In the midst of darkness, someone hooked me out of that shitty place. During the times when I thought the world had abandoned me, I can't imagine I could find solace in his company... not until a horrible episode happens.
I couldn't fully imagine that the joy I felt was short-lived. After he brought me out of sadness, he buried me back to hell.
He's the only person who pushes me to pursue my dream... he taught me that I'm a worthy person and that I also have the freedom to fulfill my objectives in life.
I reached my dream... It's just sad because the moment I finally obtain my victory… he’s gone.
"Are you even serious? I can participate in the taping even though I haven't experienced being a wedding coordinator! So, what's the use of me working for 1 month just for that?"
"You're the actress here, Corrine. You should be knowledgeable enough about the role you will play. The thing here is that… this is also for the sake of making the series outstanding. It's a big advantage for you if you have experience being a wedding coordinator... so you can play your role better. Experience is the best teacher. So, how would you be able to portray Alicia's role if you don't want to put your feet in hers?"
I rolled my eyes. "As if I have a choice," I said. "Where can I train?"
"We'll go with you to introduce you to the team."
From my comfortable sitting on the sofa, my manager, Theo, forced me to stand up to go to the workplace... that soon to be my workplace, also.
It's only for one month, so I'll just be patient. I also want to give my best for the fourth series I am working on.
My first three series, meanwhile, I was only holding a supporting role, but I started as an extra... and in this series, I was given a chance to hold the lead role.
As much as possible, I want to perform well in Alicia's role as a wedding coordinator. In that way, I can gain the trust of the viewers as well as their support.
It doesn't matter how hard it is for me... one month of sacrifice is no big deal.
When we finally got to the building, we went straight to a fairly large office. WEDDING TEAM QUARTERS. I read it hanging on the office door. That's why the office is a bit big. There’s another room inside. Maybe that was the office of this team’s leader.
Luh, why is there such a thing?
"Hi, Miss Corrine!" A woman we met inside the office greeted me.
She's not alone… she's with a man and another woman. And they are all tossing their gaze at me.
In response, I flash a small smile on my face.
"Allow me to lead the way." A man approached us inside, politely ushering us into the Wedding Team leader's office.
"They're here, Sir."
The man who had turned his back to us in the office slowly turned around... giving me a chance to see his face.
"It's my pleasure to work with you soon, Miss Corrine." As he finally reached me, he offered his hands for a handshake.
“Are you… really alive… Israel?”
His forehead creased. "Excuse me? What are you talking about?” He hummed a little. "I'm quite amused that this is our first time meeting each other... yet you already know my name."
I'm confused… Wait. Why doesn't he remember me? Is this really what I'm seeing or maybe it's just a dream?
"Because I told her about you while we were on the trip. So, she already knows your name," my manager politely answered.
While I was still staring at Israel, I could hardly believe that he was alive and energetic standing in front of me.
I should be happy to know that he's alive... but how? How could I be able to smile back at him when in fact, he no longer recognized who I was?
Has his mind completely forgotten the past?
—
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO …
"Don't cry, dear. Papa will come back, okay?" Using his palms, he wiped my tears. "Your Mama Gretchen is here to take care of you... so, you don't have to worry. I'm doing this for you, so hush now."
I bit my lip hard. I really want to tell my father about the almost four years of my stay in this hellish house since my father brought home his new future wife as well as her damn daughter, Stacy, my life has not been good.
I'm dying hard to tell him the truth, that I'm suffocated in this home. I no longer feel that it was still my home.
"Come back soon, Pa," was all I said instead of going through with my plan to tell him the truth.
How could I even do that? Her eyes, Aunt Gretchen, were on me... and I'm sure I’m dead if I dared to do that.
"Take care of yourself there, honey! You don't have to worry about anything with Irene. I will take care of her and love her like my own daughter... as I promised you." She then gave my father a warm hug and they kissed swiftly before my father got inside the van, together with his luggage.
I no longer have allies in this house.
I was so close to kissing on the concrete road when Aunt Gretchen violently pushed my shoulder.
I looked at her... only to meet her evil stare poking at me. "W-Why?"
"You're still asking why? What else are you standing there? Prepare our breakfast now!"
I nodded nervously before entering the house. I went straight to the kitchen to cook breakfast for my dad's pet pythons.
My father wanted us to hire a maid here at home but Aunt Gretchen refused because she said it would be another expense we have to pay. She even told my father that she can do the housework... but it ended up like this.
She did not agree that my father would hire a maid because they would make me their maid.
I really hate that witch! If I wasn't afraid of being kicked out of this house, I might have told the whole truth to Papa a long time ago. I know that if I do report, my father will surely not believe me. Aunt Gretchen must have turned Dad around a lot. He's only believing in Aunt Gretchen's words.
Even though it hurts me to be in this situation, when in fact I have more rights to this house because I am my father’s daughter... his real family, because he and Tita Gretchen are not officially married yet, but still I'm scared of not being heard.
"You received your payment today from your job, right?" while serving the food on the table, Aunt Gretchen asked. "Irene, where's your income? You haven't given it to me yet."
"I haven't w-withdrawn-"
"What are you waiting for and why haven't you withdrawn yet?" Her words froze me for a second. "If we wait for your father to send money to us, we will starve ourselves!”
"There are still many stock foods-"
"Could you please shut up, Irene?!" Stacy raised her voice. "Just give my mom your salary. Don't plan to argue with her, understand?!"
"Withdraw all the money in your bank account, and then give it to me. It was also for your own sake, dear. Stop opposing my decision, or else..."
I clenched my fist, zipping my mouth to stop talking. She's ordering me to transfer all my money to her... without knowing how important that money was for me. I've been saving it for a long time because it's my dream to fly to another country to audition for various forms of entertainment.
Who are they to block my dream?
At the end of the day, these grievances of mine will only be heard by myself. What can a weak person like me do to fight for my dream with Aunt Gretchen? I know I can't do anything, I don't even have the right to talk back to her. As if she will spend at least a second of her precious time listening to me.
Just like what she told me, I withdrew all the money I saved from my bank account. Even though it was against my heart, I gave it all to her, trying to protect my dream that was slowly crumbling.
Maybe I'll just accept this is the kind of life that God gave to me.
“It is as if they are not allowing me to dream for myself. Such a bitches!” Apart from my father, the remaining ally I have by my side is Milo, my cat.
I remembered how I met him. While walking home to our house, on the side lawn I saw a poor kitten crying. He seems to be looking for care and hunger in the milk of his mother cat.
With great pity, I brought him home and took care of him. Aunt Gretchen would have objected to me taking care of a stray cat, but I said that I would feed him with my own money. Good thing she agreed.
We've been together for almost eight months, and Milo is already an adult cat. I'm glad I found him that day... 'cause thanks to him, I found a friend.
"Yes, you're hungry." I chuckled.
I went to the kitchen for a while to put dried fish in the rice, and I offered it to Milo. I didn't buy him cat food because it was too pricey. This kind of food is, I think, enough for him to live.
In the midst of walking down the road, I passed a seminar in the capitol. The audience is high school students and the topic is career guidance. Probably for Grade 10 students entering K-12.I suddenly missed the time when I was still in high school, when Mom and Dad were still with me. I've promised them that after ten or fifteen years, they will see me both on TV.I'm dreaming of being a celebrity back then.But things like that couldn't be able to happen. Far from the reality of my dream coming true... 'cause I'm meant to sustain that witches' needs. Maybe Aunt Gretchen was right when she told me that dreaming is only for the poor. She said that we are not poor, so I don't need to dream anymore.My father is working abroad, doing hard work there just to make our life stable here in the Philippines. But instead of being happy, I'm not happy because like my father, I'm also suffering at the hands of his future wife.I am tiring myself to work at home and work the sidelines at a fast f
He hit me with that counterattack. Of course, right? What fool would say that she is satisfied with her life when she is so wrapped up in sadness?"Whether or not you are satisfied with your life, you can dream because that is one thing that will give you the motivation to live... and the joy when it comes true.""Dreaming is free, so don't be mean to yourself. Live for yourself, not for others. You were not born to serve them, because you lived in the world to find something that will make you happy before you even die. Human life is short, are you going to waste your life just to serve others?""It's not bad to have a goal for yourself... because I believe the real joy is when you achieve your goal."After saying that, he left. Instead of feeling sorry for myself in my current situation, I feel more sorry for the person inside that gigantic mascot. He will waste a lot of sweat just for his goal of making people happy.But seriously, I owe that person a gratitude. Somehow I was encour
When I finally got inside my room, I was about to go to the bathroom to take a shower when I noticed something... those posters I collected from different entertainments that I was supposed to be auditioning for, why are they torn?I picked them up one by one, banging on Aunt Gretchen's room. "Who tore these?!"Stacy raised her hands. "Me."I was about to attack her with great anger when Aunt Gretchen blocked me from doing so. "Have you forgotten what I told you earlier?"I looked at her. "Who the hell are you for me to follow you? You're not even my mother, so you have no right to rule my life!”I received another slap from her. "You have no manners, stupid! Have my hands no longer giving you pain, so now you are being brave?!”"You ruined my dream," I murmured. "Your daughter ruined my dream, do you know that?! They are very important to me because listed here are the contact numbers and addresses of the talent agents I am aiming to look for... but now that they are in disrepair, how
"My instinct is functioning really well and great. I really knew I would find you here.” A man came, I felt him sit next to me. "Have you come from Miss Fiona's?"I nodded. "You?""I just got back too. Where were you deployed?"“Amana Beach and Resort.”“Same!” He grabbed my arm. "Irene, we share the same place. I’m going to fetch you everyday at your house, so you won’t be late. How’s that sound?”I just laughed at him before shaking my head. "It's a hassle for you to pass by our house. Your journey will take too long. I can handle myself, I'll just limit reading online books, so I don't stay up late anymore.""Are you sure you don't want to come with me? Even going home?”I shook my head. “Not anymore, Harold. I can handle myself. I'm sure I'm used to going home alone…”And it looks like I'm about to get used to living alone as well."It's up to you," he said. "But you know, I'm excited for next week. My excitement doubled because you are the one who will be there with me," he added
"Girlfriend?" Harold and Celine, and I asked the man who suddenly appeared.I also got confused because I don't know him so why would he just say that I am his girlfriend? Is this man crazy?"Excuse me--"He smiled at me. "Let's go?" He held my hand and was about to drag me out there but he stopped. He looked at Celine while being calmed. "Make it a hobby to listen to your boyfriend's explanation before jumping to conclusions, huh?"And we walked away from that place... Still he's holding my hand. As much as I wanted to walk away from this strange man, I couldn't. I lost my strength because of what happened, my brain just couldn't process things easily as of the moment."Thank me later," as he stopped from walking, he started talking. "I deserve it, don't I?""Why did you do that?" I went straight to the point. "I don't even need your help, so why did you do that? We don't know each other in the first place, so what right do you have to interfere in my life?"“Is that the way you than
"They’re saying I’m brave enough to accept the fact that the man I used to admire won't really like me. It's pretty normal to feel pain at first, trying to accept the reality that the man you like doesn’t feel the same as you, believe me that shattered my heart into pieces. But the central idea here is that when I accepted his rejection towards me and learned to accept that we were not meant for each other, I began to be determined to change myself.""Upon realizing the things that I should eradicate in my life, I changed for the better. I've been rejected once but I'm still thankful because that happened… Because that was the way for me to find a man who can accept me completely. Being able to love the real me... The old me, and the new me," Delancy said with a smile.Did they approach me on purpose? To lecture me about rejection. If that's the case, I owe these two a thank you. Indeed, people tend to learn from others' experiences… And because of what they both said, I learned anoth
I smiled a little. I didn't expect that I would suddenly feel good about Israel. Maybe his confession to me that he was my secret admirer helped, so I stopped being mean to him. He looks like a sensible man... And maybe I'll just wait for the day to come when, through his old-fashioned courting style, I'll fall for him.I don't think it would possibly happen... But I don't want to spearhead destiny."Who is that man I saw here earlier?" I was about to enter the gate, only to be greeted by Stacy's surprised face. Obviously, she's referring to Israel. "Who's that guy, Irene?"I raised my left eyebrow at her, giving her a bored look. "Why do you even care?""Of course, I care!" she exclaimed. "Because that guy looks familiar."Israel looks familiar to Stacy? Do they know each other?"You're not answering my question, Irene! Who is that man?!"I came back to my senses when Stacy spoke again. All I can do is to stare at her blankly, finding the right word to utter at this moment."Whoever
"Are you a service crew here?" she asked, very amused. "Are you a working student?"I immediately looked away, I felt like she was insulting me by the way she said those words. This is one of the disadvantages of being a working student... When your acquaintances or classmates see you working.Never did I imagine that it could also possibly happen to me. That feeling when Celine saw me struggling to wipe the tables, I felt insulted. I felt downgraded."Irene," she mentioned my name again. "Look, I'm just asking you a question, but I didn't mean to offend you. Well, the answer to the question is obvious, so why did I bother to ask anyway?" She laughed at her own statement. "I'm sorry if I ever stepped on your ego. But seriously, I'm not here to poke fun at you.""Of course, you're here to order a meal, aren't you?" I faked a smile. "Can I take your order?""Irene…" She held my hand. "I want to apologize for what I did to you last time. I was just so angry when I saw you and Harold toge