The Unexpected Moment | #HersheysMode

Masaya akong naglalakad habang tinititigan ang aking medalya. I just won a science quiz bee competition.

Puno ako ng kaba kanina habang sumasagot pero hindi ko inaakala na ako ang mananalo. Mabuti na lang at nagsunog ako ng kilay kagabi.

Unti unting nawala ang aking ngiti nang makapasok sa bahay. Bakit palagi siyang nandito?

Umirap ako sa kanya nang makitang nakatingin siya sa akin.

Tumakbo ako palapit kay papa upang ipakita ang aking medalya at sertipiko.

"Ano 'yan?" hindi interesado niyang tanong.

Ano pa nga ba ang inaasahan ko? Parati naman silang ganito.

"Nanalo ako sa science quiz bee competition namin kanina," tugon ko habang nakangiti.

"Iyan lang? He's the champion of PMO that was held this morning," nakangiting saad ni mama habang nakaturo kay Kice.

"Pero nanalo rin ako-"

"And then, Araiah? You're proud of that?" sarkastikong tanong ni papa.

"But I managed to win kahit marami-"

"Kice always manage to win even if he has hundreds of opponent."

"I managed to win the National Science and Technology Fair naman ah," naluluhang anang ko.

Why is life like this? Why do I always cry every single day?

"It was two years ago, Araiah."

"Okay, fine. Itatapon ko na lang ito mamaya," lumapit ako kay Kice. "Congratulations, isaksak mo sa baga mo 'yung medalya at certificate mo," bulong ko sa kanya before leaving my medal and certificate to the table.

"May bibilhin lang ako, babalik din ako agad," I faked a smile.

I was wiping my tears while running to the park. I want to let out my frustrations.

Hiyang hiya na ako sa mga sinasabi ni mama at papa. Sa tingin ko isa lamang akong pagkakamali sa kanila.

I think I'm not good enough for them, and Kice will always be their favorite.
'Yung pangarap nilang anak kasi Math genius kagaya nila. Is it my fault that I hate Math?

Sumandal ako sa puno at niyakap ang aking magkabilang tuhod.

Hanggang sa panaginip na lang ba at imahinasyon na mamahalin rin nila ako at susuportahan?

My vision was so blurry because of my tears streaming down my eyes but I still managed to know who's walking towards me.

"I'm sorry," he said as he handed me a chocolate.

It was a Hershey's special dark mildly sweet chocolate. He knows that I love Hershey's so much, paano niya kaya nalaman?

He sat beside me. "I'm sorry for everything, Araiah Vien."

I wiped my tears and taked a big bite of the chocolate. "Okay lang, kahit medyo hindi?"

Sabay kaming tumawa sa aking sinabi.

They say, it's just a chocolate, why are you so happy over it? But little do they know that it cheers me up all the time. Whenever I'm sad or not feeling okay, Hershey's is always there to change my mood to a positive one.

And right at that moment, I was enjoying my favorite chocolate in the whole world while laughing with the guy I hated the most that turns out to be a nice human.