1 The Struggle

Leona, a girl who likes to dream big enters college with a course of Bachelor of Science and Accountancy. For her, being an accountant is the wildest dream she ever had, having such dream is her pride and achieving her goals is the key for her to live in her dream country, Canada. That's right, Leona wants to be an excellent CPA in Canada.

"Why, why, why!!??" Does this makes sense? 3 over 30? Is this really a score?"

Leona complained looking so depressed. She can't accept that the score she got in her quiz didn't even went half of the perfect score. There's a reason why she's being like this, 1st is if her scores keeps getting low there's a possibility that she has to retake a subject and 2nd is she's one of the students who has been included in the honor list in her previous school. All of her records are enough for her to deserve a medal and make her parents proud.

"So this is what they mean when they said that college will kill you. Indeed, it's killing me"

Leona said to herself staring at her score looking so sad like she's attending her own funeral. At this very moment, she wanted to give up and thought about shifting course but then again she remembered what she told her mother before she even enrolled herself in the said course

"Are you sure about this? This is not an easy course" her mother asked as they were having their family dinner

"Yes. Yes, I am"

She firmly answered like she's really sure about her decision. In her mind, she said that she can survive college because she survived senior high school. She convince herself that it's totally fine and everything will go as planned. However, as days keep passing by, her dreams becomes vivid. Every time she look at her scores she just wanted to lay down in her bed and think of nothing

"Can I still survive another year? Am I gonna pass this semester?"

Leona asked herself while looking at her room's ceiling. She had these thoughts for quite some time now and she want it to stop. She think that she'll only be able to stop if she make a decision right now so she keeps asking and looking for a sign. While scrolling through her news feed in one of her social media accounts, she came across a post with a caption "CPA In Transit" she read the post and was inspired to do better in her studies.

"Number 1 rule in Accounting is to never assume unless it was stated. Since it is still not stated that I won't pass this subject then I won't assume that I'll fail this subject. I will just do my very best everyday" she said again to herself looking so determined.

From then on, Leona did her very best in everything that she do. Of course, she still get low scores from time to time in her quizzed even though she studied diligently, there's one time that she even got a score of 0 but this score didn't stop her in pursuing her dreams.

"This is my decision, might as well take responsibility" she said to herself but this time, her friend Marcelo heard what she was saying

"How about me? None of this is my dream. I never wanted to be a CPA but my family told me to take this course. Should I also take responsibility?" the guy seems so confused on what he have been doing with his life. Indeed becoming a CPA is not his dream and all of his classmates were aware of it.

"Of course. Because you didn't have the courage to speak for yourself"

"You think that it's that easy?"

"I never said it was easy. Of course speaking for yourself needs to have a lot of courage. If you're shy and timid then how can you even speak for yourself. You need to think of the long run if this course is worth of your living or not. What's with all the money if you can't even be happy. So if you can't even speak for yourself now, then you need to take responsibility on what your future will be. After all, it's your life you'll be living and not the life of others"

"Easier to be said than done"

Leona didn't speak further more when she saw how gloomy her friend is. She know not to push the topic, she came to realize that it is not that easy to disobey your parents in cases like this because they're the one who'll be paying for the school fees. But deep down in her heart she still think that what she said somehow make her friend wake up from reality, that life will only be bearable if you're walking on the path where you wanted to be.

"Must have been hard for you there, buddy" A man beside them suddenly said.

Leona and her friend's jaw both drop as they recognize the man. It is no other than the new Mr. Campus of The Year. The man gave them a sweet smile and fix himself

"I'm sorry, I was taking a nap and heard your story. I couldn't help but to say the words I've said" the man utter looking at the two who also fix themselves

"I'm so sorry, we didn't mean to be loud" Leona said not leaving the man's eyes.

Something in him just give Leona's stomach a flip, his eyes are ocean blue which makes him more attractive

"What? No, no you are not loud. It was already time for me to wake up anyway." the man chuckled

"OMG I can't believe River Dela Cruz is talking to us" Marcelo said giving the face of a dumbfounded man

"Oh please. I'm not some celebrity. Anyway, I get what you're trying to say. Indeed its not that easy to study a course that you don't want to but this is all I can say to you buddy, try. Just give it a try, try to love the course even though you hate it, maybe then someday you'll be able to tell yourself that you're bound to be a CPA"

"Thank you so much! I think I might be able to love you.. I mean love my course" Marcelo said never leaving the man's eyes as if he was hypnotize by it

"Anyway, I still don't know the two of you. My bad, I'm River Dela Cruz. And you?" the man said and extended his hand for a handshake

"Marcelo Cose" the other man said and shook River's hand

"Leona Marie Salazar" Leona said and shook the man's hand

"You're name is just as beautiful as you." he said locking his eyes towards the girl

"Ehem" Marcelo said as he sense the tension between the two

"Nice meeting the two of you. I'll head out first for my next class" he said and grab his bag

"Good bye see you later" Leona said

"Sure, see you later" River said and continue his way to his next class

"OMG Girl!!!! The guy is into you!" Marcelo said leaving a giggle and hitting the girl smoothly