A E L I A
KASALUKUYAN akong nasa nearest café sa company ni Gael, eating some snacks. Nauna na akong umalis sa kanilang dalawa kanina nang matapos ang tour at orientation kasi gusto ko rin magpahinga saglit lalo na't may klase nanaman bukas.
Even though I work part-time as a writer in a small company, I'll still not ignore the fact na I'm still a student who's yearning to graduate with flying colors, and if possible, to graduate as the Summa Cum Laude of our University.
I was busy murdering my blueberry cheesecake when suddenly, my phone rang. It was from an anonymous number.
Pinatay ko iyon at ipinagpatuloy ang pagkain nang biglang tumawag nanaman ito ulit kaya pinatay ko nanaman. Susubo pa lang ako sa blueberry cheesecake ko nang bigla nanaman itong nag-ring kaya naiirita ko itong kinuha't sinagot.
"Hello?" I said the moment I answered the call.
[Have you watched the news?] a familiar voice from the other line said.
"What news? Wait, who are you muna?" I asked, mamaya serial killer pala ito.
[Kenzo.] Tipid niyang sagot sa itinanong ko. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero bigla akong natigilan sa sinabi niya. My heart raced like a horse which is strange, as in very strange. Kinakabahan ba ako?
"Uhm, okay. S-so, anong mayroon sa news?" Halos sabunutan ko na ang sarili ko nang mautal ako bigla habang kausap siya. Shit naman oh!
Dahil siguro sa sinabi niya kaninang tanghali kaya ako nagkakaganito ngayon. Geez, Aelia. Focus.
[Your cousin is on the news, should we invite her and then celebrate?] He said as if he realized na hindi ko pa nakikita ang balita.
Agad akong nabulunan sa sinabi niya at pinatay agad ang tawag. Dali-dali kong binuksan ang phone ko't nag-search tungkol sa latest news ngayong araw.
My jaw dropped when I saw Charlotte's name on the headline of one of the news-outlet sites.
Millers: The first 21st Century Youth National Artist in Literature
Nanginginig kong binuksan ang article as I read its content. This can't be.
'As the 21st Century Youngsters embrace the power of technology— disregarding the significance of literature in one's life, Charlotte Millers, a 21-year-old student from the La Vierre International University, had just been awarded as the first 21st Century and youngest National Artist under Literature due to her significant works like articles, screenplays, and even books that had an impact in the industry.'
"What the hell," I mumbled as I read further the article. It's not just a news article, she has been featured not only on one but several news-outlets nationwide!
Hindi pa nagsisink-in sa akin ang nabasa ko nang tumawag nanaman si Kenzo pero this time, pinatay ko na ito, kasama ang phone ko.
Ayoko mang aminin pero napakalayo na ng narating ni Charlotte. Mahirap nang habulin, pakiramdam ko, natapakan na nang tuluyan ang pagkatao ko.
The pain I experienced years ago... I feel it... again.
Napatitig ako sa blueberry cheesecake ko, nawalan na ako nang ganang ubusin ito kahit na nakakapanghinayang itapon, mahal at masarap pa naman.
Sa halip na ubusin at umalis ay napagdesisyunan kong manahimik na lang muna sa loob ng café na ito. Ayoko rin munang umuwi, sigurado akong si daddy ang bubungad sa akin, worse if nandoon din si mommy. Kailangan ko munang ihanda ang sarili ko at tanggapin ang nangyari.
Baka, may bagay na mas lamang ako kay Charlotte. Oo, tama. Mas matalino ako sa kaniya. Sa pagsusulat lang naman siya lamang sa akin. Baka hindi lang para sa akin ang pagsusulat— pero nakahiligan ko na rin ang magsulat.
And still, I want my spotlight back.
Nakakatawa naman. Kahit anong gaslight pa ang gawin ko sarili ko para paniwalaing hindi ako apektado sa balitang nabasa ko, hindi ko maipagkakailang hindi ako kumportable rito. Masama na kung masama, inggit na kung inggit, pero ayokong may nakalalamang sa akin. I was born to be a star, not to be someone else's shadow.
Wala pang ilang minuto ang lumipas matapos kong mabasa ang article, bigla nanamang nag-ring ang phone ko, and this time, my mom is calling, and I assume, kasama niya rito ngayon si dad.
Which is right.
"Yes?" I asked the moment I answered the call.
[Ano itong napanood namin, Aelia?] Dad said, mom is just standing behind him pero bakas ko rin ang disappointment sa mukha niya.
"She's a writer, wala na pong nakakagulat doon," I said, lowkey defending myself. Baka ma-gets nila point ko.
[And you're also a writer, remember?] pag-singit naman ni mom. I sighed because of that.
"Mom, dad, maybe writing is not for me, so I won't force myself into it," sabi ko na lang sa kanila, baka sakaling hindi nila ako sermunan pero umiling lang si dad.
[No, if Charlotte can do it, dapat ikaw din. Ayus-ayusin mo ang sarili mo, Aelia. End of discussion.]
Agad akong napayuko matapos ang pag-uusap namin nina mom and dad. Ano bang gusto nilang gawin ko?
Ni-isang nobela, wala pa akong nagagawa, maging isang National Artist pa kaya na under ng batas at may mga rules and requirements na need ma-acquire.
Napahilamos na lang ako sa sarili kong mukha, hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. Gaya ng mga magulang ko, gusto ko rin pilitin ang sarili ko na maging katulad ni Charlotte kahit alam kong mapapagod lang ako.
Bigla nanamang tumunog ang phone ko and this time, hindi na iyon tawag. Isang notification lang galing sa Twitter.
Nang buksan ko ang notification na iyon, halos ibato ko na ang phone ko dahil sa frustration.
It was a tweet about Charlotte. People are congratulating her for being the youngest author and National Artist in the country. Edi wow! Siya na ang magaling.
I tried to disregard the tweet pero hindi ko talaga maiwasan kahit ano pang iwas ang gawin ko. She's the trending topic right now.
I took a deep breath before deciding to indulge myself into social media, bahala na ang mga tweets tungkol kay Charlotte. I can block or ban it na lang naman.
Aish! Ewan! Bakit ba kasi kailangang malamangan niya pa ako?
~*~
YOU have a notification.
@Sunny tweeted.
Wow, just wow. Who could've thought that the oh-so-famous Charlotte had secretly ruined someone's life years ago as if she stabbed her enemy with her very-own quill and acted innocently to avoid suspicions that there's someone she had killed?
***
:o
BINABASA MO ANG
Quill (✔)
General Fiction(RAW / UNEDITED : COMPLETED) Being a well-known writer is what they are born for, yet there are dark secrets that hinder something. As Aelia Rosenheim makes her name in the writing industry, Charlotte Millers starts to meet her tragic downfall as s...
