Still Becoming

Chapter 2: The First Door Opens

The next morning, I woke up to a sound I hadn’t heard in a while the buzz of a notification.

I blinked my sleepy eyes, reached for my phone, and saw it

“Good day, we have received your application.

Please come for an interview tomorrow at 10 AM.”

For a few seconds, I just stared at the message.

Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ako o maiiyak.

After weeks of waiting, after sending so many resumes without a single reply, finally may pinto na bumukas.

Pero kasabay ng saya, naroon din ang kaba.

“Interview bukas,” I whispered to myself. “Kaya ko ba ‘to?”

I got up, opened my small closet, and stared at my clothes.

I remembered that I bought a blouse just a few days ago simple pero maayos, perfect for an interview.

I need to wear that, I thought. I took it out carefully and decided to iron it right away.

As I pressed the fabric, I told myself quietly, “Ito na yun, simula na to.”

I didn’t want to use the same one I wore during my internship.

May hiwalay akong damit para sa mga panahong ganito para sa mga bagong pagkakataon.

This one felt special, like it carried a new kind of hope.

Habang pinaplantsa ko, pumasok si Mama sa kwarto.

“Anak, anong ginagawa mo?”

“May interview po ako bukas, Ma. Sa Baguio City.”

She paused, hawak pa ang basang labahan, then sighed softly.

“Sa Baguio? Ang lamig pa naman doon.

Sigurado ka ba? Baka mahirapan ka sa biyahe, anak.”

Her voice was not angry just full of worry. And I understood.

But deep inside, I wanted to tell her that I’ve been tired for a long time

not from work, but from waiting for something to change.

“Ma,” I said softly, “try ko lang po. Baka ito na ‘yung simula.”

She looked at me for a moment, then nodded.

“Basta mag-ingat ka, ha. Huwag ka masyadong magtiwala sa mga tao ro’n.

Text mo ako agad kapag nakarating ka.”

I smiled and hugged her.

“Opo, Ma. Promise.”

That night, I could not sleep.

My mind was racing imagining what the interview would be like.

Would they like me? Would I stutter? Would they see how nervous I was?

I whispered again to God,

“Please, just one chance. I don’t need everything to be perfect just a chance to start.”

The next day, I rode the earliest bus going to Baguio City.

The trip took several hours, but the cold air that greeted me halfway there made everything feel lighter.

I stared outside the window the winding roads, the pine trees, the fog slowly rising and for the first time, I felt a quiet excitement instead of fear.

When I arrived, I saw the hotel building where the interview would be held my palms were sweating,

I wiped them on my skirt, took a deep breath, and said quietly to myself, “Kaya mo ‘to.”

Inside the lobby, everything felt so elegant the scent of brewed coffee, the soft music, the staff greeting guests with polite smiles.

I imagined myself wearing their uniform, welcoming people, being part of something bigger than myself.

Then they called my name.

I walked inside the small office where the HR officer was waiting.

She looked kind but serious.

“Good morning,” she said.

“Good morning po,” I replied, trying to sound calm.

She asked about my internship, my school, my strengths.

I answered as honestly as I could.

My voice trembled a bit, but I kept going.

Then came the question that made my heart stop for a second: “Are you willing to relocate if necessary?”

I hesitated not because I didn’t want to, but because I remembered Mama’s voice, her fears, her warnings.

But then I thought of all the nights I prayed for a chance like this.

So I smiled and said, “Yes po, I am.”

The HR officer nodded and smiled slightly.

“Good. We’ll contact you soon. Thank you for coming.”

When I stepped out of the room, I felt light-headed not because

I was tired, but because I finally did it. I faced it.

On my way back home, the wind outside the bus window felt different colder, but comforting.

Parang may dalang pag-asa.

Pagdating ko sa bahay, sinalubong ako ni Mama.

“Kumusta?”

“Okay naman po, Ma. Kinabahan ako pero nagawa ko.”

She smiled faintly, then said,

“Sana dito ka na lang makahanap ng trabaho, anak. Mahirap sa malayo, lalo na kung mag-isa ka lang.”

I didn’t answer right away I just nodded because how could I explain that sometimes, growth means

leaving the comfort of home even if it hurts a little?

That night, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling.

I did not know if I’d get the job. I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.

But for the first time in months, I felt proud of myself.

For showing up.

For trying.

For believing that I could be more than what I was yesterday.

Maybe that is how dreams start not with big steps, but with small acts of courage that no one else sees.

I smiled to myself and whispered,

“Kahit ano pa mangyari, tuloy lang.”

Because even if the door doesn’t fully open yet, at least now I know where to knock.