#dearstranger

Dear Stranger - First Prologue

When Daniela Bartolome was choosing between universities, she didn't know if she will be able to go to the one that made her feel where she was supposed to be because first and foremost, the school is expensive as hell. She doesn't think that it'll be possible to go there without a financial aid or benefactor, hell! She didn't even dare take an entrance exam to one of her choices because if a semestral university is expensive what more if it's trimestral?

And second, she got a scholarship offer on another university. It certainly is funny how she only took an entrance exam in that school because she was afraid she might not pass in her first choice of college – another problem to be handled because surely, her mom will want her to go that university because it offered them financial aid. She doesn't want to be a burden but she also doesn't want to go to a university where her preferred program isn't given.

She doesn't want to spend the next four years of her life doing something she doesn't want to.

Dani sighed before placing her head on top of the cafeteria table. "You okay, Dani?" Her best friend since grade six days, Alyssa, asked. "Dandy." She replied in a mock British accent. Daniela's high school friends don't know about her having financial problems. She's not ashamed of it however she's not one to open up about such matters.

"Whatever your problem is, I'm sure you already know the answer to." Alyssa told her as she sat across Dani who immediately sat up straight. "You think so?" She asked making her best friend smile. "I know so. You just tend to be a drama queen that's why you force yourself to dwell on the drama." She replied. "You know, as John Watson has put it: you've never been a puzzle solver, you never have been. You're a drama queen." She added making Dani smile. "Am I to deduce that you are implying my being Sherlock Holmes?" I asked, again with a mock British accent. At least, my best friend believes in me. She thought.

Daniela can't help but agree with her best friend's statement. It's true that she tends to dwell on the subject more than necessary because of her drama queen-ness attitude. Sometimes, she also over-complicates simple things – a flaw that should be corrected.

"Thank you." She told her best friend. This is one of the reasons why she loves Alyssa. She doesn't push her to reveal things that she doesn't want to. Some might argue that best friends are supposed to do that but for her it depends on who and what kind of friendship you have with each other. Alyssa knows that there are things Dani isn't telling her but that's okay because she also knows that her best friend will say it if she can't handle it anymore.

Because Daniela Bartolome is strong.

On the way home, Dani thought of what she would tell her mom. She's sure that there would be a big silent fight. Dani and her mom never shout at each other, instead they ignore one another. It's really a battle of who's more stubborn.

Dani knows that her first choice of college is unreasonable so she won't push for it but she also knows what career path she will take hence the university that offered her scholarship is out of the question therefore she and her mother has to settle for the middle ground – the University of Santo Tomas.