SHE'S THE FAIREST (On-going)

SCENE 1: FROM PRETTY TO UGLY

-Krystal-

Big eye glasses, check. Makapal na kilay, check. Magulong buhok, check. Long sleeve katerno ng paldang lagpas tuhod, check. Sneakers, check.  I think I’m ready for school. It’s my first day on college and I’m so… ugly.

“Krystal your driver is waiting for you!”

“Coming Mom!” sagot ko sa Mommy ko at nagmamadali ng lumabas ng kuwarto. Her face was in horror when she saw me going down the stairs.

“JUSMIYO KRYSTAL!  BAKIT GANYAN ANG ITSURA MO? NO! BALIK! BALIK SA KUWARTO MO! WEAR SOMETHING GORGEOUS—“

“Mom, nag-usap na po tayo tungkol dito.” Putol ko sa sinasabi ng Mom ko.

Her expression never changes. “I thought you’re only joking!”

“No Mom I’m serious.” Sabi ko at inayos ang pagkakasabit ng bag pack ko sa likod ko.

Nasapo ni Mom ang noo niya. “Oh I can’t believe it. You are a very pretty lady darling, like me! Then all of a sudden… you want to be ugly? Oh kill me now.”

I was a bit irritated with my mother’s reaction.

“Mom I want this, please just let me.”

She looks at me intently. “Why do you want to be ugly? Other girls out there would move heaven and earth just to make their self pretty.”

Ngumiti ako kay Mom.  “Gusto ko lang makita kung sinong makakatanggap sa kin kung sakaling hindi ako maganda Mom.”

My Mom stops, her expression is blank.

“Bahala ka nga, umalis ka na male-late ka na. Grabe hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko sa mga amigas ko kapag nakita ka nilang ganyan.” Maya-maya’y sabi niya.

Ngumiti na lang ako ng tipid at umalis na bago pa ako ma-late. My Mom was always been a goddess of perfection. She’s pretty, she’ elegant, everything that defines beauty and they say I’m like her.

Pinanganak akong puro papuri ang natatanggap nung una tuwang-tuwa ako.  Pero nakakasawa rin pala, when everything on you seems to be perfect sometimes you want to see the flaws. Kaya ito ako ngayon, magandang ginawa ang sariling pangit.

I want to discover something new, something that will teach me what life really is, and what’s the real essence of beauty.

“Manong dito na lang ako.” pinahinto ko yung driver ko nung natatanaw ko na yung school. Lalakarin ko na lang.

“Po? Doon na lang kayo bumaba mismo sa loob ng school.”

“Hindi dito na lang ako.” ulit ko at bumaba na ng kotse kahit tutol pa rin si Manong, ayoko maging center of attraction. Sawang-sawa na ako.

Kinakabahan ako, may makakakilala kaya sa kin bilang dating Krystal kapag pumasok na ako? Wala naman sana, I tried my best to find the school my high school batch mates would not enrol too but my Mom didn’t let me choose my school, she did. So here I am with one of the most elite school in the country. Sana lang walang makakilala sa kin dito.

Now I’m walking on the school ground, nagsisimula na rin yung mga bulungan.

“Who’s that ugly girl?”

“Yuck, she has a weird fashion sense!”

“Yung palda niya minana niya pa ata sa Lola niya! Hahaha”

They don’t need to say it loud, alam kong ako ang pinagbubulungan nila. Ngayon alam ko na ang feeling na pinagbubulungan na masasakit na salita ang sinasabi.  Pinagbubulungan din naman ako noon, but all I can hear are praises of how pretty I am.