The air felt heavy with excitement as we sat in the auditorium, waiting for our names to be called. The sound of parents and friends filled the room, but my focus was on the stage. Top student in our batch. I should have felt more...something. Pride, maybe? But it felt like another milestone, another check off the list.
Nang tinawag ang pangalan ko ay agad akong tumayo para umakyat. The claps, the cheers—they barely registered. My mind drifted somewhere else, thinking about what's next. Always what's next.
After the ceremony, Mama and Papa kept it simple—just close family at home. "I'm so proud of you, anak" Papa said as he patted my shoulder. His quiet smile said more than words.
I was talking to a friend when Mr. Villanueva appeared. He had this way of carrying himself, firm yet polit
