"Hi. . . My name is Ryza and I'm seventeen years old. I like to play volleyball and write poems and stories. I'm new here, in short I'm your new transferee classmate."
The moment that I started to open my mouth, the nervousness that I felt had a very strong impact on me. I'm an introvert type of person and I dislike partying with friends, I don't have any vices and I think I have a human phobia, kidding!!
I grew up in the province without friends, just my three siblings and me. My mom and dad decided to move to the City where in my imagination you can see lots of people, lots of buildings and houses of course. In fact, City is very different when you compare it to a province.
Monday night, I was alone in my aunt's house, just me and my grandma were living in my aunt's big house. That time my grandma attended her friend so that's why I'm alone and lonely. I am thinking of baking some pizza with lots of cheese on toppings and lots of hams.
Cooking is one of my favs. hobbies to do when I'm bored, but I forgot that I need to finish my assignment so I can't cook, my priority is my priority. I'm a grade Ten transferee student. For me, I need to be on top. Since I was an elementary student I've always been on the top and I have a lot of fans in school which I love the most.
I forgot to introduce my full name, I am Ryza Maria Siosan Aquino. I'm half British and half filipino. Since I was five years old my dad left me, he's working abroad and my mom also. I have three siblings Angel, Gigi and Asher. We're not close to each other. I chose to stay in my aunt's house with my grandma and my three siblings are living with my mom in my mom's house.
It's tuesday! I need to set my alarm clock and I need to wake up early and go to school.
While I'm walking, I saw a girl. She's crying but in a cute way. I saw her big tears and I felt pity for her, so I decided to help her, maybe she just lost and she didn't know where she's going and I asked her.
"Hi, I'm Ryza. Why are you crying?"
"Uhmm h-h-hiii, I'm Lara. I'm crying because I'm lost, I don't know where the right way is, I need your help, would you help me?"
"Umm sure, it's okay. I'm a grade 10 student three months ago I transferred here so I'm a little bit familiar with this place, let's go? I'll help you find the right way."
Lara stopped crying and I helped her to go to her room, which is my batch mate! We're the same year but different sections. I'm a star student and she is from Section C.
I'm very happy that I helped someone and a girl. That was one of my favorite days in my junior high school life. I don't have friends in school and I dislike friendship. I don't know but for me, friendship is just a normal thing that happens in our life. We can live without friendship, we can continue living without friends, that's my opinion.
Afternoon time, at 3 pm my class had already ended and I'm heading home. When I'm near our gate, I saw Lara running towards me. She's very friendly and I saw it when we first met. She asks me if I'm going home and she's starting to make some convo. So I told her that I wanted some gossip and she said G!
It's my first time to have someone who wants to be my friend and it's very awkward for me. I'm a slow girl, what you said, is what I get.
My aunt's house is 7mins away from my school so me and Lara talked a little because I need to get in our house and prepare food for me and my grandma, for our dinner. I cook rice, adobo and pakbet.
While I'm eating, my grandma's consulting me about my studies and school work, if I can do it or not. If it's hard, easy or neutral, she's very close to me and I can't blame my parents if I'm a grandma's girl.
After a couple months, finally it's my graduation day, my dad can't attend and my mom as well. So just me, my grandma and my three siblings. We celebrated a party for me because finally I'm now a Senior High School Student.
After my graduation I found out that my mom and dad plan to get me and want me to transfer again to another school. It breaks my heart when I hear it and I cry and cry until my tears are all gone, my eyes are swelling and it's so big, I can't see anything but all I did was cry and cry.
I don't want to be separated from my grandma and I don't want to leave her alone. I don't want her to be alone, so I beg my parents not to get me but they don't listen.
So I cried and cried again until after a few weeks I fully recovered and accepted the fact that I need to let go, that I need to obey my parents decision, that I need to respect their decision, that I don't have the power to disobey their decisions. I accept all of it.
I'm now a Senior High School transferee student again. New life, new school, new classmates, new teachers and it feels like it's a new world for me. I am now a matured girl without a friend again and I need to accept the truth that I'm different to many.
Being a Senior High School student feels like you're getting mature and easily understand the problems that you're facing. I moved to the City against my will. My mom and Dad want me to be with my three siblings and want me to take care of them while they are working.
First day of class, I was very excited to attend the meet and to introduce myself to my classmates. I expected a lot from them, I expected too much from them. My expectations vs. reality.
My teacher called my surname and wanted me to introduce myself so I did. The feedback that I get from them? They laugh at me, they throw some bad words at me, they want me to be eliminated from our class. They said I am very sipsip but I don't think that way. I was just defending myself and proving what I can do.
It's a long bad day for me, my classmates laugh at me and it's very hard to adjust when you're from the province and moved to the City. I need to adjust about the foods, climate, water, daily routine and many many more. I feel so tired and I really really want someone to hear my side and to defend and give me some advice.
When I moved to the City, I learned to sleep at twelve until two am, I learned to eat my breakfast at eleven am, I learned to not eat on time and sleep on time. I need to prioritize my studies because my studies are my future.
Evening time, the night is so cold, I can't hear any sounds. All I did was just stare at the moon. I feel so lonely that no one even thinks of me. I'm not close to my mom and dad, as well as to my three siblings, so basically all my problems, sadness and happiness it's just for myself. I need to face them all and learn to survive because that's what life is.
While I'm staring at the moon, I hear my phone ringing and I pick it up. I saw a picture of a boy, his name is Bryan and I don't know what to do, if I'm going to answer it or not, or maybe just ignore it. I can't even decide.
Finally, I answered his call, it's very awkward to talk to someone whom you didn't even know, absolutely a stranger. My first time answering a call from a boy who's not familiar to me. He started a conversation and asked W-H questions so I'm curious if it's a survey or not? Maybe not? Maybe yes? Why W-H questions?
"Hi,maybe it's a wrong call?"
"It's late, why are you calling me? you're not even related to me."
"Hi sorry to bother, I just need someone to hear me, someone who wants to listen to me, would you mind if I'll open something?"
"Uhm sure, by the way, is it a family problem? Personal? School work? Crush? Be specific please."
"Definitely personal, I am very disappointed in myself because even in simple things I can't make it right. I don't know what is happening to me, can you please help me?"
"It's okay, learn to rest, learn how to learn in things that we always encountered, it's okay Bryan just believe in yourself that you can do it, because when you know your weaknesses and strengths no one can beat you, no one can judge you because you know yourself better than them. In our life it's okay to fail, because we learn when we fail and use it as an advantage to improve ourselves day by day. Life is indeed hard and someone told me that life is what you make it, let's learn from our mistakes, because when we fail, it doesn't mean we're a failure. Motivate and encourage yourself that this is me. This is me, Bryan Mendoza, will fight and will learn from my mistake."
"Ryza?"
"What does it mean?"
"It means we're friends now!"
"Friends? Did I say Yes?"
"Please, I want you to be my friend"
"Excuse me? You want me to be your friend? Why would I agree? Tell me one exact reason."
"Because you're good at giving advice, I can feel it, you're good at comforting people especially when they're in pain, lonely or maybe sad."
"Accurate answer Bryan! Well it seems like the moon also agreed to it!"
"I want to set a nickname, just for you. Hmm I'll think. . . Ohh Mate(27/7)."
"Why is that? Not a good nickname tho'."
"It's just for you(laughing) no one will see it, no worries."
"By the way Bryan, I need to get off, I'm very sleepy. I wanted to sleep so bad."
"Thank you Mate for the time, hope to talk to you soon, thank you for the good advice, I'm very happy that I have a friend now, someone whom I can rely on and wants to listen to my problems and stories, thank you so much! Sleep well."
Ano ba yan! Hindi ako makakatulog. Bakit naman kase may tumawag pa? I though isa lang siyang wrong call. Hmp, naku naman!
Overthink malala ako nito. What if pogi siya sa personal? What if may jowa siya tapis nag-away sila kaya niya ako tinawagan?
Isa pa, Mate pa ang nickname niya sa akin. Bakit naman ganito? Ryza, clam down. Ilang beses na bang may dumating na lalaki sa buhay mo ha? Ah napaisip ako tuloy, wala pa pala.
Ganito na ba ako ka desperado para mag overthink? Hindi ko naman siya kilala isa pa hindi naman kami related sa isa't isa.
Nagvibrate ang telepono ko, nakita ko ang huling message ni Bryan.
"Goodnight ulit, God bless!"
Mapapa wow ka talaga sa lalaking ito. Base sa tono ng boses niya, mukhang mabait naman, hindi suplado. Pero feel ko parang may pagka childish siya na ugali kase naman parang hindi pa siya gano'n ka matured kausapin?
Ay hindi ko na alam kung ano ang gagawin ko. Matulog na nga ako.
I then pray first before I go to bed. Maganda ang takbo ng araw ko ngayon kaya paniguradong maganda rin ang tulog ko.