Here, Under the Stars

CHAPTER 8

Warning: This chapter contains strong language and tackles sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.

-- ASHI --

"Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala." Cleo told me.

I wasn't surprised that Magui left again without telling us. Doon naman siya magaling eh. Ang manakit at mangiwan.

"She told me that she wanted to fix things. She only tried once tapos sumuko na siya?" Cleo was so mad.

"Baka natakot dahil nalaman na natin ang totoo." I said coldly.

Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala. I thought it was just one kiss. But she freaking slept with Alya!

During those four years, she never kissed me on the lips. She never slept with me.

"But I don't understand why she left all of a sudden. It doesn't make sense. She's one day early!" Cleo told me.

They just talked once and suddenly, they're best friends again, huh?

"Oh my God." Stella reacted violently so we all went to her. "Solace is being sued for sexual assault."

Stella opened the news article and started reading some parts loudly.

"Deserve!" Malia commented.

"Babe, we shouldn't wish bad for other people even if they did us really bad. Si Magui pa rin 'yan." Gia tried to calm Malia down.

"Dapat lang sa kaniya 'yan." Jenna added. "Karma's a bitch."

"Tama sila Malia at Jenna." I told them. "Magui took away everything from me. My love, my happiness, my sanity. It's just right that I take everything from her."

"What did you do?" Cleo asked me with concern in her eyes.

"I learned from my cousin Ava that she was wrongfully terminated. The former owner of Solace sexually assaulted her and Magui paid her to remain silent." I told them what my cousin told me the night I got into an accident.

When I found out about it, I knew that I had to do something for Ava so I contacted Atty. Miller. He is one of the best lawyers in the country.

"Nagawa ni Magui 'yon?" Savannah couldn't believe what she heard.

"Hindi lang tayo ang sinaktan niya. 16 innocent women were deprived of justice because of Magui." I told them.

"She should rot in jail!" Malia said.

"What if she was a victim herself? What if she wasn't aware?" Stella asked.

"Stop believing your what-ifs, Stella." I started raising my voice at her. "I know that Magui was your friend before pero 'wag ka namang magpauto sa drama niya. She's a bad person. She deserves everything that is happening to her right now."

A month after I recovered from my injuries, Ava and I flew to Canada as soon as we can. I want to give her all the support that I can give.

I wasn't a victim but my cousin is. I want to give her and the other 15 girls the justice they all deserve. I wanted them to push with the charges but the victims wanted to settle instead.

"Kelly is right. It was all Mr. Cameron's fault. We should just settle with Solace so they can correct their mistakes." One victim told us.

"But Magui silenced you all. You should sue her too!" I told them because I wasn't agreeing with their ideas.