If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting
Time after time
-Cyndi Lauper

i opened my eyes again, looked at my watch, then turned to look at the entrance of the building through the open car door. i was out of time. i muttered some cuss word under my breath... then swallowed... and slowly reached for the door handle...

tara...

i could hardly recognize my own voice. i saw kuya jonie glance at me... as if to make sure he had heard right... before turning the engine on. i closed my eyes, then closed the door. the sound of it shutting was like a blow to the gut. and as the car pulled out of the parking lot... i could feel myself being torn.

tae ka talaga, Fate. but i'll make up for this.

my gaze fell on the algebra book left open on my lap... with a few pieces of scratch paper scattered over it... and my hand resting on top, still holding my pen. there were scribbled computations... but one sheet was just all doodles... figures that made no real sense...

except

the one word in the middle... which i hadnt even realized i had written.

"angel"