11/23

Hashtag 01

#WhenTwentitriElebenStopped

"Perhaps a wrong move, but one must save the broken self."

-x-

If given a chance to share an unforgettable memory, Jhing Blanco's quivering lips will involuntarily tell a time: 23:11. Sa totoo lang, hindi niya gugustuhin makapagsabi ng kahit anong related sa dapat niyang kalimutan.

But heck.

How can she forget a time? Really.

Her hands were trembling, just like her lips. Ninenerbyos talaga siya. Two years ago, her first book was published. And in those years, natutunan niya na to act confident is one of the rules to be followed in the 'Art of Being an Author.'

Lagi kasing humaharap sa tao ang authors, to market themselves. And because Jhing wants to be an effective author of her own, she needs to market herself.

But not like this.

Alam niya sa sarili na ayaw niya ng 'spotlight' and that spotlight was a figurative speech. Before. Doon lang niya nalaman na ayaw din niya pala ng literal na spotlight. Yung ilaw. Yung nakatutok sa kanya. Yung dahilan para titigan siya ng mga tao.

All eyes on her. Waiting for her next. . .mistake. Or not.

People just need to hear an answer, that's all.

Napaisip tuloy siya na gusto niyang maging totoo ang nakakatunaw na titig. Sana matunaw na lang siya bigla, mas okay na 'yon kaysa titigan siya ng karamihan. Kumportable ang inuupuan, malakas ang aircon ng mall, and yet she felt the heat.

Oohh, hot seat.

Tss.

"Jhing?" The host searched for Jhing's eyes, worry etched on her face. "Are you reminiscing? Mukhang matagal-tagal ang flashback Friday natin, ah?"

Alongside with Jhing's co-authors, na nasa tabi niya sa panel, the audience laughed. She did too. Yet she wanted to run. Or mag-walk out. But then again, that would be rude. Marami nang nag-assume na may 'attitude' siya. Dapat maging 'proper idol' siya for her fans, at ayaw na niyang dagdagan pa ang mga adjectives na 'pinagmamalaki' ng mga 'so-called critics' niya.

Kasi naman kasi, eh.

From the thousands and millions of questions around the whole wide world, of course, the host wants to know the author's most unforgettable memory. Pwede namang what is love na lang. Or who is their crush! Mas madali 'yon kaysa memory.

"Uhm. . ."

Jhing blinked, trying to get her shit together.

Mabilis siyang naghanap sa utak ng mga latest memories sa buhay. But all she could think of was the familiar smirk plastered on that someone's face, the laughing voice on the phone, boyish grin she saw once, childish emoticons, those stupid chats she need to get over with, and that guy.

That. Freaking. Guy.

"Noong bata ako." Napalunok siya. Bakit ba nakatitig sa kanya ang audience?! "I was the top in my class. Hindi ko malilimutan 'yon. Nag-celebrate kasi kami nung hapunan. First time namin ng mga kapatid ko makakakain ng ulang. Parang nalalasahan ko pa nga rin ngayon, eh. Masarap."

Well, true. Nag-top siya sa klase. At nangutang ang Nanay niya sa palengke para makapaghanda sa lamesa for the celebration. Everyone enjoyed the lobster.