The Playlist

The Exchanged Baggage

Breaking News! A Dutch singer Zara Pölick went to her ancestral home to look after...

A few days ago...

Life in Amsterdam and Hollywood was high-class and fame has changed me throughout the years. My dad and step-mom had been supportive of me since I won the international singing contest. I wrote songs with my boss Stephen and sometimes privately published them. Yes I am also a producer in my uncle's music production. From studios to stages, I was working as a singer for almost ten years since fifteen. Now I'm just lying on my dumpy bed, looking at the ceiling then to the wall full of posters. Pop and Rock was my centered music. Large disks were hanged up on the board. My cold coloured bedroom was filled with mess. Papers of different lyrics scattered around the bed.

"Honey! Come here!" I heard my dad calling me. I got up, fixing my messy blonde hair and rushed to the living room. I saw him sitting on the couch, a newspaper on his hand. His eyes were searching every single word on the news. As I arrived, dad places his newspaper on the table and nodded, gesturing me to sit beside me.

"You've been following my steps, Zara. But I want to tell you something." He huffed.

Dad. His name is Fernando Pölick, the country singer from our homeland. He started singing when he was sixteen at his local concert and that's where he met mom. My mom was a Filipina actress and a model. She's a number one fan of dad but now... I don't know. They divorced each other when I was five, still young.

Then he's happy with Anika Férj, Norway's famous correspondent broadcaster and his current fiancée. "What do you want to say dad?"

He scratches his grey beard and sighed. "You never knew about your mom. She's Almira Valenzuela."

I knew her name dad! Tssk! "Yes why?" I asked him fakely. Yes sometimes I'm doing fake smiles on people who I really loved. Especially to my dad.

"She's sick. I want you to go to the Philippines." He demanded. What? Philippines? I'm contented here in Amsterdam and what do he thinks about me? An adventurer?

Sarcastic.

"Dad, I'm contented on-"

He furiously got up and started mumbling in Dutch. Angrily, he placed his hands on his waist and looked sternly at me. "What do you think? Are you independent?"

I bit my lip. Most of my friends are now living alone in their apartments. Me? I'm still staying at my father's house, depending on his own financial support.

"Then?" He shook his head. Frustrating my father made him have his blood pressure so high. Anika was just standing silently on the doorway to the dinner room.

"Good that you don't have any boyfriends." Dad sat back on his couch, his hands resting on his knees. "It would be shame."

I got up, thinking what to do next. Party at Dan's house or packing my luggage? Think Zara, think. Don't put yourself into shame before the news comes out. Placing my hand on my forehead, I gave a light sigh.

"Why can you just explore the world than ended up as an introvert?" Anika gave me an assuring idea. She's a kind woman and I liked her.

I looked at her green eyes. "How? With the bodyguards walking with me?"

"Probably I think so."

"I think I can't explore the world with these bulky men." I rolled my eyes. "With paparazzi running after me."

"Pack up your things, be ready, and we will drop you off at the airport." Dad stood up and walked away to his room. I rushed to my bedroom and slammed the door. Shoving my papers away, I dumped my luggage on the mattress and opened my closet. One by one, I placed everything inside. Tops to jeans, bras and panties were all in the luggage. While preparing, tears ran out from my eyes. I was startled at the sound of my iphone's ringtone. I checked the message and it's from Kora.