Olivia

Prologue

PROLOGUE

Strange

LUMULUBOG NA ANG ARAW. The colors-orange, yellow and red mixed well as it also shows the the visible shape of the setting sun. What a perfect view.

Sunset makes people happy but little did they know that the opposite of happiness is a stronger given definition of what sunset is. Sunset is full of farewell and loneliness. Siguro para sa akin lamang dahil habang nakikita ko ito, mas nararamdaman ko kung gaano ka-unfair ang mundo para sakin.

Naka-upo ako sa dulo ng balkonahe ng isang kubo at sa gilid naman nito ay may isang napakalaking puno. Hindi ko magawang pigilan na maramdaman ang pagod. Physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Hinding-hindi ko inaasahan na maramdaman at naranasan ko 'to sa ganitong edad pa lamang. Ngayon na mulat ako sa katotohanan, binibigyan ko pa rin ng tsansa at naniniwala pa rin akong may pagbabago sa mga nangyayari sa paligid.

Kung sa simula pa lamang ay mayroon ng diskriminasyon. Paano nababanggit ng lahat na gustong magkaroon ng kapayapaan sa mundo.

The fresh air once passed beyond my face again, beyond my body, beyond myself.

Parehong hangin lang naman ang nilalanghap ng bawat tao, kami at sila. Yet, obviously, they are acting that the air we breath is also different from theirs and they disgust it.

But, for me, baho lang naman nila ang nalalanghap namin.

I am wearing my vintage strange dress and a strange hat. Never have felt the heat underneath the thickness of the multiple layer of the strange cloth. Beside me are my favorite strange things-my guitar, strange fan, and strange umbrella. I trailed it all with my hands, my hands that wore a silky... strange gloves.

Strange.

Kakaiba.

What's wrong from being different?

Lagi kong iniisip, there's no problem from being different and from being strange. I have always thought that difference is the path to appreciate each other, because if we are all the same, how can we learn to appreciate? How can we see something that is great from being different?

Just like the ideas, bodies, and colors.

The sizes and forms.

The talents and smiles.

"Olivia, may camera ka ba?"

Napatigil ako sa ka-iisip. Napalingon ako sa aking likod dahil sa tanong ng aking mas nakatatandang kapatid. Si Heather. She's also like me. 'Strange', it is what they called.

Umiling ako. "Wala akong camera na ninanais mo, alam mo ang tinutukoy ko, ate," Sagot ko kaya umalis na lamang siya na nakasimangot.

I sighed at ibinalik ang aking mga mata sa tanawin. Do not worry, ate... I will buy the camera that you want. Kapag nakapag ipon-ipon na, kapag malaya na tayo. Pinapangako ko.

Medyo iba si ate kumpara sa akin. I mean, she is not bad. I just thought that my sister feels that she does not have any choice but to act like a slave from those judgemental people, and she must have thought not to fight back anymore. Suko na siya. But I know deep inside, sobrang sakit na ang nararamdaman niya, hindi lang siya ang nasasaktan pati na rin ang mga katulad namin.