I never noticed how time slips away when I'm happy.
It feels like the clock learns how to cheat—skipping hours, skipping days, as if it couldn't stand watching me enjoy too much of it. One moment, I'm laughing with Olivia, her voice high-pitched as she drags me to another party... the next, I'm holding hands with Erato, feeling like the world has finally decided to give me what I used to only dream about.
Parang ang bilis ng lahat. Noon, ang tagal ng oras sa klase, ang haba ng gabi kapag hindi siya nagpaparamdam. But now? A day isn't enough. A week feels like it just passed me by, leaving only blurred snapshots of smiles, touches, and stolen glances.
Happiness makes life fast, too fast sometimes. And that's what scares me.
Because what if all of this is temporary? What if one morning, I wake up and realize it's all gone?
But maybe... maybe that's the beauty of it. That even if happiness runs faster than I can catch it, at least I get to feel it, even just for a while.
I always thought happiness made time run fast. Ang bilis ng araw kapag masaya ako. Pero ngayong bumalik ako sa realidad, parang biglang bumagal lahat.
Today is the filing of the candidacy. Yes, dad secured a spot. 
Dad was seated at the long mahogany table on our lanai, papers scattered, while Kuya Jaxon sat opposite him, arms crossed, jaw tight. I was caught in between, my coffee untouched, listening to the tension crackle like static.
"Jade," Dad said firmly, adjusting his glasses. "From now on, you'll limit your appearances. Wala munang gala, wala munang events unless I say so. Everything is under scrutiny now. Do you understand?"
I nodded faintly. "Yes, Dad."
But Kuya scoffed. "Of course. Control every move, every breath, every decision. Just like always."
Dad shot him a warning look. "Jaxon—"
"No, Dad, stop." Jaxon leaned forward, his voice sharp. "You're dragging Jade into this circus. She's not a pawn you can parade around just to make the family look perfect."
"This isn't about parading anyone," Dad snapped back. "It's about stability. It's about showing the people that our family is strong, intact, trustworthy."
"Trustworthy?" Jaxon laughed bitterly. "When you can't even trust us to live our own lives?"
My chest tightened. The tension was suffocating, like every word added another brick on my shoulders.
"Kuya, please—" I tried to cut in, worried about dad's health, but kuya Jaxon wasn't finished.
"You don't get it, Jade," he said, turning to me, eyes fierce. "This isn't his dream anymore. It's not about service, it's not about leadership. It's about power. About winning against the Vice. And he'll use you—us—just to get it."
"That's enough!" Dad's voice thundered, echoing across the room. "You think you know everything, but you don't understand what's at stake. I've worked my entire life to protect this family, to build this name. Everything I do is for your future!"
Jaxon slammed his hand on the table, making the papers flutter. "For our future? Or for your pride? Because all I see is a tired man forcing himself into a game that's already killing him and dragging Jade with him. You're sick, Dad. You need rest, not another fight for power."
Silence followed, heavy and raw. Dad's shoulders sagged, his face etched with lines I never noticed before.
"Kuya..." I whispered, my voice cracking. "Don't talk to him like that."
Jaxon turned to me, hurt flashing in his eyes. "And you, Jade. What about you? You just sit there, letting him decide everything for you? Don't you want your own life?"
Something inside me snapped. All the bottled-up frustrations, the secrets I had been hiding, the exhaustion of being pulled in two different directions... it all erupted.
"No, Kuya!" My voice rang louder than I intended, trembling but fierce. "Because this time, I'm deciding for myself. And I've already chosen."
Both of them stared at me. Dad with a flicker of nervousness in his eyes, and Jaxon with a look that said he had no idea what was about to come out of my mouth.
"I'm marrying Erato." I shut my eyes tight. I never wanted to spill this to them without Erato by my side. But I was left with no choice. 
The words hit the room like a storm.
Dad's mouth opened, then closed again, as if he couldn't process what I just said. Jaxon froze, then let out a short, bitter laugh.
"You're kidding me," he said, voice low but laced with fury. "Of all people, Jade. Of all the people, I expected better from you. Talaga bang pumayag ka sa gagong plano nila ni Dad?"
My chest tightened. "Kuya, hindi 'to plano ni Dad. Decision ko 'to."
He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "Decision mo? No, Jade. You're just telling yourself that. Pero ang totoo, hinayaan mong kontrolin ka. First si Dad, now si Erato. You think this is love? Hindi. Ginagamit ka lang niya."
My throat burned, from wanting to talk but not being able to because I know what he said was true. 
"He wants you because of what you represent. Dahil ikaw ang susi sa kung anong gusto niyang makuha. At ngayon, he's playing the perfect game with Dad. And you? You're falling for it. You're letting yourself be part of this charade."
Tears stung my eyes. "So what?"
He looked dumbfounded with that single line of mine. But the words felt hollow the moment they left my lips. My chest ached, my throat tight, and deep down... I knew the truth.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to keep my chin up. "So what?!" My voice cracked, desperate. "If that's the only way I can keep him, kahit hindi niya ako mahal the way I want, then so be it. I'll take it. I'm that dumb, Kuya. Tatawagin mo akong tanga? Fine! Pero at least, I still get to have him beside me. And yes! I am that desperate." 
I heard dad stopped Jaxon but my kuya's curses were reigning. Kung may makarinig at makakita man siguro sakin ngayon ay masusuka sa kung anong sinasabi ko. Even myself did not expect these words to come out of me. 
Jaxon's face twisted in disbelief, fury, and something that looked like heartbreak. "God, Jade..." He raked his hand through his hair, pacing like he couldn't stand still. "Do you even hear yourself? Do you even know what you're saying?!"
I shook my head, tears streaming freely. "Alam ko, Kuya. Alam ko! Pero wala na akong pakialam. If this is the only way I can stay with him, then I'll accept it. I'll live with it."
His voice thundered, breaking through the air like a whip. "You're throwing your life away for a man who doesn't even love you! You're chaining yourself to someone who's using you and you're proud of it?!"
Dad tried to intervene, his tone heavy. "Jaxon, tama na—"
"No!" Jaxon roared, slamming his fist on the table so hard the papers scattered to the floor. "I won't stay quiet! Not this time." He turned to Dad, then back at me, his eyes wild with anger. "If you two want to keep living in this delusion, fine. But don't you dare drag me into it."
"Kuya, please—" I reached out to him, sobbing, but he jerked back.
"I'm done, Jade!" His voice cracked, but it only made him louder. "Kung pinili mong ikadena ang sarili mo kay Erato, that's your problem. But starting today, I'm cutting my friendship with him. And from now on, don't expect me to be involved with your dumb decisions. Either of you!"