Along the Avenue

PROLOGUE

“Are you really sure about this Shan?”

I stopped my make up artist as I faced our team manager, ngayon niya pa talaga ako tinatanong ngayong naihanda ko na lahat at ano sa tingin niya ang mangyayari kapag hindi pa ito tinuloy?

I chose to walk in this rough path to prove that I can be the best kahit na parang lahat na lang kumukontra. At darating ang araw makikita rin nila Shan Venice Alcantara isn't a failure, na may future ako sa music industry just like how my sister loves it.

Hindi na si papa ang kumokontrol sa buhay ko at ayoko na ulit bumalik sa kung ano ako noon. The weak and crybaby Shanice that they used to bully and treat like a puppet? Nah hindi na, ano ba ang pakialam ko kung tanggalan niya ako mana at itakwil bilang anak kasi kahit ano naman kasi ang gawin ko wala lang sa kanila eh I’m always the fool, selfish and failure.

Eh sa pamilya namin siya nga itong failure eh, mas inuuna niya yung babaeng yun kesa sa aming mga anak niya. Kung dumating lang siya ng mas maaga buhay pa sana ang kakambal ko. At hindi sana magka kanda leche leche yung buhay ko here is the one who ruined everything.

“What do you think of Miss Jen?”

“Iha kaya nga kita tinatanong eh I want you to be sure kasi ikaw lang ang nagpapasya sa buhay mo at ayokong may pagsisihan ka sa huli”

“Wala na po nakahanda na akong iwanan ang lahat at magpatuloy”

Wala naman nang mawawala sa akin eh. Nang mawala sa amin sina mommy, nawala na rin pag-asa kong mapapatunayan ko pang karapat dapat ako kay papa kasi may pinili na siya sa aming magkakapatid malinaw naman na hindi ako yun at tanging ito na lang meron ako pinanghahawakan ko.

“Is that so, kung ganun sige maiwan na muna kita I’ll go to talk to your co-members”

I just nod and let the makeup artist continue kasi pagkatapos ng araw na ito magsisimula na panibagong kabanata ng mga buhay namin ako, si Kylie, Courtney, at si Penelope. Napakalaki na ng naging sakripisyo namin para maabot namin pangarap naming ito kaya wala na kaming dapat pagsisihan pa.

My phone just beeps and a message from someone I didn’t expect popped up at madali ko namang binasa iyon and what that text message said broke and pierced my heart into pieces.

From ******

            Good luck and Congratulations, Ven I realized na tama ka at wala kang dapat pagsisihan kasi pinili mo ang daan na yan ang daan papalayo sa akin kasi kung mananatili ka sa tabi ko alam kong hindi mo ma-a-achieve kung ano pa ang mga pwede mong ma-achieve kung nandito ka kasama ko mahal kita and I want the best for you that’s why I am setting you free Venice for now. I want you spread your wings and flock with those someone who can help you to be the greatest star that you want to be.

Kaya mag-ingat ka ha? I promise na kapag nagkita tayo ulit maipagmamalaki mo na ako I will also pursue my dream like you want me to, I won’t hope na magingging tayo pa din sa huli pero di natin alam di ba but, if only our destiny allows us to be together again. I hope that our paths crossed again and for the last time I love you Venice I really do but we have to say goodbye for now.

His message made me cry so much. This supposed to be a happy day with full of smile and laughter pero pinapaiyak naman niya ako eh. Pero sana nga dumating ang araw na yun yung maipagmamalaki namin ang isa’t isa and be the best pace of ourselves. Sana lang kapag dumating na araw na yun hindi pa ako huli ano? I am the one who pushed him eh gusto ko kasing siyang maging successful at alam kong makakahadlang ako sa kanya at sa mga pangarap n’ya lalo na at ang daang pinili ko ay hindi stable at walang kasiguraduhan I will just pray for his best future nalang that is the best thing to right now…
Eight years later…

NEWS HEADLINES: The Filipino girl group DSTNY continues to dominate and hold the title for this year's favorite girl band of the year in AMC Awards. This is their third year in a row. >>> click here to read more…

Napangiti na lamang ang dalagang si Shanice ng bumungad sa notifications niya ang article tungkol sa kanilang girl group matapos ang ASIAN MUSIC CORE noong nakaraang gabi na dinaluhan ng mga pinaka magagaling na music artist sa buong Asia. Hindi nila lubos maisip na nakipag tagisan na sila  sa mga sikat na girl groups sa iba’t ibang bansa at naiuwi namin ulit ang title sa ikatlong pagkakataon. Dati pangarap lang nilang magkakaibigan ang mga subalit ngayon ito na talaga iyon they made it, and that's a huge slap in the face to all of their haters and bashers. And she's very proud to herself and to her members from scratch they come this far and as their leader wala na siyang masabi kundi salamat sa lahat na efforts at sacrifices nila. The four of them was really exhausted because of last night’s awards night in China but they have to fly back to Manila immediately because they have another awards ceremony tomorrow and they need to prepare for the performance kaya naman kahit pagod at medyo wala pang tulog they will prepare.

She glanced at the three of them na may kanya kanyang ginagawa Kylie is beside her reading and mixing some tunes for the performance tomorrow probably while Courtney is still sleeping beside Penelope who's surfing something on her phone.

“Hey Shan ano iniisip natin? Ready ka bang kunin artist of the year bukas?”

“Seriously Artist of the year talaga?”

Ikinagulat niya yung artist of the year ni Kylie ah kasi deserve na ba talaga nila yang artist of the year for music?

“Yeah sissy usap usapan na social media lalong lalo ng mga fans natin na isa tayo sa mga naka-line up for artist of the year and Album of the year for the I-burn”

Sabat ni Penelope. Until then hindi pa rin nagsi-sink in sa kanya and she didn’t check on it ah all along she just knew that they were nominated for one of the most prestigious awards but she did not expect that they are almost winning it was really shocking huh. Masaya siya pero,

I mean deserve na ba talaga namin ang ganito?

She asks but

Lana yun, well we’re just enjoying our passion yun lang yun I’m really overwhelmed right now, I can’t believe that this is all happening but still…

“Aish eto na namang po siya lutang na naman” ~ Kylie

“Listen to us nga eunnie” ~ Penelope

“Ikain n’yo na lang pwede in any minute pwede na tayong bumaba ng plane mamaya na natin yan i-discuss okay, tamang tama kasi gising ka na din pala Courtney here kain na muna kayo don’t worry the airport securities already cleared our ways wala munang fans na sasalubong sa inyo okay you will rest for at least four hours before our meeting”

Manger Jen interrupted kaya tanging pag ngiti na lang ang naisagot ko sa kanilang dalawa. Yeah this is our life for the past eight years as a performers, singers, endorsers and as celebrity in general.

Destiny Series 1: Along the Avenue (Shan Venice Alcantara)