This is Mei, the scene queen. The scene queen who has thrown herself back to where every heart should be in - home. With her big bag, messy hair, super short shorts, she waved back at me as I called her when she decided to kill time before flying to Kuala Lumpur.

I told her my story, and her story unfolded before my eyes. She is troubled, and trouble has its way of getting back at her. I know this because I have stayed up late with this girl for a long time. We took pictures, we called ourselves The Parking Lot Kids. We smoked cigarettes, and she taught me lessons I never learned from anyone but her.

To not trust everyone in the industry that I aim to be in. To keep the facade, even if your insides drown with brokenness. To stay strong. To pay it forward. To accept the weakness, in order to be strong.

I stay strong, because she is amidst everything that she is going through.

X,

TheAidxParedes