Kzeiah(kc)
The classroom buzzed with the humid afternoon air and the frantic energy of thirty students in costume, all vying for the top spot in our Florante at Laura competition. I’m 13, usually the one cracking loud jokes to mask my lack of confidence, but today I was paralyzed. I was dressed as Duke Briseo, and while I’d technically won for having a slightly better speech and costume, I felt like the real winner was standing right in front of me. Standing just a few feet away was my 14-year-old classmate. She was a few inches shorter than me and notably chubbier, but she carried herself with a grounded, cool grace that made my nervous energy look like a joke. She had rightfully won for "Best Character Representation"—she didn’t just wear the clothes of Princesa Floresca, she was her. Ma’am Elaine waved us toward the front for a winners' photo. The class immediately started chanting "Kzeidrei! Kzeidrei!" as they whistled and cheered. My face was burning a deep red, but she stood there, totall
About Kzeiah(kc)
The classroom buzzed with the humid afternoon air and the frantic energy of thirty students in costume, all vying for the top spot in our Florante at Laura competition. I’m 13, usually the one cracking loud jokes to mask my lack of confidence, but today I was paralyzed. I was dressed as Duke Briseo, and while I’d technically won for having a sli...Read more