A DIFFERENT SIDE OF ME

CHAPTER 1

Habang naghihintay ako dito sa terminal dahil uuwi ako sa amin, napansin ko kung paano kumakayod ang mga tao para mabuhay.

Nakakaantig ng damdamin ang kanilang mga mukha, puno ng pag-asa at determinasyon sa kabila ng mga pagsubok sa buhay. I couldn't help but sigh, observing their every move.

Biglang nag-beep ang phone ko, kaya agad kong sinilip ito. Nakatanggap ako ng text mula kay Ate, tinatanong kung uuwi ba ako ngayon.

I paused and thought, "Uuwi nga pala ako." Memories of our home flooded back to me, and my mind raced with thoughts.

Sa aking isipan, natanaw ko na ang aming tahanan, puno ng mga alaala. The laughter and teasing among us siblings, mother's delicious home-cooked meals, and the joyful conversations every night. All of these played in my mind like a movie.

My memories fade as a guy approached me, signaling the arrival of the van we were about to board. "Where to, ma'am?" he asked politely. "To Canagara, please," I replied, and he nodded, assisting me into the van.

It was nearly Christmas, and I had been tasked by my older brother to do the grocery shopping since he wouldn't be home until later. I had brought a lot of things with me.

konti pa lang ang pasahero kaya't naghihintay pa kami hanggang sa magpuno ito. I took out my phone to check if there were any messages.

A smile crept across my face when I saw Rein's message, my cousin and my human diary. "VEN!!! UUWI KA NA NGAYON?" Grabe naman tong babae kung maka-react, hahaha. "Yes po, finally uuwi na talaga ako, HAHAHA" I typed my reply to her.

Memories began to play in my mind again. No, not this time. Okay na ako, ayokong masira ang mood ko ngayon.My phone beeped, and I opened it. "Sure ka talaga huh? Okay, you got this girl. Keep safe."

This is it again. Am I really okay? What if? Hayss. Noooo, okay na ako.

"Very, very okay a billion times, HAHAHA. Chat you later, byahe na po ako." I replied. After sending the message, I put my phone back into my bag. Ayoko nang isipin ang mga bagay na yun, so binaling ko ang tingin ko sa mga pasahero na pumapasok sa loob ng van.

The van was nearly full now. A mother with her young child sat a few seats away from me, the child excitedly pointing out the window at the passing scenery.

An elderly couple sat quietly, the husband gently holding his wife's hand. Across from me, a young man with headphones was nodding to the beat of his music, lost in his own world.

As the van started to move, I leaned back and closed my eyes. The hum of the engine and the soft chatter of the passengers created a soothing background noise. I couldn't help but think about the last time I made this trip.

It had been months since I left for the city, chasing dreams and escaping memories. Pero ngayon, nandito na ulit ako, papauwi.

I thought about the rice fields, the smell of fresh air, and the warmth of family gatherings. I missed the simple joys of countryside life-the laughter of children playing in the fields, the sound of roosters crowing at dawn, and the sight of the sun setting over the mountains. These were the things that city life couldn't replace.

Pero kasama ng mga alaala na to ang sakit na pilit kong tinatago. The reasons kung bakit ayokong umuwi. The arguments, the misunderstandings, the heartbreak.