note: hindi ko rin alam kung ano 'to. gusto ko lang naman ng fluff kaso parang ayaw ni lord so ito yung kinalabasan. pasensya na kayo mga, mhie.
p.s yung timeline ko ay messy, wala na po tayong time mag research. wala na po tayong ibubuga. sorry na. emz. :)
pss. medyo mahaba, medyo walang kwenta. :)
2013
Back then when she first entered the congress, wala siya masyadong kilala. Baguhan ika nga. She knew a few people by name but in a sense, wala talaga siyang kilala. However, she remembers watching her one time. She was fascinated, to say the least. Unlike her, she knew a lot of people. She remembers watching her jumping from one group to the other. She wasn't loud, unlike some of the politicians she was able to talk with. She seems soft and yet there was this air of defiance and fierceness in her, kaya rin siguro nakuha nito ang atensyon niya. Added bonus na rin siguro yung ang ganda ganda niyang tatawa o kaya ngingiti.
She remembers being roped in one of their group conversations, wala rin siya masyadong kakilala sa grupong 'yon yet she stayed. She stayed because again, she was there. She really wasn't paying attention to what was being said, rather she was busy watching her. She watches as she nods emphatically, kitang-kita mo talagang nakikinig siya. Watches as she laughs at a joke, or smile at a colleague. A few times people would approach them, just to greet her. It also didn't escape her attention that oftentimes it was a colleague of theirs trying to "catch" her attention. Even then, nakakatawa siya panoorin since she can tell how hard she was trying not to roll her eyes as she politely brushes them off.
One politician approached her, inadvertently cutting off one of their kabaros from speaking. The obnoxious politician greeted her to which she responded with a polite smile. The man pushed his luck by trying to extend it to a beso but Risa wasn't having it. Instead, she forcefully shook hands with him. The man was stunned at the obvious refusal, looking slightly embarrassed and pissed. She couldn't help but let out a chuckle at that which of course, caught the attention of everyone. Including the guy in question. She disguised it as a cough then. The man excused himself but not before giving her and Risa a glare.
She looked at her and saw that she was biting her lip to stop herself from laughing. When their eyes met, they lost it and started laughing out loud. They became fast friends since then.
She didn't stop though. Still, she would watch her. They don't see each other a lot but whenever she'd get the opportunity, she would track her with her eyes. Glance at her every now and then.
Watching her quickly became a hobby of hers. Fascinating naman kasi talaga. She sees it as one strong and independent woman admiring another or at least that's what she thought back then.
2016-2018
She didn't see it coming, her running for the second-highest position in the country. It was sudden and unexpected. Maging siya nagulat when they asked her to be Sen. Roxas' running mate. It wasn't an easy decision to make, especially since she has her tres marias to consider, but eventually, they saw that it was for the greater good. For the people, for their Papa and so, here they are now in the middle of a campaign season.
She wasn't used to these things -- sorties, rallies, and speaking engagements. Not that she wasn't exposed to it. May experience naman siya, what with her late husband being a mayor. However, it wasn't this big. Local election is one thing, but national? It was a completely different beast. Pakiramdam niya lalamunin siya ng lupa. It didn't help that she was running against those with big names already. It was mortifying. Sometimes she couldn't help but doubt herself. She has no funds, and can barely even fill the venues they go to. Nakakapagod, minsan nakakawala ng pag-asa, but then she would see her. Clapping along the sidelines, cheering for her.
