Trilogy 1: Lost

Chapter 10

Nasa harap siya ng salamin habang tinitingnan ang sarili—ang Elara na nakasuot ng toga, ang batang valedictorian na hindi noon inakalang magiging ganito. Habang iniiwasan ang mga luha, pilit niyang tinitingnan ang malalaking pangarap na tinupad niya. Isa siyang patunay na ang mga pagsubok ay hindi hadlang sa tagumpay. Sa wakas, natapos niya ang senior high school at nagawa niyang tapusin ito nang buo at matagumpay, nang mas mataas pa sa inaasahan niya.

Habang nakatayo siya roon, biglang pumasok sa kanyang utak ang lahat ng pinagdaanan niya, ang sakit na dulot ng pagtataksil ni Roel, ang pagkatalo ng relasyon nila, at ang paghahanap muli ng lakas para magpatuloy. Sa kabila ng mga sugat, natutunan niyang yakapin ang kanyang sarili at gawin ang lahat ng magagawa para magtagumpay. Nang dahil sa lahat ng iyon, nagbigay sa kanya ng lakas ang kanyang pamilya at mga kaibigan upang magsimula ng isang panibagong buhay.

Nasa graduation na siya ngayon, at hindi niya kayang ipaliwanag kung gaano kadami ang kanyang nararamdaman. Habang naglalakad siya papunta sa stage, nakikita niya ang mga mata ng kanyang mga magulang na puno ng pagmamalaki. Ang hindi niya nakikita ay ang galak sa kanyang mga kaibigan—si Kiera, si Michelle, si Alex—na naghintay sa kanya sa gilid ng hall, nagsisilibing mga tagasuporta. Ang araw na iyon ay puno ng kaligayahan, ngunit hindi niya pa rin maiwasang mag-isip kung ano ang magiging susunod na kabanata sa buhay niya.

Elara stood at the front of the stage, her heart pounding as she gazed at the sea of faces before her. She adjusted her graduation cap, the tassel swaying slightly as the spotlight beamed down on her. Her eyes scanned the crowd, seeing her family sitting near the front, her mom, dad, and her cousins, Kiera, Michelle, and Alex, all of them smiling proudly at her. This moment felt surreal. She was about to deliver her valedictory speech, and for the first time in her life, Elara realized how far she had come.

She cleared her throat, gripping the podium tightly to steady herself, though she could feel the butterflies in her stomach. She had prepared for this moment, practiced her speech over and over again, but now that she was standing here, in front of everyone, the weight of her words felt more profound than ever.

"Magandang araw po sa inyong lahat, mga guro, mga magulang, at mga kamag-aral," she began, her voice slightly trembling at first. "Hindi ko akalain na darating ang araw na ito. Na ako'y haharap sa inyo bilang valedictorian ng batch na ito."

Her heart swelled as the crowd cheered. She smiled, trying to steady her emotions.

"Sa totoo lang," she continued, looking down at her notes for a moment, then meeting the eyes of her classmates, "there were times when I doubted myself. Akala ko hindi ko kayang tapusin ito, lalo na nung mga panahong nahulog at nabasag ang mga piraso ng buhay ko. When everything seemed like it was falling apart, and all I had was myself to rely on. The road to today was never easy, but I'm standing here today because I didn't give up."

Her mind flashed to the past—her relationship with Roel, the heartbreak, the pain, and the healing. Every memory was a step that led her to this moment. The pain she endured wasn't a sign of weakness; it was a lesson in strength.

"But I realized," Elara paused and took a deep breath, "it wasn't just about passing the subjects, finishing the projects, or getting good grades. It was about overcoming those obstacles—those little battles we face every day—na hindi nakikita ng iba."

Her voice grew stronger now as she spoke from the heart, her eyes glistening with tears she refused to shed.

"Sa mga pagkakataong pakiramdam mo mag-isa ka, tandaan mo na hindi ka nag-iisa. Our strength doesn't come from the people who are with us during the good times. It comes from how we rise up during our darkest moments. Kasi yun ang tunay na sukatan ng tagumpay. Ang bawat pagkatalo, ang bawat sugat, at ang bawat pagdapo ng bagyo—lahat ng iyon ay tumulong sa atin para maging mas matatag, para maging mas handa sa mga hamon ng buhay."