"JUST drop me there." Gayle followed her mom's finger that pointed somewhere on the street. Her dad stopped the car on her request.

"Wag niyo na akong hintayin. I'll be meeting my amigas here. Baka gabihin na din ako ng uwi so you can comfortably stay at home habang wala ako." Lumabas ng kotse ang mommy niya na hindi man lang siya tinapunan ng tingin after sarcastically talking to her father. Pumasok ito sa isang cafe. Nakita niyang lihim na napailing lang ang daddy niya saka muling nagmaneho.

Awkward silence aroused again inside. She had a lot of words she wants to say to her dad and things to talk about as a daughter. She wants to share her thoughts about them getting divorced. She want to tell them she still hopes for them to stay together. But she couldn't speak a word.

"There's something I want to show you." Her dad suddenly speaks glancing to her in the mirror. "A-Ano po iyon?" Nahihiyang tanong niya. Kanina niya pa napapansin na ibang daan ang tinatahak nila sa halip na pauwi.

"You'll see when we get there. Sana magustuhan mo." Their car is heading on the way near the University she's studying at until they parked infront of a single storey house.

"Let's go." Naunang lumabas ng kotse ang daddy niya at nakangiting inaya siya palabas. When she steps out, napatitig din siya sa bahay na tinitingnan ng daddy niya. It has a small front yard. Five feet high ang wood fences. Her dad opened the gate for her to see the inside. She saw a hammock sa bakuran katulad ng paborito niyang duyan sa bahay nila.

"This house is yours." Her dad then announced to her kaya gulat na sinalubong niya ang paningin nito. "P-Po?"

"It's yours. I know we haven't been paying much attention to you. And I know you're getting at age so I thought you should have this as your own. I just bought this last month from a friend. Nailipat ko na din ang pangalan ng titulo sa'yo so it's officially yours. The interior is still unfinished but you can see the inside if you want. Shall we?" Lunod ang isip niya sa sinabi ng ama. She never thought of recieving this much, a house from them. Akala niya kasi.. akala niya, wala nang pakialam ang daddy niya sa kaniya but this-

"H-Hindi po ba.. sobra ito? I.. I can't accept this, dad."

"No. You deserve this much, anak. Just think of this as my graduation gift for you. So kung magkahiwalay man kami ng mommy mo, hindi ka mahihirapang tumayo sa sarili mong mga paa. Look, I know we promised you a happy family when we took you in and with my ill relationship to your mother right now, I know we failed you. I'm really  sorry. Ito na lang ang kaya kong ibigay sa'yo, Gayle. You're my daughter after all. That won't change. Thank you for giving us a child of our own. Thank you for being a daughter to us. I hope you a better life than the life we gave you."

Telling her those while holding her hand gives her comfort and pain at the same time. This sounded like a formal parting goodbye to her. They took her hand when she's in despair of being alone and now they're letting it go to leave her back to that same loneliness she got estranged of.

"C-Can't you just.. stay together? I know you didn't had an affair, dad. You didn't, right? Just prove it to mom para hindi na siya makipaghiwalay sa'yo. Please?" Ngayon ay siya naman ang nakahawak nang mahigpit sa kamay ng daddy niya habang nagmamakaawa. She finally had the urge to beg them a second chance for this family. She finally had the courage to show them how she treasures this family they gave her. She's hoping its enough, enough for them to stay with her. To change their confused minds but.. they rejected her heart clinging to them.

"Let's just.. go home. You can check the house next time. I'm sorry, Gayle." Her tears slip through her cheeks as her hand lost his grip. Ang daddy niya na ang nagtanggal sa kapit niya meaning one thing- there's no hope for this. Its really over.

Tahimik ang mga hikbi niya sa likod ng sasakyan. Her dad didn't comforted her. It'll just be useless. She's like that until they reached home. Dumiretso siya sa silid niya and didn't had dinner. No one calls her to.

She left the house at dawn. Tahimik ang buong bahay. Peaceful. No fights she hears. No shards on the floor. The only shards at that hour was from her broken heart. Siguro nga ito na din ang magiging huling beses na uuwi siyang kompleto pa sila, who knows. Maybe today, the next day, next week or months from now, maseal na ang divorce papers ng adoptive parents niya.

Siguro katulad ng pagtanggap ng mommy at daddy niya na wala nang patutunguhan pa ang pamilyang ito ay matutunan niya na ding harapin ang katotohanang iyon. Reality hurts- no- it sometimes murders hopes for better. People just moved on for themselves. Instead of mending the wounds, they cover it with another cut and walk away bleeding.

DUMATING ang pampasaherong bus na sasakyan niya diretsong university. Ang dorm na tinutuluyan niya ay malapit lang din sa campus. Dahil magliliwanag pa lang ay solo siyang pasakay ng bus until she heard a shout from distance. Nakatuntong na ang isang paa niya para umakyat ng bus nang mapalingon siya sa isang lalaking tumatakbo at kumakaway. From what she sees, nagpapahintay ang lalaki at sinesenyasan siyang pahintuin ito nang saglit pa.

What she learnt in life, if it was for her, it'll be for her permanently. And the only thing she's been asking must be something she can't hold forever. Kung nakatakda mang makasakay ang lalaking iyon sa bus na ito, he'll rode this one without her doing something.

Dumiretso siya sa likuran ng bus. She enjoys places without other people. Bago siya makaupo ay natanaw niya ulit ang lalaki na humahabol pa din habang umaandar na ang pampasaherong sasakyan. Frustrated itong naiwan doon and she just sat comfortably beside the window. She had her earphones while glimpsing to each places the bus passes by.

Shelovesrain❤