Just like the moon, we need to go through the phases of emptiness until we feel full again. The moon knows everyone's secret that the sun didn't see while watching every one of us.

People already know one of my secret. Ever since that day, people inside the school treated me differently. Para bang isa akong prinsesa na tuwing dumadaan ako ay gumigilid ang lahat. Ayoko man ang ginagawa nila pero wala akong magagawa. Ni ultimo nga magsalita sa kanila ay hindi ko ginawa. Ayoko na titignan na naman nila ako na para bang wala akong karapatan dito sa mundo.

Mula noon, tinantanan na ako nila Thea. Masama pa rin ang tingin nila sa akin pero walang salita ang lumalabas sa kanila. Hanggang sa umabot ang graduation namin.

I thought, no one will be there when I graduate. No one will receive my awards. No one will take a picture with me while receiving my achievements. But I was wrong.

"Congratulations Aingeal. I'm so proud of you." That's the word that always linger in my mind. Hayden and Aling Fely were there with me. They made me feel that I really deserve those achievements.

They are there when I'm longing for care. Hayden were there to give me home that i've lost a long time ago. Aling Fely came during that time no one was there to receive my award during high school. Ate Sheneal, she became a mother and sister figure to me even though I'm aloof at first. Even Miles, he became a friend to me. And Kuya Kiel, my brother not in blood but in heart. He's there when my parents died. He's there to save me and gave me medicine when my anxiety attacks. My brother, he will always stay as it is.

I feel bad for leaving them. I didn't gave them a proper goodbye. I didn't tell them that I will leave them.

Mula sa airport hanggang sa himpapawid ay patuloy na rumaragasa ang mga luha ko. Gabi ang napili kong biyahe papunta sa Australia. I only left a letter to Hayden and a gift box to others.

After my graduation, I decides to leave the place to find my missing pieces. But before I left, many things happened. Hayden was so worried when he saw me lying in my bathtub with bleeding hands. Yes, I tried killing myself. That time, I really want to everything. Things that happened were too much. I can't think properly. All I want is to rest, forever.

Ang kwento niya'y agad niya akong dinala sa ospital. Sabi pa nga ni Aling Fely ay halos hindi na makapagsalita sa kaba si Hayden noong tinawagan niya ito. Even Kuya Kiel, he was so damn worried about me that time.

Naulit pa ang tangka kong pagkitil ng sarili kong buhay pero naroon sila para iligtas ako. My depression triggered some of my lost memories.

And now, it's been eight months since I left. I'm here in one of the peaceful places in Australia to heal my inner self. Dito ako lagi pumupunta tuwing wala na akong ginagawa. Green grasses with beautiful wild flowers scattered, the blue sky, and the tall trees around me. Nakaupo ako sa damuhan at nakatingin sa kalangitan.

Sa pag-alis ko, akala ko ay pagsisisihan ko iyon ng sobrang sobra. Sa una ay gusto ko na talagang umuwi nalang pero noong naglaon, tama lang pala ang naging desisyon ko.

Si Kuya Kiel muna ang namamahala sa SVL. Tiwala ako sa kanya. But still, I'm secretly helping the company from here. I'm finding who's the traitor inside our corporation.

Nawala ang atensiyon ko sa kalangitan nang tumunog ang cellphone ko. Agad kong sinagot ang tawag nang makita kung sino ang caller.

"Bakit po, Lala?"

"Umuwi ka muna at mananghalian. Nagluto kami ng Lolo mo ng paborito mong ulam," napangiti naman ako.

"Sige po, pauwi na po ako." Agad akong tumayo sa kinauupuan ko at pinagpag ang pantalon ko. Inilagay ko ang maliit kong bag sa basket ng bike ko. Inilagay ko na rin doon ang cellphone na hawak ko bago tuluyang umuwi.

When I get here in Australia, my lala and lolo were so happy. Hindi naman ako pupunta dito kung wala akong mapupuntahan. I found out that I have a grandparents when I saw an old photo from my parents room. Inumpisahan ko noon na ipahanap sila. At hindi naman ako nabigo.

My grandparents helped and encourage me to seek help. They were so hurt when I told them I'm not mentally fine. At first, I really don't want to do the session. I'm afraid what will it fruit. I'm still afraid to walk the line.

But when I saw who's my practitioner, memories of him started to flash. My doctor is no other than Hayden's friend, Wry Ocampo. He said that it should be Hayden who's here in Australia but he declined the offer. I wonder why because Wry never told me.

Hayden was there with me when I'm still fighting the voices and fake memories in my head. Wry, he told me a lot of stories that Hayden didn't tell me. And he did successfully opened the way of me to starting walking the line I tried to disregard.

Nagkusa ang bibig ko para sabihin sa kanya ang lahat ng bagay na tumatakbo sa isip ko. Hindi ko ma maalala ang lahat sa una at hindi niya ako pinilit na alalalahin ang mga iyon. He gave me so much time, until now.

"Lala, I'm here!" Sigaw ko at ipinarada ang bike ko sa tabi. Gagamitin ko pa naman iyon mamaya.

"Come here in the dining, apo!" Masiglang tawag sa akin ni Lala. I'm happy to know that they are still alive and healthy. I'm happy that I still have a family member left.

"Mom! Dad!"

"Just stay there Aingeal! Please listen to us!"

"No! Please don't leave me here!"

Napaupo ako bigla dahil sa panghihina. Sumakit rin ang ulo sa biglaang pagragasa ang memorya sa utak ko. I even heard a loud bang.

"Aingeal apo!" Alalang lumapit sa akin sila lolo nang makita nilang napaupo nalang ako bigla sa sahig.

"Don't do this to us, please,"

"We will give you want you want just don't kill us,"

"Too late to plead my dear friend."

Napaiyak na ako dahil sa sakit ng ulo ko. Voices, I hear voices from my mother and father. And the last voice, I can't name who's voice it is.

"Argh!" Sigaw ko nang parang sunod-sunod na pinupukpok ang ulo ko dahil sa kakaibang tunog na namayani sa utak ko.

Hindi ko na alam ang mga sumunod na nangyari dahil nagising nalang ako na nasa ospital na. My grandparents are here, even Wry.

"What happened?" Kaagad na tanong ko habang hawak ang nananakit kong ulo.

"You pass out," it's Wry who answered me.

"Apo," naiiyak na hinawakan ni Lala ang kamay ko habang marahang hinahaplos ang buhok ko. Samantalang pinapatahan naman siya ni Lolo.

"Lala, Lolo..." Tuluyan na akong umiyak at agad naman nila akong pinatahan pero hindi ko magawa.

"Mommy and daddy..." I can't continue my words. There were lump in my throat. I don't want to believe it but, it is the most vivid memory that flashed to my mind.

"They died..." Parang ayokong bigkasin ang mga salita na nararapat. Ang hirap tanggapin.

"Apo, they died from accident, that's what they have told us. Apo, maybe that's the reason why--" hindi ko na pinatapos si Lala dahil parang sasabog na ako kung hindi ko pa masabi ang katotohanan; ang totoong nangyari sa mga magulang ko.

"Someone killed them Lala! I heard everything from that dark cabinet! They killed my parents while I'm there listening how they plead for mercy!"