Left with the Right Choice

Chapter One: Election Aftermath

Ryshia's POV:

"Puro kayo rally, rally. Magsipag-aral nga kayo" the old lady said as she saw our placards.

"Nag-aaral din naman po" I answered with a plastered smile "Dean's lister pa nga po eh"

My best friend Luzalie guffawed as we passed by the crone who shot us a glance of pure venom.

"Your Tagalog is getting better and better, Rysh!" Luz exclaimed. I gave her a smile as fake as the one that I had given the aged woman. As much as I love this best friend of mine, I still hadn't forgiven her for having me carry all these placards and protest paraphernalia by myself. Lucky for me, the current traffic on the sidewalk near the squatter's area that we were traversing was limited to the early morning vendors and the old lady who happened to be walking around that place at 6:00 A.M. for God knows what.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in our cause. That's the very reason why I stayed up until two and got up at five. I fervently believe in what we stand for and I'm more than willing to fight for it.

I believe that Jenny was the rightful winner of the election.

I believe that the results were finagled by the declared "winner", Mark Maharlika.

But I don't believe that I should be the only one carrying all these materials.

If Luz wasn't my best friend, I wouldn't have even believed that her arms were too hurt to be carrying these things.

Seriously, where are the rest of our group?

"Awww... Cheer up, love. I'll buy you isaw after this" she said as she noticed my frown.

I gave her a real smile for once. At least she's trying...

I'm Ryshia, by the way. Ryshia Joy Bance. I'm a first year accounting student at the Eastern Technological Institute. We moved here from Pennsylvania after... Never mind.

My birthday's on June 24. So Cancer. Hehe. But I'm certainly not a cancer to society like that beatch Mark Maharlika.

What did I like about the Philippines? The beaches, I guess? I love the food, too. While we were in the states, we used to come over here for two weeks for our summer vacation. I used to be so impressed by the hospitality and jolliness of Filipinos- that is until we decided to settle here for good.

I don't know, but if I base purely on my observations, I noticed that people were extra courteous and kind towards you if you were a foreigner tourist and then all of a sudden, like a snake shedding its skin, they show the complete opposite when you are a regular resident like them.

Plus, I don't really think all that hospitality and mild manners truly amount to much. I think that the goodness and worth of a people is not solely based on the sporadic behaviors that they display in their everyday life but also in their selection of leaders in the political process.

Yeah, yeah. Call me a political junkie, woke, or whatever it is you like to call me. But then again, what teenager isn't?

You see, for me, a person's vote shows who he really is deep down: the things he stands for, his principles, values, and beliefs. To me, a vote is enough to determine the goodness of a person.

Especially with the election that just happened yesterday.

Name one thing worse than waking up knowing that you have a dictator's son for president?

How about knowing that the alternative was a woman with an immaculate track record, bulletproof platforms, and solid core principles?

Though I wasn't eligible to vote yet, I threw in a great portion of my energy, time, and resources in volunteering for Jenny. I really thought she was going to win- after that miting de avance that drew 950,000, who wouldn't?