This is a work of fiction - the names, places and events are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual person (living or dead) are purely coincidental.

The story may contain a lot of foul words, bloody and intense scenes. It also includes a lot of grammar and typographical errors.

Please read at your own risk.

This story is a mixture of mystery/thriller, romance and fantasy. So basically, it's a mix genre.

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JUNO

People are fond of falling in love and falling in love is like falling on a pit without knowing how to get yourself out of it. That is why I chose to save them from being hurt after falling in love instead of falling onto someone else. You might think that I'm bitter, but I am not. I just don't get the reason why people need to fall in love and gets hurt at the end. I hate it when someone cries just because they're jealous, insecure or they we're dump at the end. Specially in women, I don't want to see girls kneeling down to their boyfriends just to let them stay or just to love them back. I hate it when someone cannot fall asleep just because she's thinking why her boyfriend acted that way. It's painful to see girls cry over boys or the other way around.

I guess you think that I am not objective but don't get me wrong. I also consider the reason behind why a man acted that way before I make any decisions or judgement. Its just that, I think man can handle those worse scenarios that most women cannot. Aside from that, I think women are fragile, they can easily be destroyed in just a snap.

That is why I chose to be the protector of women. I am not named after Juno, the Roman Goddess who watched over women if not.

Tok! Tok! Tok!

I was making my assignments when I heard someone knocking. As I opened it, I saw a girl crying. Halos mamugto na nga ang mga mata niya sa walang tigil na pag-iyak. I guess, another broken heart needs my healing power.

"What can I do for you?" I asked as I let her sit on the couch intended for my clients.

Been wondering what I'm doing? Well, I'm running a club named Aceso Libertas. I named it after Aceso, the roman goddess responsible for healing wounds and Libertas, the roman goddess of freedom. As what the name stands for, the main goal of the club is to heal and freed those who need to move on.

"I noticed that my boyfriend is being cold to me lately. I guess, he's seeing someone else right now." she said as she began crying again. I wanted to slap her the truth that maybe he's boyfriend got tired of her already but I cannot. She's my client after all.

"Ano bang ginawa mo lately at bigla na lamang naging cold sa'yo ang boyfriend mo?" Hindi naman kasi pwedeng bigyan ko siya ng advice gamit ang katiting na impormasyong ibinigay niya sa'kin. I want her to open up and tell me more about what happened.

"Nag-away kasi kami no'ng isang araw dahil pinigilan ko siyang makipagkita at makipag-inuman kasama ang mga kaibigan niya. He said that I don't have the rights to interfere with his business dahil girlfriend niya lang ako. Tama ba namang pagsabihan niya ko nang gano'n?" pagpapaliwanag niya habang pumupunas pa ng uhog niya.

Tama nga ko, the boy got tired of her already.

"Mind if I ask you when did you start stopping him from seeing his friends?"

"I've been doing it since we became in a relationship and I don't think he has a problem with that. Besides, hindi naman siya nagrereklamo noon pa. Ngayon lang siya nagkaganito."

"Hmm... I think your boyfriend got tired of you. Alam mo--- what's your name again?" I asked as I realize na hindi ko pa pala alam kung anong pangalan niya.

"It's Ashley."

"You know what Ashley, you need to stop acting like an immature brat kung saan kailangan mong laging alamin ang pinaggagagawa ng boyfriend mo. Kailangan mo ring isipin 'yong privacy niya. Give him some time for himself. Oo alam kong bata ka pa kaya natural lamang na umasta ka na parang hawak mo 'yong mundo niya pero kailangan mong magpakamature na. I don't force you to possess the maturity level that an adult can have, after all you're just a teenager. But, you need to behave properly. Siguro naman ayaw mong tuluyan ka nang iwan ng boyfriend mo 'di ba?"

I saw her nod after I tell her what's on my mind.

"I need you to give him some space. Maybe you should give him a week or two? Besides, he needs to experience driving his own life too."

"But what if he doesn't come back? What should I do? I can't live my life without him!" she exclaimed. Ang OA naman neto sa 'I can't live my life wihout him'. Tsk.

"Then, if that happens, I can tell that he's just using your immaturity as an excuse to get rid of you. And if he does come back, then he just needed some space. Oh common' let him breath!"

"Maybe you're right. Thanks for the advice, I will surely put that in mind."

Matapos ang pagbibigay ko sa kanya ng advice ay pinapirma ko siya sa logbook together with her name. She's my 21st client and I am looking forward for more.

Alam kong nagtataka kayo kung bakit naapproved ng teacher-student committee ang ganitong klaseng club. Having a club like this is weird, right? But because of my convincing powers, I made them sign the letter of approval of my so called 'Aceso Libertas Club', AceLib Club for short. Ika nga nila, maganda naman daw ang layunin ng club ko besides, isa ang love problem sa dahilan kung bakit bumababa ang performance ng mga estudiyante sa school and marami-rami na rin ang naglipanang suicide case dahil sa love issues. Kaya marapat lamang na magkaroon ng isang club na kagaya nito. To avoid that kind of scenarios to happen.

Dalawa lang kaming member ng club, ako at si Hera. As you noticed, Hera is my counterfeit on Greek mythology. She was considered as the goddess of marriage. At dahil sa may klase siya ngayon, ako lang ang mag-isang nandito sa club para asikasuhin ang mga kliyente.

Naisipan ko munang pumunta ng cafeteria para magmiryenda dahil wala pa namang sumunod na kliyente matapos ni Ashley. As I was busy eating my ham sandwich, someone asked if he can join me on the table. I nodded as a sign of yes.

"You're Julliane right? A grade 12A STEM student. Nice to meet you, I'm Jayden Gray Sarmiento, a grade 12A student of ABM." he said as he extended his arm probably wanting to shake our hands.

"Nice to meet you but you can call me, Juno." I said as I accepted his hand. Mas prefer ko kasing tawaging Juno because the name Julliane makes me puke.

As much as possible, I'm trying to look friendly towards my co-students because I don't want to look intimidating. Baka kasi walang pumunta ng club kapag gano'n kaya kahit wala akong ganang makinig sa mga walang kwentang jokes nitong si Jayden ay pinilit ko na lang umasta na nakikinig. Matapos kong kainin ang sandwich ko ay nagpaalam na ko sa kanya.

Pabalik ba sana ako ng room 548 kung saan matatagpuan ang office ng club namin nang madaanan ko si Ashley na patuloy na umiiyak sa isa sa mga couches sa gilid ng soccer field.

Mabilis ko siyang nilapitan at tinanong kung ano ang nangyari.

"Hey, 'di ka pa rin ba tapos sa pagsesenti?" I asked her as I sit beside her.

"I saw him and he just ignored me."

What the?! Haven't I told her that she needed to give him some space right now? Napaka-immature talaga ng babaeng 'to at mukhang mahihirapan akong tulungan ang ganitong klaseng babae.

"Di ba sinabi ko naman sa'yo na kailangan mo munang hayaan siya sa ngayon? It's normal that he chose to ignore you kasi fresh pa ang problema n'yo. Give him space. I thought you would put that in mind," wika ko habang hinihimas ang sentido ko. This girl is giving me headache.

Hindi ko na hinintay kung ano man ang sasabihin niya dahil kung hindi n'yo naitatanong, kilala ako bilang isang uri ng tao na hindi inuulit ang mga bagay na nasabi ko na. My patience is as short as the list of my boyfriends-- nothing to count.

"You look terrible! What happened?" tanong ni Hera habang papasok ako ng club office. "I guess, you encountered a hard-headed client again! I told you to stop accepting those kind of clients!"

"And what? We will be issued as a club with unfair treatment? Siguro naman ayaw mong mapublish tayo sa Ikigai as a club na bias at mapili pagdating sa kliyente."

"So you don't have a choice but to accept those stubborn clients. I hope you won't lose your patience with that."

"LET'S JUST HOPE FOR THE BEST AND EXPECT FOR THE WORST," I said at mukhang kabisado niya na ng linyahan kong 'to.

Sa paglipas ng mahigit dalawang oras ay wala kaming ibang ginawa ni Hera kundi ang asikasuhin ang mga papeles para sa nalalapit na accreditation sa school. Nakakapagod man ay pinilit pa rin naming maitaguyod ang club kahit na kaming dalawa lang ang miyembro nito. Hindi naman sa pagmamayabang pero nasa mahigit bente na ang bilang ng estudyante na tinanggihan ko para maging katuwang namin dito sa club. Naaamoy ko kasi na mukhang makikichismis lang sila sa buhay pag-ibig ng mga estudyanteng dudulog sa club. In short, mga incompetent at understated ang qualifications nila para maging offical member ng AceLib.

Mahirap mang paniwalaan pero marunong akong magbasa ng mga utak at nararamdaman ng tao. I can sense it if they're being sincere or not, being sarcastic or real and being true or just pretending.

Maya-maya pa nang paalis na sana kami ni Hera nang bigla kaming sinalubong ng umiiyak na si Ashley. Konti na lang talaga at masasapak ko na 'to para magising 'to sa katotohanang kailangan muna ng space ng boyfriend niya. Mahirap bang i-spelling ang salitang S P A C E?

"Juno, something bad happened to Dan. He was accidentally hit by a car," wika nito habang patuloy na umiiyak.

Teka,
Hindi kaya..

Matapos niyang maisalaysay ang nangyari sa boyfriend niya ay mabilis kong hinawakan ang kamay niya.

Tama nga ako.

"Sana masagasaan ka na lang kesa patuloy mo kong ginaganito. Mabuti pa na mapilayan ka kesa patuloy mo kong indyanin sa mga lakad natin. At mabuti pa na ma-hospital ka kesa pumasok ng school nang hindi man lang ako pinapansin."

Yes, tama kayo ng hula. I can totally read people's thoughts by touching their hands. But the worst part is, nagkakatotoo ang hiling ng mga nagiging kliyente ko once na dumulog sila sa club ko. Sincere man ito o hindi, wala silang magagawa kundi ang hintayin ang consequences ng mga hinihiling nila. And as you can see, Ashley wished her boyfriend to be like that.

Alam kong weird pero ni minsan hindi ko kwinestyon kung bakit ako ang biniyayaan ng ganitong kakayahan. For me, having this kind of ability is both a curse and a treasure. Sumpa kasi, maraming napapahamak lalo na kung hindi busilak ang puso at selfish ang taong nagiging kliyente ko, kung saan hinihiling nila na mapasama ang kalagayan ng mga nobyo nila. Treasure kasi, napapabuti at mas lalong napapatatag ang pagsasama ng iba lalo na kung totoong nagmamahal ang taong pumasok sa kanlungan ng club ko.

Nagtataka man ay tila bigla na lamang natauhan si Ashley.

"Hindi maaari, hindi totoo 'yan!" aniya.

"Anong hindi maaari? Anong hindi totoo?" nagtatakang tanong naman ni Hera pero tulad ko, wala ni isa mang bakas ng pagkagulat ang masasaksihan mo sa mukha niya. Hindi ko alam kung sadyang alam niya na may special powers ako o kaya nama'y nasanay na siya sa mga ganitong pangyayari.

"N-no, no! Hindi totoo 'yan. Siguro naman malabong mangyari na magkatotoo ang iniisip mo dahil sa galit ka at nasaktan ka 'di ba?" tanong nito.

"I don't think so, ika nga nila... Be careful what you wish for, 'cause you might just get it," sagot ko sa kanya kaya naman hindi niya napigilan pa na mapahagulhol.

"Patawarin mo ko Dan, hindi ko naman intensyong pag-isipan ka ng gano'n," pagsusumamo nito.

It's too late Ashley, your wish was already granted and there's no turning back.

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