Eyes On Me, Baby (COMPLETED)

Chapter 00

Chapter 00

"She's just a child!"

"What child? She's 18!"

"Do you hear yourself?!"

"This is not up for discussion, Carlos! Our daughter would not be dropping out of her class to pursue script-writing!"

Naupo ako sa kama ko, huminga nang malalim, bago hinanap si Blue sa kwarto ko. Mabilis ko siyang nakita na natutulog sa ilalim ng study table ko. I squat down to look at her sleeping face.

"Malapit na akong magset-up ng camera para makita kung paano mo nabubuksan iyong lock," mahinang sabi ko sa kanya bago tumayo para isara iyong pintuan.

Silence.

Finally.

Lumapit ako sa kama ko at iniayos iyon. I straightened the bedsheet first and then proceeded with the comforter. And then I fluffed the pillow. Tumingin ako sa paligid ko. Everything's in order.

I sat down on the bed as I waited for the longhand of the clock to strike at 12.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Mabilis akong tumayo at lumabas. Nakita ko sila Mama at Papa na parehong naka-tingin sa akin. I greeted them good morning bago ako lumapit sa cupboard para kuhanin iyong breakfast ko. Today was Friday, so I grabbed the cornflakes. Kinuha ko iyong puting bowl tapos ay kinuha iyong gatas sa ref. I placed everything on the counter before I poured the cereal first and then filled half the bowl with milk. I stirred it three times before I looked at my parents who were watching me.

"What?" I asked because they were looking at me and it felt weird because I was about to eat.

"Karaminah."

"Yes?" I replied as I counted inside my head. 30 seconds and then my cereal would start to lose its crunch.

"About what you said last night."

"I'll submit my dropping form today," I replied.

"Look," Mom said, sighing. "We're okay with you taking all those workshops, but you can't drop out."

"Why not?" I asked. "Hindi ako nag-e-enjoy sa inaaral ko."

"Studying is not about enjoyment."

"Then what is it about?"

Mom looked at Dad who just signed in return. "Please. Just don't drop out."

I looked at them and this really was not how I wanted to start my mornings. I sighed once and then nodded.

"I will think about it."

"Thank you," Mom said. "Papunta ka na ba sa school?"

I shook my head. "I have to finish my script," I replied because I was already half-way through the conflict.

Growing up, I was always told that my future was to become a lawyer. I believed that all throughout high school. But come college, there was this one subject that required us to watch a play. I'd never been to plays—laging busy ang magulang ko para magtrabaho. No big deal. I didn't like being meddled with, anyway. But after watching that play, I was in awe of everything–the production, the actors, everything. It was amazing watching it firsthand.

That was the first time I realized I wanted to do something.

I wanted to belong to that world.

I tried acting, but it was not for me. I hated people touching me and acting in theater requires a lot of skinship I really did not like.

I tried to direct, but I was told that I was aiming too high too soon.

I tried to be in the production, but I could not stay up all night finishing the backdrops.

And finally, I tried scriptwriting.

And fell in love with it almost too quickly.

It was like... I have this world and I was in control.

For a year, I passed 2 scrips, but both were rejected. Kulang pa raw... pero hindi naman sinabi sa akin kung ano iyong kulang. I hated that. How could I find what was missing if I did not know what was missing?

It was like a physical ache in my brain.

So, I decided to enroll in classes.

But I did not have money.

So, I told my parents.

They were supportive at first, but later on, told me that I needed to focus on my degree. But I hated Legal Management. I had no interest in my course. I was failing all my subjects. I already told them I did not like what I was studying, but they told me five times already that I should finish that.

Last night, I finally gave them the dropping out form.

Today, I would try to go to my classes again para naman hindi nila masabi na sumuko lang ako agad.

The class was not yet staring when I arrived. I looked around to find an empty seat, but all I saw was the seat beside Austin Archangel Gomez de Liaño. I headed there and sat down.

"Do you have a pen?" he asked.

"What color?" I asked back as I grabbed my pencil case and got a black, blue, and red one. Meron din ako ng 0.3 hanggang 0.5.

Naka-kunot ang noo niya. "Uh... black."

"Here," sabi ko bago iabot sa kanya iyong ballpen ko. May naka-lagay na pangalan ko roon kaya hindi naman siguro niya kukunin iyong ballpen ko.

8 minutes later, dumating na ang professor namin. It was a general subject, but even in this, I was already bored. I grabbed my notebook and stared at the last paragraph I wrote last night.

"Miss..." sabi bigla ng katabi ko.

"Karaminah," sabi ko.

"Karaminah," he repeated.

"Yes. Why?"

"The prof said we'll be having paired works."

"Okay."

"Okay?" he repeated.

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Okay?"

His lips parted. "Ah... I have a practice right after class, but can I get your number for the assignment?"

I shook my head and then asked for my ballpen. Nagdismiss na kasi iyong klase. Baka malimutan ko iyong ballpen ko.

"Do you have a partner already?" he asked.

I shook my head as I stood up, "I'm dropping this class," I said. "Good luck on this class, Austin Archangel," I continued before I headed to the admin office. 

**

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