1: Frustrated Writer

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Ilang minuto nang nakatulala si Quinn, siguro'y mas matagal pa nga sa minuto. Marahil ay isang oras na ang lumipas, o araw. She could only stare at the blinking cursor on the screen while her mind is just full of... air. The thousand words on her laptop have become scribbles.

At saka lang siya natauhan nang walang habas na mag-ring ang kaniyang cellphone. It's the editor, Mya, calling. She puts the phone into silent mode and let it dance on vibration. Napatingin naman siya sa notebook niya. Dito niya isinulat ang outline niya sa story.

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Alayah, Ethan, and Jae: the great trio from their college. The three of them have pursued their degree because they're being forced to. Sabay-sabay nilang tinahak ang college at gumraduate na sabay-sabay.

Pantay lang ang pagtingin ni Alayah sa dalawang lalaki. Not until 4th year. She starts seeing Ethan another way and Jae is cool with that. Ang totoo, hinahangaan nito ang dalaga. Her happiness is more important, though.

Alayah and Ethan have stayed close after graduation. Jae seeks out on his own and has become a photographer. Alayah pushes through show business while Ethan works his way up to the corporate world as a CEO at J&Queen.

The former even thinks their relationship is leveling up as time passes by. They occasionally go on dates. Akala ni Alayah, they have mutual feelings.

Not until one day, she sees Ethan on national television. 'Perhaps their world can finally collide.' But it's only her world that has met a collision. Akala niya ay aatakihin siya sa balita. Ethan is engaged with a notable person in the business world. Parang binagsakan tuloy siya ng langit at lupa.

Maganda naman si Alayah at mabait. She's a well known artist and her career is thriving. She also has the face and body to die for. Pero hindi niya mapigilang manliit. Anong panama niya roon sa babaeng 'yon? That woman has everything: money, fame, looks. The two live in the same sphere. In short, bagay na bagay sila. Meanwhile, she starts doubting herself.

At that point, Alayah wants to disappear. At mas nananaig ang kagustuhan niyang mabura ang sakit sa kaniyang dibdib. She reaches out to Jae. Naalala niya ito na laging nariyan para sa kaniya. And he is. Nag-aantay lang naman ang lalaki na mapansin siya nito.

Doon napagtanto ni Alayah kung gaano kaswerte ang magiging kasintahan nito. For her, he is perfect. He's ideal. 'Kung sana'y gan'to na lang rin si Ethan,' isip-isip niya. Hindi pa kasi iyon tumatawag sa kaniya simula noong announcement. Inaya na siya ni Jae na magpunta sa amusement park at lahat-lahat, wala pa rin itong paramdam. Hindi kaya't after all this time, they don't feel the same way?

Hindi niya nga alam kung bakit naging ganoon na lang kadali para sa kaniya ang makalimutan ang binata pansamantala. She likes Ethan, but he can never be with her. Unlike Jae.

Pakiramdam niya ay mas lumalim pa ang samahan nila ni Jae nang lumipas ang mga araw...

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Puro erasures na ang susunod na eksena sa notebook ni Quinn. Iba't-ibang scenes na rin ang na-compose niya sa laptop at binubura niya lang ito sa huli.

She cannot push through writing their love story. Hindi niya ito mapanindigan. Kanina pa siya pabalik-balik dito at hindi siya nasa-satisfy sa ginagawa. At habang tumatagal, mas lalong lumalayo ang loob niya sa ginagawang project. It's as if she's been staring at a beautiful painting, looking so hard for mistakes; that it starts to look like meaningless streaks of paint on a canvas.

Here's her dilemma: naatasan siyang gumawa ng chiklit story. Pumirma siya kaagad sa kontrata noon without thinking too much. Ang nasa isipan niya lang kasi, kailangan nila ng pera. On the terms and conditions, nakasaad doon na mayroon siyang buwanang kita sa pagsusulat niya. In addition, she'll get incentives in the sales once the book has been published. It's too good to be true, kaya sinunggaban niya agad ang oportunidad.

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