Mountains To Cross

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Keon!" Tawag ko sa kaibigan.

I am in a go-see again for a different project. At hindi katulad ng una, may mga kakilala na ako ngayon dahil sa Malaya. I see a lot of colleagues from Malaya. At si Keon, nandito rin.

He immediately went to me and gave me a hug, both of us are chuckling. Sa totoo lang, I don't know why he still needs to attend go-sees like this. We are required to send a whole body studio picture to them sa simula pa lang at sigurado naman akong kahit anong picture ni Keon ay pasok na pasok siya.

"Nice seeing you here. Was thinking about how you would nail this kind of concept." He praised.

"Hindi naman." I chuckled, "Actually, after I stumbled on the runway in Malaya, akala ko walang magiinvite sa akin."

"That doesn't matter, ano ka ba!" Keon chuckled, "Ask everyone here and you'll see that there's no one in this room who never stumbled while walking on the runway. What's important is you know how to stand up after naman."

"Deep," I joked. Tumawa muli kami.

"I saw your pictures! You spent the New Year in Batanes?" He asked.

Tumango ako at binuksan ang bag, "Wala pala akong nadala na keychain. Pero oo, sa Batanes kami nagbagong taon. But we had Christmas here."

I bit my lower lip. Pakiramdam ko ay namula ako sa pag-alala sa nangyari  noong Christmas Eve. It's January 6 today, hindi pa kami ulit nagkikita ni Tain mula noon at hindi pa rin sila umuuwi. They spent the New Year in Tita Ara's side sa Cebu. We only talked through video calls and text at hindi ko alam kung ano ang mangyayari sa akin kapag nagkita kami.

"May mga kamag-anak ka ba sa Batanes?" Keon asked.

I nodded, "Yup! Nandoon ang Lolo't Lola ko from Dad's side. They are managing a resort and a couple of inns there. May bahay rin sila doon. My father grew up there with his Lola."

Hindi ko na natatandaan ang Lola ni Daddy. I just remember that there's an old lady who loves crocheting me pretty headbands with flowers in it. Nakatabi pa ang mga ginawa niya para sa akin noong bata pa ako. She died due to her old age na rin at palagi siyang kinukwento nila Mommy sa akin.

She lived her life to the fullest, I must say. At hindi lahat nabibigyan ng ganoong pagkakataon. She died without any illnesses, just time being an antagonist again. Pero ganoon talaga eh, kahit anong gawin mo, hindi mo mapipigilan ang paglipas ng oras.

"Grabe!" Keon chuckled, "Ang sarap naman sa feeling nung may uuwian ka laging bahay sa Batanes. I'd pick it any day than the busy, grungy and hassle streets of the City."

"I'd pick both." I smiled at him. Mahal ko ang siyudad pero mahal ko rin ang probinsya. Mahal ko ang probinsya pero mahal ko rin naman ang siyudad. I'd live anywhere.

We stopped talking when the facilitator of the go-see started discussing things. It's less hassle at hindi rin yata ganoon kahirap i-convince ang mga nagsscreen sa amin kaya compared sa Malaya, mas laid back at mas confident ako sa go-see na ito.

We will model gowns for this one. Hindi ko alam kung bakit nasabi ni Keon na bagay sa akin ang concept na ito pero dahil siguro maganda ang formal wear na isinuot ko noon sa Malaya. This works for me, anyway. I am obsessed with gowns and dresses. Mommy loves buying me those disney princesses gowns replica at kapag may movie day ako with them, iyon lagi ang mga isinusuot ko.