CHAPTER 2

INILAGAY ko ang bag ko sa upuan ko. I checked phone to know what time is it now. It's 7:45 and my class starts at 8.

Chineck ko ang notes and assignments ko. Baka may naka-ligtaan pa akong mga aralin. Hindi naman nag tagal at tumunog na ang bell ng school namin. We all waited for our professor to come.

“Ouch!” I exclaimed nang idikit sa akin ni Yuri ang tumbler nya na may lamang mainit na coffee milk, “what's wrong with you?”

“You just pissed me off.”

“I'm not even doing anything.”

“Your existence is enough to piss me off.”

“Leave me alone.”

I don't know what's wrong with her. She always bully me and I literally don't know why. I'm not doing anything to her. Siguro pinanganak lang talaga syang may masungit na pagkatao.

“Good morning, class.”

Agad na tumayo ang klase namin at bumati din sa professor na kakapasok lang. I immediately brings out my notes and focus to the class. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hinahayaan ng ibang professor namin na huwag makinig sa klase ang iba kong classmates. Maybe because some of my classmates are from known and rich family I guess?

Natapos na ang iba pa naming klase hanggang sa dumating na ang oras ng subject ni Sir Ethan. Gusto ko syang tanungin about sa dalawang lalaki na kakalipat lang sa condominium na pag mamay-ari ni Mommy. It seems like he knows them very well.

“I have a meeting so I'm gonna make it quick,” Sir Ethan started while looking at his wrist watch, “as you all know we have our own festivals here in our school. At ang papalapit na festival is about our school founder's birthday.”

Yeah, I remember. Every birthday of the school founder, we have to perform an orchestra or a musical play. Sa pagkaka-alam ko, this festival started since the founder's 60th birthday. The school wants to celebrate the founder's birthday by showing a him a performace at nag tuloy-tuloy na yun every year so the school decided to make it also a yearly festival.

“Your batch should perform an opera. Alisson,” he called our classroom president, “I want you to conduct a singing and acting audition, alright? Gusto ko lahat ng mag pe-perform ng opera ay magaling kumanta at umarte, understood?”

“Yes po.”

“Pwede nyo gamitin ang AVR para sa audition. You can ask the other classroom president to hold the audition with you.”

“Understood, Sir,” Alisson answered again.

“Sa mga wala namang balak sumali sa audition, I want you to help to prepare the stage. That's all.”

Nag ma-madaling lumabas si Sir ng classroom. Alisson went to the center to talk about the audition.

“Okay, guys. Who wants to audition para yun lang ang lalabas at yung iba dito na lang sa room para hindi masyado magulo sa AVR. Just raise your hands.”

Some raised their hands. Sana lahat magaling kumanta at umarte. I think tutulong na lang ako sa pag ayos ng stage or rather not attend the festival. Hindi naman sapilitan ang pag attend.

“Scarlet hindi ka sasali?”

All the eyes went to me. I bit my lower lip and shook my head, “hindi.”

“But last year kasali ka sa orchestra right? You won pa nga, diba?”

“Oh, so we have a nerdy singer here!” Yuri shouted at nag tawanan naman ang iba kong kaklase.

“Ssh! Yuri wag na nga kayo mag ingay. Sali ka na, Scarlet. Sayang naman.”

“Pero ayoko talaga—

“—nasulat ko na pangalan mo. See you in the AVR, later.”

Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi ni Alisson. Mag sasalita pa sana ako nang bigla na syang umalis ng classroom para siguro pumunta ng ibang section to check if someone wants to join too.

I quickly fixed my stuff at isinuot na ang bag sa likod ko. Aalis na sana ako sa upuan ko nang bigla akong hilain ni Yuri. Goodness! Bakit ba ayaw nya akong layuan?

“Ano ba?” I asked her as I removed her hands in my arms, “stop it.”

“Sasali ka sa audition? Do you really think na talented ka?”

“Yuri, ano ba—

“—hey, neighbor Scarlet!” an unfamiliar words suddenly appeared.

Oh, it's Finn.

“Finn, why are you here?” I asked him.

“Wala lang. May gagawin ka ba?”

“Pupunta ako ng AVR.”

“Oh, mag o-audition ka din? Tara sabay na tayo.”

“Uh, sige.”

Hindi na ako umimik pa at nauna nang lumabas ng classroom habang sya naman ay nakasunod sa akin. Buti na lang talaga dumating sya dahil kung hindi baka nag tagal pa yung init ng ulo sa akin ni Yuri. Well, kailan pa ba hindi naging mainit ang ulo nun sa akin.

Dumiritso kami sa AVR. Papasok na sana kami sa loob nang makita namin yung kasama ni Finn. Si Lucas. Mag o-audition din ba sya?

“Iniwan mo 'ko para lang sunduin yang babae na yan?” Lucas asked irritatedly.

“Chill. Pwede bang pababain mo naman yang pride mo?”

Hinayaan ko na lang silang dalawa na mag-usap. It looks like a serious problem at ayaw ko naman na maki-sawsaw sa usapan nila. Hinintay ko na lang silang matapos mag-usap. I feel like they have something to tell to me.

“This is bullshit. Kasalanan talaga 'to nung pusang kalye na yun!” Lucas exclaimed before leaving.

“Don't mind him. Tinutupak na naman sya,” Finn told me, “Lucas loves singing so much that's why he wants to join the musical play. But for some reasons, he can't join.”

“Bakit?”

“I can't tell. Lucas has a really good voice at kahit ako gusto ko na ulit syang makitang kumanta ulit,” Finn looked at me, “I'm not really sure but can you help him?”

“About saan?”

“Follow him. For sure nasa garden na naman sya.”

“But I don't know to comfort him dahil wala naman akong alam sa nangyari sa kaniya.”

“Just follow him, please?”

Finn looks like a cute cat when he is begging. I just sighed before moving my feet. Lakad-takbo akong pumunta sa garden para hanapin si Lucas. I tried looking for him around the garden pero di ko sya mahanap.

Nasaan ba sya?

“I'm here.”

Napa-tingala ako nang may marinig akong boses galing sa taas ng puno. Napa-suklay ako ng buhok gamit ng daliri ko. I told him to come down so we can talk properly. Buti na lang nakinig naman sya agad at bumaba.

“What?” he asked.

“I don't know, I mean...Finn just told me to follow you.”

“That brat,” he sighed because of frustration, “Just forget everything after this,” he added.

“What—

—a soft lips suddenly touched my lips. I can't talk, breath or move. I feel like the time stops and everything is moving in a slow motion.

I started closing my eyes at dinama ang labi nya. He is not moving his lips. After a seconds, he pulled away and put a kiss again. Our eyes met at wala akong magawa kung hindi ang tumingin lang sa kaniya. I didn't realize that he is more handsome in closer look.

And I'm still processing what happened...

“That—this...what...—”

“Strange.” he muttered.

“Why?”

“I didn't transform.”

“Transform?”

“No, I mean. Nothing. Just forget about this. Bye.”

He left after that. Napa-upo ako sa damo dahil nanlalambot ang mga tuhod ko. I just lost my first kiss.

LUCAS’ POINT OF VIEW

(before the kiss)

OUR professor just announce that we will be having a festival at may audition for musical play.

Music...

Isang dekada na pala ang nakakaraan mula nung huli kong pag kanta. I lost my voice because of a curse from the black witch. Since then, hindi na ako makakanta. No melody in my voice. Everytime I try to sing, parang binabasa ko lang ang lyrics dahil wala talagang tono na lumalabas.

“Cheer up,” Finn pat my shoulder.

“Mahanap ko lang talaga yung itim na pusa na yun.”

“Just kiss some girls.”

“Isang dekada na akong nakikipag-halikan sa mga babae pero wala namang nag babago,” I complained.

“Anong magagawa natin, yun ang sinabi nyang cure dyan sa sumpa mo.”

“And we both now that if I kiss a girl I'll turn into cat. You know how many girls I already freaked out everytime I transform.”

Finn just sighed and lean to his chair. Hindi na siguro ako a-attend ng festival. That's better.

“Hey, Luke,” Finn called me.

“What?”

“What do you think of the girl who lives next to our apartment?” he asked out nowhere.

“I don't know. She looks like, uh—normal girl to me. Nothing special.”

“She looks cute to me though.”

“I'm not into her, okay?”

“Just kiss her.”

“Fuck, Finn. That's gonna be awkward once I transform lalo na at magka-tabing apartment lang tayo.”

“Eh di ipabura mo na lang kay Ethan yung memory nya pagkatapos.”

Napa-iling na lang ako sa kaniya. Napahilot ako sa sentido ko. This curse stuff is stressing me out. Pinalayas pa ako sa amin and they even took my ability from me. Fuck everything in this world.

Umalis na iba kong kaklase to go to the AVR for the audition. I told Finn if he wants to watch the audition with me and he just nods his head.

Dumiritso kami ng AVR. Umupo kami sa pinaka-sulok para di kami mapansin—wait, what the hell, where is Finn?

Tumayo ako at lumabas para hanapin sya. I tried calling him but he is not answering but he send me a message saying that he's just gonna see someone. Cool. Pwede nya namang sabihin sa akin kanina.

Hinintay ko na lang sya sa may entrance. A minutes later, I saw him with a woman. Wait, it's Scarlet.

“Iniwan mo 'ko para lang sunduin yang babae na yan?” I bursted out.

“Chill. Pwede bang pababain mo naman yang pride mo?” he said before winking at me.

“Why the hell is she here?” pabulong na tanong ko kay Finn.

“Chill, mag o-audition sya and you know, kiss her—

“—shut up.”

“Ipapabura mo naman kay Ethan yung memory nya, eh.” pabulong na sagot nya sa akin.

“This is bullshit. Kasalanan talaga 'to nung pusang kalye na yun!” I said before leaving.

Dumiritso ako sa garden to calm myself. Umakyat ako sa puno at niluwagan ang necktie ko.

After some seconds, I saw Scarlet roaming around the garden looking for something. I think she's looking for me.

“I'm here,” I told her at tumingala naman sya para makita ako.

Bumaba ako at lumapit sa kaniya, “what?” I asked her.

“I don't know...I mean, Finn just told me to follow you.”

“That brat,” and she really followed me here?

“Just forget everything after this,” I added.

“What—

I didn't let her to finish her sentence. I kissed her right away. I feel how her body flinched. Hindi sya gumagalaw. She's in shock and for sure she's processing everything right now.

I pulled out from the kiss and put a little kiss on her lips again. I don't know, I just want to do it. She looks so pure and innocent.

“That—this...what...—”

“Strange.” I muttered.

“Why?” she asked me.

“I didn't transform.”

“Transform?”

“No, I mean. Nothing. Just forget about this. Bye.”

Umalis ako agad at umakyat sa rooftop dahil baka mag transform ako in any second. I waited for more minutes pero walang nangyari. I really didn't transform!

My phone suddenly rings so picked it up. It's Finn.

[Ano na?]

“I already kissed her.”

[Woah! Nakasagot ka ng tawag ibig sabihin hindi ka nag transform?]

“Yeah. Hindi ko din alam kung bakit.”

[Pumunta ka na dito. Mag i-start na yata.]

“Okay.”

I took a deep breathe before going back to the AVR. Papasok na sana ako when I saw someone closing the door. I asked if I can go in but she told na doon na lang sa backdoor dumaan.

I rolled my eyes before going to the backdoor. When I entered, I saw a bunch of people in there. Some are practicing their songs. Sila yata yung mga mag o-audition.

Humanap ako ng way para maka-punta sa upuan but fuck, napunta ako sa gitna ng stage.

“Name?” a girl asked me.

“Hindi ako mag o-audition—

“—then why are you here? As far as I can remember yung mga mag o-audition lang papasok dito.”

I heard Finn chuckled from the crowd. Freak, what am I going to do? I can't sing.