The narrative follows Hazel, a lonely and bullied high school student who feels invisible among her peers and struggles with thoughts of self-worth and existence. A turning point occurs when her compassionate teacher intervenes just as she contemplates ending her life, leading her to find hope and connection through the support of friends like Ken, who reveals his own tragic backstory. The story highlights themes of isolation, the quest for acceptance, and the power of empathy in overcoming personal struggles.

1. “A Subtle Star”
By Jurix Cabuyao, Kenneth James Pateño, & Hazel Del Soccoro
Have you ever tried to spend most of your life here in this world ALONE? Well then
definitely, you’re not alone. It seems like we are one. We are moving on the same track ---the
unappreciated folks.
So here I am again waiting for our next subject, sitting at the corner of our classroom and looking at
the outside view of which I really don’t know if I would be relieved or not. My intelligent classmates
keep of bragging. Those who were sassy keep on putting make ups. Those who were loquacious keep
on talking that is seems like they were deaf enough not to hear one’s statement. They are totally busy
doing their daily routines.
See? I don’t belong in here. We were on the same room yet we were compartmentalized. It seems
like they don’t acknowledge me, that we don’t know each other and that we never care one’s
existence. Is this what life has offered me? I want to scream, I want to yell but not on this room, I
better find my own spot in this school. So I decided to move out in a subtle way like the hell they’ll
notice it right? I am totally crazy now. Hazel the unappreciated one turns out to be crazy. Oh well,
what’s the difference? Perhaps, they’ll love to see it either.
When I sneakily walking in the façade, I bumped something? Someone? Oh wait what? I tried to lift
my head up and I don’t know what to do--- It was Shara, the most popular bully in our school is here
in front of me glaring at me hilariously.
“God, please open the floor and let it swallow me. I want to escape from this wild creature.” I
muttered. “What did you just say?” she asked angrily. “I’m sor----.” I suppose to say sorry but she
interrupted. “Will you say sorry for what you’ve done or not? She furthers while acting like slapping
my face.
I just closed my eyes waiting for her rough palm to touch my face, and then “ouch” I feel something
on my neck. It keeps on cuddling me and cuddling and cuddling and cuddling until----- “stop Shara,
please sto-----.” Oh wait, I tried to open my left eye, followed by my right eye. I closed it again, and
then open it both.
God thank you, it was just a dream. Thanks to my best friend John Carl for waking me up. It was not
really a mistake taking this street dog in my lonely house. Yeah, you read it right; it was indeed a
lonely house since my parents were busy doing their business outside the country and I think I am
out of it--- I am less important. People might think I am lucky that I was born with everything given
to me, perfect as they say. But they don’t really know how terribly sad I am. Gladly, I have my pet
dog John Carl who always stays beside whenever I am sad, mad and/or depressed.
“Too much drama hazel, you better take a bath so you’ll not be late in your first subject” I murmured
while trying to compose myself in my bed.

2. When I am at school, I walked fast as I could so I wouldn’t be late without thinking who will I
bumped to until---- “Ouch, my toes, my knees, my shoulder, my head” DON’T LAUGH, do you
think I am singing here, I am not—totally not. It is just that I bumped someone hardly. Later on,
something had popped up on my mind, I was nervous, the dream I dreamt earlier is happening right
now. Hazel think, think what you should do now. I just lift my head up and was about to say sorry
but wait, it was not “Shara the bully”. I think I saw an angel in front of me. God, thank you.
I was able to scrutinize this handsome man in front of me until he opens his mouth, “Are you done
singing the kindergarten/nursery song?” saying it while smiling at me. Look who’s embarrassed her
“I’m sorry, I’m just trying to walk faster so I won’t be late in my class” I said it with humiliation.
“Anyway, it’s okay. I got to go now, bye” then he runs.
“Wait!” I haven’t got his name. I sighed. But I saw a letter “K” pendant on his necklace. Maybe, his
name started with the letter K. What could it be? Hmmm… Ken, Kenneth, Kevin, Kimpoy,
Kimpang, K-nine? Duh, whatever! As if we will meet again. As if he will notice me again.
I am about to hold the latch when someone hold my wrist tightly. “How dare you to talk with him?”
then she slapped me. “Why did you do that to me? I never did something wrong to you?” I couldn’t
help myself but cry. “Never what? I just saw what you did earlier. You’re talking with Ken. Feeling
cozy hah?” she blurted out. So ken was his name, wish he could save me from this undiscovered
specie. In order not to make the commotion immensely sprouted, I just told her what happen and then
afterwards I am slowly stepping inside our room. I just heard her say, “You, clumsy frog.” Right
after that, I heard footsteps moving away.
I really don’t like quarrels and arguments that is why I prefer not to talk with anybody. But why on
this world these negas keep on following me. I lay my head on the arm chair while pondering things
which could help me escape this world full of brats.
After a while, my favourite teacher came in. You want to know why he is my favourite, aren’t you?
Well, here it goes,
I just write a suicide note which was inserted in one of my journals. One time I’d lost it. However, I
never care if I’d lost it anywhere. Because I know, no one even dares to care for me. I felt like I did
not exist, from our home till this what called socialized environment.
Here I am now at the 12th
floor of our school and it feels so good in here. I slowly close my eyes and
took a deep breath. I guess this is the only way for me to end the misery that I have. No regrets at all,
I sighed. So this is it, I stepped onto the edge while tears were falling from my eyes. “Goodbye, I
hope all of you will be happy after this one” I was about to jump when someone grabbed and pulled
me back to the floor.
“Why haven’t you told me your problems? You can trust me and you know that”
Well, it was my teacher trying to reprimand me in a calm and soft voice.

3. “You should just let me fall, sir. I don’t have any purpose now. My life is a total mess and has no
direction at all.” I muttered.
My teacher hugged me tightly. I really do feel comfort now of which was I never had back then.
“Stop crying now. Consider me as your brother or your father if possible. You know what, life isn’t
that fair but it doesn’t mean it is bad at all. You need to get through with all the struggles and
predicaments in order to be brave enough to face the bigger catastrophe of your life and not to be
swollen with it and will definitely surrender. Stand up and be strong, show to the world that whatever
you are going to face, you would have the audacity to conquer it.”
My teacher’s words somehow enlightened my mind. “Now, wipe your tears, and come with me back
to the classroom. Hazel, life is beautiful. You just need to open your eyes and see the brighter side of
it instead of the dark one.”
After that, I feel like I am alone no more. Thank you for this kind-hearted person who was sent by
God. At least now, I am sure that there is one among 1 billion people whom I can lean to whenever I
have problems. His words were really powerful; maybe he has been into the same context of
experience as me.
“Okay class I will be announcing the student who got the highest score for last week’s major exam” I
guess I think too much about what happened last month, about what teacher Jurix had done to me and
how he changed my perspectives of life. I totally forgot that he is now in front of the class
announcing something. Well, I do not expect if it was me. The important thing is that I learned a lot
from his subject.
“Congratulations, Ms. Hazel Velasco. You almost got the perfect score” I was so shocked, and of
course my “feeling intelligent classmates, too. They kept on murmuring as if they couldn’t accept it. I
just nodded to our teacher without even saying a single word.
“Alright class, study in advance Charles Cooley’s Mirror Glass of Self for we will be having a self-
sharing activity on the next meeting. Okay let’s call it a day, goodbye class”
“Goodbye, teacher Jurix” said the brats excluding me. After a while, bunch of trashes have come
towards.
“Hey you little froggy, how come that you got a highest score? I am pretty sure that you cheated
during the exam” said the president of the feeling intelligent classmates.
“Could you just stop passing your own wrong doings to me? I saw you browsing your cellular phone
and cleverly opened your notes. Now tell me, who did the cheating thing? I study even harder as you
are, I strive for my own benefit and I never did something wrong to all of you” I said calmly
“How dare you to say that to me huh. This must be the right thing to do with you” And they started
doing things like, slapping, kicking and pulling my hair. I just let them freely do that. When they
stopped, I smiled at them while tears are falling and said, “Are you guys satisfied? I really don’t
know what I had done to you. I’ve tried to isolate myself from all of you yet still you guys kept on

4. bugging me. I am hopeful that you’d appreciate my existence the way I appreciated you. I kept on
praying every night that one day we will be united and will be working as one. I guess that won’t
happen. However, I am still longer for it.”
I saw dismay, embarrass and humiliation marked on their faces. Everyone is silent and bowed their
heads. Then I blurted out my tears and starts running outside the campus.
I directly went to the park near our school, there I continued crying. And suddenly, someone tapped
my shoulder.
“Why are you crying?” the voice is very familiar to me. I think I’ve heard it before. When I look at
him, just can’t clearly see him since I have that blurry sight due to my tears. I wiped it and there I see
him, I clearly see him now. It’s Ken, the one that I’d bumped into last week.
“What brought you here?” He asked. “I just need to breathe fresh air in order to ease the sad feeling I
have right now”
“Can you tell me your problem? Maybe I could help by just comforting you” He insisted. Right after
that one, I told him everything. “Ken, am I that hard to be noticed? Why other people always have
this bad impression on me? Why I feel less appreciated? There are so many “whys” I have in my
mind right now. And until now, I am still searching for its answers”, I continued crying. “I just
wanted to die right now, right here”.
Ken hugged me so tight. “Don’t think so much negativity. Don’t worry about how other people
viewed you. Instead, surround yourself with people who do really care for you and you can count me
on that.”
“Thank you, you really are like my teacher”
“What was the name of your teacher then?” he curiously asked.
“He is teacher Jurix”
“Ah. That’s why we’re the same”
What does he mean? Before I tried to ask him, he continued.
“He is my father. He is a very supportive and excellent father to me. You know what, I am very
much thankful that he is my father because despite of the catastrophe he had way back then, he still
stand for me, feed me by his own hard works and perseverance.” He paused for a while so I grabbed
the opportunity to ask about his mother.
“So where is your mother now?”
He gets emotional. “She’s gone. She’s gone because of me. My dad told me that my mother has a
heart disease. Before she laboured me, the doctor did ask him if who he will choose. My father
seemed to be out of his mind that time. He loses control of himself of which was the reason why he

5. was almost hit by a car. He don’t want to choose between me and my mom.” He wiped his tears.
“However, my grandma Janine gave an advice that he should always remember that everything
happens for a reason. And that there is God who always led our way and make plans for us. So after
that, my dad went back to the hospital but it was too late, I had given the right to live but not my
mom.” He cried
Now, it was very clear to me where Teacher Jurix got his powerful advices. His experience really
taught him a lot in life.
Look at me I have a complete family yet I am still longing for happiness, unlike my teacher and his
son Ken, they’re not complete yet they’re living their life the way it should be. I sighed.
“Let’s end the drama here and let’s enjoy life. Would you come with me?” he smiled while saying
this.
Talking with him was like pulling out the thorns in my heart. I feel at ease now. He held my hand
and was about to walk but I really do feel something; my heart skips its beat. “You looked so pale.
Are you okay?” he nervously asked.
I just smiled at him and said, “Don’t worry about me, I am stronger now. You know what? I am very
much happy that a subtle star bumped a big and bright star. I am now noticed and appreciated. Thank
yo---.” Before I end my statements, Ken’s face becomes blurry and later on becomes black.