Unordinary Hope (Book 4)

CHAPTER 2 Her Hope (2)

Venus Marshall.

"Where are you b***h?"

Nakatakip ang bibig ko ng aking kamay habang humihikbi ako sa takot.

Nasa maliit ako na closet ng aking ka live in boyfriend. Dito ako nagtago nang marinig ko ang hampas ng pinto kanina.

I know uuwi na naman siyang lasing and I also know that he will beat the s**t out of me again when he sees me.

Araw-araw na lang ganito, uuwi ako galing work na pagod ang katawan at pagod ang utak dahil sa pag-aaral ko, then pag-uwi ko, ito pa ang madadatnan ko. Bugbog.

Mabuti na lang at marunong akong mag-cover ng pasa sa katawan ko gamit ang make-up dahil kung hindi, araw-araw akong makikita ng mga tao na may pasa sa katawan.

Masakit pero tinitiis ko dahil may pangarap akong gustong-gusto kong abutin. And Carter, he's the one who's paying the expensive rent here in Manhattan, New York. And God knows how much I can't afford to have an apartment of my own. I will probably end up in the street, freezing to death.

Nag-aaral ako ng Psychology sa Columbia University na isa sa mga Ivy League in America at kasalukuyang nasa third year college na ako. One more year and I'm graduate.

'Yon ang pangarap ni Mommy bago siya mamatay, ang makatapos ako ng pag-aaral para may makuha akong matinong trabaho.

Si Mommy kasi ay undergraduate ng parehong kurso, kaya heto ako, on behalf of her, ako na ang tutupad sa kanyang pangarap.

"Gotcha you piece of shit." Carter; my abusive boyfriend said like a madman.

Mas lalo akong naiyak when he pulled my hair at bigla ako nitong hinagis sa maruming sahig ng maliit na apartment niya.

"Carter please stop." I begged as I tasted my own blood when he punched me right on my lip.

"You little b***h! You're mine! No one can have you beside me! Do you understand?!"

Tumango-tango na lang ako dahil sa takot habang hopeless na pinagsasampal ako ng baliw kong boyfriend.

"Say it!" He screamed, causing me to smell his foul breath because of m*******a and alcohol combined.

God that stinks!

"I'm only yours, Carter. Please stop please.." Buong tapang kong sagot kahit nanginginig na ang katawan ko sa sobrang takot at sakit na nararamdaman ko.

"No I won't stop until you die you cheater ass!"

He always accused me of cheating on him. Dahil sa kadahilanan na nagtatrabaho ako sa isang strip club.

Sa tatlong taon naming mag nobya at nobyo ni Carter, never in my life na naisip kong magloko.

I only dance because the money is good plus the tip is much higher. Malaking tulong 'yon sa pag-aaral ko, lalo na at sa isang Ivy League pa ako nag-aaral.

Carter beat me in vain until I passed out of consciousness..

Pag gising ko kinabukasan, kahit sobrang hinang-hina ako at sobrang sakit ng pakiramdam ko, pinilit ko pa rin maligo at mag-ayos dahil may pasok pa ako sa school.

After I finished all the ceremony, I put my butt to my old Toyota Corolla and drove in complete silence.

Gosh I hope I can get away from here. But how?

I really want to leave Carter but I know he will find me no matter how much I try.

Because I already tried multiple times, but he always finds me, everytime and the beating is much more painful compared to those days that I didn't try to run away from him.

Pagdating ko sa university, I parked it to the nearest spot that I saw was available then I practically ran towards my first class.

Thanks to God nakahinga na ako ng maluwag dahil hindi pa pala ako late. Nakahinga talaga ako ng maluwag doon ah?

I can't afford to be late nor absent even just for one day. Dahil sa isang araw na 'yon, marami ka nang ma mi-missed.

"Hey Venus! Over here!"

Kumaway sa akin si Kelly; ang kaisa-isang kaibigan ko dito sa school.

I smiled at her and sat besides her. She hugs me but I flinch because it hurts and Kelly immediately looked at me in concern.

"He did it again I guess." malungkot na pahayag niya. I only smiled at her gorgeous face and didn't say anything. Because she and I know the answer for it.

Kelly knows that Carter is abusing me. And she always says to me na sa apartment na lang niya ako tumira but I decline it every time she offers me that.

Ayoko lang siyang madamay sa masalimuot na buhay ko.

I can't drag the only friend I have to where I was. I just can't..

Mahalaga sa 'kin si Kelly. Malaki ang utang na loob ko sa kanya kaya hindi ko siya kayang mapahamak.

Kelly always shares her laptop to me dahil kailangan na kailangan namin ng mga laptop dahil doon kami nag a-activity or what.

At lagi rin niya akong nililibre kapag wala na akong budget.

Mayaman siya kahit alam kong siya na lang mag-isa sa buhay. I wonder though kung saan niya nakukuha lahat ng mga luxurious materials na meron siya.

She has a beautiful car, designer bags and clothes etc. All the good stuff though. Out of curiosity, I ask her about that.

"Why? Are you interested?" She asked playfully. She even wiggles her perfectly shaved eyebrows.

"Nope. Just curious." I answered plainly. Not having any interest in that.

"Don't worry though, I will make your account here. Wait give me a moment." She said then pulled her laptop to her side and started typing.

"Whoa.." na a-amaze na bulalas niya habang nakatitig ito sa screen ng laptop niya.

"Girl, I just made your profile here in sugarbook website then all of a sudden there's few people who already messaged you. Look," masayang pahayag niya at saka hinarap sa akin ang laptop niya at nanlaki ang mga bilugan kong mga mata nang makita kung ano ito.

Binasa ko ang nilagay niyang information about me at tumaas ng bongga ang kilay ko sa nababasa.

Letcheng babaeng 'to. Anong pinaggagawa niya?

It says here about my bio - "Hi I'm Venus, a graduating student who hardly needs a provider."

And about sa What Am I looking for - "I'm looking for a sugar daddy who can give me what I want. Message me so that we can negotiate."

What the hell?

Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Kelly. "What the hell, Kelly? And seriously? You put all my personal information here? Ugh! I'm gonna kill you!" I was ready to punch her playful face when the professor came in.

"Settle down people. Let's start." Professor Cameron said, eyeing Kelly and I. Agad naman kaming natahimik ni Kelly. Though Kelly is smiling from ear to ear.

Mahinang inapakan ko nga ang paa niya. I heard her gasp.

"You'll regret this." I whispered while my eyes focused on the white board.

Rinig kong tatawa-tawa pa si Kelly. "You're very welcome,"

Inirapan ko siya at pinilit na lang makinig sa lecture ni Mrs. Cameron.

The lunch came really late than expected and Kelly and I rush in to Starbucks para doon ulit kumain at para makasagap ng free wifi.

Nakasimangot ako nang umupo kami sa round table for two nang nakuha na namin ang order namin.

"Oh why the long face babe? Come on, cheer up. It's not like I sell you on that site literally, my only concern is it's time for you to meet someone again, someone who can take care of you properly. The kind of care you always deserve. And I'm sick of that shity boyfriend of yours." Kelly annoyingly rolled her eyes.

I sighed. "Fine. Just tell me who message me though." I said with an eye roll.

"Give me your phone," She said sabay lahad ng kanyang kamay. Binigay ko naman sa kanya ang iPhone 5 ko pang cellphone.

I know luma na, eh ano bang pambili ko? Pinagtitiisan ko na nga lang eh dahil hindi na siya updated.

"Really? iPhone 5 still?" hindi makapaniwalang tinitigan ni Kelly ang phone ko na parang nakakita ito ng pinakalumang bagay sa buong mundo.

Nailing na lang si Kelly at may kinalikot doon. Hinayaan ko muna siya at pumunta muna ako sa counter para kumuha ng fresh milk, dala ko ang coffee cup ko then all of a sudden may kaguluhang nangyayari. I took a glance at it and rolled my eyes after.

Celebrities..

I don't give a f**k about them. So, I just get my milk and pour it into my coffee.

After ko doon, babalik na sana ako sa table namin ni Kelly nang kausapin ako ng isang blockmates namin.

Nagtanong lang naman siya about sa report na kailangan naming tapusin next week. Siya pala ang partner ko doon, akala ko kung sinong Stacie Turner. Siya pala, ang laging late kung dumating sa klase.

Ilang sandali lang ay nagpaalam na ito sa akin at dali-daling lumabas ng cafe.

I was looking at the door kung saan siya lumabas nang may tangang bumangga sa 'kin. Natapon tuloy itong kape ko sa white polo na suot niya.

"Geez! Are you blind?!" Singhal niya sa 'kin habang pinupunasan niya 'yong mukhang mamahaling polo niya.

Well I don't care. That's her fault, not mine.

Dahil sa inis sa nangyari, lumabas na lang ako ng cafe para lumamig ang ulo ko.

Binuksan ko ang pinto and I was shock and I gasped out of air when someone just slapped my f*****g ass.

"Ahhh! Bastos!"

Sigaw ko doon sa babaeng tanga na bumangga sa 'kin kanina. Tinalon niya 'yong kotse niya at sumaludo pa ito sa 'kin.

"See you, agápe mou."

She said before she vanished to my sight.

Agápe what? Mou? Ako? What the hell was that for?

******