A Summer to Remember

Moving on

Adik sayo

Awit sa akin

Nilang sawa na saking mga kwentong marathon

Tungkol sayo

At sa ligaya

Iyong hatid sa aking buhay

Tuloy ang bida sa isipan koy ikaw.

Sa umaga't sa gabi sa bawat minutong lumilipas

Hinahanap hanap kita

Hinahanap hanap kita…

Sounds familiar. Bakit naman hindi? Ako kaya ang nagsulat ng kantang to. Halos 3 months na siyang number 1 sa MYX. Of course si Daniel ang kumanta. Isa pa siya sa mga sound track ng Princess and I, ang pinakabagong prime time tele serye ni Daniel at Kath. SUPER DUPER sikat na ang Kathniel ngayon, mas dumami pa ang fans nila.

Nung una kong narinig ang kantang to sa radio, hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat kong maramdaman. But one thing is for sure, masaya ako sa kinalabasan ng kanta namin ni Daniel. Hindi lang yan, may upcoming movie project pa sila titled "Nag-iisang Puso", and ang carrier single ay yung Wag na wag mong Sasabihin na duet naming dalawa. Don't ask me kung paano ako naging very updated!

NP - How to Love cover by Clara C

"Hello?" sagot ko sa kabilang linya. Sino naman kaya ang tatawag sa akin?

"Is this Janine Rivera? I am Jonathan Manalo of Star Records, and we are wondering if you are open to sign an exclusive contract for us." Huwattt?

"Yes, this is Janine Rivera. I'm sorry but I just can't get it, I am in no way related to any Star Records transaction as far as I am concerned." sagot ko sa kabilang linya. Isip. Isip. Isip. DANIEL!

"We're just after the formalities. Alam mo naman ayaw naming makasuhan ng copyright infringement sa mga kantang ginawa mo. Your songs Tayo na, Wag na wag mong sasabihin and Hinahanap hanap kita are currently hitting the airwaves. It's turning double platinum this month." huh? Double platinum? Grabe naman.

"Ahh, I see. Ok lang. You can use it. I already gave it to Mr. Daniel Padilla, I am in no way related to him or his management anymore." sagot ko sa Star Records.

"No. We insist. You have talent. All you have to do is compose songs. We are giving you a signing bonus plus a royalty for every sales the album will get." sabi ng Star Records. Hindi na ako nakasagot.

"How does 1 million pesos as a signing bonus sound to you?" Anooo?? 1 million ang worth?

"1 million? Ano naman ang terms ng contract?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Oh well, thanks you are interested, we can meet tomorrow there in your resort. " sabi niya sa akin.

"How does 1PM sound to you?" tanong ko kay Jonathan Manalo.

"Great! I'll bring the contract, and your check, be sure to get a lawyer OK?" yun na lang ang sinabi niya and the line went off.

I can't believe this.

Nagring ulit ang phone ko.

"Hey there Ms. Composer!" That voice. Ilang months ko nang gustong marinig ang boses na yan.

"Hoy aroganteng butiki! May kinalaman ka ba sa pagtawag ng Star Records sa akin ha!" tanong ko sa kanya.

"They just heard your songs, and they liked it. Yun lang. Tinanong nila kung saan galing ang songs na yun and I told them that my bestfriend wrote it for me." best friend. Okay lang. At least diba he still cared for me.

"Thanks Daniel. Tatanggapin ko ang contract na yun. Tama ka. I should follow my dreams." sabi ko sa kanya. He laughed a soft laugh sa kabilang linya.

"I'm happy for you Janine. Miss na kita. Miss ka na namin ni Kath." aww.. Nakakatouch namang marinig.

"And, don't forget. You are signing an exclusive contract. Meaning your songs will only be for me." sabi ni Daniel.

"Ganun? Gusto ko pa naman sanang gawan ng kanta si Enrique." I teased him. Naiimagine ko ang mukha ni Daniel. Nakabusangot siguro yun ngayon. Hindi na siya sumagot.

"Oo naman. Only for you princess." sagot ko. Mga 5 minutes pa kaming nagkumustahan, then we said goodbye.

Kinabukasan, after my meeting with Star Records na dinaluhan namin ni Ninong, Papa as my lawyer at Mang Carding, agad kong dineposit ang cheke sa bangko and threw a little banquet for the people at the resort. Siyempre naman part sila ng success ko. I also invited Kath and Daniel, kaya lang may shooting pa sila ng Princess and I.

So yun, yung 10% ng pera ko dinonate ko sa charity, then I bought a brand new car. The contract came with a condo unit where I can stay everytime pupunta ako ng Manila. Sino ba naman ang hindi makakatanggi ng offer nila?

2 months after…

Halos nakaget over na ako kay Daniel, what with all the deadlines and recordings, kulang na kulang ang oras ko. April nangyari ang lahat, a month after everything happened as usual tinapos na namin nina Jen, Rhea at Nathan ang summer job namin sa resort ni Ninong. Ganyan naman talaga kami eh, every summer lang kaming nagtatrabaho sa resort.

Mag cocollege narin naman kami. We enrolled in the same school. Nathan took up Political Science, Rhea took up medicine, Jen enrolled under Fine Arts, ako naman Film. Pasok kaming lahat sa UP.

After the three songs, nasundan pa yun ng three songs, namely Prinsesa, Panalangin at Dadalhin. Sabi ng Star Records, they will use it as sound tracks ng Princess and I. Kulang pa nga ako ng 2 songs eh.

By December nakapag submit pa ako ng isang song titled Ligaya.

I'm so proud of my self. May purpose nga siguro kaya nagkakilala kami ni Daniel.

Ang dami nang nangyari since that summer. Few months after Enrique saw me again, naging klaro na sa akin ang lahat. All the time I thought ako ang gusto niya. But mali ako. I was blinded by my love for him, si Rhea pala ang gusto niya. Nakapag move on na naman ako sa kanya, kaya when he called me to ask permission to court Rhea, I didn’t object. They both deserve to be happy. Kung tutuusin ako nga ang naging kontrabida sa love story ng dalawa.

Si Nathan at Jen naman, 7 months nang in a relationship. Grabe din ang naging struggle ng relationship nila. Mabuti nalang, nahanap pa nila ang isa't-isa.

As for me, happy rin naman ako. With all the things that's been going on sa career ko, sino ba naman ang hindi sasaya? After I submitted my seventh composition sa Star Records, bigla nanaman nila akong inofferan ng isang  kontrata. They're wondering kung pwede ba akong i-launch as their newest talent. Kalevel lang nila Zia Quizon te?? Hehehe. Sabi nila I have a great voice, enticing kung baga, full of emotions. Hindi rin naman daw ako pangit para mahiyang ipakita ang mukha ko sa mga audience, Plus I write great songs. By February they are thinking to let me sign a contract on being their newest singer/composer. Sino ba naman ako para hindi pumayag. It's a dream come true for me.

Sa love life, oh well. Wala pa talaga eh. I moved on na kay Daniel, but not fully. May mga nagpaparamdam naman sa akin sa university, pero wala pa talaga yung spark na hinahanap ko eh. Alam niyo yun? Spark, the instant na magtatama ang mga mata namin, titigil ang oras, mawawala lahat ng nasa paligid namin. I'm searching for that one na para talaga sa akin - yung walang complications, and as much as possible yung non-showbiz. Gusto ko the next time I fall in love, yun bang yun na talaga. Yun bang ibibigay ko ang lahat, at siya rin.

OK lang naman sa akin walang lovelife eh. With all the pressures sa recording industry, plus sa studies ko pa, ok lang talaga. Pero with the sight of Rhea and Enrique na nagkikita everytime walang taping sched at ASAP rehearsal si Enrique, plus Jen and Nathan's constant companionship na nakikita ko araw-araw, makes me feel so alone.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaay. OK fine.

Sana makita ko na yung sinabi ni Nathan at Daniel sa akin na guy that will be very lucky to have me.