PROLOGUE

"Goodbye, Mrs. Pimentel," we all said. After that, our teacher leave the room with the projects we handed over to her. Finally! I breathed a sigh of relief. The discussion earlier was difficult, I didn't quite understand the geometric and arithmetic sequence. I'm not smart enough when it comes to Math. "Vienna, you come with us? We're going to the mall," Samantha said as she headed in my direction. She's the classroom president and she's pretty but I don't like the way she acts in front of me. We're not close, she's just talking to me because of my friends. "I'm sorry, my boyfriend is waiting outside. We're also going to the mall, maybe next time Sam," I replied. She seems to be disappointed with what I said but it's not true, I just really don't want to be with her friends. "Um.. okay, so.. next time. I hope your friends will join. Bye Vienna, see you tomorrow." See? that's why I hate her. Why are my boy friends so handsome? I have girl friends but we are in different schools. I have some close ones here in the classroom but not as much close as my guy friends. So, sometimes I get mistakenly a lesbian because my friends are boys. I am currently walking down the hallway out of school. I'm alone now because my friends have a soccer practice and my boyfriend has a guitar practice so I'm not with them. I'm going home alone but it's okay. I know that we have different responsibilities in school but sometimes it's annoying. Because we don't meet or talk but I understand and I still support them. "Hello, Dad..." I said happily. I miss him. (Hello honey, how are you? I miss you) "I'm fine, Dad, and I miss you too. When will you pick me up here? I want to go back there." He sighed on the other line, that only means one thing .. he can't pick me up. And that means I will stay here in the Philippines for a long time. (I'm sorry honey, it looks like it will be a long time before I can pick you up there. I have a lot of work to do, I hope you will understand) "Yes Dad, I understand. Please be safe there, see you soon Dad and I love you." (I love you too honey, please be safe too) I dropped the call after we talked. We didn't talk much, I just tell him about what happened to me today and what happened at home. When I arrived at the parking lot, I immediately got in the car where my Uncle Ronald, our family driver, was waiting for me. After an hour, we got home safely but what immediately grabbed my attention was the black car that was familiar to me. "Uncle Ronald, did a visitor come?" I asked when we got out of the car. "I don't know, Vienna, why did you ask?" "That black car seems .. familiar to me." "Maybe it's your mom's new car." I slowly shook my head, I think a visitor came but who? Out of curiosity, I went straight to the house but silence open up to me. 'Mom, I'm home," I said. Where are the people here? Why is it so silent? I can't find Mother Selda, neither Sister Riza nor mom. Why are people missing here at home? What is the date today? It's not my birthday but there's a lot of food on the table. Will there be a surprise? I went up the stairs going to my room but suddenly I stopped when I heard a voice coming from a corner of this house. I went for it, but I didn't expect that this is how it will open up to me. Mom, kissing dad's brother. I couldn't speak, I couldn't move my mouth, and I couldn't run. I just kept staring at the two people who were so eager to kiss. My tears were already flowing, my whole body was cold but they still did not notice my presence. "Vienna, you're home already." I was unable to look back at the person who spoke. I just kept staring at the two of them. But when she arrived, my mother stopped and looked in my direction. I saw the shock and fear in her eyes. Then I ran and left the house. They just kept calling my name but I didn't look back. I never thought that because of that incident, my life would change forever.