Once In A Lifetime (Life Struggle Series #1) COMPLETED

Chapter 08

tw / / violence

Ang hirap maging... mahirap.

Lucky to those individuals who are born rich. Hindi nila naranasan kung paano magtiis sa gutom, kung paano kapalan ang mukha para mangutang sa kapit-bahay at kung paano manghinayang sa hindi nabiling damit na nakita sa mali.

They are lucky because god Plutus chose them to have a wealthy life.

"Sampung Pan de coco at sampung star bread."

I asked Ma'am Ria if I can work at her bakery for the whole semester break and luckily she let me. Naglilibot pa rin ako ng pandesal tuwing umaga kaya doble ang sweldong natatanggap ko sa kan'ya.

"Hindi ka ba napapagod kakatrabaho, Jassy?" nakahalukipkip na tanong ni Ate Honey.

Ate Honey and I are the only ones watching the bakery because one of our colleagues is still sick. Hindi naman masyadong dinadagsa ang bakery kaya walang problema.

"Napapagod...pero hindi akong pwedeng magpatalo sa pagod."

If you let tiredness get over your whole body, you'll end up failing. Ikaw din naman ang mahihirapan sa huli kapag nagpatalo ka sa kapaguran. 

"iyong nanay mo naman kasi...sugal lang ang alam sa buhay, e," She continuously shook her head to show how disappointed she is.

"Hayaan n'yo na, it's her happiness," She unbelievably sighed and went back on what she's doing.

Ate Honey is five years older than me but looks like my age. She stopped going to school due to teenage pregnancy. Her child is 2 years old.

I didn't meet her daughter, I only saw her picture on Ate Honey's mobile phone. Her daughter doesn't really look like her. Ang kulot na buhok at singkit na mata lang yata ang namana ng anak n'ya sa kan'ya. Ang lakas ng genes ng tatay.

"Ate, may itatanong lang sana ako."

"Sige lang," sagot n'ya habang nakatuon pa rin ang mga mata sa binibilang na pera.

I took a deep breath. Medyo kinakabahan ako baka ma-offend s'ya sa tatanungin ko.

"Uhm, n-nahirapan ka ba sa...pagbubuntis?"

I cursed inside my head when I saw how she reacted. She stopped what she's doing and combed her head using her fingers.

"S-siyempre naman. Hindi biro kapag sumisipa si baby sa loob ng tiyan ko at... at wala akong k-kasama kundi ang Lola ko lang."

Tumango ako.

That's one of the reasons why I do respect my mother despite her attitude towards me. Naghirap s'ya para lang mailabas ako.

But is it enough reason to neglect me? Neglect us?

"Eh, n-nasaan po ang ama ni baby? If you don't mind. "

She smiled at me, a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "He l-left me after knowing I'm carrying h-his kid."

"Sorry, ate. I shouldn't have asked that," I feel guilty for asking her.

It's a personal question. Dapat ay hinintay ko na s'ya na mismo ang mag-open up sa akin, hindi iyong ako pa ang nagtanong.

"No! It's f-fne. Medyo m-masakit lang dahil naaalala ko ang mga p-pangako n'ya sa akin. We're a picture of a perfect c-couple. We love each other...endlessly kaya nagtataka ako kung anong nangyari, kung bakit n'ya akong i-niwan mag-isa."

Man's love is conditional. They only think about themselves, their own happiness pero kapag may nabuo na, tatakas na parang walang iniambag na cell. Sana ay ipinutok nalang nila sa labas kung hindi naman pala nilang gustong may mabuo.