Chapter 1
Many years ago...
"Calysta?"
Kumapit ako nang mahigpit sa armchair ko. I was trying so hard not to pass out from what the whole class just watched.
I can't believe what I just saw on TV! Parang gusto kong magsuka. I hate this Biology class! Bakit kailangan ipanood sa 'min ng buo kung paano manganak?!
The screams of the mother was traumatizing! The way the vagina expanded was too wide, I could almost feel how painful it is-added the streams of blood coming out!
Yuck! Yuck! Yuck!
Humarap ako kay Magnus. "I don't want to give birth! Hinding-hindi ako magbubuntis. I don't want a baby!"
Napapitlag siya sa pagsigaw ko. "Caly, calm down. It's a natural thing..."
"No! I won't go through that pain and horror!"
Nilibot ko ang paningin ko at nakitang halos pare-parehas lang kami ng reaction ng mga girl classmates ko. Iyong iba ay tulala pa nga!
Second year high school pa lang kami rito sa Claveles High. We are just a bunch of fourteen-year-olds and then that biology teacher let us watch that... that...
"It's scarier than a horror movie, Mags! Walang awa ang teacher natin!" bulalas ko pa rin. Nasapo ko na ang noo ko. Hindi mawala sa isip ko ang mga imahe ng pinanood namin kanina. Naririnig ko pa rin sa tainga ko ang mga sigaw...
And the way the doctor cut the... No! No! No!
"There's an option now that you can go painless in giving birth," marahang sabi ni Mags.
"And what? You'll just feel the pain after? Tapos, the vagina will look so ugly na? And then how come it's worth it when you gave birth to a crying baby? Nakakairita 'yung iyak!" maarte kong wika.
"I swear to God I won't get pregnant! I don't want kids in the future anyway!"
I'm never fond of children. Buti na lang at ako ang bunso sa bahay at wala na 'kong younger sibling.
Sa mother side ko, may mga mas bata sa 'king pinsan. May naabutan din akong pinsan na mga bagong panganak pa lang. They are cute, sure. But I don't like holding a baby dahil baka mag-poop or umihi sa 'kin. Kadiri.
I don't like toddlers either because they are hard to deal with. Sobrang kulit! At ayoko na lalo 'yung malalaking bata dahil mga matitigas na ang ulo! Mga pasaway!
"Mothers are wonderful, Calysta. Ganoon tayo pinanganak ng mga nanay natin. They're brave."
"Yeah, sure! I love my Mommy for that and so much more." Na-appreciate ko naman ang level ng sacrifice na binibigay ng mga nanay para lang maayos na makapanganak. But I'm not selfless like that! "No wonder, hindi na 'ko sinundan ni Mommy! Ang hirap-hirap pala talaga! It makes you so ugly!"
"All mothers are beautiful," pagtatama ni Magnus.
"Oh, come on! Pregnancy isn't!"
Bigla kaming nakarinig ng tawanan sa pinakalikuran. As usual, Aleksander's group were making fun of what we've just watched. Wala lang sa kanila dahil hindi naman sila ang manganganak!
"Lumalaki pala ng ganoon ang vagina," malakas na tawa ni Alek. Dinig na dinig namin ni Magnus kahit nasa pinaka-first row kami. "Ang flexible!"
