I was born on October 2 2002 and when I was 1 year and 2 months old, I was given to my grandparents because my parents were struggling financially. My dad was the only one working, and my mom stayed at home, so it was very hard for them to make ends meet. I grew up only knowing my grandparents as my parents, and I called them Mommy and Daddy. They took care of me and raised me. When I was 3 years old, every time we went out, they never forgot to take my picture. My grandmother once shared a story about a grocery trip where I kept putting items I liked into the basket. When they didn't buy something I wanted, I lay down on the floor of the store, pretending to be abandoned. My grandmother had to ask the guard to scare me so I would get up and run to them. At another grocery trip, I broke a tray of eggs because of a blackout. I was crying and looking for my grandmother. I also have a scar on my forehead from when I hit my head with a hammer while playing with a flat ball, and another scar on my foot from accidentally touching a hot muffler while playing with a motorcycle.
As the years went by, I was sent back to my parents when I was about to start kindergarten because I couldn't attend school in Carabatan Chica. I adjusted quickly to living with my parents again since I often visited my grandparents in Mabantad. When I was in grade 3, my grandfather passed away from a heart attack. It was very painful for me since he had taken care of me from a young age. Since then, I found it hard to look at people in coffins because it reminded me of my grandfather. In grade 4, I had a female friend who was a year older than me. We were close and enjoyed talking and joking around. I had a crush on her, but as she moved to high school and we grew apart, we eventually stopped talking.
In grade 7, I noticed a beautiful girl from a different class. I liked her and always looked for her. By grade 8, she became my classmate. Although I was shy, we eventually became friends through my other friends. I never told her about my feelings because I thought she was too beautiful and I had no chance. During the vacation, my cousin lent me an old Samsung J1 Galaxy phone, so I created a Facebook account. A few weeks later, my crush, who was also my classmate, messaged me. We started talking regularly. When school resumed, even though we were not in the same class, we spent a lot of time together during lunch and after school. In February 2019, I mustered up the courage to tell her I liked her, and we became a couple. However, her parents didn't allow her to have a boyfriend until she graduated from college and started working, so she kept our relationship a secret. Eventually, her sibling saw us together and told their parents, who then scolded and hit her with a belt. For a few months, we couldn't meet but continued to chat. Despite this, we stayed together, and her parents now know about our relationship, although it's not legally recognized.
During the pandemic in my senior year of high school, with nothing much to do, I asked a friend if they knew of any job opportunities. They offered me a job in air conditioning—cleaning, installation, and repair. I agreed, and it was my first job at a company called TOPPER AIR CONDITIONING. By the time I was in my second year of college, I was able to buy the phone I wanted, help my parents, and save up for a laptop. That same year, a friend invited me to a company outing at the beach, which was memorable for me because it was only my second time visiting the beach. Now, as a third-year college student, I have bought the laptop I wanted, and that's where my story ends.