I am an EXTRA

Chapter 8: Aphrodite's Eyes

Isa Salvador's POV

"Here's your question Ms. Salvador, if you are one of the ambassador of a group that promotes Anti Hate and Discrimination on someone's race and gender how can you at least minimize the raicism and homophobia?" tanong ng host saakin. Nandito na kami sa final round ng pageant na sinalihan ko. Lahat sila ay nakatingin saakin waiting for me to answer the question. To be honest I don't feel any pressure right now o kahit nerbyos man lang. I know I can slay this competition. Hindi ako binansagang Aphrodite for nothing.

"Well for me I think it's the ignorance of the society on this kind of diversity that made racism and homophobia exist. Everyone of us should be aware that human are diverse. Awareness of the diversity will make people realize that everyone of us are unique and this uniqueness is something that everyone of us should recognize. There's a lot of mindset that are existing so don't invalidate someone just because they have a different mindset. Every Race and Gender are Valid your ignorance just made it invalidated. It's everyone's ignorance should be fixed not someone's Race and Gender. Thank you." deritsahan kong sagot sa tanong. Nakakabinging palakpakan ang aking narining sa loob ng hall. Isang ngiti at kaway lang ang iginante ko dito. Ganyan nga. I deserve all of this Attention and Applause. I deserve it all.

~$~

"Our Miss Teen is Candidate number 12 Ms. Isa Salvador of  Bernardinelli-Bernstein University." announce ng host kasabay ng malakas na palakpak at sigaw ng mga taga hanga ko. I already expected this but I act surprise. I don't want to ruin the moment. They are in joy because of my victory at hindi ko dapat sirain iyon. After kong makoronahan ay ginawa ko na ang aking final walk at inenjoy ang attention at palakpak na binibigay nila. Wala akong pake sa pera at koronang naipanalo ko, ang gusto ko ay ang atensyon at papuring kanilang binibigay saakin. There, they are enjoying my visuals and wit at binabalik lang nila saakin ang gusto ko.

After the pageant ay nag celebrate agad sila but I prefer not to join the fun. Agad akong pumunta sa library para mag aral. Marami na akong namiss na lessons dahil sa practice and preparation sa pageant kailangan ko iyong habulin. Oo inaamin kong kahit na kilala ako sa buong school bilang maganda at sikat ako dahil doon hindi pa rin maipagkakailang isa akong nerd naging maayos lang ako sa sarili pero isa akong typical na nerd before. Ugh I don't want to think about that, that was a painful past na dapat ko ng kalimutan. Hindi na ako ang panget at dugyot na nerd dati. Ako na ngayon ang hinahangaan at tinitingalang si Isa Salvador, ang Miss Teen.

In my high school days , bullying ay isa sa mga bagay na dinanas ko. Even though magaling ako sa academics and I am always at the top of my class ay hindi pa rin ako nakaligtas sa mapanukso kong mga kaklase. Maybe because naiinggit lang sila or dahil sa itsura ko. Long hair na minsan ko lang suklayin noon, Braces, at pang-manang na damit. Geez naninindig balahibo ko after reminiscing those days.

Bago ako pumasok sa Bernardinelli-Bernstein University ay inayos ko ang aking sarili. Hindi ako papayag na takaw ako ng tukso dati ay ganoon din ang mangyayare sa bago kong paaralan. Gusto ko namang maiba. Gusto ko naman na hinahangaan ako. At nangyare nga iyon, my mom helped me with my transition, from being a nerd and manang she helped me to achieve the beauty that every girls envy. Isa lang ang nakakaalam about sa pagbabago ko saaking sarili, my best friend since then, Clifford John Verano. Siya lang ang nakakaalam and I trust him with that. Alam kong hindi niya iyon ipagkakalat.

While I'm walking on my way to the library which is located on the third floor of this building nadaanan ko ang laboratory kung saan ko nakita si Athory. The time he asks me to help him. He said na may humahabol daw sa kanya but I did not help him. I hate him! I shouldn't have paid any attention sakanya in the first place pero inaagaw niya ang atensyon ng mga tao na dapat ay saakin lang. Lahat ng mga istudyante ay hinahangaan siya dahil sa kanyang mukha. He has this face that can caught anyone's attention and that made me hate him. Kaya kahit nakikiusap na siya that time ay hindi ko siya pinansin. Baka may kasalanan siya doon sa mga taong humabol sa kanya. He deserve it kung sakali mang may kasalanan nga siya.