Friendship

Prologue

Trigger warning: physical and psychological abuse.

Read at your own risk.

"Mom… can I sleep over at my friend's?" The girl slowly mentioned those words, trying to calm her nerves down.

She knew for a fact that she would never be allowed to do so. Pero anong magagawa niya? Ito na lamang ang tanging paraan para makatakas siya. Para tumigil na ang paghihirap niya. She’s desperate for it.

Her mother carefully closed the newspaper article she was reading, placed it on top of her lap as she took her cup of coffee and sipped from it. The girl remained where she stood, unable to move from the amount of terror that radiates from her mother. 

"Why? What reason makes you want to sleep in another house?" her mother gracefully asked, strings of hair near her ear jiggled as she sat comfortably on the couch.

The girl was beyond terrified. Ang tanging nagpapalakas na lamang sa kaniya ay ang posibilidad na payagan siya. Kahit alam niyang maliit ang tsansa niya, susubok at susubok pa rin siya. 

“I… my friend is c-celebrating something,” she stuttered, fiddling her fingers while anxiety filled her, “She invited me to c-come and have a sleepover with her dahil gusto niya daw pong ipakita ang bahay nila sa akin…”

If only her mother could hear how fast her heart is beating. It was like strumming an old guitar, where its string is old enough to pluck one by one. Isang gitara na hindi nakatono, nabubulok at hindi nagagamit. She is suffocating, the situation is choking her badly. 

She flinched with her mother's sudden move. Nakalimutan niyang huminga ng ilang minuto habang patuloy na nababalot ng takot ang kaniyang isip. Ano ang gagawin niya kung sakaling parusahan na naman siya? 

"Do you really want to spend the night at their house?" her mother responded composedly habang tinutupi ang dyaryo hanggang sa ito ay maliit at makapal. 

Lumiwanag ang mata nang bata. Baka ito na, ito na ang magliligtas sa kaniya! Hindi siya sigurado pero may bakas ng pagda-dalawang isip sa boses ng ina. 

Plano niyang tumakas kung sakaling payagan. Ginamit niya lamang ang linyang iyon para lokohin ang ina, para paniwalaan ito. She didn't really have friends, she was lonely and separated from the other students. 

Ngunit maniniwala kaya ang kaniyang ina? Dalawang taon na simula nung huli siyang nakaapak sa isang paaralan, nakakakita nang ibang studyanteng kaniyang kinaiinggitan. Mabuti pa sila, pag-aari ang sarili nila. Mabuti pa sila, may maganda at mapagmahal na pamilya. 

But her parents didn't like her going to school. They couldn't stand it. Ayaw nilang nakikisalamuha ang anak nila sa ibang studyante. Bakit, sino ang mga ito para makasabayan ang anak nila? They said it was like seeing one red, sweet apple getting mixed into rotten ones. 

They believe that their child is a great creation, that it was given to them specifically as they have what it takes to lead the child to its best version. They need to be attentive with her every move, for her to not make any mistake. Maaari pa nilang lihain ang kanilang anak hanggang sa wala nang makaabot sa galing nito. They wanted her to climb the ladder, stepping into anyone who gets in their way. 

But their child is suffering, having difficulties living her life. She couldn't talk and live like a normal person. Malaki ang naging impact nito sa bata. Napapadalas ang kaniyang parusa kung saan binubugbog siya, kinukulong, ginugutom at kung ano pang klase ng pagpapahirap. 

She was abused severely, mentally and psychologically. She couldn't seek help.

The girl felt a stinging pain around her head. It was then when she realized that the folded newspaper was thrown at her. There was a great impact. Kahit papel iyon ay may bigat ito. Sinigurado ng kaniyang ina na masasaktan siya sa pagka bato kahit papel lamang ito.