Expedition towards Success

Prologue

I don't cry. Never in my life I once cried.

Life has taught me that crying won't do any good to me, that crying means accepting that you are weak. I got used into being judged. I got used into hearing negative comments about me. Criticisms by my own family.

I wake up everyday, hearing their judgments about me and my chosen path. I do not belong there, they said. We are financially incapable, they said. I shouldn't dream too high, they said. I wake up everyday, being slapped by their words, I am a mere disappointment. I got used to it. I already felt numb. I don't cry.

But here I am now in the corner of my room, silently crying. After all, I realized that I am not yet numb and still have feelings, still gets hurt and cries. After all, I realized that crying doesn't mean that you are weak. But this means addressing your weakness and crying it out. It can help you heal and feel better.

I am sick. My head is aching and I can feel my burning temperature.

Maybe I just got tired of everything. That's it, Andrea. Cry now, be better later.

I stood up from where I was sitting and went to the bathroom to take a half bath. I put my hair into a ponytail and washed my face first then did the rest.

I weakly stormed out from the bathroom and went downstairs. Maybe a bowl of hot soup would help. I cooked my food in spite of sickness. I'll take care of myself. I should, because if I won't, no one would.

My family was not here. We were about to go to some kind of dinner with our relatives when I, once again, opened up the topic about what I want to pursue.

"Ma, Pa, tomorrow I'll go to the law school I wanted to attend. I will be taking the scholarship examination," I said, half smiling.

They looked at each other first before they both diverted their gaze to me. My mother stared at me in disbelief while my father just shook his head. Their reaction didn't surprise me anymore. I knew they'd react like this... but I expected that they would at least consider the idea.

The sermon ensued.

I heard the same words, same lines and same dialogues I often hear whenever we talk about this... Same insults that don't bother me anymore. After the long preaching against my will, they decided to leave already while I chose to stay. Of course, another scolding happened.

So here, thinking of those while I was eating the soup I cooked. I mentally listed my future plans.

I will persist in reaching my goals. I will pursue my dreams, with or without their support. This was the perfect time to prove my capabilities.

"It's alright, Andrea. This too, shall pass," I whispered to convince myself.

I drowned in deep thought until I slowly fell asleep.

"Miss Cordova?" announced by the school library administrator.

I walked towards her desk and gave her my application form. I just finished the scholarship examination I took and I immediately went here to apply for being a Student Assistant.

I've read somewhere that the slots for Student Assistantship are limited. And those who will apply first will be the one who gets accepted.

After the interview I fixed my things and prepared to go home. While walking, I had a vision of a man being scolded by two older men whom I couldn't see the faces clearly. They're facing the man. My instinct says that they are respectable.

I continued walking, now slower. My eyes narrowed while staring at their direction. They were standing. The head of the guy whose being scolded was lowered down, as if absorbing every word that was thrown to him.

He sighed heavily as he lifted his sight. His eyes found mine. Panicking, I averted my gaze and walked faster, but I made sure to maintain my poise. I even saw him shot his eyebrow and licked his lower lip before he went out of my sight.