One Step Ahead

17

As she is wiping the glass door, she happened to see a street sweeper. She gulped as she stared at her broom.

Dawn bit her lower lip, reminiscing how she lost herself that night.

She always has the thought of ending it, but never she imagined that she could actually do it.

She is always scared to hurt herself, and now that she already did, she got more scared of herself. She is capable, she can actually end her life without the help of others.

If Dominick wasnt there, she will not stop. And if he was not there, she won't be able to produce tears.

It intrigues her how she managed to look weak in front of him. How she is not building up her walls for Dominick. It is weird to feel all her emotions just when he is there.

It is a struggle for her to cry. If she could, she would choose to cry than save all her tears. She wants to relieve all her burdens as fast as she could but not being able to cry makes it hard for her to move out of the misery.

She must thank Dominick for being there, at least give him credits for making her cry.

Kailangan lang naman niya sigurong umiyak, hindi ang saktan ang sarili niya.

Miller went straight to his senior with a smirk on his eyes, "Big hit ka talaga, boss!"

"Nakita mo na rin? Boss hindi ko alam na wild ka pala!" Panggagatong ni Jared.

"Naku boss kung maisipan mong gumawa ng tiktok account at magthirst trap, sisikat ka nang sobra sa buong mundo!" Miller exclaimed.

"Baka may alter account ka, boss! Follow kita," panggugulo pa nito habang nakatingin sa phone. "Grabe ang charisma mo, boss! Kinikilig ako kahit hindi naman ako ang kasama mo rito sa picture!"

These people are some of his friends that are also part of the gang. As the recruitment starts in this campus, Dominick witnessed how determined they were to be part of the gang. He himself was the one who did all the process of initiation just for him to prove that these two are worth it.

"What is it?" He is busy looking for reference book in the library but then the two started to make noises.

"Hindi mo alam? Kalat sa campus ang picture mo na may kasamang babae sa gymnasium. Anong ginawa niyo sa loob? Ha?" Natatawang sambit ni Miller.

"Ginawa ba namang private resort ang campus pool, iba ka talaga, boss!"

He looked at the picture. Seems like he just captured it from a random bulletin board. "Where is it?"

"Kinuha ko na boss," Miller took out the pictures and gave it to him.

"'Wag kang mag-alala, ang tingin naman ng lahat ay nilandi ka lang ng babae. Tignan mo, siya lang naman ang walang pantaas. Dito pa sa isang picture pinigilan mo s'yang hubarin lahat 'di ba--"

"Did she see it?" He immediately asked, cutting Miller's words.

"Aba'y malay ko boss! Hindi ko naman 'yan kilala--" he stopepd talking after meeting his glaring eyes. He is not in the mood to joke around.

"Sorry na boss," he apologized.

"Gago, malamang ipapakuha yan ni boss Nick sa atin kasi exposed ang mukha niyang pogi. Baka akalain ng iba ay taken na siya kahit ang totoo ay nagtry lang ang babaeng ito na akitin si boss, 'di ba boss?" Sambit ni Jared habang binabatukan si Miller.

He purposively blocked her view from the window because he sensed that they are being watched that time. But the photos are captured last academic year, graduate na siya ngayon sa kaniyang pre-law. Hindi nito alam kung bakit pa kailangang ilabas ang napakapribadong bagay na ito.