Down Under

Chapter 1: Privileges

Camila POV

The familiar air tickled my senses. I gasped in wonder at the wide roads and people of different colour walking in the busy area as if it's my first time again here.

After three long years, I am finally back. Technically, I have lived here for 10 years but it's amazing how just three years of being away would make me realise how much beautiful this country is. Great laws, breath-taking sceneries, good people and of course... fucking privileges.

While walking through the exclusive boutiques flashily displayed in the central street of Melbourne, I remembered a brief memory ages ago.

"Mum! I want this dress. It's like, really pretty." I said coldly.

My mother looked at me in distress but she still managed to nod and give me a small smile. Well, the dress costs around $200. I'm an only child anyway so they should give me anything I wanted to.

"Hmm. Okay, we'll buy it. How was school today?" she asked.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her. School is something that I don't really want to think of. Lots of judgemental people everywhere. I could only try be like the popular and pretty girls but I know I could never be them. I don't have blonde hair nor green eyes. I'm just average and an immigrant, to top that.

"Tss. Don't ask me and just go buy that." I glared at her.

Her eyebrows scowled but she still opened her purse. I noticed that there's barely even anything left. After she handed $200 to me, there was only $10 and a few coins left. Well, she has credit cards anyway.

I hastily took the money and turned my back from her.

"Anak, I'm only asking you because when I was in high school, my parents never bothered to ask. I'm only asking you because I care for you. I love you and I hope that you can love me too not just for the money. Even just a little bit, Mila." she tearfully said in a thick Filipino accent.

I glanced at her once in awe but since tears kept coming out of her eyes, she walked away from the boutique. I stood there still for a few seconds before proceeding to still buy the dress I really wanted.

Damn...

I closed my eyes and breathed violently. It's actually a miracle that there's no tears coming out of my eyes despite remembering such a dreadful memory. Perhaps, it's because I casually remember those every time that's why it's not new anymore. As much as I want to cry, I have gotten used to it so it doesn't really have an effect anymore.

"You alright there, mate?" some stranger asked.

I nodded. It's usual to have people genuinely concerned for you, even if you don't know each other here in Australia. In the Philippines, even though I'm wearing a coat over my strapless black dress, I would most likely get menacing looks, catcalled and get subtly harassed. People there are that disgusting.

"Yeah. Thanks." I answered.

He smiled at me and nodded before walking straight ahead of the busy streets. Realising that he probably asked me because I have been standing outside that boutique for too long, I walked to my direction as well.

I went to the city today to finalise some paper works for the university I'm going to study in and it's ridiculous how as an international student, I pay x3 the tuition fee Australian citizens do. My tuition fee is around $32,000, which is roughly more than 1.2 million pesos if converted whilst Aussies only have to pay around $8,000 annually.

The privilege they have is literally like a dream for me. It is ironic how they don't value education as much as Filipinos do and only sees university as an option forever. Like I could talk. When you're privileged, it's often very hard to appreciate and acknowledge that you indeed are.