Act Off Script | ✓

Chapter 1

"They told me. . .ano na lang sasabihin ng ibang tao kung ganito ang kursong kukunin ko?" I reminisced bitterly. "It was as if I had murdered their dreams for me. Para bang sinira ko ang kinabukasan ko."

Nagkaroon ng saglit na katahimikan. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba masyadong seryoso ang sagot ko o dahil naghari ang simpatya sa kapaligiran namin. I was just surprised when Ruby went near me.

"I'm glad you're here, Nacia," Ruby said and slowly enveloped me in a hug. "Makaka-graduate tayo, okay? Tapos, mananalo ka ng maraming awards! Yayaman ka! You'll get the life that you deserve, you'll prove them wrong!"

My eyes stung as I looked at her. "T-thank you. I don't aim for all of that. All I want is to write until I can."

"Ang cute mo talaga, Nacia! Naku, babakuran ka namin dahil ayaw naming masaktan ang puso mo! Some boys would take advantage of you!" Ruby huffed then hugged me tightly. Napapikit ako sa sobrang sikip ng kan'yang yakap.

"T-take advantage of me!?" I widened my eyes.

"Oo," Ruby nodded her head. "Magugulat ka na lang ay may magc-chat sa 'yo ng 'Hi? Kamusta ka na? Kumain ka na ba? Kainin kita?'. They're beyond our own comprehension! Kaya kung ako sa 'yo, i-padlock mo 'yang panty mo."

"Lagyan mo ng password," gatong ni Mineth gamit ng mahinhin n'yang boses. "Pero bigay mo rin agad kung kasing-pogi ni Kiran."

"Bawal! Baby pa si Nacia!" Ruby hissed.

"Rubylyn, hayaan mo siyang lumandi! Paano makakapagsulat 'yan kung walang inspirasyon?"

"Ay, bakit 'te? Kailangan ko ba pumatay para makapagsulat ng thriller? Imagination lang ang puhunan!" Si Ruby na biglang ngumiwi nang banggitin ang buong pangalan n'ya.

I just didn't want to be a slave of capitalism. I didn't want to sell my soul to the people who cannot see the beauty of art and creation. I wanted to write because it's something innate in my being. It is what fuels me to live. It is as if life is embedded in writing. You must live in order to write. . .or you must write in order to live. That's how it is for me.

Pinahid ko ang mga luhang kumawala mula sa aking mata. Mineth smiled at me with full sympathy as if she understood where I was coming from.

Dumaan muna kami sa makukulay na booths para tingnan ang mga binibenta o pinapamigay nila.

"Ang aga para sa marriage booth ah!" angal ni Ruby na nakakunot agad ang noo.

"Ang aga mo rin ma-high blood, Ruby," sabat ni Mineth.

"Sinong hindi mah-high blood, ikaw ang nakikita ko sa umaga?" pagtataray ni Ruby.

No'ng una ay akala ko magka-away talaga silang dalawa. Pero love language lang pala talaga nila ang pagdiskitahan ang isa't isa. Ingredient daw iyon para sa isang matatag na samahan, ika nilang dalawa. Kapag walang away, walang paguusapan. Ewan ko rin sa kanilang dalawa kung minsan.

The girl from the marriage booth blocked my path. Tumanggap ako ng flyer mula rito, inabutan kasi ako nung bantay na babae at di naman ako naka-tanggi dahil halos isuksok na n'ya sa mukha ko. They had decent booths but some of them had the wrong idea. Pang-Foundation Week na kasi iyong ibang booths. Grabe naman yung ikakasal sa unang araw pa lang ng school.

Sinuksok ko sa totebag ko iyong flyer. I didn't bring a big bag because I knew that we still didn't have any lessons, sinilip ko na rin kasi ang syllabus namin. Ballpen lang at mga anik-anik ang dala ko.

"Mine!" Someone called Mineth by her nickname. Mine as in Mi-Neh. Mukha siyang inaangkin kung literal na mine ang tawag sa kan'ya.

Sabay-sabay kaming napalingon sa tumawag sa kaibigan namin. It was a group of students as well. Malaki ang ngisi ng isa dahil namumukhaan yata si Mineth.