The Art of Slow Poison
No one could ever truly tell if emotions were real—at least, that’s what she believed. Feelings were masks, just like confidence, both worn and discarded as the situation demanded. The girl came to her quietly, her voice low, her eyes uncertain. An apology. For what she had done. Mabuti na lang, she thought, or else she would have dragged her straight into the flames she reserved for the damned. Her tears slid down her cheeks in perfect rhythm, every drop an actor playing its part. The performance had gone flawlessly. It had started during the “get to know” activity—a harmless classroom game, or so they thought. She saw her opportunity when it was her turn to speak about a classmate. Her target: the girl now standing before her. She called her the kindest person in the class. The room smiled. The girl smiled. But the words were hollow, sugar-coated venom. She hadn’t meant a single syllable. Every move she made had an intention, and this one had finally paid off. The guilt i...