Camila POV
The familiar air tickled my senses. I gasped in wonder at the wide roads and people of different colour walking in the busy area as if it's my first time again here.
After three long years, I am finally back. Technically, I have lived here for 10 years but it's amazing how just three years of being away would make me realise how much beautiful this country is. Great laws, breath-taking sceneries, good people and of course... fucking privileges.
While walking through the exclusive boutiques flashily displayed in the central street of Melbourne, I remembered a brief memory ages ago.
"Mum! I want this dress. It's like, really pretty." I said coldly.
My mother looked at me in distress but she still managed to nod and give me a small smile. Well, the dress costs around $200. I'm an only child anyway so they should give me anything I wanted to.
"Hmm. Okay, we'll buy it. How was school today?" she asked.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her. School is something that I don't really want to think of. Lots of judgemental people everywhere. I could only try be like the popular and pretty girls but I know I could never be them. I don't have blonde hair nor green eyes. I'm just average and an immigrant, to top that.
"Tss. Don't ask me and just go buy that." I glared at her.
Her eyebrows scowled but she still opened her purse. I noticed that there's barely even anything left. After she handed $200 to me, there was only $10 and a few coins left. Well, she has credit cards anyway.
I hastily took the money and turned my back from her.
"Anak, I'm only asking you because when I was in high school, my parents never bothered to ask. I'm only asking you because I care for you. I love you and I hope that you can love me too not just for the money. Even just a little bit, Mila." she tearfully said in a thick Filipino accent.
I glanced at her once in awe but since tears kept coming out of her eyes, she walked away from the boutique. I stood there still for a few seconds before proceeding to still buy the dress I really wanted.
Damn...
I closed my eyes and breathed violently. It's actually a miracle that there's no tears coming out of my eyes despite remembering such a dreadful memory. Perhaps, it's because I casually remember those every time that's why it's not new anymore. As much as I want to cry, I have gotten used to it so it doesn't really have an effect anymore.
"You alright there, mate?" some stranger asked.
I nodded. It's usual to have people genuinely concerned for you, even if you don't know each other here in Australia. In the Philippines, even though I'm wearing a coat over my strapless black dress, I would most likely get menacing looks, catcalled and get subtly harassed. People there are that disgusting.
"Yeah. Thanks." I answered.
He smiled at me and nodded before walking straight ahead of the busy streets. Realising that he probably asked me because I have been standing outside that boutique for too long, I walked to my direction as well.
I went to the city today to finalise some paper works for the university I'm going to study in and it's ridiculous how as an international student, I pay x3 the tuition fee Australian citizens do. My tuition fee is around $32,000, which is roughly more than 1.2 million pesos if converted whilst Aussies only have to pay around $8,000 annually.
The privilege they have is literally like a dream for me. It is ironic how they don't value education as much as Filipinos do and only sees university as an option forever. Like I could talk. When you're privileged, it's often very hard to appreciate and acknowledge that you indeed are.
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Down Under
RomanceAt 18, the once bratty, hot-headed Mila turns into an independent and mature woman when her parents died giving in to all her selfish whims. Regretting how much she took everything for granted and realizing how privileged she was before, she flies b...