-Bea's POV-
I'm still deciding if I'm going to the screening tomorrow and join the pageant and compete with the other girls or just stay within my room of fear and shyness. I'm really torn between. I wanted to join but this fear is so strong. How can I fight this?
"So ano, sasali ka?" Ashley asked with that bright smile on her face. We're currently waiting for our professor. She never gets tired every single hour to convince me. I really love this girl's will.
"I'm still deciding, Ash."
"Tomorrow na yung screening." Her face became worried.
"I know, I'm aware of that." I'm currently gaining for confidence but I felt like I only gained 15% confidence.
"You should really join, Bea. Alam kong ilang beses ko na tong sinabi pero sasabihin ko pa rin. You need this. Do this for yourself."
"God knows how much I think about this pageant to the point that I can't sleep."
"So you wanted to join? Go on. Ano bang pumipigil sayo?"
"Takot Ash."
"Sige, anong kinatatakutan mo?"
"Marami."
"Enumerate mo sa akin. Sige."
"First and foremost, takot ako na baka di ko magawa ine-expect niyo sa akin na gawin."
"I never have expectations for you because expectations can ruin everything. Did you ever hear me na sinabi ko na I expect you to win, ganito, ganyan. Never diba? I don't really like expectations because they only cause you self-pressure. You might, ay hindi you're going to really doubt yourself if you can do it or not dahil sa mga expectations na yan."
"I'm glad to hear you don't have that but how about the other people?"
"Why do you care sa kung ano man isipin sayo ng mga tao? You weren't born to impress them and meet their expectations."
"That's the problem, Ash. I tend to think and care a lot about what people will say. Pano kung sabihin nilang I'm too thin and too short for this pageant? I'm a weak human creature so mabilis akong masaktan."
"So kalaban mo pala sarili mo. Bea, you have to face your scared self with your confident self. You can never discover what's yours if you keep on stepping backwards."
"So how do I step forward?"
"You need to fight your scared self."
Napangiti ako. What did I do to have this girl?
"Takot din akong lumaban Ash."
"Why?"
"Hindi dahil takot akong matalo. Never akong pinaglaban so I never learned to fight. Starting from mom and then Jake."
There was a moment of silence. I know Ash got nothing to say because it's true. Never akong pinaglaban.
"Then...bakit di mo ipaglaban sarili mo muna?" She replied.
"I don't know how."
Ash held my hand. "Then we'll find out how. To start that, you have to join this pageant. Don't worry, I'll be here."
From that moment, I'm 50% sure I'm going to join this pageant. I smiled, I felt relieved because I'm not going to be alone. Ash is with me.
"Thank you Ash. Alam kong nahihirapan ka na sa pagkumbinsi sa akin but you never stopped."
"What? Pano mo naman nasabi na nahihirapan ako? No, I'm not. You need a friend so that's why I'm here."
"I already told Dad yung tungkol sa amin ni Jake."
