s (A

ther raptur

s with lustful desi

e is an

under the al

n the middle o

brance of a

ilous place

den hangs

oul into

ong tug th

n of woes,

oid d

o the surfac

ghtmare

r is not on m

*

ssroom, my feet dragged me to the bulletin board where the poem of the day was published. At that huge board, my rounded eyes scanned each part

oyfulness of thinking of money I would receive as a form of r

anging on her lips and deep dimples, Vera, in a friendly voice, allowed me to get in. The warmth I didn't r

ame, "EL?" She ensured my pen name once I had

nod, I confirmed

know your real name?" She, in her doubtful eyes

spontaneous short name

ds sufficed to reveal how kind she was toward other people and despite bad treatment I receiv

e can give." Her palm shoved the thin white envelope on the table toward me. "I am wonderi

t of the editor team is demanding to me; I am afra

Excusing myself, I exited out of the editor's room with the envelop

time it was; I hurtled through the corridor to t

eone who was a few feet away. Reno, awkwardly, approached me with an old book he pinched i

ust forget it, then. You

it is

nothing we sho

ook, poem collections by Maya Angelou, which had moved to my palm now, it was the book I was eager to read. "You can have

t to you as soon

now. Besides, I have

ted in keeping it after all." Luna, after that short conversati

e befr

o far for my hand to touch it. However , this persistent boy would not easily give up to knock at my do

for me; a student finally accepted me in this school besides Vera and my heart fluttered in happiness at i

contradicted how I felt inside toward h

udden utterance of congratulating me

r w

the poem of the week." This nerdy boy, beyond my expectations, r

muttered my gratitude, and t

*

hirty students in it with the air conditioning that cooled not only our body but

this was civic class, the subject I despised the most. The topic bored me; we studied about citizen right

and bled for the throne, not for their people; I abhorred their selfish act and imaging which

, hoping the teacher didn't find me showing disinterest with the lesson. It was not me the only on

3?" I lifted my chin to that abrupt question thrown at me; my

ussion didn't pique my interest; besides no o

nts who might volunteer to respond to her question. The smartest person in m

you." Her lips spread in

e class was over; that stunning teacher abandoned the classroom with th

*

ome; this time, no sandwiches my hand could fish out of my pocket. Luck would

ide it. Reno refused to accept his book back when I aimed to return it to him in the library today; that boy, instead of

s came to a halt in front of the shed-like house. Minding my steps through the tarnish path toward my house, I

hy floor with my mother crouching in the corner my vision caught. With a devastated heart, I

palms under my chin; his strangle on my neck didn't spare me

d on my face. Then, he, as if being possessed, dragged my

ther's savage reputation, there was nothing they could do but watch my an

.," My mother's voi

come out my mother's mouth but someone I