You're like a coin. No. Not valuable. Just two-faced.

--

"They won't find me here. I'm safe!" Paulit-ulit na sabi ng dalaga sa sarili habang nagtatago sya sa isang kahon ng sapatos sa gitna ng malawak na parang.

She saw people pass her by and she slouched even more to hide her head that was peeking out of the box. One faceless person stopped in front of her.

She cringed as the man she couldn't recognize leered at her from above.

She saw his menacing smile and she covered her face, convinced that if she can't see him, he would go away.

But she couldn't stop herself from peeking through the gaps between her fingers.

"I knew it," says the man with a female voice. "Go home princess."

Binagsakan sya nito ng kung anu-anog mga bagay that she later recognized as her old bags, shoes and clothes.

She tried to throw them out of the box but they were to heavy. And she was so tiny.

She started crying as many people gather around the box.

One of them reached out her hand to her.

"Come on sweetie... it's time to go home."

"NO!" she screamed at her. She held on to the cardboard wall as the woman picked up the box and tried to grab her.

Then she felt someone push her from behind and she slumped to the woman's hand.

She struggled to get free from the woman's clutch pero inihaya nito sa kanya ang isang cleaver.

"We'll go home now," the woman said with finality.

"NO! Please! I want to stay!" she begged as tears streamed down her face.

She felt a familiar hand on her shoulder. When she turned around, it was a faceless guy. Pero alam nyang si Zelo ito.

He started to shake her shoulders.

Then she woke up.

"Binabangungot ka na naman," bungad ni Zelo sa kanya.

She wiped her tears, sat up and embraced him. "I-I'm scared," mangiyak-ngiyak nyang sabi dito.

"Shhh. Nandito lang ako," pag-aalo nito sa kanya.

Isiniksik niya ang mukha niya sa may leeg nito. "I don't want to go home."

He brushed her hair and kissed it. "Wala tayong magagawa. Kailangan mong umuwi."

She pushed him slightly away and then she pouted. "Ayoko."

Ngumiti ito sa kanya. "Alam mo bumangon ka na lang."

"Umaga na ba?" tanong niya rito.

Tumango ito. "Naliligo na si Meera. Sumunod ka na." He tried to unwrap her arms from him but she didn't budge.

"Kapag ba bumalik na sa dati ang lahat, will we stay together?" tanong niya rito.

"Oo naman," he assured her.

"Promise?"

He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Pangako."

--

Dama has this sick feeling since this morning. Nagsimula iyon when she tried approaching Manang Pacing to help her at the kitchen at hindi sya pinansin nito.

Ngayong break time, she felt grave.

Like something was going to happen. Something horrible.

"Well well well. Look who we have here."

She rolled her eyes as Tassie and her friends gathered around her.

"What do you want?"

Tassie smiled sweetly at her. "I just want to give you back your crown," sabi nito. She saw Meg give Tassie a cardboard that was shaped to look like a crown. "Princess."

"No thank you. I like my horns better," sagot niya.

"No no no," pagtanggi nito. "I think this will suit you better. Kase hindi ka lang bitch, sinungaling ka pa. Inako mo talaga lahat noh?"

She sighed. "Look. If this is about Zelo again... please lang. 'Wag mo 'kong idamay sa pagiging bitter mo. it's not my fault na hindi ka nya matagalan."

Tassie threw the crown on her lap. "Megumi, ang magazine," utos nito sa kabarkada.

Kumabog ang dibdib ng dalaga nang makita ang magazine na iniabot ni Megumi kay Tassie. It's a copy of Marie Claire magazine... the one where she was featured.

Binuklat ni Tassie ang magazine at itinambad sa kanya ang centerfold. Yep, she made it there. She was the model for Gucci. From head to toe, she was clad in Gucci everything. 

And she looked mean.

"Hmm... maybe I should have smiled," she commented.

Sa inis, inihampas ni Tassie ang magazine sa mukha ni Dama. Nang-gagalaiti ito sa galit.

"Siguro kaya ipinagpalit ako ni Zelo sa 'yo eh dahil mayaman ka! Sabagay nga naman, hindi ko naman sya masisisi. Nakakahiya naman kase sa kanya. Mukhang pera!"

Dama clenched her fists to prevent herself from knocking the daylights out of Tassie. Don't fight. Don't fight. Don't fight. Paulit-ulit niyang sinasabi sa sarili. 

"Ano? Di ka makatanggi noh? Face it princess, hindi ka nababagay dito!"

"Hoy inggeterang gold fish, bakit mo inaaway ang best friend ko ha?"

Napamura ng mahina si Dama ng marinig ang boses ni Eula. Nakita niyang pumagitna ito sa kanilang dalawa ni Tassie.

"Best friend?" Tassie raised an eyebrow. And then she looked straight to Dama. "Alam ba ng best friend mo kung sino kang talaga?"

Eula looked at them--confused.

"I think not," dagdag ni Tassie.

"Best, ano ba'ng pinagsasasabi ng mahaderang babae na yan ha?" untag nito sa kanya.

Nanatiling tikom ang bibig ng dalaga. Nangingilid na ang mga luha niya but she continued to resist the need to cry. Maybe this is bound to happen. Oo na. Alam naman nyang darating din silang lahat sa puntong ito.

She just didn't expect it to be this early.

Pero marami namang bagay na hindi niya inaasahang mangyayari ang nangyari na eh.

She made some friends.

She learned to accept people.

She began to care.

She fell in love.

Ang sakit lang na parang bigla-bigla na lang matatapos ang lahat kung kelan gusto na nya ng ganitong buhay.

"Since your best friend can't talk, ako na lang ang magkikwento sa 'yo." Ipinakita ni Tassie ang picture ni Dama sa magazine. Saka nito itinuro ang article na nasa gilid ng picture.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Eula nang makita ang mga katagang heiress to a multi-billion dollar business empire.

"Dirham?" nalilitong tanong ni Eula.

Tumango si Tassie. "Alam mo bang may-ari ng ilang mall chain, bus lines, commercial and manufacturing company, perfume and fashion line, hotels and resorts--to name a few--yang best friend mo? Oh, right. I bet she didn't tell you. Kase nga naman, baka hingan nyo lang sya ng pera."

"That's not true!" sa wakas ay nasabi ng dalaga.

"Tingin nyo ba talaga kaibigan ang tingin nya sa inyo? Girl, wake up! Laruan ka lang nya! Yung mga katulad nya, hindi nakikipagkaibigan sa mga tulad mo!" dugtong pa nito.

"Shut up!"

"Totoo ba lahat ng yun?" Eula asked. Umiiyak na ito ng humarap sa kanya.

"Eula..." Pano pa nya itatanggi? Kahit hindi lahat ng yun ay totoo.... she still lied.

"I hate you!"

Patakbong umalis si Eula.

She followed her best friend with a helpless gaze. Nakita nya itong lumapit kina Eli at Keeme. And then they all looked back at her. She let her gaze wander somewhere else, hoping that she'll see Zelo.

Pero wala ito. Hindi nya mahagilap.

Pero may iba syang nakita. A familiar face. She ran towards him bago pa man ito makalabas ng gate.

"Pierre!"

Nilingon sya nito at ngumiti. "Uy."

"Help me," she begged of him.

"I'm sorry. I can't do that anymore. Tapos na daw ang obligasyon ko dito," sagot nito sa kanya.

"W-What?"

"I was sent here to help you. At ngayon na uuwi ka na, she said I could go home already."

Kumunot ang noo ng dalaga. "Did my mom send you?" tanong niya dito.

"No. Author did."

"Who?"

Umiling ito. "Never mind. Anyway, here's my calling card. If ever you still want to hang out after all these." Nagsimula itong maglakad palayo.

"Wait! Pierre!"

He stopped, looked back at her and smiled. "By the way... it's Oliver." He gave her a final wave saka ito tuluyang lumabas ng gate.

Nanlumo ang dalaga. Now she really has no one to turn to. She looked back at Tassie's group. Nakangiti ang mga ito sa kanya.

"Miss?"

She turned around to see who called. Nakita niya ang tatlong katulong na madalas nyang kasama sa school. Kasama pa yung dalawa nyang bodyguards.

She sighed as she looked up the sky. "This is so not happening," she muttered.

The five escorted her out of the school, pasakay sa kotse. She had to bear the eyes of the students and teachers alike. Na para bang pinatawan sya ng death sentence.

When she was finally inside the car, she breathed out a sigh of relief. Nang sinimulan ng paandarin ang kotse, she spoke again.

"Wait. I need to go back to that house."

Tumango agad ang driver at dinala sila sa bahay ng mga Nasino.

She immediately got out of the car and looked for them. Ngunit nabigo sya. Walang tao sa bahay. Wala na rin ang mga gamit nila.

Napasalampak sa sahig ang dalaga at biglang nag-iiyak.

"Miss..." Lumuhod si Telma sa tabi niya at nag-aalangang hinagod ang likod niya.

"Telma!" Yumakap sya dito. "Where are they? Where's Zelo?"

"Miss tahan na po. Kailangan nyo ng umuwi."

"But I don't want to go home!"

"Ganun naman talaga ang buhay eh. Hindi lahat ng gusto natin ay nasusunod," nakangiti nitong sabi sa kanya. "Wag kang mag-alala. Magiging ayos din ang lahat."

--

Pagkadating ng bahay ay agad na pumunta ng kwarto ang dalaga para magkulong. She skipped lunch and dinner and went right to sleep. Alalang-alala na ang mag-asawa sa kanya.

When morning came at nasa hapag kainan na ang tatlo, ipinatawag na ni Meg si Dama sa katulong para kumain. But the maid came back with no one.

Sighing, Meg stood up and went to her daughter's room.

"Sweetie?" she called out.

"Go away!" came a throaty reply.

"Please open the door," pakiusap nya sa anak.

"I'm tired. Leave me alone!"

Tinawag ni Meg ang isang katulong at inutusang kunin ang master key. When the maid came back, binuksan nito ang pintuan.

Nakita niyang nagtalukbong ng kumot ang anak.

"Anak... you have to eat."

"No. Just let me die," sagot nito.

"Come on. You're over-reacting."

"Just leave me alone!"

Hiniklat ni Megan ang kumot. Tumambad si Dama na naka-fetal position. Magang-maga ang mga mata nito at gulo-gulo ang buhok.

"Look at you. You're pathetic," Meg said helplessly.

"And whose fault is this?" tanong nito.

"I'm sorry sweetie."

"Yeah. You should be. You ruined my life!" sumbat nito sa kanya.

Nasaktan si Megan sa narinig but she didn't retort. Alam naman niyang tama ang anak. Kasalanan niya. She's been a very bad mother to her children.

"Don't cry. Hindi naman ikaw ang naagrabyado," saway ng anak sa kanya.

"I'm pregnant. I'm supposed to cry!" pagdadahilan nya.

Mukhang naawa naman ang anak sa kanya. Yumakap ito sa kanya, carefully avoiding to squish her belly.

"Stop crying mommy. Ang pangit mo umiyak."

Instead of stopping, napahagulhol pa ito. "I'm sorry! I'm such a bad mother!"

"I'm sorry too. I'm such a bad child." Pinahid nito ang mga luha niya. "All I ever remembered are the bad things. Kinalimutan ko yung mga magagandang bagay na ginawa mo para sa 'kin. I'm sorry mommy."

In spite of the tears, hindi napigilang ngumiti ni Meg.

"Where the hell is my daughter?"

Mapait na ngumiti ang dalaga sa kanya. "I'm right here. New and improved."

"I am so proud of you."

Seryoso syang tinitigan ng anak.

"Mommy... where's Zelo? And Manang? Pati si Meera?"

"Their task was done."

"Task?" Lito nitong tanong sa kanya.

"I created the Nasino family so that you will know what it's like to live with an ordinary family. I was intending it to be longer than this... but someone found out who you are... so I have to take action."

"W-What—" Nahulog ang balikat ng dalaga. "Are you saying na—"

"Hindi talaga sila magkakapamilya anak."

Mabilis na tumulo ang luha ng dalaga. After all they've been through together... hindi pala sila totoo? Just a fake family to adopt her temporarily. And what about her friends? Are they part of the plan too?

And what about Zelo?

What about them?

Wala na bang totoo sa mga bagay na naranasan nya? The laughters, inuman session, kulitan, kainan, bangayan...

The hugs...

The kisses...

Where they all part of an act?

Xxxx

AN: I'm just so happy that I made an update. Hahaha... So... guys, I told you to remember the name, didn't I? I gave you PIERRE... not PIERRE ALESSANDER.

And kulit nyo kase... sabi ng sa last part pa sya eh. I'm just messing with you. ^^v