Books

Solene Clemente was a typical Civil Engineering student who struggled to put up with her studies. Kung pwede ngang i-bake na lang ang napakaraming itlog sa test papers niya, ginawa niya na. At a young age, she experienced the harsh reality of life-poverty, abuse, and a broken family. But, as someone who could see the bright side of everything, she knew she could make it with only her mother and best friend, Duke Laurence Sanders, whom she secretly loved. Kahit pa naghihirap, basta kasama niya ang ina, kaya niya. Kahit pa madalas niyang hindi maintindihan ang lessons, ayos lang kasi may Duke naman na tuturuan siya. Na kahit gaano kalupit ang tadhana, patuloy siyang lumalaban sa buhay dahil may dalawang taong sumusuporta at nagmamahal sa kanya. She became too dependent on the love they could offer. But little did she know, like the sun she adored, she was destined to be alone.

Elora Chin Valencia grew up in a toxic Christian family where she was viewed as the black sheep. Araw-araw ay ipinaparamdam sa kanya ng mundo na wala siyang lugar sa sarili niyang tahanan. She was a consistent dean's lister and an obedient daughter, which left her wondering what she had done so wrong to be disregarded as a speck of dust in the wind. They made her feel like she was just dirt, filling up the empty space. The one who would never have her own safe place. Feeling all of this contributed to her endless suicidal ideations. Baka nga tama sila. Baka nga wala siyang halaga at kailanman ay hindi na sasaya. She almost believed that. She almost held onto that notion. Not until she met the man in his BS Civil Engineering uniform and gorgeous grin, Troy Jefferson Dela Paz. He kissed her forehead, and her loud thoughts were silenced. Her demons calmed down. Her foes were defeated. For the first time in her life, she had proven her family wrong---a happy Elora Chin was possible. She was loved and well-taken care of. Troy embraced her sharp parts, not minding the wounds he might get. But fate had a lot of cruel things in store for her. Because when she thought she had reached the peak of happiness, she found myself drowning alone in the ocean she now called home, alone in her shame, alone with the waves she couldn't tame.

How far would you go for someone? How many hailstorms and dark clouds would you endure? How many falling stars would you wait for to make a single wish come true? For Reese Deborah Madrid, the sky was the limit. She was used to having whatever she wanted. Clothes? Shoes? Jewelry? Name it. She could get it without putting in so much effort. So, when she hoped for another shot of love with her ex-boyfriend, she was ready to sacrifice everything to win him back. Even if that meant she had to look stupid and desperate. Even that meant she had to suffer through the pain of watching him be disgusted by her. Even if that meant she had to deal with his harsh words and apathy. She did everything in her power to go back into his arms. She stood up to the rain that soaked her and the sun that burned her skin. She waited from daybreak to nightfall, hoping that he would eventually fall back in love with her. She thought she was getting there. She felt like she'd made it. But then, in the world where she could be anything, she lost everything in the name of her love for him. Because much like the sky, Harvin Rouge Foster was only meant to be loved from afar.

Ang hirap palang tumanda. Ang hirap magbayad ng bills. Ang hirap suportahan ng pamilyang akala ay isang milyon ang suweldo mo. Ang hirap ngumiti sa nanay na mataas ang tingin sa'yo pero hindi ka kayang ipagtanggol. Ang hirap tabihan sa hapagkainan ng tatay na pinag-uubusan mo ng pera pero hindi ka maalala. Ang hirap mag-abot ng tulong sa kapatid na baon sa utang. Ang hirap intindihin ng hipag na nakakapagpa-rebond pa kahit kapos na kapos na. Ang hirap pakisamahan ng bunsong halos ilahad ang mga palad tuwing makikita ka. Ang hirap ngitian ng mga taong tanong nang tanong kung bakit hindi ka pa nakakapag-asawa. Ang hirap humarap sa mundong isasampal sa'yo na mag-isa ka. Tulong, bigay, utang. Isang iling mo lang, madamot ka na. Kasama mo sila kapag may maibibigay ka, pero hindi mo sila mahahanap kapag wala na. Ikaw ang kakayod, sila ang tutuka. Ikaw ang iiyak sa pagod, sila ang magtatamasa. Iyon ang summary ng buhay ko. Sobra-sobra ang naririnig na paghingi, kulang na kulang ang naririnig na pasasalamat. Sobra-sobra ang pagpapasensya, kulang na kulang ang natatanggap na pagpapahalaga. Sobra-sobra ang binabayaran, kulang na kulang sa kasiyahan. Kaya nang dumating sa buhay ko ang nag-iisang lalaking hindi ako nakita bilang naglalakad na alkansya, ang nag-iisang lalaking nakinig sa mahabang listahan ko ng problema, ang nag-iisang lalaking nagbigay sa akin ng kakaibang saya, ipinangako ko sa sarili na sa gitna ng hirap ng pagtanda, magtitiis ako basta't siya ang kasama. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay pagtalikod sa minahal na pamilya. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay paglaban sa mundong pinatatakbo ng kapangyarihan at pera. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay ang pagdurusa't pag-iisa. Siya ang ginhawa, pahinga, at kasiyahan ko. Dumating man ang araw na tanaw ko na ang dulo. Dumating man ang araw na wala na kaming sagot sa lahat ng bakit at paano. Dumating man ang araw na pareho na kaming talo.

Have you ever been so smitten with someone that you were just so grateful they existed? Tipong makita mo lang siya, solved ka na. Kahit hindi mo siya makausap o makasama, inspired na inspired ka. That was the case for Dawn Karsen Navarro, a die-hard fan of a prominent singer and songwriter, Dior Kobe Gallardo. Kahit pa laging General Admission ticket lang ang nabibili niya at halos kasinlaki lang ng gagamba ang natatanaw niya mula sa upuan, marinig niya lang ang boses ng binata, kuntento na siya. So, when luck pulled a trick on her poor heart, she didn't hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity. She went from being in the farthest row to being in the backstage, from seeing only a glimpse of her idol to a face-to-face encounter, and from hearing only a fraction of his life to knowing everything there was to know about him. She had made a lot of progress. But, why did she go back to being seated in the farthest row? Why did she go back to being just a mere fan? After everything they vowed, why did she go back to being a stranger in the midst of the crowd?

Someday you'll look back on your mistakes and laugh. To name a few instances, these are those awkward first kisses you shared with your first boyfriend, those failed recitations that your classmates don't seem to forget, and those poor outfit ideas that you once thought were cute. Iyong mga dating nakakahiya, nakakainis, at masakit para sa 'yo, pagdating ng araw, ngingitian mo na lang. Maybe by then, you'll realize how much time you've invested in being too emotional. Pero may mga bagay na kahit matagal nang nangyari, hindi natin magawang tawanan. Siguro dahil nakakahiya pa rin? Siguro dahil nakakainis pa rin? O siguro, dahil masakit pa rin? For Amari Sloane Mendoza, it's all of the above. Among all the awkward, failed, and poor instances, falling in love with her classmate, Leon Ysmael Zamora, is the only mistake she can't laugh about.

In need of juicy news for her online publication, the struggling journalism student, Millicent Rae Velasco, was forced to interview the intimidating student council president of their university, Juancho Alas Montero. But, not wanting to be the subject of rumors, he rejected her instantly. So, paano siya? Paano ang last requirement niya bago maka-graduate? Si Juancho ang iniatas sa kanya ng isinusumpa niyang prof na gawan ng profile article! Isa pa, dito na lang siya makakabawi! Kailangan niya pang higitin mula sa dulo ng impyerno ang grades niya! Being in a hopeless predicament, she ended up chasing after him. She hid behind the bookshelves where he was studying, memorized his schedule by heart, and talked to him straight on when she could. She only had one goal---write an article about him. Nothing more, nothing less. But life had a lot of things in store for her. Because through the glances she'd stolen, she picked up the sharp fragments of his life. Through the hidden smiles, she unraveled the content of his heart. And through the pages she'd written, she caught herself falling in love with him.