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Page 1 of 10: Newbie

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Dear Calliope,

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Dear Calliope,

Just write.

That was your answer when I had the courage to ask you this question on twitter:

“How to be a good writer?”

That was way back November, year 2017. Probably, hindi mo na rin tanda. Sa dami ba naman ng fans at followers mo, malabo na ngang maalala mo pa.

Honestly, I did it not just to ask that question but also, hopefully, to gain your attention. Kahit alam kong malabo na mapansin mo ang tweet ko, sinubukan ko pa rin. But it worked! I got your attention as well as your response. Since then, I started writing random stories about love and life and everything in between.

Aren’t you curious on how I found and read your stories, and eventually become your true reader? Isn’t weird that I am asking that question to someone who does not even know my existence? Probably, yes. Pero malay natin, mabasa mo rin ‘to someday.

Maybe, one day.

Basically, it all started with a curiosity that led me to read your stories. I was in my junior year in high school back then when that curiosity struck up. Halos lahat yata ng mga kaklase ko ay walang ibang bukang-bibig kung ‘di e-book. See? Tito na rin ako ng Wattpad community.

“Ano ‘yong e-book?” out of the blue, bigla ko na lang naitanong kay Ellie, seatmate ko, habang ina-arrange ang chairs sa column namin. Tuesday ngayon at kasali kami sa list ng cleaners.

“Ah, gusto mo rin bang magbasa?” she asked while arranging the assigned seats for her. Napansin niya sigurong nagkasalubong ang dalawang kilay ko kaya nag-explain pa siya. “Ah, ano. Doon kami nagbabasa ng stories. Instead na bumili or humiram pa kami ng pocket books, sa phone na lang kami nagbabasa.”

She went to her seat and get something from her bag. It was her phone. “Gusto mo rin magbasa?” she asked again for the second time, walking back to where I was standing.

Saktong sasagot na sana ako nang biglang magsalita si Christian, class president namin.

“Ano? Diyan na kayo matutulog? Ila-lock ko na ‘to,” sigaw ni Christian mula sa pintuan habang iwinawagayway nito ang susi ng classroom namin.

“Huy, gago! Sandali,” biglang sigaw ko at kinuha agad ang bag ko. Gano’n din ang ginawa ni Ellie at sabay na kaming lumabas. But my energy got drained as I stepped out from that room. Nasa labas pala ng classroom si Ally, best friend ni Ellie.

Ally has feeling for me. That was according to Joshua, my best buddy. The truth was, I already like someone else at ‘yon ay ang best friend niya, si Ellie. Natotorpe lang akong aminin dahil bukod sa masasaktan ko si Ally, may gusto rin si Joshua kay Ellie.

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