Prologue

Paubaya, giving up someone you once loved and cared so much. Sometimes I wonder, kung bakit aabot sa punto na ganoon na lang. Why do we even have to reach the point of giving up and letting go of someone you loved so much?

Hindi ko mapigilan na maisip ang ganito. Talamak sa maliit na lungsod namin ang mala-teleseryeng kaganapan kahapon sa simbahan.

How is it easy to ditch someone on their own wedding day? I could not know how could they fathom to leave someone they once love, hanging.

I felt sorry for the mayor's son, who got ditched on his own wedding. He must have felt betrayed by what his supposed to be wife did to him. His heart probably got broken. I hope he could survive this tragic chapter of his life. No one deserves to be left behind.

The mayor son's failed wedding yesterday, is the talk of the town today. The news spread like wildfire within the town. Everywhere you go, may it be at the park, market or even when you ride a tricycle, you can always hear them talk about what happened yesterday.

That's one of the biggest consequence of being part of that kind of life. People will talk about everything that's going on with your life. Your privacy will be compromised. I just really feel sorry for the whole family. This tragic will probably be carved with their family name forever.

Months before the wedding, everybody was so eager to meet the girl that captured the mayor's son. But now, everybody has their own opinion about why the girl ditched its own wedding and disappeared into thin air, leaving no trail behind.

Some laughed at the situation. Others felt sorry for the groom. Some just don't give a damn about what happened.

I bet the mayor felt ashamed because of what happened. I heard that he ordered his men to find that girl who ruined his reputation. It must have been a big punch to their family. I also heard that the mayor's wife had been rushed to the hospital. They said that the church was in commotion with happened.

Hindi ko maisip kung ano ang nararamdaman 'nung anak ni mayor. Siguro nasasaktan 'yon hanggang ngayon. Sino ba naman ang hindi masasaktan kung ang minahal mo ay hindi sumipot sa kasal niyo? I wish someone would comfort him. I hope his family will comfort him.

I could not really imagine how his girl, left him there. Did she not love him? Was she scared? Was it easy for her to leave like that?

From a seventeen years old standpoint, I could not yet think and understand that kind of aspect in life. And we live in different lives. So different that all I know is that we were born to pay off my parents debt. We were born to provide for them. I wasn't given the chance to think about something else other than to study and to work hard to provide better future for our family.

We are not privileged enough to be given the chance to think about something else. Life has been difficult for us that all we could really think is about how to survive everyday.

I was about to get off the tricycle when I saw Perla, my cousin, running towards me. Hinihingal siyang huminto sa harap ko.

"Quiel! I----I----'yong Kuya Olie mo, umalis!" she said. I look at her, processing what she just told me. Her body is uncontrollably shaking. She has tears in her eyes and she looks stressed and worried at the same time.

"Your Mom, she was rushed to the hospital!" she proceeded.

It felt like I went dumb when she said those words. I could not understand what she was telling me. It took me some seconds to realize what she telling me.

"What?!"

Without waiting for her to say more, I run as fast as I can towards our house. Hinahabol ko ang hininga ko ng narating ko ang bahay namin. I could not tell if I entered the right house. It looked so different from what it looked like this morning. Our house was a total mess when I entered. Shattered glass and windows on the floor. It looks like we were robbed but were not. I look around and saw my Papa at the corner. I run towards at him.

"Pa, what happened?" I asked my Papa, who was sitting on the sofa. He looks defeated and betrayed. There were tears in his eyes too.

"Where's Ma?"

"Quiel, your Mama, she was rushed to the hospital. Your siblings went there too to assist your Mama." he said. He burst into tears. I haven't seen my Papa like this before. This was the first time.

"What happened Papa?"

Even I could not control my tears from falling. We hugged each other as we both cry.

Nang kumalma kami ni Papa, agad kaming lumabas ng bahay para pumunta ng hospital. Perla was left in our house to clean up the mess. Nagpaiwan siya kanina sa amin. My Papa told me that our brother, Kuya Olie, abandoned us for good. They were trying to stop him from leaving but failed to do so.

I look at me Papa who is now holding my Mama's hand. He whispered words assuring her that everything will be okay.

"Where would Kuya Olie go, Ate Zen?" I asked my sister.

"I don't know where! When I came home I just saw our Mama kneeling in front of him. She was begging for him to stay. But Kuya insisted on leaving us. That ungrateful sh*t!" galit na sabi ni Ate Zen.

"Calm down Zen." Kuya Greg said.

I sighed. I feel so betrayed, sad, hopeless about our situation. What will happen to us now? Everything will change if my Kuya will really abandone us.

A doctor came in and went towards my Mama. He smiled at them said his greetings.

"Good afternoon Sir, Ma'am."

My Papa stood up and shook the hands of the doctor.

"The tests came, and they were okay aside from the sudden increase in blood pressure. Ma'am you need to control your emotions. Avoid things that can stress you out. It might cause trouble on your blood pressure ang might cause complications in your body."

After checking my Mama, the doctor left. The good news is that my Mama does not need to be admitted for tonight. She can just go home and rest and that's good to hear. As much as I want my Mama to rest here, we can't really afford the bill here, if ever.

Kuya Greg and Ate Zen decided to go to a nearest food stall to take out something for our dinner. I was left in the hospital with my Papa and Mama. After paying the bill, we rode a tricycle going home. We were silent the whole ride going home.

I still could not understand why Kuya Olie decided to leave us. Is he that burndened on supporting our daily needs? I wish I could just finish already so that I can find a decent job and finally support my family.

Why is being poor this difficult?! Bakit ang hirap maging mahirap?

When we reached our house, the mess earlier were nowhere to be found. It looks like it's back on its normal state aside from where the broken glass where located, it left some evidence that there was a commotion here awhile ago.

My Papa held my Mama's hand as they both walk towards their room. I went to our kitchen that is connected to our small living room. I grab a glass and pour some water in it. I had a very tiring and long day today.

I did not know that I was spacing out in our kitchen not until Ate Zen called me.

"Quiel, you still haven't change your clothes yet? We're about to eat our dinner. Ako na ang bahala mag handa ng mga pinggan, bihis ka na."

I look down and saw that I was still wearing my school uniform.

"Okay Ate"

We ate our dinner in silence. The only thing that you can hear is the spoon and fork hitting the plate and the crickets outside. No one has the courage yet to start a conversation, which is very unusual since our meal time before is the time where our parents asks about our day. Siguro hindi na iyon mangyayari. Alam na naman namin lahat kung ano ang nangyar kanina.

I understand why everyone is still not talking. Maybe I guess, like me, they are still processing about what happened this afternoon. Maybe it's not yet sinking in on us the truth that Kuya Olie left us here.

Maybe Kuya Olie had enough. He is on the right age to marry someone now and have his own family but maybe he realized that he could not achieve it if he stays with us. Kuya Olie and Ate Zen are the ones supporting our parents to go by the day. I will also understand if one day, Ate Zen will also decide to leave us and start her own life.

After eating our dinner, my parents went back to their room, Kuya Greg and Ate Zen left to go somewhere, and I was left in the kitchen, washing the dishes.

I could not stop myself from thinking, what's going to happen to us now? Can I still continue my studies or should I look for some part time jobs? Maybe I should start looking for part time jobs tomorrow since it's saturday. Siguro nga maghahanap na ako nangmapapagkakitaan.