Snatching tough woman's heart (Completed)

Prologue

A fresh start. That is exactly what I craved—a new home, far from everything that once held me back. But no matter how far I go, I am always met with the same shadow: the memory of him.
My mind races as I pace around the new apartment. Siguro naman, maaayos na ang lahat, I tell myself. This move is my escape, but I can't help but wonder if I'm running toward peace or just hiding from the truth.

We moved in just in time for our first year of college. The apartment feels like a blank slate, but the exhaustion of moving is already settling in. As usual, ako na naman ang gumagawa ng lahat.

"Forcia, could you grab me a cigarette?" Lianna asks, hindi man lang tumitingin sa akin.

I roll my eyes. Ilang taon na niyang ginagawa 'yan, at hindi pa rin ako nasasanay. Nakakainis. Reluctantly, inabot ko sa kanya ang stick. I can tell she's stressed, kahit na matagal ko na siyang hindi nakikitang manigarilyo.

"Stress?" tanong ko, sabay lapit sa kanya.

Nagulat siya nung inabot ko, "Amazing. Akala ko ba ayaw mo sa ginagawa ko?"

"Ano pa bang magagawa ko?" I mutter, umiwas ako ng tingin nung sinindihan na niya ito.

Silence fills the room. Pinanood ko lang na maubos ang sigarilyo niya, unti-unting nagiging abo. She finally flicks the butt away.

"Are you okay with this place? If you're uncomfortable, we can look for somewhere else," she asks.

"Ay aba, *te*," I snap, hindi ko na napigilan ang inis ko.

"Maybe if you spent less time smoking and more time helping me unpack, mas magiging komportable ako rito! Ang tamad mo talaga, palibhasa anak-mayaman." She just sighs.

I spin around, looking for Jiara. "And what about you? Are you really going to sit there and do nothing?"

Jiara doesn't even look up from her screen. The audacity! I toss the clothes I'm holding onto the floor. "Ano ba, wala ba kayong balak tumulong? Gagawin niyo na naman ba akong maid dito?"

"OA mo, bes" she teases, checking the time. It's 8:35 PM. Pagod na pagod na ako, pero sila, chill lang.

"Hoy, Ji," I jab, trying to break the tension. "Maybe put the phone down? Masyado kang busy sa kachat mo, akala mo naman may label."

She smirks, her voice turning sharp. "At least I'm talking to someone. Unlike you—ikaw nga iniwan nang walang pasabi, 'di ba?"

The room goes silent. That hit home.

"Ano, natahimik ka?" she adds, mocking me.
"Dinner's ready!" Xandra yells from the kitchen, saving me from further humiliation. We eat in a heavy, forced silence, then retreat to our rooms and exchange a hollow, "Goodnight, girls!"

The next morning, I'm jolted awake by a blood-curdling scream.

"Aga-aga! What is wrong with you?" I growl, checking my phone. "May kung ano-anong pinaggagawa mo na naman ba?"

"Shunga! Pasado tayo, girl!" Jiara shrieks, tumatalon-talon sa kama.

My heart stops. I almost drop my phone. "T-totoo? Patingin nga!"

We start screaming, jumping up and down until the other two rush in. Nagyakapan kaming apat, laughing and crying all at once. Finally, some good news. Lahat ng pagod at stress, worth it din.

Later, they head home, leaving me alone.

Bored, I decide to head to the mall.

Napakaraming tao at ang haba ng pila, kaya tinawagan ko ang high school friend ko na si Rose. While I wait for her, I grab a quick bite at a fast-food joint.

I'm lost in thought when someone pulls out the chair in front of me and sits down. I look up, ready to snap at them, but the words die in my throat.

"Min."

The voice hits me like a physical blow.

"Cole?!" I gasp. Napatingin ang mga tao sa amin, but I don't care. The shock is quickly replaced by a surge of white-hot anger.

"Min, please. I need to explain," he pleads.

"You need to explain?" My voice trembles. I stand up to leave, but he grabs my arm. His grip is firm. I try to pull away, but ayaw niya akong bitawan.

"If we're going to talk, let's not do it here," he says, his eyes dark.

"Let's go somewhere else." Against my better judgment, I follow him.

We reach his car—a new model, something I've never seen him drive before. I climb into the passenger seat, my pulse hammering against my ribs.

"So?" I snap, though my heart is betraying me. "What is there to talk about?"

"Min, *mahal na mahal kita*," he whispers. He reaches out to touch my cheek, but I flinch, slapping his hand away.

"You are such a fool," I cry out, tears finally spilling over. "Iniwan mo ako nang walang sabi-sabi. Walang text, walang tawag. I spent years searching for you, and now you just show up like this?"

"I didn't leave you because I wanted to," he says, his own eyes welling up. "I had to. Please, Min... let's fix this. Hindi ko na kaya na wala ka."

I look at him—at the man who broke me. My gaze lingers on his lips, and I struggle to keep my composure. "Why did you leave, Cole? Tell me the truth. May iba ka ba?"

"We broke up," he says, his eyes full of regret. "But there's no one else. There's only you."