Lights and Camera

Chapter 2

Pagkatapos ng event, ang lahat ay abala sa pag-aayos at pagpa-pack up. I was still processing everything nang bigla kong naalala ang usapan namin ni Kinz. Sabi niya, gusto niyang mag-usap kami pagkatapos ng event. Grabe, ang dami kong iniisip kung ano ang mangyayari. As I was tidying up my things, I heard a knock on the dressing room door.

" Good evening guys! I just want to ask if Keiah is there and she's done pack her things na ba?" I heard. Grabe man bai! Ang expensive man! Parang dati lang hirap na hirap siyang mag english ah?.It was Kinz's voice. I opened the door, and there she was, standing in the doorway. She looked effortlessly stylish, her makeup light and her expression calm. She wear kanina is beige vest lang now may patong na itong coat but naka open ang buttones.

"Hi, Kinz," I greeted her, trying to keep my smile steady. The girls also greeted her and Ives try not to show her kilig.

Bading!

" Guys, rest day niyo tomm. Enjoy your day." Announce niya sa amin ngunit ang mga mata ay nasa akin lamang. The oa line shouted na para bang mga nakawala sa gubat sa sobrang tuwa kaya natawa na lamang ako at nakaramdam ng hiya.

"Hi, Keiah," she said warmly. "Are you ready to go?"

“Hi, Kinz. Yeah, just finishing up here.” I nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. I gathered the last of my things, I could see Ives and the other girls exchanging glances and whispering excitedly. Nang lumabas si Kinz. Ives was practically glowing with excitement and teasing me except to Missy and Cale na kala mo parents ko sa pagkastrict.

“Oh my gosh, she’s not just beautiful, she’s also stunningly gorgeous!” Ives whispered to the others, who nodded in agreement.

Truedaness!

“Ate Keiah, mukhang may special date ka tonight, ah! Ano kaya ang mangyayari?” Hannah, on the other hand, was teasing me with a playful grin. she joked, winking at me.

“Baka naman may mga plano kang hindi namin alam,” added Gale, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

“Hey, stop it!” I said, blushing slightly. “It’s just a catch-up. No need to make a big deal out of it.”

I answer to them, They laughed at me and shrugged. Meanwhile, Missy, who was the youngest of the group and always eager to help, looked at me with a mix of concern and affection.

“Ate Keiah, you sure you wanna go with her ? Kami ni Ate Cae ang maghahatid sa'yo. Promise, we’ll did not do anything to her." Cae, who was just as protective and supportive as Missy, nodded in agreement.

" Missy, hindi na kailangan. Let Keiah enjoy this moment. We’ll be here in her back naman." Singit ni Ac.

" Thank you babe but you need to rest na. Maaga pa tayo bukas," i said to her. She nodded. Rest day namin bukas pero may hang out kami sa condo ko.

“Okay, okay,” sabi ni Missy, giving me a warm smile. “Take care, Ate Keiah.”

When I finished packing, I could still feel the warmth of their concern and friendship. Kinz was waiting outside, and despite the teasing and protectiveness of my friends, I was excited for this chance to talk with her but at the same time kabado.

“Ready?” Kinz asked, her smile making everything feel a bit more relaxed.

“Ready,” I replied, taking a deep breath. As we walked out, I glanced back at my friends, feeling grateful for their support and looking forward to what the evening might bring.

Pagkapasok namin sa sport car niya, I settled into the passenger seat, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. The soft hum of the engine and the comforting ambiance of the car made me feel a bit more at ease. Kinz glanced over at me with a friendly smile.

“So, Keiah,” she began, her voice gentle. “I’m curious, paano ka napunta sa showbiz? Kasi, before, I remember you wanted to be a doctor. Never mo nga yatang binanggit na gusto mong pumasok sa entertainment industry." She ask while her eyes on the road. Help!!! I took a deep breathe and thinking a deep to answer her question.

Sa tanong na iyon, biglang bumalik sa isip ko ang lahat ng nangyari bago kaalis ni Kinz. Naalala ko ang araw na pinaalis ako ng aking ama mula sa mansion namin. Hindi ko gusto na sundan si Kinz sa London dahil hindi ko gusto ang ideya ng paggamit sa kanya para sa kapakinabangan ng kumpanya ng ama ko. Ang totoo, ang gusto ng ama ko ay masunod ang plano na pagsamahin kami ni Kinz dahil siya ay heir ng Severiano at malaking tulong ito sa negosyo nila. Dahil doon, tinakwil ako ng ama ko at nawala ang lahat sa akin. Nawalan ako ng scholarship at wala akong matutuluyan, kaya kung saan-saan ako nakikitulog. Hanggang sa isang araw, may nag-alok sa akin na director na mag-audition sa Finding Star, isang proyekto na hawak ng Solace. Walang ibang option, kaya tinanggap ko ang offer na iyon. Nagsimula ako sa pag-training kahit hindi ko pa gusto ang mundo ng showbiz. Pero sa pagdaan ng panahon, natutunan ko ring mahalin ito at naging malapit ako sa anim na kasama ko sa group which is now is Seven. Ngunit, sa harap ni Kinz, hindi ko kayang sabihin ang lahat ng iyon. Kailangan kong magsinungaling para hindi magdulot ng sobrang sakit sa kanya. I know her. Sisihin niya self niya!

" Actually, I did try med school and I was really focused on it. Pero hindi ko rin inaasahan na magbago ang takbo ng buhay ko. I started doing some auditions and, well, things just happened. I ended up joining the industry, and I’ve been here ever since. I guess it just felt like the right path for me.” i lied to her.

“Wow, that’s really interesting,” sabi ni Kinz, looking genuinely intrigued. “So, what changed your mind?”

She asked again.

“Wala namang specific na reason” sabi ko, trying to sound convincing. “It just happened, and I started enjoying it. Sometimes life takes us on unexpected journeys, and I guess this was mine.”

I lied.

“That’s amazing, Keiah. Sometimes the things we least expect end up being the most fulfilling.” she said with a smile while she turn her gaze on me but she immediately back agad sa road.

Yeah,” sabi ko, smiling. “And it’s been a journey. I’ve met so many amazing people and learned a lot about myself. Although, I still think about my old dream from time to time."

I said to her. I felt guilt that i lied but if this is the right thing to do, I choose it.

The conversation continued, and as we drove through the city, I felt the tension slowly melting away. It was nice to reconnect and talk about things we hadn’t discussed in a long time. Kinz was a good listener, and I could see how much she cared about my story. As we reached the coffee shop, I took one last look at Kinz, feeling more confident about the evening ahead. This chance to catch up and share our lives felt like the beginning of a new chapter, one that I was eager to explore.

"So," I began, trying to sound casual, "I guess we should talk about... well, everything that happened before you left."

Kinz looked at me with a thoughtful expression, nodding slowly. “Yeah, I think it’s time we did. It’s been a long time.”

“First of all,” sabi ko, looking down at my cup, “I just want to say I’m sorry. I know I wasn’t the easiest person to be with back then. I know you probably have a lot of questions about why things ended the way they did.”

Kinz took a deep breath. “Keiah, I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to just disappear. I know it must have hurt you. I just... well, it was complicated.”

“Yeah, it was,” sabi ko, looking up at her. “But can you explain to me why you left so suddenly? I know you had your reasons, but I never really understood why you had to go.”

"It wasn’t because of you, if that’s what you’re thinking. My family had this opportunity for me in London, and it was something I had to do. I wanted to be with you, but there were things I couldn’t control. My family needed me there, and it wasn’t fair to ask you to wait for me.” Kinz took a moment to gather her thoughts.

I nodded, trying to process what she said. “So, it wasn’t because you wanted to get away from me?”

“Not at all,” sagot ni Kinz, her eyes earnest. “It was never about you. I just had to make a choice between what was best for my family and what I wanted for myself. And I was torn. I didn’t want to hurt you, but I couldn’t stay. I thought it was the right thing to do at the time.”

“I understand now. It’s just that... I had a lot of unanswered questions. Like, what if things could have been different? What if I had handled things differently?” I took a deep breath, feeling a mix of relief and lingering sadness.

Kinz reached across the table and gently touched my hand. “We can’t change the past, Keiah. But we can learn from it. I’ve learned a lot about myself since then, and I hope you have too.”

.

“I have. I’ve grown a lot since then. It’s just that, back then, I was also dealing with my own struggles. I didn’t want to admit it, but I was afraid of losing everything, and I ended up pushing people away.” I looked at her hand on mine, feeling a sense of closure beginning to form

“It's okay,” sabi ni Kinz softly. “I think we both did what we thought was right at the time. And now, we’re here, trying to make sense of it all. I hope we can move forward from this, with whatever understanding and respect we can have.”

I smiled, feeling a sense of peace. “I’d like that. It’s good to finally talk about this and get some closure.”

As we continued to talk, the conversation flowed more easily. The old wounds were starting to heal, and I felt a renewed sense of connection with Kinz. We were both different people now, but there was a comfort in knowing that we could still understand each other, even after all these years. we wrapped up our conversation, the atmosphere between Kinz and me felt lighter. The weight of the past had been lifted, and I could sense a new understanding between us. We talked about our current lives, shared a few laughs, and discussed our dreams for the future. It felt good to reconnect on a different level. we were finishing our coffee, Kinz looked at me with a thoughtful expression.

“Keiah, thank you for having this talk with me. I know it wasn’t easy, and I appreciate your honesty. I’ve missed having this kind of conversation with you.” she said.

“I missed it too,” sabi ko, smiling. “It’s nice to catch up and clear the air." I feel like I can finally move on from the past and focus on the present.

“Me too. And if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that sometimes the most unexpected reunions can lead to the most meaningful connections.” Kinz nodded.

We both agreed that we should keep in touch more often. The evening had been a reminder of how important it was to address unresolved feelings and to cherish the relationships that mattered to us.

As the conversation continued, I felt a mix of relief and curiosity. There was still so much I wanted to know about Kinz's life, and I knew she probably had questions for me too.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, I decided to ask about her family.

“So, Kinz, kumusta na family mo? I remember how close you were with your mom.”

“Actually, my mom passed away. Kaya ako biglaang pumunta sa London. She was really sick, and it happened so fast. I’m sorry I never got the chance to tell you properly.” Kinz's expression softened, and she took a deep breath.

“I’m so sorry, Kinz. I really liked your mom. She was always so kind to me.” Nalungkot ako sa sinabi niya. Naalala ko kung gaano kabait si Tita, kung gaano sila kalapit at kung paano niya suportahan si Kinz sa mga laro noon kahit napaka hectic ng sched niya.

“Yeah, she liked you too. She always said you were like the daughter she never had. It was really hard losing her, but I had to be strong for my family.” Kinz nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears..

“I understand,” sabi ko, feeling a pang of sadness for her loss. “It must have been really tough for you. Kung alam ko lang, I would have tried to be there for you."

Kinz gave a small, grateful smile to me.

“Thank you, Keiah. I appreciate that.”Nagkaroon ng ilang segundo ng katahimikan bago nagtanong si Kinz.

“How about you? How’s your dad?”Napabuntong-hininga ako, feeling the familiar ache in my chest.

“He passed away too. A few years ago. It was... complicated. Our relationship wasn’t the best towards the end.” My dad had a cancer at hindi na siya pinahirapan pa't diretso na kaya hindi man lang kami nakapag usap. Tanging mga tauhan lang rin niya ang nasa burol at ako that time.

" Oh, Keiah, I’m so sorry to hear that. I know you had a lot of issues with Tito, but I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for you.” she said with sympathy.

“Yeah,” I said, my voice tinged with sadness. “We never really reconciled. He never accepted my choices, especially about... my dream. But, you know, I’ve made peace with it in my own way.” I answer to her.

“I wish things could have been different for both of us,” sabi ni Kinz, her voice gentle. “But I’m glad we’re here now, talking about it. It helps to share these things.”

“Yeah, it does, I guess we’ve both been through a lot, but it’s good to know we can still be there for each other, even after all this time.” sagot ko, Feeing of relief.

We continued to share stories and memories, the weight of our past began to lift. The conversation flowed easily, and I felt a renewed sense of connection with Kinz. Despite everything, we were still able to find comfort in each other's company. It was a bittersweet reminder of how far we had come and how much we had grown. Our conversation came to a close, I felt a mix of emotions—relief, sadness, and a sense of closure. The talk had been cathartic, but it was clear that we both had moved on from what we once had.

“Well,” sabi ko, glancing at the clock, “I guess it’s getting late. We should probably wrap this up.”

I said to her dahil may event ulit kami bukas sa Makati. Kung wala nga lang eh kahit 24 hours kaming ganito Bai! It's okay lang.

“Thanks for tonight, Kinz. It really meant a lot to me.” Kinz smiled warmly to me.

“I’m glad we had this chance to talk. It feels good to reconnect. Let me give you a ride back to your condo.” We walked back to her car, and the drive to my condo tower was filled with a comfortable silence. The city lights passed by in a blur as we talked about lighter topics, keeping the mood light and easy.

Pagdating namin sa condo tower ko, Kinz parked the car and turned to me with a genuine smile.

“Here we are. I hope you had a good time tonight. I know, I did.” confident niyang saad. Walang bago guys, mayabang parin!

“Yes, you did,” sabi ko, smiling back to her. She opened the car door for me and we stepped out. I turned to face her, feeling a mix of gratitude and wistfulness. “It was really n6ice catching up. Thanks for everything, Kinz."

I added.

“Maybe we can do this again sometime?” I suggested, hopeful.

“Definitely,” sagot ni Kinz. “Let’s not wait another six years, okay?” We both laughed because of what she say.

Kinz gave me one last, warm smile before I headed inside. As I walked toward the elevator, I glanced back to see Kinz’s car pulling away. There was a sense of closure and new beginnings as I entered my condo. The evening had been a step towards healing, and I was grateful for the chance to reconnect with someone who had once meant so much to me.

Why do i feel everything is right now?

This is the right time?