Bakas sa mukha ni Via ang excitement habang pababa ng eroplano. Nakasalubong sa kaniya ang personal PA/Manager/Bestfriend na si Monique. Malapad ang pagkakangiti nito.
"Finally. Ang pagbabalik ng prinsesang lagalag," anito na yumakap sa kaniya. Mahigpit na niyakap niya rin ito.
"I miss you so much," turan niya. Bahagya pa silang sumuray-suray ng magkayakap. Pagkuwa'y, nakaangkla ang brasong naglakad sila papasok ng airport.
"Are the team ready?" tanong ni Via.
Monique gave a slight smirk. "We're always been ready. And excited. And longing for your return."
"Comm'on! How long has it been? 2years?"
"2years 8 months and 11days."
"It wasn't long enough," nakangiting biro niya. Patuyang inirapan lang siya ni Monique. Tumuloy na sila palabas ng airport.
Alvianna "Via" Alguerra is the well-known princess of arts. She's been all over everything. Her career started off as a model of prints and runway during college. Then she started directing stage acts, short films and TV ads. Eventually, she made it big sa film industry abroad and won a series of awards. She became well-known worldwide. Her name seemed to be always spelled in caps and in bold letters for being huge in the industry. Yet, she has this sad backstory.
She grew up in an orphanage. She was 3 years old when her doctor father died. Ang nanay niya was a devotee ng Sta. Clarita church. Madalas itong nagvovolunteer doon noon. Nang mamatay ang Papa niya, her mother decided na sa orphanage na tumira kasama ng mga orphan para magfull time volunteer. Naudlot na pangarap ng nanay niya ang pagmamadre dahil sa pagmamahal nito sa Papa niya. She was 16 ng mamatay ang Mama niya. Gayunpaman, hindi naman siya nahirapan. Because she's brains as well, naipadala siya sa ibang bansa para maging exchange student nung high school. She did all she could to survive. She used all her resources, diskarte at mukha just to survive lang sa araw-araw na buhay. But it seemed she is born with a lucky star and it was doing its job well.
Mas nauna man siyang nakilala sa ibang bansa, it was always a heaven for her na bumalik sa bansang sinilingan. Kahit utang niya sa ibang bansa ang career na meron man siya sa ngayon, alam niyang sapat ng nagbigay na siya ng karangalan para sa mga bansang napuntahan niya. She may not be always the face na nakikita sa harap ng screen, isa naman siya sa pinakamaingay na pangalang maririnig mo kahit saan.
And now bumalik ulit siya sa bansa para gumawa ng isng proyektong pinka-importante na ata sa lahat ng project na gusto niyang gawin. This project is the closest to her heart. The project is for charity. Lahat ng kikitain ng proyektong ito ay para sa lahat ng charity na meron sa bansa. The show is about a week long theater show of famous literatures - fantasy, fairy tale, musical and all. Papanoorin ito ng mga universities, elites and fans. The artists are those well-known characters sa bansa. But all profits will be donated to charities.
And kahit sikat na siya, she's very much willing to do this. In fact, this excites her more. The investors are somewhat hesitant na baka hindi patukan ang ganitong project but when Via said yes with so much exclamation point, nagdagsaan ng gustong magdonate and magproduce. The project became so loud just because she had her name on it. She have cancelled all other projects for a year para lang sa project na 'to. She's willing to give her all in this.
"Ahhh.. this really makes me feel so good," masiglang turan ni Via habang pasakay ng kotse na siyang sundo nila. "But why all this security?"
"Ask PRV. Alam mo namang napaka-importante mo dun." PRV is the call code for Mr. Philip Regus-Villaluz, ang presidente ng Production Company na nag-alaga kay Via nung nag-uumpisa pa lang siya ng karera. She could become a face of many project pero mas pinili niya ang backstage. Yet, may mga minsang nasa harap din siya ng camera.
PRV still took care of her kapag nasa bansa siya. He even once hooked her sa anak nito but she's more focus sa career kesa sa lovelife. Eventually, nakakita din ito ng tunay na destiny. But Mr. Philip have been her father-figure.
Napangiwi na lang siya sa sinabi ni Monique. She can't contest to that.
"Oh well. I guess, we have to meet him first,"
"Nasa studio na ng PRV Prod ang staff. So don't be surprise sa surprise Welcome party mo," ani Monique na may diin sa pangalawang surprise.
"Should I still act surprise, eh nagspoil ka na?"
"As if naman hindi ka nag-eexpect. As much as you hate it, you just can't do anything to not let that happen."
"Well, trip niyo yan. Hindi naman ako KJ. And supportive naman ako lagi sa pakulo niyo. Iisipin ko na lang na para yan sa mga staff and crew na nag-aabang ng pa-catering ni PRV. Yaan na natin."
"Correct! That's what we really love about you."
"Uhummm... and I love you too."
Nasa kalagitnaan sila ng byahe, when Via's phone rang. Mabilis na hinagilap ni Via ang bag.
"May signal na pala ako. Mag-iingay na naman 'to," aniya na tumutukoy sa sariling cellphone. "Vi, speaking..."
She got indulge in a call habang patuloy ang byahe.