"What?!" anang Daddy ni Tala sa kanya, ang mga mata lalong naningkit. Kaya naman imbes na sumagot, lalo siyang napaatras, afraid of what her father might do to her. Her mother gave her an apologetic and worried look."Mabuti pa siguro, doon ka na muna sa kwarto mo, Tala. Mag-uusap lang kami--""No! She's not going anywhere hanggang hindi niya nasasagot ang mga tanong ko!" gigil na putol ng Daddy niya sa mga sasabihin pa sana ng Mommy niya. "Didn't you hear what she said? You daughter is pregnant, Ana!" singhal nito bago muling ibinalik ang mga mata sa kanya. "I need the name. Tell me who knocked you up, young lady! Now!"Humagulgol na siya, muling napasulyap sa Mommy niya at marahang umiling. "I-I d-don't know," ani sa pagitan ng paghikbi.She will never tell them who's the father of her baby. Labas na si Knoxx sa buhay niya. Bumubuo na rin ito ng sarili nitong buhay bakit pa siya manggugulo? What they had was a mistake. Her mistake. Siya lang. Kaya anumang kunsikwensiya sa nagawa

Present DayNang magmulat si Tala, una niyang namulatan ang puting kisame at puting dingding ng silid na kinaroroonan niya. Was she in a hospital or...Hospital. Agad siyang pinanlakihan ng mga mata nang maalala ang mga pangyayari kanina bago siya nawalan ng malay. She remembered the confrontation she and her parents had. She remembered the extreme pain she felt in her tummy. She even remembered when she bled as soon as they arrived in the hospital. She went in total panic, fearing for the life of her child. he last thing she remembered was they gave her a shot of something that made hercalm down and eventually, sleep. Tahimik niyang ipinagala ang tingin sa silid na kinaroroonan niya. She was alone. Wala sa sariling bumaba ang isang kamay niya sa kanyang tiyan. Worry engulfed her in an instant. Maya-maya pa, hindi na niya napigilan ang maluha. She's worried abour her child. She knew she cannot forgive herself should something happens to her baby. Agad siyang napabaling sa direksiy

Maingat na isinasalansan ni Tala ang mga gamit niya sa luggage niya. Ngayon ang flight niya papuntang New York—the place where she’ll have a fresh start.Nang sabihin niya sa Grandma at Mommy niya na sa New York na ang tuloy niya imbes na sa California, hindi tumutol ang mga ito. They even arranged everything for her. Her mother pulled all her connections and looked for an apartment for her. And lola naman niya ang naghanap mismo ng katulong na pwede niyang dalhin doon. Hindi kasi agad makakasunod ang Mommy niya sa kanya dahil laging sinusumpong ng asthma si Mayumi lately. Mag-iisang linggo na ring nasa Maynila ang Mommy niya dahil nga sa kapatid niya. And she understands. Mayumi has always been sickly kahit noong mga bata pa sila. Mas kailangan nito ang Mommy nila kaysa sa kanya. Isa pa, si Mayumi ang tunay na anak. Nahihiya siyang makihati pa ng atensyon.She surveyed her eyes on her room. She groaned when she see that everywhere was a mess. Ngayon lang din niya kasi binuksan ang mg

“Mommy!” agad na sigaw nia Atlas pagkadating na pagkadating ni Tala sa high-end apartment niya. Her son stood and ran towards her. She quickly caught her 4-year old son in her arms and gave him a gentle squeeze. “I miss you, sweetheart,” aniya bago pinupog ng halik ang pisngi ng kanyang anak. Her son’s giggle quickly filled the four corners of the house. Pakiramdam niya nawala ang pagod niya sa maghapon nang narinig niya ang taw ang anak niya. She kissed him some more before she finally let him go. “Tell me what did you do? Are you a good boy today?” tanong niya habang karga-karga ito patungo sa upuan. “I learned about integers today and I wrote until 500. Ms. Agatha said I’m good and gave me this.” Ipinakita nito sa kanya ang star sticker sa damit nito na may nakasulat na very good. Napangiti siya. Mukhang nage-enjoy talaga ang anak niya sa homeschool sessions nito. Mabuti na lang nahanap niya agad si Ms. Agatha, her son’s homeschool teacher who specializes in teaching gifted chi

Tala slowly took in a lungful of breath as she anxiously watched Princess Olivia study the wedding gown designs she made based on the demands of the princess. She made three gown designs last night as soon as she arrived at her hotel in Maritria.The exhausting 9-hour trip to the country did not make her sleeping easy. Lalo kasing tumindi ang pagte-tensyon niya nang lumapag ang private airplane ng Star Airlines sa Maritria. If she was anxious when she left New York, she was more anxious and fidgety now.Heck! She’s always on the look-out if Knoxx was anywhere near. Paranoia was getting the better of her and it instantly messed up with her psyche. She was even contemplating on going back home to her son the minute she arrived at the hotel. Her emotions went haywire last night. Mabuti na lang at naisipan niyang mag-sketch.The tasked helped her to calm down and focus on the task at hand. That’s how she managed to make three wedding gown styles for Princess Olivia to see today, their fi