang Dengue sa buwang ito. Tag-ulan na kasi.
Kapag siya, naubusan ng dugo at na-ospital, sisiguraduhin niyang ang teacher nila ang pababayarin niya ng hospital bill niya. Mahal kayang magpa-ospital ngayon. Kuripot pa naman ang tatay niya.
Kung nagtataka kayo kung bakit nasa labas siya ng klase nila, mahabang istorya.
Pero in short, nasa labas siya ng klase bilang parusa dahil binigyan niya ng nosebleed ang isa sa mga kaklase niyang lalaki gamit ang kamao niya.
Inasar kasi siya ng mokong na iyon kaya iyon tuloy ang napala nito. Namili pa ito ng oras na asarin siya e iyong masamang masama ang mood niya at manipis na manipis na lang ang pasensya niya.
Pasalamat ang lalaking iyon dahil iyon lang ang inabot nito sa kanya. That was her being generous. Walang wala iyon sa mga ginawa niya sa iba.
Well, ayos lang sa kanya na tumambay muna siya sandali sa labas ng klase nila kasi aantukin lang naman siya sa klase. Gawin ba namang History ang huling subject nila.
Isa pa, baka maisipan pa ng teacher nila na samahan niya ang ugok na kaklase niya sa Infirmary. Naku, masamang ideya iyon. Baka kasi mauwi pa sa hospital ang isang iyon...
“I’m sorry.”
She never thought those words could actually hurt physically, emotionally, and mentally. Why would this person use them as a weapon to get what he wants? Wasn’t that cruel? Especially coming from him, from the only person she cared about outside her family, the boy she thought she’ll be spending her whole life with.
Hindi niya napigilan ang pagpatak ng luha niya kaya yumuko siya. No, she will not let him see how much he was hurting her right now. Pinalis niya ng isang kamay ang basa niyang pisngi saka ito tiningnan sa mata.
Nakita niyang nag-aalala ito. His eyes were full of sorrow and regret. What for? Was he regretting what he was doing right now? Or was he regretting he had to do this to her?
“Bakit? Pumiyok pa yata ang boses niya. But it doesn’t matter. Kailangan niyang malaman kung bakit nito iyon ginawa.
Because honestly, she was very confused right now. Wala kasi siyang matandaang nag-away sila. Hindi rin sila nagkakatampuhan. As in never. Kaya nga naiinggit sa kanya ang ibang mga kaklase niya kasi napaka-problem free daw ng relationship nila ni Jethro. Kahit konting argument, wala. So what was the problem? Where was the problem? Why? Nong isang araw lang, nag-uusap sila. And everything was fine.
Medyo nag-alinlangan pa itong sagutin ang simpleng tanong niya. Then after a while, he sighed. “It’s not the same anymore.”...
“Arianne. Ang saya natin ngayon ah. May occasion ba?”
Nangingiting napalingon si Arianne sa katrabaho niyang si Faye mula sa chart na sinusulatan niya. “Masyado bang halata?” tanong niya habang napapahawak sa sariling pisngi.
“Naku, girl. Paanong hindi? Nasa graveyard shift tayo tapos ikaw lang ang nakangiti ng ganyan. Tingnan mo nga si Hans,” turo nito sa kasamahan nilang kasalukuyang nakaupo at tulala. “Natutulog na dilat ang mata samantalang ikaw, para kang tumira ng isang case ng Cobra. Taas ng energy mo ‘te.”
“Point taken, Faye.” Natatawa na lang siya. Kung maka-compare kasi ito, wagas!
“So, ano?” tumabi ito sa kanya at bumulong. “What’s the occasion?”
“Secret.” natatawang lumayo siya rito at umalis bitbit ang isang chart. Nakatanggap muna siya ng irap mula kay Faye pero tinawanan lang niya ito habang naglalakad papalayo sa Nurse’s Station para puntahan ang isa nilang pasyente.
Ang totoo niyan, tama si Faye. Arianne was expecting something from her almost 4-year boyfriend, Jace. Nag-message kasi ito sa kanya kaninang umaga ng isang picture ng bulaklak na may caption na “Delivery 2 days from now.”
Sumilay na naman ang ngiti sa labi niya. Two days from now would be their 4th year anniversary and Jace being Jace, he would certainly plan something to surprise her and make it a special day for the both of them—just like what he always did...
