Love is, Stacey Sevilleja | Jhocey

Chapter 1

Jhoanna slammed her laptop shut and sighed.

She angrily removed her glasses and stared at the ceiling of her room with a frown. She had a big problem on how she could get in with one of the most competitive schools in the country. BNU College, it is one of the most leading schools for multimedia, art and designs. Her dream is to enter that university because she really loves art. When she was young she loved to draw anything she could see and imagine, until she turned 12 she learned how to paint and learn the expression of emotions and ideas of a certain drawing or painting and that's when she realized that she loves art so much. But there is doubt in her mind if she really has a future in the arts at all.

And her bigger problem is she hasn't even started emailing her application requirements she needs to send on the said deadline. She only has a month left to fix it and send it to the university.

Oa na kung pakinggan, but it's like her brain is going to explode from thinking too much.

"Okay, Jhoanna kalma. No pressure kaya mo yan." She convincingly told herself and rose from her bed.

While her lips were pouting like a child robbed of a toy. She took her favorite stuffed toy that little chicken with glasses that she used to watch on disney channel when she was young.

"Nakaka-stress naman to. Sana naging katulad mo nalang ako."Pagkausap niya dito.

Think of a happy memory

That thought suddenly came to her mind.

When she's sad and she feels down or lost. That's what her mother often reminds her.

"Eh ano ba yung happiest memory ko?"She asked her toy. If anyone could see her, they would think she was crazy because she was talking to her toy.

Pero ano nga ba yung happiest memory niya?

After a while she suddenly remembered something. What if her happiest memory was when she came out to her mom.

Flashback

13 years old Jhoanna stands behind her mom while she was holding a manual on how to fix a clogged sink.

"Now turn it to the right." Turo niya sa mommy niya. "And also i-i think i'm gay."

"Actually, I know I am." She said without hesitation, that caused her mom's head to hit the side of the sink, dahil sa gulat.

Jhoanna's face shows fear that her mother might not accept her sudden confession. Hindi naman kasi lingid sa kanyang kaalaman na madami parin talaga ang tutol at hindi tanggap ang sexuality na ito. A lot of people are being judged and criticized simply because of their sexuality, yan ang ayaw niyang mangyari na baka makatanggap din siya ng discrimination sa sarili niyang ina.

She was so nervous that she didn't notice she was biting her fingers. That's one of her mannerisms, when she feels uneasy.

Her mother gently rubbed her head from bumping into the sink and said."Honey, I'm so happy for you!"

Her mother's face was full of joy and went to give a high five to her daughter and she hugged her which surprised Jhoanna. She's always been supportive, that she herself is the one pushing Jhoanna to go on a date, have fun and meet other people.

What her mother often tells her that "Life is too short, so live it and make the most of it."

End of flasback

"Jhoanna!"

She came back to her senses when her mother suddenly entered her room calling her name.

"Kanina kapa hinihintay ni Sheena sa labas. Male-late na kayo honey."