The event's tiring but it wasn't done yet, though I really wanted to go home. Kakasimula pa lamang ng Intrams namin kaya may dalawa pang araw bago naman matapos ito.
Today's wednesday so probably it will end during fridays. So I was happy to have two days free from another class sessions despite the fact that this will be boring for us, who are not players.
Alas tres pa lang ng hapon pero inaantok na ako sa sobrang pagod. Nagsisimula na ang mga green team sa pagpeperform ng kanilang yell at sinundan ng yellow team. Nang nagsimula na ang red team ay doon kami tinawag upang kami ay susunod na magpakita sa aming nagawang yell. Isa ito sa dahilan kung bakit mas lalo akong nai-stress dahil kailangan namin itong iparinig at ipaaral sa iba pa naming kagrupo habang tuwing uwian naman ay nagpapraktis kami ng banda.
When we finished performing our yell, I decided to go to the canteen to buy a bottle of water. The biggest canteen in our school in near on our big ground kaya dito na rin ako dumeritso para makapili na rin ng makakain baka sakaling mabusog at hindi na a-antokin. But then a bunch of cool girls arrived. Lumiko na lang muna ako at naghanap ng mauupuan. I watched them as they bought their brunches but then the coolest among them approached me. It was Praia, the keyboardist and the band's back ground singer also. The coolest girl I've ever seen.
“Hey Tam, have you heard the news?” she asked me and pulled a chair and sat in front of me. She's holding a bottle of Nestea and drink at it cooly.
“What news?” I asked her too since I have no idea on what she's saying.
“Oh, so you haven't heard about it. It's the mayor's invitation.” pabitin pa nitong saad bago pinunasan ang kaniyang bibig ng kaniyang itim na panyo.
“Pabitin ka rin eh no?” naasar ko ng tanong sa kaniya at bahagya itong natawa sa inasal ko.
She rolled her eyes at me before talking again. “The mayor invited us to perform on his birthday on Friday night.”
“Hindi naman kami ang nanalo.”
“Well, your boyfriend recommended you to sing with him and the mayor likes you to sing for his birthday too.” sagot pa niya at inikot muli ang mga mata.
Naku! Sarap kurutin ng mata. Nakaka-gigil.
“Hindi ko siya boyfriend.” sabi ko sa kanya pero parang hindi na ito nakinig at lumabas na.
Doon pa lamang ako nabigyan ng pagkakataong makabili at uminom ng tubig kahit kanina pa ako nakaramdam ng uhaw.
Napa-isip na rin tuloy ako sa sinabi niya at doon ko nakumpirma noong pagkabalik ko sa silid namin at masaya itong sinabi sa akin ni Ashwin. He congratulated me for my first upcoming performance outside the campus. Napaisip rin ako kung sasabihin ko ba ito kay Daddy at sa mga kapatid ko?
Pero ang tanong mai-pagmamalaki ba nila ako sa gagawin kong ito? Kung sasabihin ko rin naman ito kay Daddy paano kung gamitin niya ako upang manghikayat para sa dadating na eleksyon? Kakayanin ko ba?
“By the way Tam, practice daw bukas sabi ni Czesar.” sabi pa niya bago ako nagpaalam.
Besides, hindi pa nagpaparamdam sa akin si Czesar simula kanina. Ganoon ba siya ka-busy sa ginagawa niya?
Nangyari nga iyong sinabi sa akin ni Ashwin kahapon kaya nandito kami sa hindi na inu-ukupa na silid, nagpa-praktis para sa ipeperform namin bukas ng gabi. Tapos na nilang i-pinakita sa akin kung anong mga ka-kantahin kaya nandito ako sa isang sulok upang pakinggan ang isa sa mga kanta na kakantahin namin bukas. Sa limang kanta ay ito lamang ang hindi pamilyar sa akin kaya ito ang mas pinagtuonan ko ng pansin at oras. Kanya kanya kaming praktis habang minemorya namin ang mga kanta’t tono nito.
“Bossing.” tawag sa akin ni Czesar at kinalabit ako.
“Ano?” tanong ko habang tinitingnan pa rin ang liriko ng kanta.
“Let's practice together.”
“I can't focus when I'm with someone.” saad ko at tumalikod sa kanya.
“Hey. Are you mad at me?” tanong pa niya pero hindi ko na ito pinansin pa.
Nagsimula na akong makaramdam ng inis dahil hindi ko pa rin makuha iyong tamang lyrics ng kanta.
Nang tumuntong na ng alas dyes ng umaga ay doon pa lamang kami nag praktis ng magkasama na kaming lahat. Kahit anong iwas ko kay Czesar kanina ay hindi ko na magawa ngayon dahil malamang sa malamang ay magtatabi kami. Nang gumawa ako ng dahilan kanina ay puro kantyawan lang ang narinig ko kaya tahimik na lamang ako at bukod pa don ay hindi rin kami close ng kabanda niya. Tanging kay Ashwin lang panatag ang loob ko ngunit palagi lang rin naman niya akong tinatanong kung may pag-asa ba siya sa akin kaya unti-unti na rin akong umiwas sa kanya upang hindi na siya umasa pa.
Nagtutunog sad boy na rin minsan na may pagka-conyo.
“Bakit mo ako ini-iwasan?” tanong niya kaagad ng mag lunch break na kami. Lumabas agad ako roon pagkatapos kong magpaalam ngunit hindi ko nakitang sumunod pala agad siya sa akin.
“Hindi kita ini-iwasan.” sagot ko sa kanya at mas binilisan ang bawat apak ko. Wala na akong ibang chance kung hindi ang pumara ng tricycle nang makalabas ako ng gate kaya hindi na ito nakasunod pa sa akin.
Nang makarating ako sa bahay ay nakaramdam ako ng kaba nang maabutan ko si Daddy na naroon sa sala habang tinitigan ako sa bawat hakbang ko. Nagmano ako nito at nagmamadaling maglakad ng hindi masyadong halata sa kaniya ngunit bago pa lamang ako maka-apak sa unang hagdanan ay tinawag niya ako upang pakainin para na rin daw may kasabay siyang kumain.
“How's school?”
“It's fine Dad.”
“I heard a news. Totoo ba ‘yon?” he asked while looking at me strictly. He placed his utensils on the table.
“Ang alin po?” pamaang-maangan ko pang tanong sa kaniya at mas lalo ang kabang naramdaman ko, para konti na lang ay maririnig na rin niya ang kabog ng puso ko sa sobrang lakas nito.
“The Mayor's birthday. Alam mo naman sigurong siya ang kalaban ko ngayong darating na eleksyon no?” may bahid ng galit niyang sabiat pabarang na inilagay ang kaniyang baso pagkatapos niyang uminom ng tubig.
Umiling ako sa kanya dahil hindi ko pa naman talaga alam kung sino ay katunggali niya ngayong eleksyon.
“After your performance of that mans birthday, tell you bandmastes to perform on my birthday too.”
Kahit ako ay nagulat sa gusto niyang mangyari pero nang dahil sa takot ko ay naramdaman ko na lang ang pag-tango ko sa kanya para sumang-ayon sa gusto niyang mangyari.
When I could feel my eyes burning, I looked away from him and began sniffing, silently.
“So, may banda ka na?” tanong niya matapos kong marinig ang mabibigat niyaang buntong-hininga.
“Hindi ko po sila ka-banda, inimbitahan lang rin ako ni Mayor.” tugon ko sa kaniya pero tilang hindi na niya ako pinakinggan pa at umalis na sa kusina.
Maya maya pa ang narinig ko nang umalis ang sasakyan niya kaya wala na akong ibang nagawa kung hindi ay mag-ligpit ng kinainan namin at malamyang naglakad patungo sa aking kuwarto. Mabuti na lang at wala na kaming praktis pa sa araw na ngayon kaya malaya akong matutulog.
The school's event is ending yet we are only at this room practicing for another event later. Bakit pa kasi ako kasamang na-imbitahan sa kanila na puwede naman sila na lang.
Napansin rin naman siguro nila na wala ako sa mood na makipag-usap kaya hindi na rin sila nag-abala pang kausapin ako, maski si Ashwin ay hindi na rin ako pinapansin pa. Sabi pa ni Leo na kabilang banda sa nila ay nagmo-move on na raw iyong tao. Ewan ko ba sa kanila ang lalabo talaga nila.
Until we are called already on the stage as the program started about 20 minutes ago. Gabi na kaya hindi ako makampante kung ano ang sasakyan ko mamayang gabi. Halatang hindi pa naman sang-ayon ang Papa sa ginagawa ko kaya baka hindi niya ako ipa-sundo sa driver namin.
“Let us all welcome Illicit with Ms. Tamila Marcil.” sabi ng host at agad rin naming narinig ang malakas na palakpakan at hiyawan ng mga tao.
“Nervous?” Czesar asked when our shoulders bumped into each other. I only gave him a nod to confirm what I am feeling.
We finished singing three songs and we will be singing again later. The Mayor thanked us while he was on stage and he even introduce his niece that will also be singing with us. She's beautiful. Her body ain't skinny but she's not also chubby, in fact, I can say that her body is almost perfect when she's only at the age of seventeen. Her hair is obliviously curled with an equipment when it was perfectly curled. Basta, her appearance is close to perfect.
The event was purely all about politics and business talkings kaya hindi na ako nag-abalang makinig pa hanggang sa tinawag ulit ang banda at naghintay akong tawagin ang pangalan kaya tumayo ako at hindi na narinig ang pangalan ko.
Hanggang sa nagsimula na silang kumanta na hindi ako kasama. Tahimik kong pinagsabihan ang sarili dahil sa kahiyaang tinamo. Hindi rin naman naging matagal iyong pagmumukmok ko doon dahil mas kailangan ko pa na umuwi kaysa masaktan.
I was cursing myself as I walked around the street. It was almost ten and I was already exhausted when I went home as I walked a very long distance.
The whole week was more stressful. Finals is coming so I needed to study more. I have to ace my grades so I could have something to be proud of. Kahit para sa sarili ko na lang. Hindi na muna ako masyadong nag-abala pa sa kung ano anong mga bagay. I deactivated all my social media accounts at tinago na rin ang ukelele ko para hindi na ako matukso pa.Mas kailangan kong mag-aral ng mabuti.Sabado na ngayon at sa lunes na magsisimula ang aming eksaminasyon. Nagpapahinga lamang ako saglit at bumalik na ulit sa pag-aaral. Malapit na akong mag-college kaya kailangan ko ng magandang grado para makapasok ako sa magandang University.Pababa na ako sa hagdanan namin upang kumuha ng makakain ng may narinig akong tawanan sa aming sala. Siguro mga kaibigan ito ng kambal. Paminsan-minsan ko na silang nakikitang pumupunta rito sa bahay upang maglaro ng basketball dahil may half court naman kami sa labas. Minsan rin ay nakikita ko silang tumutugtog kaya patago a
After talking a lot with them and my bonding with Lau, nakatulog na kaagad ako. As I wasn't able to study by that night. I thanked heavens for waking me up earlier than I usually be awake so I had a little time to visit some notes.I opened my phone that has numerous numbers of calls and messages, totally unexpected. Worst, notifications from my facebook was much more uncontrollable. As I opened my facebook account and there! I saw Czesar posted a picture with me with a written caption 'meet my jealous girl, everyone. I love this girl so much! Love you bebekoh!'"Freaking hell?" I muttered silently.I deactivated my facebook account to stop myself reading comments at his post.I was furious as I sent him a lot of messages but I haven't receive a reply from him, even a single ones. So I decided to take a bath, atleast it would help me for now to calm.As I step unto the gates, students were al
"Hey." I heard someone called me while I was sitting on my chair, alone.According on the voice. I think I know whoever he is. Even his smell that automatically attacked my nose."What?" I asked him as my forehead creased.Is he planning to annoy me again?Nakita kong umupo siya sa isang upuan na harap sa akin at tinitigan ako. "Stop staring, I'm studying, idiot." dagdag ko pa sa kaniya at tumawa lamang siya.It was already our lunch break. Maingay doon sa classroom namin kaya napagdesisyonan kong maki-upo rito sa canteen, buti na lang rin ay may kaibigan akong tindera rito. Mabuti na lang rin dahil hindi gaano karami ang tao dito. Higit sa lahat, hindi maingay."Ilan pang subject ang hindi niyo pa natake?" tanong nito at binabati ang mga studyanteng bumabati rin sa kanya.Kahit pa mga junior high students, para tuloy siyang kandidatong
The next day, a woman stepped on our house likes she owns it. Everyone was busy including her, who's busy instructing the maids. Dad must have really prepared for this day.Instead of staying in our living room, I went to my brothers' room and saw that they are doing their workouts since the gym is far from our home. Tuwing sabado at linggo lang rin naman sila hindi nakakapag-gym.Naabutan ko si Namiel na nagpu-push up sa sahig kaya agad ko itong nilapitan at inupuan ang likod niya kaya pareho kaming bumagsak sa sahig na tumatawa. Habang si Rawl naman ay nagpla-plank rin. Rawl is the serious ones, kaya minsan hindi ko siya napapagtripan, sa takot ko lang na masigawan niya. Talagang hindi ko magagagawang mang-trip sa kaniya.After I stood up from falling and sat on a single bamboo couch. Their room is a bamboo themed so when you will look around, you will see bamboos everywhere. Their room has ship designs too
Months passed so fast. Done with my junior high year. Today is another year of summer in the month of June.I barely go out to my room and if I had to, I had to ask my brothers if they are downstairs so I will not be left alone with Falaviana. I don't know, I just do not feel comfortable with her existence. I don't feel good around with her. Good thing that Dad barely go home. Pakiramdam ko kapag naroroon kami sa isang lugar ay hindi ako mapakali dahil pakiramdam ko ay binabantayan nila ang bawat kilos ko.I sighed when I don't have any choice. The twins are attending their summer classes so I don't have anyone that I can talk to. After editing another video to upload on my channel, I watched another tutorial on YouTube and studied it. When I could feel the pain on my fingers, I stopped the video and stretched a bit.Since I was influenced by my brothers to workout, I did my usual workout routine and re
I stiffed from my position as I heard him called me by that endearment. I did not see it coming though. And it's been years since I last heard someone used called me that. Nakakapanibago at nakakamiss rin na may tumawag sa akin ng ganoon.Hindi ko rin mapigilan na hindi makaramdam ng pagkabahala sapagkat sa huling taong tumawa sa akin ng ganoon ay iniwan lang rin ako.But I cannot help to smile like an idiot. I can't help but to like him more.Umiwas ako nang tingin sa kanila at tumikhim para pakalmahin ang sarili. Pinaypayan rin ang sarili dahil pakirmdam ako namumula pa rin ako sa kilig na inabot ko.Who would have thought that this day would come? I never sa myself being in this situation as I am not close to other person except for Lau, specially with boys."We're dating."I immediately face Lau when I heard her saying the news. My mouth hung
It was already half a year since I attended Lau's debut party where Czesar's band performed. It was also three months after Czesar and I got official but we made our relationship private. We go out on a date but not to those popular public places in our town just the both of us since Lau also dates my brother and we don't want to see each other with our partners around. That's awkward.Since Czesar and I attended different schools, we barely see each other. So if we both have time, we would grab the chance to meet. Czesar and the twins are attending the same school so they sometimes see each other. Sabi pa niya ay bantay sarado raw siya ng kambal sa university nila.I am fine in our house even without the twins. My stepmom—Falaviana is coping up with me. She's nice. It's just I hated her quickly when I saw her. It was such a bad move. She just wanted to be close with us that's why she wanted the twins to come home every day last year but
It was already half a year since I attended Lau's debut party where Czesar's band performed. It was also three months after Czesar and I got official but we made our relationship private. We go out on a date but not to those popular public places in our town just the both of us since Lau also dates my brother and we don't want to see each other with our partners around. That's awkward.Since Czesar and I attended different schools, we barely see each other. So if we both have time, we would grab the chance to meet. Czesar and the twins are attending the same school so they sometimes see each other. Sabi pa niya ay bantay sarado raw siya ng kambal sa university nila.I am fine in our house even without the twins. My stepmom—Falaviana is coping up with me. She's nice. It's just I hated her quickly when I saw her. It was such a bad move. She just wanted to be close with us that's why she wanted the twins to come home every day