SS – Still, Forever

“The question of all the people around the world right now is why leave the industry you have built for almost twenty years?”

I closed my mouth and smiled. This was the question I had practiced for over a year. I knew this would be asked in my to-be last interview and I had prepared myself for this but I did not expect that there would be a moment when I would falter in answering.

My mind returned to my ten year younger memories when I first the man who I was about to start my forever. Was he the reason I would be leaving the field? Actually, we were working in the same institution. But he left and focused more on his new-found career. I was glad he’s happy. As long as he was happy, my heart would be okay. And I guessed, my happiness would be fulfilled if I would change my career, too. Not entirely because of him but because I saw how passionate he was on his chosen profession. I would like to feel the same way.

“Why not teach here, Eya?” I asked my best friend who would be here for a month for a vacation. She was a teacher in her country. During vacation, she would be here to join us.

“Here?” She confirmed while eating.

“Yeah,” I nodded.

“No thank you, dear. Your education system is too rigid for me. It will eat me up.”

“I think no?” I countered. I had a blast when I was studying. There were pressure, yes, but I enjoyed. And our other best friend was quite enjoying his studies, too.

“Yeah, I know. But for me nga lang, e,” she sniggered.

I pouted. “Why not try acting? I can refer you,” I offered after a while. My friend’s beauty was simplicity. At first, one would not notice but as you stared at her, one would see how beautiful and precious this gem was.

Her eyes widened then countered me again, “Why not become a teacher? Kuya Wy will be one. Why not join our trend?”

I scowled. This girl. Every time I would suggest something, she would counter. Could I pull her hair?

I had two best friends, one from the same field who left and was focusing on his studies while the other one was mostly abroad and a teacher. She was my fan daw at first but she never joined any of my fanmeets. She was just a fan by heart as per her. She was a silent supporter. Eventually, she became a friend and a best of friend at that matter.

We enjoyed our years together until I decided to stay with them. Wy, my then best friend and now boyfriend, worked abroad as an instructor. I stayed behind but would be there forever tomorrow morning.

I was just here to finish everyqthing and announce to the whole world that I was about to retire.

The whole week had been jampacked. I did interviews, modelling, and took a glimpse of the last two dramas I would be in. I attended few variety shows and runways. And today was the last day of my shoot. This would be the last interview I would be doing before I pursued my new career.

“Do you want me to fetch you at the airport?”

I nodded to Wy in a video call before I was called in for the interview.

“Okay. I’ll be at the airport first thing in the morning. Any food to your liking?”

“Can I have puto? The one that Eya makes?”

Eya, my best friend, could make a Filipino delicacy’s puto which I liked the most. Her baking skills were topnotch that was why we loved hanging in her place. Finally, I could do that once tomorrow began.

“All right. I’ll call her later.”

“Yeah. Kindly tell her. She hasn’t replied to my message an hour ago pa. She’s quite busy because she’s currently in their reading.”

My life was never boring with these two individuals. We did not see each other that often but we made sure to video call whenever one was free.

“Actually, I am getting married,” I honestly answered to the host.

The host and all the staffs around squealed with shock. I laughed. They looked so comical. Well, I kind of expected their reaction because I built up an image of a great wall. When I was younger, I was shipped to almost all leading men I played a drama with. People assumed that there were romantic relationships with the closeness I had with them. They termed my hesitation to be engaged in a romantic relationship as Great Wall of Yenna. I was so anti-romantic as per them. How funny.

They knew that I was focused on blossoming my career that time. I waited for that very moment to reach where I was, so I just let male counterpart as my friends. Until I met Wy. Should I tell my our story? I hoped this would not waste your time.

We were paired to be the leads in a romantic comedy drama that was written for me (the scriptwriter informed me directly that the drama was meant for me). I was exuberant upon knowing that. However, it took three years before we completed the drama because of the rejections from actors who would play the male lead. Wy, was then offered the role, accepted. Since then, people would pair us up. We stayed friends. Then, we met again in a fashion show. The rest was history.

He was teaching college students abroad. I was about to enter the same field but focused more on film studies since I graduated with the course. I got accepted in the same university he’s in. Eya was still a public high school teacher and had no plans in teaching college. We could own the college field daw.

I finished the interview after an hour. I bid my goodbye to the crew and was ready to get home. I would just sleep until midnight and go to the airport at dawn. Tomorrow would be the start of another career.

I heaved a deep sigh as I looked outside the window of the car. Would I miss this city? I grew up and worked here for almost four decades of my life. I experienced all what career women could ever experience. I explored the city and became all sorts of whoever. I got names all over the net and such. I was able to build my life here. However, I would leave all behind to restart my life. There would be regrets, of course. I thought hard for this. I even asked my family if they would be fine with my decisions. They said it was all up yo me. If I was happy, they would be fine.

It was a long process until I one fateful day when Eya got hospitalized because of protecting her students from a natural disaster. It was raining hard in her country that day. A storm was anticipated to land but not that day where they were having a field trip. The bus got stuck in the middle of the road while water came gushing. The rain was pouring hard, the water was flowing and eating the road’s path. Eya pulled rope somewhere and started making a path to let her students swim past the road and safely put them in the higher path. She succeeded but almost drowned.

I was anxious the whole time while waiting for the news of her safety. I could not fly across the boarder because the flights to her country cancelled. I questioned Wy about Eya’s decision of saving her students. He mentioned that her students were like Eya’s kids. She would protect the at all cost. That was the definition of education – teaching students’ bravery, patriotism, and camaraderie. Eya’s action may cost her life but would be worth emulating. I did not understand at first but when I saw and talk to her that was when I realized. The first thing she asked for was her students’ safety, not hers and never would prioritize hers.

I could call her stupid for doing that but I guessed that was what Wy’s termed as passion. If I was passionate about my career as an actor, Eya was like that, too, in her field. And so, after a long while of thinking, I decided to join them.

“Are you sure about this, Yenna?” My manager, who was sitting on the couch, asked as if she still wanted to stop me from going.

She would send me at the airport. She said that was the least thing she could do for me.

I smiled at her. “Yeah. I guess, yes.”

She did not say a word anymore and helped me bring my things at the back of the car. My long-time driver would also drive me at the airport.

It was like a long ride. I talked to them about random things and even laughed with the memories we had shared with. I was laughing the whole time and was happy to share my memories, too, when all of a sudden, something hit the car.

My eyes widened. My breathing stopped midway. Memories of my life came flashing into my mind like a movie. Was this the feeling of someone when he was about to die? Seeing his life before his eyes?

I could see Wycliff’s smile. I could feel his hugs and taps on my head. Eya’s sweet eyes and laughter echoed to me. Our trips together… our first night out… the first time we met… the sweet moments… They were flashing before my eyes. I could see them waiting for me at the airport. Wycliff was calling for me. He even extended his hand to reach me. I wanted to hold his hand, but my world was spinning at the moment. I could not move my body. My breathing became something I was racing with. It was like a final breath.

Would I die?

Oh, my God. I still had a lot of things to do. My family and friends were waiting for me. My work was about to start.

But the blinding lights, the deafening sound, and the flash of the moment made me realized I did a good life. Though not yet finished with all my plans, I thought I had a good life. I made friends, I  was with my family, I worked in the field of my dream, I was about to start anew with the love of my life.

I guessed all good things had to end. And so my life.