Chasing Captivated Dreams (Part Time Series #1) | (On - going)

Kabanata 30

Kabanata 30

Time passes like traces of the wind.

Hindi ko inakalang mararating ko ito. Nandito na ako ngayon, nakatayo sa gilid ng entablado, hinihintay na tawagin ang aking pangalan. Nanginginig ang kamay ko habang iniisip kung sasapat ba ang speech ko para sa aking graduation.

Sabi nila, mabilis ang oras kapag masaya ka, at totoo pala iyon. Parang isang iglap lang ang OJT kahit sobrang nakakapagod. Noong una, kailangan ko munang mag-adjust sa Maynila, tiisin ang lahat ng abala sa trabaho, at halos hindi ko na makita si Liander. He only visited occasionally, either passing by the hospital where I was assigned or dropping off a cup of coffee.

But we made it through. After all the endless thesis revisions, the blood, sweat, and tears... I finally did it. We finally made it.

I stood still, running my finger along the gold velvet trim of my hood, feeling almost in awe of the black toga I was wearing. It felt heavy, not just literally, but emotionally. It felt like an honor to wear it. Sometimes, I still hear the echoes of their voices, but I no longer carry them the way I used to.

When I saw myself in the mirror earlier, wearing my toga, all the memories came rushing back—bawat sakripisyo, pagkakamali, at mga sandaling pakiramdam ko'y nawawala ako sa sarili ko noong mga unang taon. Pero ngayon, pakiramdam ko ay nahanap ko na kung sino talaga ako.

I finally belong to something bigger than myself.

"Now, to deliver the Valedictory Address, we call on Ms. Icehelle Kendra Y. Casimiro, Valedictorian of the Class of 2025, Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology. Let's give her a big round of applause!"

This is it. The bigger version of myself. The version I've been striving to become.

I adjusted my cap one last time, taking a deep breath as I stepped forward onto the stage. The sound of the crowd's applause surrounded me.

I stood before everyone, glancing at the different faces from different programs, and I still couldn't believe it. I found myself staring at the wide screen behind me.

Casimiro, Icehelle Kendra Y.
Class Valedictoian
Magna cum Laude
Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology

Beside those words was my formal picture, wearing a toga. My face looked huge on the screen, to be honest.

Nanginginig akong lumapit sa wooden podium habang inaayos ang mikropono sa ibabaw nito. Huminga muna ako nang malalim, sinubukang buuin ang sarili habang tinititigan ang mga papel na hawak ko simula pa kanina. Kagabi ko lang minadaling isulat ang lahat ng gusto kong sabihin.

"Good morning to our university president, administrators, teachers, parents, my fellow graduates, and guests." My voice trembled as I began. "We wouldn't be here today without the guidance of our professors, the support of our families, and the friendships we built along the way."

I knew those words were part of the script. Yes, our professors guided us, but it was our own grit as students that helped us push through a course like Medical Technology, no matter how exhausting it was.

Hindi ko nakuha ang suporta ng tatay ko sa pagpili kong kuning pre-med ang MedTech. Hindi rin ako nakabuo ng matibay na pagkakaibigan. In fact, some of them were the reason I crumbled along the way.

"I never expected to be standing here today, speaking in front of students who never gave up on dreaming," I said as I looked out at the audience, watching them listen. "I thought I wouldn't make it. I thought I'd be delayed. I was juggling academics, working shifts at a convenience store, and serving as a waitress at a café. Those were the moments when I couldn't even recognize myself anymore. My sleep schedule was a mess, I gave everything to our thesis, and I could feel my heart pounding during exams, especially during moving quizzes and lab experiments."