Prologue

Ingrid’s POV

All afternoon I was in class, making my own script in my brain on how to introduce Raya to Indigo, my ex-boyfriend, and how to explain that we have a child. I don’t even know what I’ll say.

“Where are they now?” I asked Gracia as we walked towards the office. The faculty members have a meeting. Indigo’s team isn’t there so I just can’t help but think they packed up early.

“They are in the garden,” Gracia said, so I immediately looked at her.

“What?” I asked, feeling the pounding of my chest.

I always want to look formal when I’m at school but I can’t stop running towards the garden because I know Raya will be there, my daughter likes plants.

I wasn’t even mistaken when I saw her holding gloves while speaking in front of the camera, where Indigo’s team is staying. She’s explaining about the plants that are there. The videographers were ecstatic as they watched her. Almost all of them are amazed by how talkative she is.

I also saw someone smiling while looking at Raya. They also asked my daughter some questions, which she answered confidently.

“Nay!” Raya shouted when she saw me. The smile widened immediately from her lips but I couldn’t reciprocate her smile with the nervousness I’m feeling right now. She removed the gloves she was holding before she ran to hug me.

Everyone’s gaze is now on mime. So are Indigo’s eyes.

“I thought you still had a meeting?” Raya asked me.

“Hmm, you might be bored,” I said weakly at him. I can still feel how my heart was beating so fast right now.

“That’s why she’s smart, her mom is a teacher.”

“Ma’am Ingrid is her mother!”

“Omg! That’s why she’s beautiful, her mother is gorgeous too!”

Their voices didn’t even become clear because my eyes remained on Indigo who was just looking at me. He also looked at Raya who was hugging me now.

“Raya, let’s go home now,” I said. This is me again, acting like a coward. I lifted Raya before walking away from the crowd, away from the eyes of someone watching our every move.

We were already in the car park and I was about to let Raya in when I saw Indigo approaching us. I couldn’t avoid biting my lips because of his presence.

“Indigo…” I called Indigo who was just staring at us. I saw his long stare at Raya. Raya looked at him too.

‘Indigo? Isn’t that my Dad?” Raya asked, looking at me. I didn’t even know what to say because I just kept looking at Indigo.

“So, he’s really my father, Mom?” she asked me. It was so long before I answered her. Tears are already welling up in my eyes because I can see that Raya is already crying.

“He is,” I said so my daughter frowned. Indigo was just looking at her, I saw how his tears form in his eyes.

“I told you! You look like my father, you said you weren’t!” Raya said while she was crying now. I tried to stop sobbing when Raya approached him and just cried to his father. Indigo felt so weak that he just sat across from his son but I’m only sure of one thing. When he hugged her, it was as if he didn’t want to take his hug away from her. I just cried quietly as I watched both of them.

“Dad, why did you leave us?” my daughter asked while crying. I never saw Raya cry this hard. She also never asked about her father but when I told her about him she was always determined to listen.

‘I’m sorry…” I heard Indigo trying to wipe his child’s tears.

“Don’t you like me?” Raya’s voice was still broken when she asked that.

“Why did you say I’m not your child?” she asked, crying even more now. Indigo simply apologized. He rarely cries so while watching him cry with my daughter now, I feel like I’m going to be destroyed. It pains me to see them crying because of my own fault.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t know…” He couldn’t even complete the simple word well. “I’m sorry… my princess…”

My hand was still in my mouth trying not to make any sounds.

“I see you on TV… you look happy… are you happy that we’re gone?” Raya asked so my lips felt open. When we watched the news, I thought she was always busy with her toys. I didn’t know that she was actually secretly watching her father.

‘I’m not… I…” I could see the pain in Indigo’s eyes as she tried to wipe the tears from Raya’s eyes. Her tears are like a river that never stops dripping.

“Will you leave us again?” Raya asked, looking at Indigo. Indigo looked her in the eye. It is true that you can actually see how a person’s world is slowly falling apart just because of his eyes. I can’t even see that in Indigo’s eyes right now.

“I won’t… Dad is here now… I won’t leave you again… not anymore… forgive me, my princess,” he said trying to smile. I could see the trembling of his lips. I couldn’t even stop crying when I saw how Raya’s little hand wiped the tears from Indigo’s eyes. Instead of it stopping, the fluid dripped from Indigo’s eyes even more because of what my daughter did. Raya hugged him tightly when she calmed down slightly.

Chapter 1

Ingrid’s POV

“Great!” I shouted loudly.

“Mom?” Raya asked before running towards me. She smiled sweetly at me as she approached. Her dimple immediately peeked out so I couldn’t help but grin.

“It’s already time. I’ve been waiting for you,” I said. I saw her hairpin that was different colors.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” she said to me.

“It’s Aunt Jolie’s fault. It took her too long to tie my hair,” she said so my sister, Irah, laughed as she followed her. My daughter just pouted before she holds my hand.

“Bye, Auntie!” she said, waving to Irah who still wanted to stop us.

“Where are Sandro and Jolie?” I asked.

“Sandro ran away using your motorbike, Big Sister, he’s already in your school now,” Irah said so I immediately shake my head. Because of that child, while something is given to him, he becomes even more reprimanded.

“Jolie is still putting things on her face, Big Sister,” she said, pointing at Jolie that was still putting on make-up.

‘Julieta, it’s already time, you’re going to be late! Move faster.” I laughed at her.

“I’m done, Big Sister!” she said while running further toward us. She’s already in high school like Sandro.

When Dad heard that we moved to Nueva Ecija, they also went here. I heard some talks from him when he found out I was pregnant but in the end, he did nothing. We also moved here with Jolie to help us. I’m kinda thankful about that.

At first, I was very distant from my sister but eventually realized that she didn’t really have a fault for what my father did. She also becomes my source of happiness. Them. My siblings. And of course when our baby Raya came.

‘You, Irah? Aren’t you going to come along? ” I asked Irah.

“I’ll just commute, Big Sister. It’s still early for my class,” she said smiling at me. I nodded.

Irah is already in college now, she will graduate soon. Dad and I are the ones helping our siblings with their education.

“Alright, we’ll go ahead, be careful when you commute later,” I said. She just waved her hands at me before nodding.

When we were in the car, I just laughed at my sister, Jolie, because she was not satisfied with her looks yet. She’s still putting a lot of makeup on her face. I don’t really mind it. She feels more confident when she’s wearing make-up and when she’s wearing her clothes. If we only had money then, why not?

“Just behave, Raya, okay?” I remind my daughter of when I took her to the elementary department.

‘Bye, Mom! Bye, Auntie Jolie!” she smiled and waved at us. She’s really hyper. Our source of happiness.

“Be careful, don’t even do things that will make your teacher mad,” I reminded her again.

“Yes, Ma’am,” she said, still giggling. I couldn’t help but laugh. She’s really carefree. She inherits it from her father. I laughed at the thought. No hard feelings for Indigo. I’ve moved on and I’m happy with my life. I’m sure he is too. He’s living his dream. I’m genuinely happy for him.

I am also happy because somehow he also gave me a partner in life, my Raya.

‘As for you, Jolie, behave yourself too. Maybe later someone will report to me that you are the reason why your two classmates got into a fight,” I said to Jolie who was just pouting her lips.

“Is it my fault that I’m beautiful, Big Sister?” he asked so I stopped myself from shaking my head.

‘I don’t know about you. Decide if you really want to get into showbiz. They don’t want a lot of issues there, ” I said so she just shook her head. It is not unknown to me that she wants to enter showbiz because of her Mom. It’s okay with me because no matter what we do, it’s still her Mama. Papa was his only problem because Papa didn’t want to hear Tina’s name, her mother, my father’s mistress.

“I really don’t like that, Ate,” she complained so I just shrugged.

I was just annoying her as we headed to the high school department. My advisory is in high school although I also teach something in Elem. They lack teachers here right now.

“Good morning, Ma’am,” some students greeted me. I just greeted them back as well.

Before I gave birth, I graduated from fourth-year college first. When I gave birth to Raya, I really focused on the board exam because I didn’t want to be a burden to my family. By the grace of God, all that was done and now we are living fine because of our small grocery store here in Nueva Ejica as well as my school salary. And of course Papa’s income. He’s really working hard now. He realized what he has done to us.

Raya is really the luck of our lives because of her, Papa and I got along.

“Good morning, Ma’am.” My eyes were glued to my brother who was with the yagit troops here. They greeted me one by one. I raised an eyebrow at Sandro who obviously intended to run away from me.

“Hehe, good morning, Ma’am,” he greeted me.

“What’s good in the morning if you drive the motor?” I asked him. His friends are talking with each other with their eyes. I even saw them say ‘yes’ when the bell rang to signal that they needed to enter their classroom.

I just shake my head before going to my advisory room.

“Good morning, Class,” I greeted them. At the same time, they greeted me.

‘So, how’s your final project? Is it done now? Did you do well?” I ask. They have a short film project and whoever wins, the school will help in the short film Battle for our division. I was assigned as a judge for that because I often edit presentations and infomercials here at school.

This is one of my passions that I did not pursue before but when I have a chance I plan to go to workshops to continue what I started. I’m kinda excited with the thought. My family also supports me, especially Irah. That one knows very well how much I like filming.

“Ma’am Galang, you’re called in the office po,” a student called me. I nodded before going to the office where the principal was.

“Good morning,” I said.

‘You may sit down there, Ms. Galang,” she said to me before inviting me to sit in my chair. I nodded.

“I have good news for you…” she said to me so I turned to her curiously.

“Someone rented the school for filming,” she excitedly promised me so my eyes widened.

“Really? So there will be a shoot here?” I asked unable to contain the excitement I felt. Mrs. Santillan immediately nodded. Just like me, she also likes filming so some students here are also interested in that field.

“That’s why I called you… I want you to assist them, the shoot will start next week when the kids are already done with their classes,” she told me.

I nodded there. I also can’t really miss the opportunity. I’m really excited about this one.

Our school does also have great scenery, so some are really renting it for filming. Especially when the theme is horror because the school is just close to the mountain.

“Hey, girl!” Gracia calls me, my friend. She’s a teacher here too.

“Is it true that there will be a shooting here?” S

she asked me. I nodded there.

‘We? Omg! I hope there’s a fafa so that I don’t grow old as a virgin!” she added so I couldn’t help but laugh.

‘I don’t know about you, Ma’am, you still have a class. You are late, ” I said so she laughed before shaking her head.

“This one, there are no students right now, you can call me Gracia, duh!” She laughed. As much as possible I want to be professional when I’m here at school. Gracia become my close friend since we came to Nueva Ecija.

“Go inside. You have so much more to say

” I laughed. She just shook her head and walked away from me while laughing.

When I finished my class, I immediately went to the elementary department to pick up Raya. Some of my students also greeted me.

“Teacher Ingrid!” I really like to rub their cheeks.

“Tweacher Ingwid, are you going home?” a cute little boy asked. I was about to pinch his cheek but I restrained myself.

“Yes, baby, is your Nanny already there?” I ask. He immediately shook his head at me. I looked at the phone when I saw that her Mama and the other parents had a text saying that they could not pick up the child because of the heavy rain. I just waited for some students to come home. In the end, I just accompanied the remaining students who were just along the way with us. They would be upset to be left there.

Raya is the youngest among them, they are also a few years apart from my daughter. I just smiled because my daughter is talkative while asking my student about different things. I couldn’t help but grin as I watched them.

I almost slapped my own mouth when I almost curse because a car suddenly passed in front of us. I looked at my students one by one in case something bad had happened to them. I’m very thankful that they’re all okay because they’re wearing seatbelts.

“Stay here for a while, don’t go out,” I instructed them. They nodded at me one by one.

I got out of my car to take a look at the car that suddenly appeared. I calmed myself down because I was really ready to fight but I couldn’t because I had students in the car.

I knocked on the windshield even though it was still raining so hard. He’s also blocking the driveway.

‘Manong, you are not careful. Why do you suddenly show up?” My forehead was furrowed when he got out of his car but I was so shocked when I saw who it was. I was so stunned when realize who it was. What is he doing here? Heck? Is this for real? Is he real?

“I’m sorry, Miss, the car’s wiper is broken,” he said to me, pointing to the windscreen of his car. I was silenced because of that.

‘Did anyone get hurt? Broken or something? ” he asked me. I don’t know if he didn’t realize it was me because of the poured rain or if he just didn’t really recognize me. But for me… I can still memorize the shape of every part of his face even his body I still know it very well.

“It’s fine, just be careful next time,” I said, about to turn around.

“If there’s something wrong you can call me here,” he said handing me his business card.

“Teacher Ingrid, will it take so long?” some of my students asked who looked out the window.

“No, it’s already done, we’ll go now,” I said. I turned to Indigo again and just smiled at him.

Upon entering I looked at Raya who was busy counting the clip Jolie gave her. I don’t know if I should be thankful that she’s doing something her focus is just on that thing or what.

I also don’t know why my heartbeat is beating so fast. I don’t know if it was because of the fear that he would see our daughter or because of something else. The answer, I’m not sure either.

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