Conquering Territories: Completed

12

Before I could talk, someone answered for me. "He's ready. Right, Khaydel?" Irving's encouraging smile somehow lifted the spirit inside me. This man really is something.

"Sunod ka na lang sa akin ha?" Yngrid said, before disappearing into the crowd. That girl really knew how to blend well with the crowd.

My mind was still processing things when I felt Irvin's arm on my shoulder. "You're nervous, right? It's normal. Just don't let it conquer you."

I held out a deep sigh before gathering my confidence. Wala na rin naman akong magagawa dahil nakita na ako ni Yngrid. I couldn't escape anymore.

"I'm just here, okay?"

That was the last thing I remembered as I stepped on the mini stage. Hindi ko alam kung paano ako nakarating rito sa gitna. Ang alam ko lang ay kasama ko si Irvin habang nagdadalawang-isip ako sa gagawin ko. That man really knew how to console a nervous heart.

The crowd made a loud noise when Yngrid introduced me. I could feel my jelly knees because of the sudden surge of emotion. Bullets of sweats were now visible on my forehead. My hands were now shaking. Kinakabahan talaga ako.

My eyes caught someone with an encouraging look plastered on his face. Irvin was now looking at me before mouthing you can do it. I took a deep breath before strumming the first chords of the song.

I'm so glad you made time to see me.

I closed my eyes as I continued strumming. The cold breeze passed through my pullover yet, nervousness was nowhere to be found. I just found myself feeling the song.

Thoughts of my parents enveloped my mind. The three of us sang inside our home with my father strumming his guitar. We laughed and sang at the same time. We were complete during those times. We were happy and complete.

It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you.

I heard some of the crowd were singing with me, feeling the song. Small comments somehow made me smile. Magagawa ko pa rin palang ngumiti. Pipilitin ko pa rin ang ngumiti kahit hindi na ang mga magulang ko ang kasama kong kumanta.

Tears were now building inside my eyes. Thoughts continuously entered my system, causing me to be emotional. It was still them. Even if I tried to focus on something. It was still them inside my mind.

I was about to burst out yet, someone stole my attention. He was holding his phone with a smile plastered on his lips. He was enjoying everything, which somehow made me smile again.

My parents won't like it if they saw me crying because of some thoughts I made. They want me to smile. They want me to be happy again.

I go back to December all the time.

I ended the song with a genuine smile plastered on my lips. This is the first time I smiled without my friends with me. This time it was genuine.

"You did great." Irvin approached me as I stooped down from the stage. "Smile, you made a perfect 100."

"Smile, you made a perfect 100."

A small smile was formed on lips after hearing those words. Irvin was now standing in front of me with a phone on his right hand and a tissue on the left. "Here, I know you've been holding that back."

Without any other signal, he wiped the tears that travelled down my cheeks. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at hinayaan na lang ang mga luha ko na tumulo. We're now far from the crowd, I bet no one would see me crying. Nakakahiya kung maraming makakakita sa aking umiyak.

I held the tissue with my own hand before drying my tears. I really made it. Thinking that it was Irvin who was with me during that, a certain kind of happiness enveloped me. Little by little, I found myself being contented with the people around me. Unti-unti, nararanasan ko na ring magbukas sa ibang tao.