Mia (Anne Curtis) picks up a pair of scissors, her mother Ingrid (Empress Schuck)'s words about caring for her long hair echoing in her mind. And in an of defiance against the memories that haunt her, Mia chops her hair off.
Patrick (Joshua Garcia) arrives from his hospital shift and breaks into a grin at the sight of her lopsided haircut, which draws out Mia’s laughter as well. She then lets him fix the haircut, trusting his steady hands and the skill he honed from years of cutting his brother Matmat (Carlo Aquino)’s hair, since Patrick was the only one he ever allowed to touch it.
Mia gazes at herself in the mirror with tears in her eyes. Her short hair makes her look lighter, as though the shadows of the past have finally been lifted. “I feel different,” she tells Patrick, explaining that she cut her hair to free herself from her mother’s hold. Patrick smiles and reminds her that, in doing so, she had also mirrored what she did for Elvie (Sharmaine Suarez), whom she helped loosen the ties that once held her down.
Beaming with pride at her small victory, Mia teasingly asks him for a prize and draws closer to Patrick, prompting him to caress her hair while commending the courage she has shown and the progress she has made. Mia then wonders how Vincent (Enchong Dee) would react, certain that he would freak out when he sees her transformation, and if Matmat (Carlo Aquino) would like it as well.
Catch “It’s Okay To Not Be Okay” on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, and TV5, weeknights at 8:45 PM. Watch it in advance on Netflix and iWant.