Seven

Napuno ng  kantyaw ang loob ng silid. Nagsisigawan ang karamihan habang si Czesar ay nakangisi lang habang nakatuon ang kaniyang mga mata sa akin. Ashwin, on the other side looks surprised. 

“Alright, keep quiet!” paninita ni Czesar.

When the room was already at peace, there, I started strumming, kahit na nanginginig ang kamay sa kaba. As I sang, the attention was all mine. Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ba ako o mas kakabahan. Sapagkat hindi ko alam kung ano ang takbo sa kanilang mga isipan. Seems like they knew the song considering that when I sang the chorus part when they sang with me. When I looked at Czesar, I saw him singing to while using their table as a drum. 

When I stopped singing, Clide starts to commend until all of them gave me a positive comment. Their comments are heartwarming. Ramdam ko ang kasayahan ko na abot-langit kaya nakangiti na akong nagpaalam hanggang sa makalabas sa silid pagkatapos nila akong sabihan ng kanilangmga malugod na pagbati. 

“Tam!” someone shouted from my back before I stepped out of the door. 

I turned around and faced him, smiling. “Congrats!” Ashwin congratulated me for the second time. I thanked him and bid my goodbye to him. 

I am smiling from ear-to-ear as I stepped in unto our classroom, some must have noticed me that's why they asked me on how's my performance was, I humbly answered them that I was in. Naramdaman ko ang lungkot ng dati kong ka-club nang marinig nilang natanggap ako. It was fun talking to them until my phone rang. A call from Balance Inquiry. 

“Hey.” I started the conversation. 

“Congrats!” 

“Thank, you're busy right? Why are you calling me?”

“Break time. Let's eat our brunch together? My treat.”

“Hala. ‘wag mo na akong i-libre. Canteen #4 nalang tayo magkita.” and there, I ended the call. 

I looked at the mirror first before heading out. I kept on glancing on my phone, tinitingnan kung may bago bang mensahe at tinitingnan na rin kung ayos ba ang pagmumukha ko. I can't afford to be embarrassed in front of him. Iniisip ko pa lang, nahihiya na ako. Dahil hindi rin naman kalayuan sa building namin ang pang-apat na kainan kaya nauna na ako. Naghanap muna ako ng lamesa kung saan ako maghihintay sa kaniya dahil sa akala ko na matatagalan pa siya ngunit hindi rin naman ako nagtagal sa aking kinauupuan nang nahuli niya ang atensyon ko sa pagdating niya. 

“Sorry natagalan ako—”

“Naku! Hindi, ayos lang.” nataranta kong sabi sa kanya kaya hindi ko na siya napatapos sa sinabi.

Nakakahiya, para tuloy akong nag-tunog atat na makita siya dahil sa sinabi ko.

Nag-aya na rin siyang bumili pagkatapos ng maikli naming usapan, gusto pa niya sanang doon nalang ako sa lamesa namin upang hindi na raw ako mapagod pero dahil makulit ako, magkatabi kaming umorder ng pagkain niya. He even insisted to pay for my foods too, pero dahil makulit nga ako. Hindi pa rin siya nanalo sa akin. The both of us went back on our table with hawk eyes looking at us. He didn't seem to care unlike me. 

“By the way, pwede bang sabay tayong umuwi mamaya?” namula pa ang mukha niya pagkatapos niya iyong banggitin.

“Hala, bakit naman? Baka maissue tayo.” nahihiya kong saad. 

“Issue my ass!” tanging sagot niya at bahagyang tumawa. “Hindi naman ‘yan scandal.” dagdag pa niya at tumawa. 

Hinatid pa niya ako sa silid namin bago siya bumalik kung saan sila may inukupa para sa club nila. Bago pa man niya ako sinabihang pumasok nang nakalayo na siya ay bigla niya itinuro pa muna ang cellphone niya kaya nakakunot ang noo ko habang tinitingnan siya. 

“Let's text each other.” mahina hina niya pang sigaw. Tumango ako sa kanya at kumaway bago siya tumalikod at naglakad papasok sa silid ko. 

Sa pagtalikod ko ay nanakaw pa ako ng tingin sa  kanya at napansin ko na matumbok pala ang kaniyang pwet at ang malawak niyang mga balikat. Siguro nasa mga 5'9 iyong kataasan niya. Halata ang tangkad niya lalo pa kung magkakatabi kaming dalawa dahil 5'4 lang naman ako. 

Siguro kung isa siya sa mga kambal ko na kapatid ay tinampal ko na ang kaniyang pwet. His butt looks so fluffy and foamy. 

The next days, I got busy as the others. Intramurals is pretty tiring mostly to the athletes but in my case, I got busy practicing for a band contest, presenting for our batch. We can't just lose this competition. This is a very good opportunity for us. I am really thankful that my band mates were already good at playing instruments so as my co-singer. 

Simula pa lamang ay hindi ko na dapat tinanggap ang alok na gawin akong taga kanta ng banda ngunit sinabihan ako ng ama ko na kailangan ko raw iyon.

It took me weeks to agree because I was still building my low confidence that time and somehow, it starts building without my notice. 

Hindi ko lang talaga maiwasang ma-ilang minsan kapag hindi ko pa masyadong nakakasalamuha ang tao.

I was surprised to know that he wants to run for the position when he already told us before not to engage to any public associations that might lead up to make the people know about our  personal lives. We have to stay low-key and private at all times after mom left us. 

“Girl, I can't believe that you will be performing in front of us, in front of the thousands of people. I'm so proud of you.” my other close friend Nessie said. She end up making my face after the make up artist left. 

“I'm nervous.” I honestly told her while looking at the whole room. 

The room is big and it's located at the back part of the gym, where will be using later. The whole room is occupied and filled with our band opponents. 

“You're so pretty. I like your heart shaped face, mostly your deep set eyes. By the way, you're even prettier at your champagne diamond contacts.” it somehow help me to boost my confidence while I was looking at my reflection in a compact mirror. 

I wore my black one-shoulder top and a yellow malma window pane skirt with a black belt on it so it will help to make my outfit more fierce. Sinuotan ko naman ito ng black ankle boots na mas lalong ikinahaba ko. Hindi naman kasi ako sanay na magsuot ng matataas na takong kaya takot ako at baka matapilok pa mamaya. 

My make-up is not made to make me look like a rockstar instead, it was made simple with but with a bold eyeliner and a dark red lipstick that will be probably seen later because my hair was only curled and let it itself fall into their places. 

I let myself have my time on listening to music while reading my friends words of appreciation, maybe because they knew that I am still in the moment where I am trying to come out from my comfort zone.

As the program started, hindi muna kami pina-labas dahil baka mas lalo kaming kabahan. Hindi lang naman band contest ang contest na mayroon kung hindi ay isa ring search for Mr. And Ms. Intramurals. I don't know who would be the judge for later's competition dahil hindi ko pa nakita ang program. 

Kadalasan sa mga ka-banda ko ay nag-uusap para kahit sa ganoong paraan ay maibsan ang kaba.

“Hey bro!” 

“Ashwin!”

“Break a leg. I know you'll win later.” I saw Ashwin while he was talking to my band mates.

Napalingon ito sa akin nang mahulog ko ang bote ng tubig ko kaya kinausap niya ako ng ilang sandali bago lumabas at nagpaalam. When the door was left half open I immediately stood up to close the door when I held a hand instead of the door knob. 

“Sana sinabi mong gusto mo palang hawakan ang kamay hindi iyong mahihirapan ka pa, bebe koh.” pang-aasar niya at kumindat pa. 

Akmang susuntukin ko siya sa kanyang dibdib pero sinalo niya agad ang kamay ko. “Oh, you wanna touch my chest too?” he even added and intertwined my hand with his. 

“Hoy, bitaw!” sabi ko sa kanya at kinuha ang kamay ko. 

“Bakit nan-lalamig ka? Kinakabahan ba ang bebe koh?” pang-aasar niya ulit.

Sinimangutan ko ito kaya lumapit ito sa akin at biglaan akong niyakap. 

“Hoy, baka may makakita sa atin.” sita ko sa kanya ngunit hindi binitawan ang yakap. 

I felt safe. The nervous that I felt was doubled.

Ang sarap niya talagang suntokin!

“Good luck. I know you will be at your best later.” sabi niya sa akin bagi ikinalas ang yakap at nagpaalam dahil tinawag na ang kaniyang pangalan sa entablado. 

Hindi nagtagal ay tinawag na rin kami upang tumugtog na sa entablado. Our batch mates were cheering for. The first thing that came unto my mind when I stepped into the stage was to look for Czesar and found him at the Judge’s chair, looking at me while cheering. That made me feel much nervous. Kinakabahan at baka ano sabihin ng iba.

After my band mates prepared their instruments, tumango sila isa-isa sa akin at sinenyasang pumunta na sa gitna upang magsimula na silang tumugtog. 

We finished singing two songs but our cheerers stayed hyped. Maybe at the song choice? Or the instruments was good? 

Hours passed, the pageant was done and it was the turn when they will tell us who will be the winner. The contestants were all gathered at the stage. All of us were nervous. As a matter of fact, I am sweating.

Nang sabihin na sa amin kung sino ang nanalo ay hindi man lang ako nakaramdam ng kaunting dismaya sa narinig. Kahit pa nasa pangalawa lang kami ay pareho naming ramdam ang saya. The Seniors were announced as the winner of the battle. 

Pagkatapos naming pag-usapan kung saan kami pagkatapos ng program ay doon ko lang rin napagtantong may tumatawag na sa atensyon ko gamit ang mikropono. It was Czesar’s voice for sure. 

“Can I request Ms. Tamila Miracle Marcil to sing with us?”