"Ouch... dad..." Nasabi ko na lamang habang hawak ang cheeks ko. It stings. Why, dad? "S-stop talking like that about your stepmom." Naramdaman kong nag-smirk ang stepmom ko. I know... I can feel it. She thinks she won? Just remembering the things I saw disgusts me. "B-but dad, please... please listen to me. Nakita ko yun. She's cheating on you! A lot of times already!" I screamed. Bakit ba nagbubulag-bulagan pa si dad? He looked away. "I told you, Daliah needs to study far away... para matuto. Baka 'pag naranasan niyang mag-isa, matuto siya. Goodness," she said while walking away from us. Me? Away? Gusto niya lang imanipulate ng patuloy si dad! I can't stop the tears falling from my face. Naramdaman kong lumapit sa akin si dad. I faced him. He's looking down. "Please, Daliah... just wait a little bit more. Sorry..." "Kailan pa dad? Kailan mo pa siya hihiwalayan? 'Pag magulo na lahat?" "I don't want her to ruin your life. She ruined ours... well, we ruined each other. Ayokong madamay ka..." I can't believe him. "When the time is right, remember, you need to do it. Kahit na ako pa ang masira. I can't do it since before I can manage to accomplish it, you will be in ruins." I don't understand dad... "Do what is right. Bago siya mauna na ibaon ang pagkakamali niya... namin." "There." I said nang matapos ang ilang paglipat ng angle ay nakakuha na ako ng magandang picture. Nakakainis at sumasagi sa isipan ko yung memory na yun. Can't focus properly, gosh. Umikot ako sa lamesa para naman makuhanan ang iba pang specimen. "Yes. I heard it is an open house in Syracuse Uni for their future students!" sambit ng isa kong kaklase habang busy sa ginagawa sa isang specimen. Syracuse University? Ah, the university that's only a few blocks from our school. Hinayaan ko na lang sila at nagfocus sa pagkuha ng mga pictures. "I'm going to sit on their bench and kiss my boyfriend! Legend says that if a couple kissed while sitting there, they'll definitely get married!" Sana all may boyfriend diba? But wait, ngayon ko lang narinig 'yung legend na sinasabi nila. There is such a thing? Gosh. Argh! His image appeared in my mind. Jonathan... Nope, screw it muna. "Heck, I'll go there and get their senior guys! Haha!" sagot ng isa kong kaklase. I just rolled my eyes. I thought serious ang mga tao dito since mga aspiring medical students ang mga ito? Ang kakaiba, sa New York pa ito! Guess I'm wrong. May mga pagharot din pala sila. "Excuse me nga," I said para tumabi sila at mapicturan ko yung gawa nila. "Daliah... Why so serious? I mean, we need to pass some good documentation of this experiment but please, don't exhaust yourself! You're taking this way too much." Sambit ng kaklase ko. Hindi ba sila naiinis 'pag pangit ang shots? I sighed, "Okay. It's just, I feel good whenever I do this." I replied while perfecting my shots of my group's specimen. She nudged me a bit making me look at her. "Why don't you switch majors then? Before you get further into med school and realize it is too late?" Nope. It won't happen. My family-- my dad, did everything for me just to get into this university. Although a crappy university in my opinion, I'm going to finish this. No matter what happens. I need to do this... to make him proud. To make things right as he said. Isang taon na rin ang lumipas nang nag - aral ako rito. Hindi ko sasayangin ang kakaunting nasimulan ko. Ano ako, stupid? Duh! Hirap hirap umulit eh! Isa pa, nainspire na rin ako ni Jonathan! He's always by my dad's side... being obedient and great in his trade. Just like my dad! "Psh. I don't know, Alyssa. Guess I have to push through?" sagot ko habang focused pa rin ako sa ginagawa. Speaking of isang taon, I need to renew my student visa pala! I grabbed my phone from my lab coat's pocket to send my dad a message. One week na kasing late ang allowance ko, buti na lang I'm not magastos. Kind of lang. Nakakainis din naman kasi 'tong school na 'to, unang year lang sagot nila sa student visa ng mga scholars nila? Gosh! Ibabalik ko pa lang ang phone sa pocket ko nang maramdaman kong nagvibrate iyon. Agad kong sinagot ang call. "Hello? What can I--" "You! Go back in here and settle your fees! If you can't pay me right now, I'm going to sue you!" sigaw ng nasa kabilang line. Wait... Is this my condo?! I thought bayad na ni dad lahat?! "Umm, hey! You can't do that! My parents--" "Yes I CAN! Now go back here and get your stuff!" The call ended. Napakagat labi na lang ako. How come? I grabbed my camera on the table and agad na inilagay ito sa sling bag na nakasukbit sa akin. Tumakbo na ako palabas ng laboratory without minding anyone. I don't care. I need to settle this! "Ms. Ty! Where are you going?!" I heard my professor shouted. Can't he let me be? I mean, college students na po kami, hello? I ran as fast as I could. "Ah!" Napaupo sa kalsada nang matapilok ako. What the actual hell? Agad kong hinubad ang shoes ko. Ayan, Daliah. Who's the stupid gal now? Wearing heels to school. I massaged my ankle at ika - ikang naglakad - takbo sa daan. I tried dialing my parents' number but neither is answering! Grabe! What happened to them na ba? As I reached my condo, I saw her, the landlady holding unto my luggage. She looks at me like I killed her family or something. "Ma'am, I thought we have talked already? This is the first time that I can't pay you! My parents paid you well! Advance pa nga," I said while looking into her eyes. Ngayon lang naman! Kainis 'to ah. My parents never failed to pay! "I don't care what your excuse is, Ms. Sandoval. I need you out of this building now! Also, settle your other payments now. Besides, you don't contribute to this building's maintenance!" She answered, never inaalis ang tingin sa akin. "Ma'am? It is just one week delayed! Can't you reconsider?" She threw my luggage down the stairs of the main gate. "Ha! You have the nerve to say that? I even packed your stuff for you! Stop this nonsense now." Napairap ako at pinulot na lang ang luggage ko on the floor. "Okay," I replied as I throw my shoes in front of her. Tumalikod na ako sa kaniya at hinila ang luggage. Gosh! I'm barefooted now! I mean kanina pa but... Nang makalayo ako ay may napansin akong group of men na sumusunod sa akin. Now don't tell me sa kaniya galing yung mga yun?! Ika - ika akong tumakbo habang hila - hila ang luggage ko. "THERE! The girl wearing a lab coat! It's her!" sigaw ulit niya. Napatingin ako sa suot ko. I'm easily distinguishable with this! Narinig ko ang ilang mga taong tumatakbo papunta sa akin. Nagpatuloy lang ako pero malapit na sila! Puro lalaki sila... No choice ako... I threw my luggage to their way to slow them down. Nakabukas ito at nagkalat ang mga laman. Bahala na mamaya! I continued to run at thank God! Konting takbo pa at may nakikita akong maraming tao doon sa may isang building. Nang nakalapit ako rito ay nagdahan - dahan na ako. I looked at my back just to make sure and mukhang wala sila. Pumasok ako ng gate. Bakit ang daming tao rito? Inilibot ko ang paningin ko at nakilala ang lugar. I'm inside the Syracuse University?! Good thing open house sila today... "I think I saw her right here, didn't you notice?" Napalingon ako sa nagsalita. Gosh. It's one of those guys! Yung sumusunod sa akin! Tumakbo ako papunta sa kung saan. Paano na? I can't think clearly! Nasa may field ako at halata kung sa building ako pupunta! It's far from here! I ran to the side at may nakita akong bench. This will work just fine! I can see the back of the bench and I looked back. Lumilinga - linga na sila! Lumapit ako sa likod ng bench at sumampa roon para makaupo sa upuan. Now, nakalapit ang knees ko sa akin. My arm is holding it while my other arm ay nakahawak sa sandalan ng bench. Nilingon ko ulit ang likod. They are nearing us! Kinapa ko muna ang sling bag ko. My camera! Buti intact pa ito at walang scratches. "I think I saw her walk this way..." Oh no. Napahawak ako sa ulo ko. What am I gonna do? My parents aren't answering din! I turned my head to my left and my world stopped. "Yes, I'm already here, love..." the guy sitting beside me says. He is oblivious to my presence because he is immersed in his phonecall. I noticed how great his eyes are... They are blue... ocean blue. I could take pictures of his eyes alone... He's tall too... Hindi naman kami magkadikit sa bench dahil nasa magkabilang dulo kami nito. Pero feeling ko ang lapit - lapit ko sa kaniya. There is something inside me na 'di ko maipaliwanag... "Come on!" The voice sent me back to reality. Gosh! I totally forgot about the guys! Nang lumingon ako sa likod ay sobrang lapit na nila. Daliah! Think! Nilingon ko ulit ang mala - anghel na katabi ko sa bench. I moved forward to him. I grabbed his smiling face and turned it to my direction. Without waiting for anything, my lips landed on his.