The Green-Eyed Writer

12-The Confession

"Magbubukas ako ng Etsy store. I'm going to sell my watercolor artwork na bookmarks and notebooks." Nine smiled widely at the thought.

"Uy, bibili ako ah! Shut up and take my money!" I let out a small laugh. With Nine, nawawala ang inhibitions ko, and everything feels good.

"Libre na kita, 3 for 100 pesos na bookmarks!" Alok niya.

"Sure! And may bago nang season ng Paranormal Bros!" Balita ko. This was our favorite show ni Nine.

"Ay, makikita ko na naman si Papa Samuel!" Crush ni Nine ang character na ito.

"At sa 'kin naman, si Oppa Denver!"

"Hala, naging Korean si Denver!" Biro ni Nine. Magkapatid na detectives sila Samuel at Denver, who hunt demons and other paranormal creatures.

"Siya nga pala, nasaan si Jeje Friend mo?" Nine laughed out loud after saying that.

"Uy baka marinig ka!" Pabiro kong pinalo ang braso niya. "Pero di naman, 1pm pa ang break niya. Di na kami magkaklase for most subjects. Pero magkikita kami on Friday. Milk tea date," I explained.

"Too bad, I want to meet her and see if she squeals  in person. Aaaaah Hinalikan ako ni Señor Jose!" She mockingly recited one of the lines from Lovers' Diary, na kwento ni Nessie.

"Binabasa mo?!" I was flabbergasted. Di ko nga tinitignan iyan sa Wattpad, except for the number of reads.

"I scanned it. Gahd, you call that Historical Fiction?! Ang history lang diyan, yung era na 19th century. All they did in the story was write to each other, tapos nag-time travel si Rosalie using the old locket from the diary, she danced with the guy at the ball and they kissed. Next thing that happened, she woke up sa desk niya, nakatulugan niya yung diary, and all their correspondences were gone. Poof!" Dire-diretsong kwento ni Nine.

She breathed and continued, "Ang nasa diary lang, picture noong guy na si Jose and a note from him, saying na hahanapin niya si Rosalia, that's also Rosalie, by the way. The girl lost her mind, she had to be institutionalized, and she was slowly dying from not eating, dahil gusto niya makasama si Jose. So by the end of the story, as she lay dying, she wrote, Magtatagpo muli tayo sa susunod na buhay, Ginoo. Sweet."

Nine rolled her eyes after retelling.

"So, you really read that?"

"Hindi, may spoilers sa comments section," tawa niya. "Syempre, they are asking for a sequel. I liked the tragic idea, but the way it was written sucked big-time."

Si Nine talaga, walang preno kung makapuna. But I liked her frank demeanor.

"Kaya huwag ka na maiinggit diyan sa friend mo, you are way better," she took my hand and squeezed it.

"Thanks," nahihiya kong tugon.

"Venny?"

I froze when I heard that familiar voice behind me. Dahan-dahan akong tumayo and I found myself na kaharap si Nessie.

"Hi Nessie, uy, maaga ka ata?" I asked cheerfully. "By the way, meet my friend sa Wattpad, si Nine," I gestured to Nine, na nakaupo sa kabilang side ng lamesa.

But Nessie didn't seem to notice her. She had this sour expression on her face.

"Ikaw ba ito?"

"Ang alin?" I frowned. Pakiramdam ko may ipapakita siya na hindi maganda.

Nessie took out her phone and showed me a screenshot of a Facebook confession page na related sa Wattpad.

Wattpad Hot Files ang name ng page.

The post said:

Sikat nga, pangit naman magsulat

Paki-explain naman sa akin kung anong nagustuhan niyo sa stories ni eissenv. Di pa rin kayo nagsasawa sa jeje at basura na stories?!  Di niya deserve na sumikat, ang k-pal niya magsulat. Other writers deserve more attention than her.

Sender: V

My mouth dropped at what I just read.

"Venny... ikaw ba ito?"

Tinignan ko si Nessie. Nanginginig ang kanyang labi, at halata na ang namumuong luha sa kanyang mga mata.

"Nessie, hindi ako iyan, believe me. Bakit ko gagawin iyan?" I asked defensively.

"Akala ko, kaibigan kita,"   bulong niya. She nodded her head, pilit tinatago ang kanyang mga luha.

"Nessie, hindi ako iyan."

I tried to hug her, but she shoved me. I stepped back when she did that.

"Huwag ka na magkaila! Ayan oh, V yung signature ng nag-send ng confession!" Napalakas ang boses niya, and I saw a few heads turn to our direction.

"Di nga ako iyan eh, bakit ko gagawin iyan?!" I felt the annoyance in my voice.

"Hoy, si Venny lang ba ang may V na initial sa buong Pilipinas?"

Nine got up and walked to my side to defend me.

"May proof ka ba na si Venny iyan? Otherwise, it's just another anonymous confession. Suck it up, part iyan ng pagiging sikat. Tanggapin mo na may ganyang confession na lalabas, at to be honest, cringey naman talaga writing style mo, ineng," giit ni Nine. "You can't write like that forever, if you want to be a good writer, kung gusto mo na igalang ka and not because sikat ka."

Nessie lifted her head and looked at Nine tearfully. "Siguro, pinagtutulungan niyo akong dalawa," duro niya sa amin.

"Grabe ka naman mambintang!" This time, nagalit na talaga ako. "Hindi ako magco-confess anonymously, kahit na totoo observation ng confession pati si Nine. Didn't I told you to improve your writing? Pasikat ka na, responsibility mo iyan."

"Anong paki mo, I will write the way na gusto ko!" Umiiyak na si Nessie, at di na niya mapigilan ang sarili niya. "Babasahin iyan ng readers ko, kahit k-pal ako magsulat! Palibhasa kasi, di ka sikat, naiinggit ka kasi walang nagmamahal sa mga kwento mo, di gaya ko!"

Nagpintig ang pandinig ko sa mga sinabi ni Nessie. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili. My hand flew across her face, slapping her hard.

Nessie cradled her left cheek, yung parte na nasampal ko. Nagulat ako sa nagawa ko, but that was the least of my concerns.

"Walang nagmamahal sa kwento ko? Wala? Ano iyan, nag-refresh lang ako ng stories ko para madagdagan ng views? For your info, wala akong time para gawin iyan. People love my stories, kahit konti lang nagbabasa. Kahit hindi kasing sikat ng sa iyo," I said through gritted teeth. "Alam mo, naiinggit talaga ako at sikat na writer ka na.  Gusto ko rin magkaroon ng meron ka, ang dali mong makakuha ng reads. But to send an anonymous confession against you? Never ko gagawin iyan. And hindi ko ipagpapalit writing style ko sa writing style mo!"

Dumating si Aila, na admin ni Nessie. "Uy, ano nangyari?" She looked shocked seeing Nessie's tearful face and my eyes raging with anger.

"Pakisabihan iyan author mo, lumalaki na ang ulo. She accused my friend of posting an anon confession, just because V yung initial ng nag-confess, at Venny pangalan niya," paliwanag ni Nine. She took my arm and said, "Makaalis na nga."

She was about to drag me out but I didn't budge.

"Nessie, believe me. Hindi ako nag-confess against you. Sorry kung nasampal kita." I tried to look strong. Pero wala rin, dahil sa isang patak ng luha na dumaloy sa aking mata.

Hinila na ako ni Nine papalakad. I looked back and nakita si Nessie, with tears streaming down her face and Aila rubbing her shoulders.

"Tapos na ang drama, magsibalik na kayo sa upuan!" Malakas na sigaw ni Nine. "Huwag niyo ipo-post sa FB, this is between my friend and that girl!"

Nakalabas na kami ng canteen, and I felt the heat of the afternoon sun against my face.

At this point, tuluyan na akong lumuha habang nakahawak sa akin si Nine. Hinayaan ko na lang siya na dalhin ako kung saan.