FHS # 6 | Dubbed as the golden girl of Filimon Heights, everyone thinks Joana Cohen has everything a girl could ever want. However, what she has is the very thing that keeps her from getting what she truly wants.
With a life riddled with misconcep...
hello! please skip this chapter if you're not comfortable reading about family conflicts and self-harm ideations. this chapter might be too unbearable for some.
also, i think mag-e-extend ang heavy chapter until the 39th. there's still so much to unpack and ayoko siya maging isang bagsakan kasi super heavy talaga (in my opinion).
sorry again for the heavy angst these past few chapters. the plot and character arcs require me to hehe <3
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"A-Anong ginagawa natin dito?" tanong ko kay Kuya nang huminto ang sasakyan namin sa gilid ng isang maluwag na kalsada. Malabo man ang paningin ko dahil sa luhaan kong mga mata at malalaking butil ng ulang tumatama sa bintana, nagawa ko pa ring maaninag ang isang isang malaking gusali sa tapat namin.
"Get out of the car," aniya, walang kaemo-emosyon ang boses at diretso lamang ang tingin sa steering wheel.
"Kuya . . ." Lalong pumatak ang mga luha ko.
Fear gripped every fiber of my being. Even if he wouldn't tell me, at the back of my mind, I already had an idea where we were and why we were there.
"Get out of the car, Joana!" he repeated, this time firmly.
I shook my head as I sobbed uncontrollably. "Kuya, gusto ko nang umuwi! Kuya, umuwi na tayo!"
Kuya let out an annoyed sigh and got out of the car, the rain pouring down on him and his red leather jacket. He opened the door right next to me and grabbed me by the arm, forcefully dragging me out of the car.
"Kuya! Ayoko! Kuya, umuwi na tayo!" I pleaded in between my loud sobbing, clasping my palms against each other. I kept trying to hold my ground, but Kuya was way stronger than me. "Kuya, please! Please, umuwi na tayo! Umuwi na tayo!"
Cold. My body felt so cold, inside and out. The frigid air and raindrops landing on my skin made me shiver. I've never felt so feeble and helpless.
For the first time in my life, I felt like I was in the middle of life and death—and for the first time in my life, the latter seemed like the only thing that would protect me.
"Kuya, ayoko! Kuya, umuwi na tayo!" I wailed, almost kneeling right in front of him.
Despite my desperate pleas, my brother kept walking, dragging me with him. His hands felt like chains that would lead to my demise. I wanted to break free, but his grasp only tightened. It felt like we were on a tug of war, only I was fighting for my sanity and the little hope I have for my family.
"Lorenzo! Why did you call—"
I froze on the spot, while my brother stopped in his tracks. He turned to look at me, and that's when I saw a bitter smile flash on his face. "This is what we get for being born into this family. Learn to suck it up."
