Looking at the stars at night always makes me smile. Realizing the stars are shining yet in the darkness.
"And the queen of Main Street High 2016... no other than," The host teasingly said
"Freiddah Gomez Cruz!" He announced, and I smiled gracefully while walking towards them.
"Congratulations to our queen, Ms. Cruz."
The program ended well and I'm happy... another achievement, another thing I've done right, and another thing I would be proud of. Another thing that made my family proud of me.
"Congratulations, babe. Good job. I told yah you can do it. You rocked on the stage, babe!" He proudly said and I laughed. Baliw talaga ang isang to.
We took pictures together, with my brother, and together with my family, excluding my parents. They are both busy, and I understand it.
"Take us a picture, faster, Sasha," Dada commanded, and my eyebrow rose.
"Opo..." she sadly said at nakaya nya pang ngumiti a.
Handang handa na sana ang bata para sa picture pero sinira pa nya. Dada naman e. Epal ka teh.
We took more photo of us pero nakabusangot ang mga kalalakihan dahil na rin sa pagkadismaya sa ginawa ni Dada.
"Smile, ano ba kayo mga kuya? Smile naman dyan, para kayong may ililibing a." Biro nya na kinatawa nila kaya ayun maganda ang kuha nya. Ibang klase rin ang batang ito, kaya hinahangaan ko ang katapangan nya, hindi nya nga lang alam.
The more we became closer to her, the more she was scolded always. Kaya we always keep quiet and distance ourselves from her but also protect her from afar.
That ends the photoshoot of our family picture, incomplete.
"Kuys Z, take us a photo. Me and Sasha please." I requested and my lolo's eyebrow rose. Ngayon sige, pangaralan mo ko teh, magkaka-alaman tayo dito.
Kuya Z smirked along with others. Sasha happily ran towards me, like she was very excited to have a picture with me. We took pictures and dun na sila nagda-moves. Jino started to interrupt and insert himself in the pictorial. Hindi naman papayag ang iba na sya lang kaya ayun, lahat kami nasa picture magpipinsan at mga kaibigan ko at ang kumuha saamin ay si auntie Jen. Walang nagawa ang lolo ko sa kakulitan nila e. Ano na, Da? San kana, teh?
----
"Z, Sasha's in trouble, need help. Dada's mouth is too much." I can hear his disappointed tone in his voice. Napalingon ako sa kaniya at ngumiti nalang habang papalapit dito
"Hindi ba matatapos ang sermon ni dada sa kaniya? Kanina pa yun a, marami atang nabaon si dada para sa kaniya." Kalmadong saad ko habang pababa kami ng hagdan
Habang naglalakad kami, dinig na dinig ko na ang mga sigaw at pagdadabog ng lolo ko sa apo niyang ni minsan hindi niya kinilala at tinanggap... si Sasha.
"Da, stop it. Alam naman ng lahat sa Rancho at nang buong Negrense na apo nyo sya... anak sya ni mommy Zandy. Ano ho ba'ng problema dun?" I safely asked him and he just shrugged
"Hindi ko ba alam bakit sya pa ang pinakasalan ng anak ko at may anak syang ganito!" Foul na yun a! Aba teh, tama na!
"At ikaw na bata ka, wag ka'ng gagawa ng gulo sa susunod! Muntik ng magkasugat ni Jia sa mga ginagawa mo! Careless!" Napabaling naman kami ng kakambal ko sa isa naming pinsan na si Jia at binalik ang tingin kay Sasha.
Kahit minsan hindi nakikita ni dada ang katotohanan. Kaya hindi pinagtatanggol ni Sasha ang sarili nya e, kasi sila ang nagbibigay ng rason para mas i-down ng bata ang sarili nya at hayaan sila. Yes, they always discriminate her and her existence.
Umalis si Dada at hinalikan ni mimi si Sasha na nakayuko na tumatango sa binubolong ni mimi sa kaniya.
"Sasha halik ka, samahan ka ni ate sa room mo." Alok ko sa kaniya
She looked at me automatically and she smiled sweetly while shaking her head.
"Okay lang po ako, kaya ko na mana po. Ingat po kayo sa pag-alis nyo at goodluck po ate Z. Laban lang!" She gently, gracefully and happily said on me kaya napangiti ako. This girl...
----
"Freiddah, ano? Tara na?" Napamulat ako at napangiti. Masigasig akong tumango habang pinapahidan ang aking mga luha.
"Once again, ang ms. Independent ng Casararo Valencia de Negrense. Freiddah Gomez Cruz." Announce ni Ate Tony sa buong mundo
I'm overwhelmed. I don't know how to show my real emotion but one thing i can say, I'm very happy that i stepped up. Narating ko ang unang stage ng pangarap ko, ang makapasok sa bahay ni kuya.
"What can you say, na andito kana ngayon? Makakapasok kana sa bahay ni kuya bilang isang official housemate ni kuya."
"Sobra, sobrang sobrang thank you. Thank you so much everyone." Naiiyak kong saad at niyakap ako ni ate Kim.
"Kasama din natin dito ngayon ang supportive lola ni Freiddah na si Donna Sandra Cruz." Napangiti ako sa sinabi ni ate Melay
Kahit wala man dito si mommy o daddy andito naman ang kakambal ko, si lola at si K. Kaya sapat na yun.
Ang makita ang lola ko dito tyaka ang kapatid ko na masungit sa iba na walang hiyang hinahawakan ang tarpaulin at lights stick para saakin nanlalambot ang puso ko. Ah... sana andito rin si Sasha, pangarap nya rin to e.
"Sobrang nagpapasamat ako na natutupad na ng apo ko ang kaniyang mga pangarap pa unti-unti. Salamat sa Diyos." Nakangiting aniya ni mimi Sandy.
"Magpaalam ka na sa kanila, Freiddah dahil ito ang takdang panahon para ikaw ay pumasok sa bahay ni kuya!" Masayang anunsyo ni ate Tony na kinasaya ko pero nalulungkot din. First time kung mahiwalay ng matagal sa kakambal ko, no communication, no phone calls and no talk with them. Tyaka kay K, namimiss ko sila.
"Sobrang thank you, thank you... thank you talaga. For my twin brother, kuya Z thank you. Mimi, thank you so much... thank you everyone."
And that is how it started... how I discovered the true world that I hadn't seen before. The world full of truthfulness, happiness, sadness, and challenges.
I finally figured out how to be true, how to be happy, how to be more open, how to learn from my mistakes, and how to grow and mature at the same time.
And in that house, I figured out what life is. Life is fair, challenging and unexpected blessings or gifts comes in unexpected time. Also, something will happen to test how strong and brave you are. Lastly, what will you do just to fight for your dream.
That gift... A gift that strengthened, braved, grew, and matured me. It was unexpected. We didn't see it coming... So everything is in chaos.
I'm torn between two things, doing the right thing but losing everything or doing the wrong thing while someone outside is waiting?
Ano nga ba ang tamang gawin? Susugal kahit alam mo'ng mali pero dahil ito'y gusto mo o susuko dahil iyun ang tama pero hindi yun ang sinisigaw ng puso mong nalilito?
Sorry, love. It's constantly unforeseen...
