Chapter 5

Suddenly the phone I was holding disappeared from my hand, only to realize that my mum took my phone from me. "Don't use it for now, okay? Avoid hanging out on social media for now, dear."

"It's not that easy to escape from their insults to me, ma. Even if I don't look at the contents of my newsfeed, I still feel like they're feasting on me right now." I tried not to cry by hugging my big pillow and I collapsed there. "Those bitches are full of gossip again, ma."

"I called Ram about this, Chanty. I asked him for help if there was anything they could do to turn down your classmates' posts about you." Mama sat next to me and in an instant, I felt her hand on my head. "I thought that what they are doing to you can be classified as cyberbullying. Ram might scare those people into deleting the post if they don't want the outrages, they are doing to you to reach their parents."

"Isn't it too late to delete their posts?" A forced smile appeared on my lips despite the sadness reflected in my eyes. "The news has been spread already. Even if they delete it, they have already convinced a large audience... that even our relatives, acquaintances or neighbors already know what happened to me."

When I looked at my mum in the eyes, she immediately avoided me.

"I heard your conversation with Aling Baby downstairs earlier, ma. Everything she said, from the beginning of your conversation to the end, I listened."

"Is what I heard about your daughter really true, mars? Chanty is pregnant?" When I heard my name, I peeked outside. There I saw Mama talking to Aling Baby. "Your daughter is so young, why did you let her get pregnant? She should be smart, sensible and look like she'll be the one to get you out of trouble and poverty, you shouldn't have let her down."

"I didn't abandon my daughter, Baby. If you really know me, you know that I am strict with my children. Especially with Chanty, that's my girl," my mum answered. "Wherever you gather that news, it's up to you if you believe it and how you judge my daughter. I'm not holding your brains to control how you think."

My mum didn't even bother cutting the vegetables. Aling Baby is like air to her that she is talking to.

"Well, that's it... Do you know the father yet? Is he willing to marry your daughter and be responsible to the baby?"

At that question, my mum stopped what she was doing. "Do people like you have the right to know the answer to that? Can't the information about that just stay on our side at least?"

"Gosh! Just admit that the father of the baby is not held accountable!" Aling Baby laughed even more teasingly. "After all, which rapist is willing to take responsibility for the woman he raped who became pregnant? Hey, life!"

Even my mother's fake friend had already heard about the issue I was involved in. It's not surprising, eh. The source is posted on social media so it's easy for people to access it and be updated on the gossip spread around the world every day.

"You don't have to think about that bitch Baby anymore. Let them overthink about our lives. Just ignore them, dear." She held my hands tightly. "We don't need their opinion. Let them sail... for all we care."

"Ma... it's not that easy." The tears that I had been holding back started to fall. "I don't want to be a nest of gossip. I don't want us to be the center of their gossip, ma. And I don't want either... I went to college where my classmates will recognize me as a rape victim... who was pregnant by a rapist... who was not held accountable..."

My whole world fell on my mum's shoulders as she relentlessly let me live. I can no longer carry the weight that life gives me, so for now... I want to pass it on to others because I still lack the strength to carry it.

"Your mum will find a way, okay?" She still continued rubbing my back. "I will find a way, dear. Trust in me."

—

My mum dressed me up because she said we had something important to do. What I have in mind is that she might take me to her OB's clinic so that I can be checked up again. My mother didn't tell me directly to the OB clinic where we were going, maybe she was afraid that I wouldn't go with her.

"You don't want to put on make-up, do you?"

My forehead was wrinkled. "You made me wear a dress as if we were going to a party. And do you want me to do more make-up? Are we really going to the party? Not with your... OB?"

"Why are we going to my OB?" She came to me and made me sit on the chair. She moved my face and put something on it. "Just think that we are going to the party, Chanty."

"Whose party? Well, don't I really don't want to socialize with others-"

"Dear, we're only throwing a party of four. There are not many people." She lifted my chin to apply liquid foundation heavily on my face. "I'm sure the people who will join us at the party will be kind. They won't judge you, dear."

"I don't understand... how did it become a party if we were the only two guests?"

"There is that, dear. I have attended that kind of party so I can be sure that such a party exists." She started putting eyeshadow on me after marking my eyebrows lightly.

"And at the party we're going to, you'll be Cinderella," Mama replied with a smile. I can't open my eyes because she hasn't finished touching my eyelid with eyeshadow. "Just like Cinderella, you will find your prince charming there." My mum winked at me before she went straight to my cheek and put blush on it.

I'm starting to get nervous about the party we're going to. My hunch is not good.

"Let's go?" She stood up from her chair earlier when she finished putting lipstick on my lips. "You're with me, dear. Don't be nervous."

My mind was full of questions, but despite that, I still went with Mama and got in the car. Our journey lasted only a few minutes until we reached a fancy garden. It's in good shape, I have a lot of plants to see around.

Plants that are not familiar to me since the only flowers I know are roses, gumamela, kalachuchi, sampaguita, santan, sunflower... Those are the common flowers seen in the Philippines. Whereas the flowers in this garden, it looks like they are taken from another country.

"This is the party venue, ma?"

"Hmm... Hmmm."

At the end of the walk among the plants, there was a table waiting for us there. Not only food was served, but there were also two people sitting there who looked like they were waiting for us.

"You're two minutes early, Joyce... huh?" said the lady. "Sit down."

Just like that, we sat in front of her with a young man... wait... he looks familiar? Like... my schoolmate?

"Lucas... is my son. He is the grandson of the principal of the school you attend, hija," replied what I think is Lucas' mother.

So... that's why the face is familiar.

"Anyway, have you told your daughter, Joyce?"

I looked at my mother with a frown. "Is that about the prince charming, ma?"

"Yes, dear..." She held my head to return my eye contact with the mother and son in front of us. "Meet Lucas... your prince charming."

My eyes widened in shock, but Lucas didn't have the opposite reaction. He was expressionless while I almost dropped my jaw.

"Ma-"

"Before you object to your mom, listen to me," Lucas' mom spoke again. "We're doing each other a favor, Chanty. It's a shame what you went through. Being a rape victim is a great shame for your family. Knowing for a fact that you are pregnant, and people will know that no one is responsible for your child, how do you think they will react? Do you see how much gossip they will do about you? And worst, even your family."

"And knowing for a fact that your family is conservative, once they find out what happened to you, hija... maybe your family will be in trouble, right? That's your mom's concern, so she came to me."

She looked up at me. "We are ready to help, eh. My son will be responsible for what you are impregnating, he will marry you... and with that, you will no longer be feasted on by those people who only know how to gossip."

"What's in return?"

"I need to be married in order to be eligible to be my father's heir of our own company," Lucas answered. When our eyes met, I felt like I was melted by the warmth of his gaze. "So, this arrangement would benefit us both... only if you agree."