Despicable's Charm

EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE.

"Let's call on our batch Summa cum laude of Hotel and Restaurant Management program.... Charlemagne Kailey Dawn."

Taas noo 'kong minartsa ang stage. Nagpalakpakan silang lahat. I raised my right hand as a sign of silence. My superiority reigns even in our graduation. I love it.

"Being a college student is never easy. Compared in highschool, teachers are the ones who chase their students. But it's different now, we're the ones who chased our teachers." Ngumiti ako sa lahat. "I would like to thank everyone of you. My fellow graduates, and even those who are in lower year. Surviving college is such a difficult task. But you have to. Yes, I know, sometimes I came to think that... I want to quit studying. That... This school sucks. That my professors are gonna pay for torturing me throughout the semester." Tumawa ang crowd sa sinabi 'ko. "But as I grow older... I realized that, Life is never easy. There are problems. Struggles. And you have to cope up with it. Life is full of ups and downs. If you were never down in your entire life, then ask yourself, Am I a human?" Nagtawanan ulit sila. "But then again. You can make your problems as your inspiration. I wanna share something.." I sighed. This took me alot of guts to expose my past. "I had a boyfriend from the Philippines." And he's Prime. Kamusta na kaya siya? "I was 17 that time and he was 20. He got me pregnant at my early age. But, his grandmother despised for being such a disgrace on their family. So, I had miscarriage. Yep, at the age of 17." Nakita 'kong nagbulungan ang iba. Judgemental bitches. "He had to marry someone who's rich. And I'm not the girl his family wants for him. Turns out, the girl she'll marry is my fraternal twin sister." Everybody gasped. As in. Madami ang nabigla. Napangiti ako. Oh, how naive was I years ago? "But I let him go. Sometimes I wonder how are they? Are they already inlove with each other? Do they have kids? Because... I... Still haven't moved on. But I'm holding on to my little hope that he'll wait for me. Wait for me to grow up before I deserve him." Naluha ako sa naisip ko. I got my tissue at pinahid ang luha 'ko. "Just like my calculus professor, I just told you the story of my life. Hehehe, Hi Mrs. Parkinson!" Kumaway ako sa prof ko na walang ibang ginawa kundi magkwento ng talambuhay niya. Pinagpatuloy ko ang speech ko. Naiyak ang iba at pati nadin ako. I can't believe I'm starting the new journey of my life!

"I, the Summa cum laude of batch 20**-20**, Charlemagne Kailey Dawn, congratulates all the graduates of my batch. We made it! Our college life has ended! FINALLY!" Nagsipalakpalakpan ang lahat sa speech 'ko. Naiyak ako at ngumiti ng malapad.

Nagplay ang graduation song namin. Bumaba ako sa stage at nakihalubilo sa countdown.

"1..2..3!"

Sabay sabay naming tinapon sa ere ang graduations hats namin. Naiyak ako sa sobrang pagka-overwhelm at niyakap ang lahat ng kakilala 'ko.

"I'm so proud of you, Kailey!" Umiyak sa braso 'ko si Cassiana at niyakap ko siya pabalik.

"Thank you so much, Cass! I will miss you so much!"

Nilapitan 'ko na si Mama, Papa at Charlene. Niyakap nila akong tatlo. I can't stop myself from smiling. I am beyond happy.

"Anak, We're so proud of you. Ang galing galing mo!" Napapapikit ako ng mariin at naiyak. I hugged my parents tight at ilang beses nagpasalamat. That's what every child wanted to hear from their parents. And after 4 years, I heard it again from them.

After 3years of suffering in college here in London, after all the endless nights, after all the shitty thesis, after all the 'i still havent eaten anything today'... I'm finally done. Done with my teenage life.