TG link: https://t.me/+91LsKZEiB3AzYTll (this is in my bio)
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People often assumed I was the smartest in the room because of the medals and achievements I had. Praises and words of esteem were all I had heard since I was little. Rarely was I scolded because I, myself, didn't like doing anything out of what I should. It was a hassle to do more whether for bad or good reasons, it was how I saw life. Books, films, stories, and even music have taught me that if you give too much, you'll always be at the short end of the stick. If you do too much, it'll come back to you badly. A bit pessimistic, I know. But because I was smart, I knew that humans were instinctively selfish.
"Congrats! Iskolar ng Bayan na ang anak ko!" maligayang sabi ni Mama nang mabasa niya ang screen ng laptop ko.
Ngayon ang release ng UPCAT results. Ako ang unang tumingin kung pasado ba ako. Nang mabasa ko ang salitang 'Congratulations' sa umpisa ng liham ng UP sa akin, alam ko nang iskolar na ako.
"Ano'ng next step? Ano nang dapat mo gawin? May ipapasa ka ba?" sunod-sunod na kuwestiyon ni Papa habang kinukuha ang lapto ko mula sa akin. Ang higpit kasi ng yakap ni Mama, parang mabibitawan ko 'yong laptop.
"Walang sinabi, Pa. I will just try to reach out to other passers, baka sila, alam nila kung ano'ng susunod na gagawin." I answered.
Mama let me go as my siblings stared at me with excitement. Diona glanced at my acceptance letter from UP. Si Lauren at Radley ay nag-usap, tinanong ni Radley ano 'yong UP.
"Magdo-dorm ka, Kuya?" tanong ni Lauren.
"Kaya namang mag-condo, 'nak, maghanap tayo bukas," ani Mama.
"Kaya ko naman mag-commute, Ma," sabi ko bago makuha muli ang laptop ko.
Pero hindi ako pinakinggan ni Mama. Mas gusto niyang mabawasan ang hirap ko raw sa pag-aaral sa college, kaya magko-condo na ako.
Pumanhik ako papunta sa kuwarto ko at sinaksak ulit ang charger ng laptop ko. I went to Messenger to check if my friends got in. They did, majority of them. My best friend didn't get it, but he was already accepted in Ateneo naman. Iyon ang school na gusto niya rin talagang pasukan.
Nakipagkita ako sa mga kaibigan ko sa isang fast food place the same day of the UPCAT results because we were just all waiting for that. Iyon ang huling exam na t-in-ake naming lahat, e. Ang tagal ng release.
"So, Sweden na talaga?" I asked Jaime, the valedictorian of my batch.
"Yeah, ang ganda ng program nila do'n ng biology, e," he replied.
"Ikaw? UP na talaga?" Shai asked.
"UP na, para med school na lang aalalahanin ko na babayaran," sabi ko.
"FEU ka na rin talaga? Nag-enroll ka na?" tanong ni Jaime kay Cornelius, ang salutatorian namin.
"I haven't, next week ako mag-i-enroll. And, yes, do'n na kasi they offered me a scholarship din." Cornelius said.
"Shai, sa'n ka na? Benilde? UST? Kyoto Univ? Or 'yong sa Australia?" I asked.
Si Shai ang may pinakamaraming in-apply-an sa aming magkakaibigan. She was nervous about passing any school despite being incredibly acing almost every exam she took in our high school.
"I applied for a scholarship do'n sa Kyoto, kapag nakuha ako, I'll study in Japan. Pero if I don't get it, I might choose UST na lang since may scholarship din akong makukuha ro'n if ever I choose it," ani Shai.
"So, ano? After graduation na ba tayo magkikita?" David joked, he was the salutatorian of my batch. Mag-aaral siya sa Italy for college.
Everyone smiled. We were all unsure of when we'd see each other since time wasn't the only enemy here, distance as well.
BINABASA MO ANG
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