Verse of the Day.
"Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Thinking as others as better than yourselves."
Philippians 2:3

Chapter 13
New Discovery
[ Zoe Madelyn ]

"HUH. MAUI? Fck you, Bran . . . !" I watched her mumbling some foul words under her breath. Hindi ko na narinig ang sumunod na sinabi niya dahil humina na ang kaniyang boses.

She's sitting on a bench here in front of the garden. Umupo ako sa tabi niya. Hurt expression is visible on her gorgeous face pero ang kaniyang mala-karagatan na mga mata ay nanatiling blangko. Maybe she's not aware of that.

But, Maui? Iyon ang itinawag ko sa kaniya kaninang umaga. Napansin ko kanina na nahirapan siyang huminga at parang may bumabara sa lalamunan niya dahil hirap at pautal-utal siyang nagsalita pagkatapos niyang marinig iyon. Which was unusual. I've never seen her stuttering even at the professors.

Tinanong ko siya kung bakit ayaw niyang tawagin siya ng gano'n but she chose to ignore my question. I bet she hated that name because of a person.

Her attitude reminds me of him. They'll meet soon. Soon . . .

Napatingin agad ako sa kaniya nang makarinig ako ng kaskas ng gitara. I didn't notice she brought that with her. Nagsimula na siyang kumanta with her bittersweet smile.

She doesn't notice me? Or maybe she does but she just ignored me because of her emoting session.

I've been living with a shadow overhead
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past. I just can't seem to move on

She is? Hindi naman halata. Ang tingin ko sa kaniya ay marami siyang kaibigan at madamayan sa problema niya. Maureen didn't tell us about her life except about how her parents died and she only have her uncle—her only family left.

I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need them again someday

You'll need the people around you. For your own sake. Someday . . .

I've been setting aside time
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind.
All I want to do is find a way back into love

I can't make it through without a way back into love

Oh oh oh. . .

I envy her voice. Kung lalaki lang ako at kahit na bago lamang kami nagkita, magugustuhan ko na siya. But sadly, I'm a girl; a straight one.

I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine
I've been searching but i just don't see the signs
I know that it's out there
There's got to be something for my soul somewhere

I've been looking for someone to shed some light
Not somebody just to get me through the night.

I hope she'll find it out here.

I could use some direction
And I'm open to your suggestions
All I want to do is find a way back into love
I

can't make it through without a way back into love

She keeps on banging her head just like the people attending concerts.

And if I open my heart again, I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end

Oh oh oh

There are moments when I don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration

Not just another negotiation

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love

And if I open my heart to you
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do
And if you help me to start again
You know that I'll be there for you in the end

Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh

Hays. I hope I also have that enchanting voice. After she sang, lumingon siya sa kinaroroonan ko. Parang nagulat pa siya dahil nanlaki ang kaniyang mga mata at kumurap-kurap. So, she really didn't notice me?

I smiled at her and compliment her voice. "You have a cold yet angelic voice..." namamanghang saad ko.

"I know." Of course, it's her own voice.

[ Ava Maureen ]

What. The. Actual. Hell!

Am I imagining things? Hallucinating voices? Can I really read her mind or hear her freaking thoughts or whatever?!

I already noticed Zoe's presence before I strum my guitar and sang. Hinayaan ko na lang siya dahil hindi ko naman na siya mapapaalis kahit pa sabihin na gusto kong mapag-isa. But the thing is, when I'm already done singing the song, I heard her thoughts. Her freaking thoughts!

She's thinking about me having resemblance of someone and she keeps on envying my voice. And I always knew that when someone hears my voice, they will all mesmerize by this. Mama once said that my voice were like the voice of a mermaid.

Ah, I never mentioned to them that I love singing. Before I pursue modeling, singing is on my top list. Ngayon lang din ako nakapagkanta ulit after my father's suffering.

"I gotta go."

Tumayo na ako sa bench at dumeretso sa hallway. I glance at every students I passed by and try if I can still hear their thoughts. They are all also eyeing me like a statue they praised. But of course, may iba rin na ang sasama ng tingin at mga naaawa. Why some of them looks like they pity me?

Maganda at mukhang matalino pero wala namang kapangyarihan.

Kawawa naman siya pagdating sa Blue Moon. Natuklasan na kaya niya ang kapangyarihan niya?

Paano niya nakayanan na makasama ang mga nasa Rank SUPREMUS?

I wanted to be friends with her so that Prince Jack will notice me. Jack is mine. A little patience her, Ava. I don't need a user friend.

Inirapan ko ang babaeng nag-isip na gusto akong makaibigan para lang mapansin ni Jack. Ha! As if Jack will notice her. Halatang nagulat siya sa ginawa ko dahil napaatras siya.

Having this kind of ability is awesome! But wait, 'di ba may healing ability na ako? How come that I have 2 abilities? Pero abilidad ko ba talaga ang manggamot? Nevermind, I think I can enhance this ability. I'll train myself and never tell anyone about this matter. Ayos na ang malaman nila na healing ang ability ko. I don't want to be secretive to my friends but it's needed. Even with Jack. I need to be silent.

I let out a sigh to all of my thoughts as I handed the money for my food. Carbonara, adobo, chicken fillet steak, rice, green veggies smoothie, fries, and sundae that would serve as a dipping sauce for my fries. Heavy meal it is. Gutom ako, e! Napagod kaya ako kakapakinig sa sermon ni Mr. Villamor kanina.

Inuna kong kinain ang adobo, chicken fillet steak at rice. I noticed that most of the students here, their eyes stuck at my foods and then my body. What's their problem? Don't tell me, pinagnanasaan na nila ako sa isipan nila?

I read the mind of the girl and a boy who eats and stares at me at the same time, in the next table beside me. "How can she do that? Maintain her figure and eat a lot?" "Mas madami pa siyang kinain sa 'kin pero bakit ang sexy niya?"  Bakit, porke ba malakas kumain, hindi na pwede maging sexy?!

Tinaasan ko sila ng kilay at inirapan kaya umiwas sila ng tingin. I was about to sip my healthy smoothie nang may umagaw sa akin no'n. Inangat ko ang tingin at nakita ko ang nakasimangot na makapal na mukha ng lalaki. I tried to snatch it away pero mabilis niyang nabuksan ang bottle at lumagok doon.

I hold my laughter because of his ugly face. "Pwe! Ano ba naman ang lasa niyan, Maureen! Kadiri!" James groaned.

I compose and prevent my self from laughing. "Give it back! It's mine and how dare you drink that!" Inagawa ko sa kaniya 'yon at ibinalik agad ang takip. I sipped the smoothie at isinubo ang carbonara.

Madali ko lang naubos iyon dahil maliit lang naman ang serving nila. Ang kukuripot. Huhu! It's James' words again! Isusunod ko na sana ang fries dipped with sundae ko pero naramdaman kong uminit ang gilid ng mga mata ko nang makita kong malapit nang maubos ang hinahanap ko.

Hinayaan ko nalang siya dahil may itatanong din naman ako. "Question." I raised my right hand and he just nodded his head. "In exchange of my food, you must answer this honestly, okay?"

Tumango ulit siya dahil busy siya sa pagnguya. Hmp! That's my fries! I rolled my eyes on him but he just stuck his tongue out. "Ano na ang tanong mo? H'wag mo nalang akong pakialaman sa pagkain, gutom ako, e!"

"Do you, by any chance, know someone who can read minds?"

He almost choke at my question. "Uh . . ." Nag-aalinlangan pa siya kung sasabihin ba niya o hindi. Narinig ko pang sabi niya na, "Patay ako nito!"

"Answer it!" napipikang asik ko. I'm itching to know who it is.

"M-Meron! Ba . . . bakit mo naitanong?" Nagpalinga-linga pa siya sa paligid na parang may makakarinig sa sinabi niya. Ang hina na nga ng boses namin, e!

"Nothing. Accompany me to that person and I treat you later a dinner!"

Agad siyang namutla sa narinig pero agad din lumiwanag ang mukha nang marinig niya ang salitang 'treat'. Mukha naman itong pagkain. "Deal! P-Pero ano ba ang gagawin mo?" kinakabahang tanong niya. Tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay at inirapan. "Sungit naman nito. Nagtatanong lang, e! At bakit ba curios na curios ka riyan? Ngayon ang dinner, a? Tapos, bukas na tayo pupunta."

"Sure. But don't you dare meddle because it's not your business, dear."

@eggarru