(Filipino) A Walk Down Memory Lane

"Find table spaces, say your social graces... Bow your head, they're pious here. But you and I, we're pioneers We make our own rules, our own rooms, no bias here. Let em sell what they were selling, there are no buyers here So gather all the rebels now, we'll rebel rouse and sing aloud.... So hey, we brought our drum and this is how we dance No mistaken, we make our breaks If  you don't like our 8-0-8's then leave us alone cause we don't need your policies We have no apologies for being.... Find me where the wild things are..."            I can't almost here my voice because of how crazy the crowds are. Lahat sila sumasabay sa pagkanta ko habang sumasayaw sayaw kasama ang mga strangherong ngayon lang nila nakilala. Sabay ng pagtama ng nakakasilaw na ilaw sa aking mukha ay ang pagbalik ng alaala noong unang beses akong pumasok sa entertainment industry. I never imagined na darating ako sa puntong toh.            I started as a back-up singer at pa-extra'2 lang sa pelikula but look at me now, I'm here on top. This is something na hindi nakakamit ng lahat. It took me everything to reach this spot. I wouldn't risk anything to lose it.            "Woooaaahhh! I can feel your energy up until here!!! You guys are amazing!!!" malakas kong sigaw matapos ang pagkanta. "Before my last song ngayong gabi, please let us welcome my beloved friend, Lyra!!!"            Pumasok mula sa backstage si Lyra. Rinig naman ang mainit na welcome ng crowd sa kanya. Lyra is one of my long time friends dito sa industriya. I invite her tuwing may concert ako. Compared to me, Lyra's not a big time performer. She barely gets her own gig. So I guess inviting her in a big crowd like this is a big help to her.            When Lyra started playing her song, umexit ako agad papunta ng backstage. Agad akong sinalubong ng PA ko to give me water.            "Great job, Tanya. Pahinga ka muna before your last performance." salubong ng manager ko.            I smiled. "Right? It will not be easy to replace me."            "Correction, it will be impossible to replace you." anang si Manager Gina.            I chuckled. She really knows what to say everytime. That's why I kept her as my manager.            Umupo ako sa couch. Sinenyasan ko ang PA ko na paypayan ako na agad naman niyang ginawa. I checked my twitter account. Halos sumabog na yung notification ko sa dami ng nagta-tag sa akin at nagme-message sa akin about the concert. Hindi ko maiwasang mapangiti ng makitang trending ako nationwide. Well, it's not new to me but it's very refreshing to see my name in the trending section, not because of rumors na gawa-gawa ng haters, kundi dahil sa concert.            Parang feel ko tuloy na mag-celebrate after the concert. I mean I deserve it. Malamang ay nagpakamatay na lahat ng haters ko seeing na hindi nila ako mapatumba-tumba despite all the rumors they posted online. For once, gusto ko namang maranasan ang buhay nila. I'm sure boring. Walang thrill. Yung mga ganung tao lang naman yung may time na sirain yung iba na hindi naman talaga nila personal na kilala. Well, they're just brave on the internet. Malamang duwag sila in real life.            "Talaga bang mag-iiba na ang management next week? I heard it's confirmed na magre-retire na si Mr. Tan? Who's going to replace him?" biglang tanong ni Manager Gina.            Mr. Tan is AbTV's CEO. Siya yung may pinakamalaking share sa kompanya (network) na pinagtatrabahuan ko. I'm not really that involved with the upper management but if mag-iiba na yung CEO malamang apektado kaming lahat, diba? They usually announce it to everyone in AbTV everytime may pagbabago sa management kahit konti lang but as for now, wala pa kaming naririnig na balita. Oh well, they'd probably choose someone we're already familiar with. That's how it usually works.            "Ms. Tanya, it's almost time for your last performance. Hope you're ready." anang stage manager.            Binaba ko ang hawak na cellphone. I stood up at tiningnan ang sarili sa salamin. My makeup artist retouched my makeup habang abala naman yung iba sa pag-aayos ng suot ko. Sumenyas ulit yung stage manager na malapit ng matapos ang performance ni Lyra.            Nakita ko si Lyra na naglakad na pabalik sa backstage. They turned off the light at tanging yung maliliit na makulay na ilaw na lamang yung visible. Agad akong naglakad papunta sa gitna.            "Are you guys ready?" wika ko gamit ang aking malalim na boses. "To end this era?"            Everyone shouts. Isa-isang bumukas ang ilaw ng glow sticks na pinamigay bago pumasok ang audience kanina. Everyone sounded amazed. They put something on it that enables us to light it in the right moment. It'll be hard to ask everyone to participate so of course we thought of a way to grand my imagination for this concert to come true.            Unang umilaw ang glow stick sa pinakataas... Dahan dahan... Kasabay ng tugtog.... Hanggang sa makarating iyun sa harapan. Everyone screamed so loud nung umilaw ang suot kong  costume. And then I started singing my last song for tonight. This will be my last concert for this year. Halos nalibot na namin ang buong bansa. Walang kahit isang gabi man lang na nag-fail. That's how famous I am.            "This night is a success!!!! Finally!!! Makakauwi na rin tayo after your back to back concert." anang si Manager Gina.            "Ikaw na talaga, Tori. You broke a record na naman. Your concert is the best selling concert in the country!! Wow!"            I grabbed a beer. I'm not even shocked. The more haters you have, mas lalo kang sisikat. As long as bukambibig nila ang pangalan ko, nothing and no one can dim my spotlight.            "Next year, world tour na toh." anang isa.            Napataas ako ng tingin. "That's actually a good idea. What do you think, Manager?"            "Why not? I'm sure AbTV will support everything you do. You're their lucky charm afterall."            I smirked. They just can't let me go kahit anong gawin ko ano? Kung ipapasipa nila ako parang pinutol na rin nila yung electricity line sa buong AbTV. I'm their investment. They can't waste me.            Tanya Felix. Sisiguraduhin kong habang buhay na mabubuhay ang pangalan na yan. Hinding hindi na ako babalik sa nakakaawang sitwasyong kinasadlakan ko dati. I will do whatever it takes to stay on top.