#Yatiz is a story focusing on the lives of young people in a small seaside municipality called Carmen in the southern part of the Philippines. The name is based on a cuss word here, "Yati/Yatis" that has no English equivalent but is closest to WTF.
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MARCH 4, 2023・SATURDAY・8:31
Maya washes her hands and then her face. She pauses, startled by someone suddenly retching from inside one of the cubicles.
The retching stops as the toilet flushes.
Maya goes on washing her face.
The door from the cubicles behind her opens.
It's Pamela. She looks and sees that it's Maya. Immediately, she composes herself.
"Hi," Maya says.
"Hi," Pamela responds. Cold.
"Nag-unsa ka diri? Sabado man."
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE ON A SATURDAY?"
"Nagtabang ko ug buhat ug props sa amoang section para sa Foundation."
"I'M JUST HELPING WITH SOME OF OUR SECTION'S PROPS FOR THE FOUNDATION DAY PARADE."
Maya nods.
"Ikaw? Nag-unsa ka diri?"
"AND YOU?"
"Naa mi'y activity sa science. Nagbuhat mig perfume."
"WE HAVE AN ACTIVITY FOR SCIENCE. WE'RE MAKING PERFUMES."
She nods and washes her hands.
"Pam..." Maya bites her lip, contemplating what to say next. "Sorry kung wala tamo giingnan about atong kang Jasmin."
"SORRY IF I DIDN'T TELL YOU GIRLS ABOUT JASMIN."
Pamela doesn't say anything. She forces out a smile. "Okay lang, Maya." She sweeps her hair to her left shoulder.
"IT'S OKAY."
"Cancel na gyud tong video sa 8-inch?"
"ARE WE REALLY NOT UPLOADING THE VIDEO WITH 8-INCH ANYMORE?"
Pamela looks at her reflection on the mirror. "Bahala na to. Ni-quit na man pud ang tanan sa channel."
"IT DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE. EVERYONE ALREADY QUIT THE CHANNEL."
"Pero..." Maya panics a little. "Wala to Pam uy. Sure ko, nadala lang sila sa kalagot nila. Dili gyud to seryoso."
"BUT..."
"I'M SURE THAT WAS NOTHING, PAM. THEY JUST GOT CARRIED AWAY. THEY WEREN'T SERIOUS ABOUT IT."
"Maskin na. Dili ko gusto maging parte sa channel nga wala'y ganahan sa ako."
"STILL...I DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF A CHANNEL WHERE EVERYONE HATES ME."
Maya sighs. "Dili na tinood, Pam. Ganahan man mi sa imo."
"THAT'S NOT TRUE, PAM. NOBODY HATES YOU."
"Sure?"
"ARE YOU SURE?"
Maya is left dumbfounded, her mind reeling as she searches for the right words to say.
Pamela gives her a halfhearted smile as she walks towards the door.
"Pam."
She stops and turns to look at her.
"Gusto lang ko nga makabalo ka nga dili ako ang klase nga tao nga mang-agaw ug uyab sa laing tao."
"I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT THE KIND OF PERSON WHO STEALS OTHER PEOPLE'S BOYFRIENDS."
"So unsa man ka nga klase nga tao?"
"SO WHAT KIND OF PERSON ARE YOU?"
Maya is dumbfounded, unable to find the words to respond as she watches Pamela walk away.
A group of girls enters the restroom, their voices echoing off the walls as they chat and laugh. But as they approach the mirror and catch sight of Maya, their conversation halts. They exchange sly glances; their whispers grow more hushed...more intense.
Maya, realizing that they're talking about her, quickly walks out of the restroom, her head down and her heart heavy with shame.
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