Trascamado Series #2: Broken

CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1

“You have plans today, Yve?” Mom asked while mindlessly playing with the lip of her teacup. She’s busy scrolling on her tablet. I bet she’s checking the sales report of our company.

I sliced the small amount of pork on my plate using the knife on my right hand. The other one is holding a fork. “I have a guesting on a noontime TV show later. I still don’t know if what time we’ll be going there. Why?”

Nagkibit siya ng kaniyang balikat. “Wala naman. Naitanong ko lang,” sagot niya. “Your Dad and I won’t come with you for we need to supervise the delivery of the supplies later. Kaya mo naman na siguro ‘yon, ‘di ba?”

Tumango ako bago nagbaba ng tingin. “No problem, Mom. Mami Oni will be there, so… I think, I would be fine.”

Mami Oni is my manager. She usually manages my schedules and the things that I would let myself engaged to. Kadalasan, si Mami Oni ang nagsa-suggest kung anong projects ang kukuhanin ko, kung anong paid advertisements ang papaanyayahan ko, at kung anong mga gathering ang puwede kong puntahan.

Mami Oni is a boy when she was born, but she soon realizes that being a boy is not really for him. That was why when growing up, she dresses up using girl’s clothes. Hindi siya natanggap ng kaniyang ama pero hindi ‘yon nakapagpahinto sa kaniya para magpatuloy sa kaniyang pangarap na maging isang fashion designer. Nagtagumpay naman siya na maabot ang pangarap niya at naging manager din siya ng mga artista nang tumagal na.

“That’s perfect!” masayang saad ni Mommy. “By the way, what’s the name of the TV noontime show you will be guesting? I want to know so that I can still watch your guesting on my phone.”

Tinusok ko ang karne gamit ang tinidor na hawak ko. “It’s called ‘i-Guest Mo!’ TV noontime show,” I answered nonchalantly before I ate the pork on my fork. As I chew the pork, I remember the day when I first did my audition.

As a child with a dream of being a newscaster, I always practice my voice’s tone everytime I speak, what expression I should show, and what information I need to know. Ever since I was young, I’ve always wanted to be seen in the TV. And it finally happened. But not because I am already a newscaster, it’s because…

“Mom, what are we doing here?” I asked my mother with full of curiosity. I didn’t know the reason why she brought me here. Katatapos lang ng klase namin at marami pa akong assignment na kailangan kong gawin. “I have lots of activities that I need to finish, Mom! Magkakabisado pa ako ng multiplication table!”

Hinigpitan niya ang pagkakahawak sa palapulsuhan ko. “We’re going to audition, Yve!” malawak ang ngiti na tugon ni Mommy. Tumingala siya sa building na nasa harapan namin. “I know you have a potential in terms of acting and I want you to start here. Not bad, right?”

My eyes widened after hearing what my mother said. She didn’t see the disapproval look I have because she is busy staring at the building where she will take me.

“What are you talking about, Mommy?” gulantang na tanong ko. “I don’t want to become an actress, Mom! I don’t want to act on a movie!” I firmly opposed.

She didn’t listen, instead, she pulled me towards the entrance of the building. “You don’t tell what you like and dislike, Yverie! I am your mother and I know what’s best for you! One day, you’ll thank me for bringing you here.”

Hindi ko alam kung ipagpapasalamat ko nga ba talaga kay Mommy na minulat niya ako sa mundo ng paga-artista. Maraming bagay na kaakibat ang pagpasok sa industriya ng pag-arte, at ngayon pa lang sinasabi ko na, hindi naging madali ang lahat para sa ‘kin.

“She has a flawless and pale skin, but she doesn’t know how to act. I’m sorry, we can’t accept her,” said by the assistant of the director.

Napapagod na ako sa araw-araw na pagpunta namin ni Mommy sa kung saan-saang talent show o advertisement auditions. Palagi ko lang din namang naririnig ang parehas na feedback: “she is not suitable for this role”.

I don’t care about being rejected anyways. It was my Mom who cares. She will be disappointed for a second, but will still continue to bring me on different advertisement auditions.

“Aren’t you getting tired, Mommy?” I asked once. Even though she doesn’t want to let me know that she’s already getting tired, I know she is. “They don’t want to accept me, Mom. I already told you… I don’t like this.”

She still believes that I can be an actress, a superstar. We continued going to different auditions and star hunts. After several tries, I got accepted on being a part of a juice advertisement. And guess what? It was our own company’s advertisement.

Nang dahil sa patalastas na sinalihan ko, nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon na ma-expose sa iba’t ibang media platforms. Other companies discovered me and contacted my parents for a project.

It lasted for years. Until one day, Pinoy Big Brother opened its gate to accept housemates. I was one of the lucky individual who got in to Big Brother’s house. I stayed inside Kuya’s House for 100 days. Every tasks were getting harder and harder.

Naging mahirap din para sa amin na mag-nominate dahil sa tagal namin na magkakasama sa loob ng Bahay ni Kuya ay naging pamilya na ang turing namin sa isa’t isa. But do we have any other choice? It’s a battle between every housemates. Kumbaga, magkakakampi kami pero magkakalaban din at the same time.

Fortunately, napasama ako sa Big 4. Masaya ko at proud nang malaman ang resulta ng mga boto dahil isa ako sa may pinakamaraming bilang ng boto. Nalulungkot at nangungulila rin dahil ilang buwan na simula nang hindi ko nakita at nakasama ang mga magulang ko.

And when the hosts announced who’s the winner, my world temporarily stopped spinning. Pansamantala ring nawala ang pandinig ko nang dahil sa malakas na hiyawan ng mga tao sa ibaba ng stage.

I won!

Itinanghal ako na winner ng season na ‘yon. Malaki ang napanalunan ko. Ang 1/4 niyon ay ibinigay ko sa mga bata na walang tirahan at sa kalsada lang nakatira. Ang kalahati ay napunta sa savings ko. Ang natira naman ay napunta sa kumpanya ng pamilya namin.

Doon din nagsimula ang kabi-kabilaang projects ko. Marami akong natanggap na endorsement galing sa iba’t ibang brands. Naging endorser ako ng pabango, ng mga damit, ng mga alahas, at kung anu-ano pa.

I was just 19 when I won the title of being a PBB winner. Now that I’m already 25 years old, I could say that I already made it far. But I won’t stop here, I will still strive for more and be the best version of myself.

“Good luck with your guesting, then,” saad ni Mommy.

I suddenly woke up from my reverie. Ang tagal na pala simula nang mag-umpisa ako sa karera ko. Pero pakiramdam ko, parang wala pa rin akong nararating. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ko biglang naisip ‘yon. May narating na nga ba talaga ako?