Chapter 2: Looking Back

             "The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams"

                                                    Oprah Winfrey

            Miana can't believe the promotions she got. It's too sudden and overwhelming. She didn't know what to think anymore. Last time, she been beaten by a lady just because of a spilled coffee to her dress and now, good news came, not just a good new but a big one!

As she was staring at the ceiling, her phone rings...

"Hello?"

"What are you up to? Are you okay? You didn't answer my messages"

"Uh huh? Who is this?"

"Eh? Hello Miss Miana, this is Ethan from Phillis Corp. Are you okay?"

 Ethan can't hear anything but silence.

"Oh my! Ethan! I'm sorry"

"What are you up to? Are you okay?"

"It's just..."

"It's just what?"

"I have lots in my mind right now. I'm sorry I didn't check any message throughout the day. I'm overwhelmed and confused at the same time"

"Care to share? Or maybe, next time? I just check on you because you're not texting me back. It makes me worried"

"Next time. I want to be alone. But thanks for checking up on me. I appreciate it. I will message you whenever I'm ready. See you, Ethan"

"See you, bye"

She hangs up the phone. Continue to stare the ceiling and make her lost within her thoughts.

                "Is it necessary for me to go to America? Or can I actually fit for that job? Should I say no? But this is all my dream. And, my dreams are coming true now. A dream that is already within my grasp but I'm not confident enough. I think I lacks something. Or should I focus in the brighter side? Because they chose me, so it means they believe in me and saw my potentials. But I can't stop thinking about the negative side. I'm dedicated and can really adjust in no time. Maybe, that's the trait they want? Or maybe?..."

 She closes her eyes and sleep.

                          “Dream big. Start small. But most of all start.”

                                                  Simon Sinek

            Miana came early in the office and start packing her things. All things from her documents, projects and her own legal papers. After that, she went to the Vice President to get the last project she will focus on before going abroad. The company teams in a meeting without Miana, confuses her a lot so she just went straight to the CEO’s office.

“What happened to you?”

“Uh, I just want to ask Sir. Why they are in a meeting without me?”

“Yeah, because you will work by yourself for your last project here”

“Ah. I thought they left me all alone”

“Don’t think like that. They love you, okay?”

“Okay, thank you Sir”

            “When I was a kid, I always dream to have a better life. Better life with my own house, own car, a high-paying job that can actually sustain all the things I want and a healthy lifestyle and a good mental health. And I want to pursue my passion and do all the things I want before doing my responsibility as a daughter and a good citizen of this country. Now, my dreams becoming reality now. Easier to achieve than yesterday. And I know God will guide me to the right path. I will achieve my dreams together with the people who believes in me"

               Miana stays up late that's why she will go to their office at noon. Sleepy but need to go to work, she prepares herself in an instant. Looking at her face in 2 minutes and go outside from her condo. She walks to slow like she's not having enough energy to walk properly. 55 minutes later, she already reached her destination.

"Hey, are you okay? You look like a walking zombie"

             Her colleagues laugh at her.

"I finished the work last night. Sorry I don't have enough sleep. You'll accompany a zombie just for now"

             People laugh at her but she doesn’t mind. She is too sleepy to care about what those people saying to her. She lay down to her table and take a nap for 30 minutes when the CEO knocks her table.

"Good morning Miana"

"Good morning Sir"

            She yawns in front of the CEO. Embarrassed, she hurriedly cover her eyes and hide.

"I'm sorry Sir. Sorry, sorry, sorry"

"It's fine. I think you finish your work last night. I came by to see your work"

"Yes Sir, here. I finished it last night"

"Yeah, good job. Sleep again"

             The CEO laughs at her. She blushes. He walks straight to his office making the whole place burst with laughter because of Miana.

"Nooooooo. Don't laugh guys, it's embarassing. The Director shouldn't saw me sleeping in office hours"

"Shhh. That's fine. The Director just teasing you. And he's actually right about you"

"About me? Huh?"

"Yeah, he already told us that you'll gonna finish that before you go to office. And he's absolutely right about that"

"Uh, still. That's bad"

"You're so pure, Miana. That's what we really love about you"

              They hug Miana making her cry like it was the last day for her in the company. She treats her team with pizza and soda. And they start a mini party within the office hours. It feels the happiest day yet the loneliest. That's not her last day but it feels like one. She stopped while others are happy partying. She watch them as they dance, sing and be happy. She want to remember this whenever she's in America. Like a memory that she will remember every single day.

              She feels so off whenever she's going to work because she is not really working. She will just teach the new employee about the things she is doing everyday. But the problem is, the employee is not that fast to learn. She needs to repeat things over and over again that makes her head aches more than usual.

               She can't feel the sincerity of the new employee to that job she'd apply to. She's getting tired teaching her as time goes by.

"I already repeat for I don't know how many times, still you can't get this done. What do you want me to do for you to remember things like this?"

"I'm sorry Ma'am"

"If you're really sorry, please, please try to remember everything. This job is really important to this company. They can't just skip one step just because you didn't remember something"

               The Human Resources Officer calls Miana for a short conversation. Seeing Miana stress like that, means it's a pain in the ass teaching the newly-hired employee.

"Hello Miana"

"Hi Ma'am"

"What are you up to?"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. But it's really hard to teach her. This is not the first time I teach someone but this is worst"

"Yeah, I already seeing that your in limit now. So, I need to the new employee and I'll give you another assignment for next week"

"Okay Ma'am. I want to rest now. My head really hurts

"All right, go to your table and call the new employee"

              Miana go out from the HR's office and called the new employee. It's a challenge for her to teach that kind of person who actually forgot what she just said minutes ago. Her head aches for a week now, it's like she's experiencing vertigo. After work, she went to a clinic to check what's happening to her.

"Hi Doc"

"Hello Miana, what's the problem? Are you sick?"

"Uh, it's already a week now. I felt dizzy  and losing my balance most of the time. I don't know if that's because I'm too stress at work or something"

"Do you eat your meals?"

"Yeah, kinda. But this week is really a pain for me. I'm teaching a new employee who can't remember what I said minutes ago. Like wtf?"

"Okay, you need rest and eat at the right time. You're stressing yourself too much. Please be patient with yourself. And have a lots of rest"

"Thank God it's not serious tho. Thank you Doc"

"You're welcome"

               Miana walks slowly when a car stopped in front of her. She can’t see who is the driver so she just stopped right there until the driver reveal himself. The car’s mirror began to go down and she is shocked when she saw who is the one in the car.

“Graceeeeeeeyyyyy!”

“Hey! What’s up Miss?”

            Gracel winks at her that makes her laugh. She hurriedly goes inside the car without hesitation. The reunion came in no time.

“Hey, how are you? You been busy these days, can’t catch up, eh?”

“I can’t really say a lot right now. And I can’t even summarize everything. We can plan a girls’ date and talk about things”

“Sounds a good idea, girl. I want to release stress from our company’s premises”

“Sure”

Backstory:

            “Looking back, I’ve gone so far now. Seeing the way I walked through, I’m so very proud of myself. Hesitant sometimes but I know I did my best that’s why I’m here working in a prestigious company all by myself. Strong, independent woman like most people is saying. Loneliness, the only problem I have. I missed the volcano, the people whom I love but not the hardships that I’ve gone through. Cheers for the success and the upcoming one”

“Class, let’s hear from Miana. Come here Miana, introduce yourself”

“My name is Miana Vista. I am 10 years old. I live at Brgy. Busay,Cagsawa, Daraga, Albay. It’s near the perfect cone Mayon Volcano! There you can see the perfect shape and how beautiful it is the moment you saw it”

“Okay, what are your dreams, Miana?”

“I dream to become a successful woman. Not for any profession but a woman who got a high-paying job that can buy anything she wants”

“That’s a huge dream”

“Most people thing it’s huge but someone told me, if you dream, make it big. And there is a quote saying, if your dream doesn’t scare you, it’s too small by Richard Branson. Which is true, I know I’m just a kid for now. But I know I can do that when the time comes. Professionals starts from a kid, right?”

“Well said, Miana. I hope you can achieve your dream in no time”

“Yes Ma’am”

            After school, I worked in my Auntie’s karinderia, I help her wash the dishes and take away the garbage in the tables. She gives me P50 for being a helper, I won’t complain. It’s still a money that I work hard for. After that I’ll went home and help my Mama to cook food for all of us. We are 5 children in the family and I’m the eldest, the pressure is all over me. My mom keeps on saying things that I can’t understand. Did she saw me as an adult now?

             “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

                                                       –C.S. Lewis

            I graduated in secondary school with flying colors. I’m proud of myself. I did the 2 in 1 student hack to achieve dreams while saving money for the future. I’m working while studying like what I did when I reach 10 years old. But I decided to have more work even I’m full of school’s project. I need to keep up with my studies while earning money. Seeing my mom became sad day by day makes my heart broke.

              "That’s the time I started to make my little brain digest every adult’s stuff. I should become mature so I can assure my mom that she will have a good life after my college. I will take them out of here. I will be the one to make her dreams come true. She is getting old; I need to work on everything so I can give her the best. Papa will be proud, I think. He is the one who told me that I will become a strong woman someday. And he is absolutely right. I graduated and I have many talents and skills, and now I have an opportunity to go to my dream country and have a job there. Life is full of surprises indeed. I wish I enjoyed my childhood days”

“Miana, are you going to continue your college studies?”

“Of course, Ma. I need to”

“I can’t sustain you anymore”

“I know”

‘How will you be able to sustain your college?”

“I will do everything, Ma. I need to finish that so I won’t have any regrets after”