Tangina Dorothy kaya ka nasasaktan dahil inuuna ang kalandian.

Cosmos waved at me with his smile ganoon na rin sina Kuya Troy. I just nodded earning a sad stare from them.

Lumapit si Gremory sa microphone, nakasukbit na ang gitara sakanya. “Mic test. Mic test.” Iyon pa lamang ang sinabi niya at hindi na magkandamayaw ang mga manonood at sina Stacy na fan girls niya.

I cross my arms trying to pull myself together, I need to do this for myself kahit na ito nalang ang magagawa ko para isalba ang sarili sa kahihiyan at insultong sinabi niya noong nagdaang araw. Hindi ako nagtatanim ng galit o sama ng loob si Deiry lang ang ganoon pero kapag talaga nasaktan ng todo hindi maiwasang gumawa ng mga bagay-bagay para lamang makaiwas.

Kuya Troy hit the drum, they started to strum on the rhythm of melody. “Let it out, been building up you better. Let it out, say everything you've been meaning now. ” Gremory's voice gave us chills the whole gymnasium fell into silence. “I want it to burn. When you tell me I'm such a wreck, it isn't easy cleaning up your mess. It's like a garter up around my neck she says it won't hurt..”

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin ang hirap magpigil ng tili. “But everything you do makes my heart race. I can't even think straight.. Is this just a game to you? Reruns every night. It's always the same fight & I think you should know..” It was Cosmos turn to sing the verse. He has a good voice but unlike Gremory who has more potential and something on his voice.

Shet. Naiihi ako.

Napangiwi ako ng maramdamang naiihi. Tatayo na sana ako at pupunta muna sa banyo ng biglang magtama ang mga mata namin ni Gremory. “I hate your touch. I hate your mouth
I can't stand every single word that falls out..” At muling bumaling sa kabilang dako ng mga manonood, pinaparinggan niya ba ako sa mga lyrics na ‘yon?! “But you're all that I've been dreaming of.. This is not another song about love. I hate your voice.. I hate your lips, I hate how bad I wanna steal your kiss. But you're all that I've been dreaming of.. This is not another song about love..”

Parang may kung ano sa pantog kong umurong ang ihi. Sa pagkakataong iyon ay nagsisitayuan na ang mga estudyante na nakikinig sa Victorious may mga nagwawala na nga at gustong pumunta sa stage, nilapitan ako ni Feitan at pabirong isinayaw at pinaikot-ikot.

“Since you hate it just to say the least.
And with your eyes you're suffocating me.. Inside my lungs it's getting hard to breathe.. You couldn't care less..”

“But everything you do makes my heart race. I can't even think straight,
is this just a game to you? Reruns every night. It's always the same fight & I think you should know.. I hate your touch, I hate your mouth.
I can't stand every single word that falls out. But you're all that I've been dreaming of.. This is not another song about love, I hate your voice
I hate your lips.. I hate how bad I wanna steal your kiss.. But you're all that I've been dreaming of.. This is not another song about love..”

Natatawnag hinampas ko si Feitan. “Parang tanga! Nakakahilo!” Tumawa rin ito sa mga kaboangan na ginagawa namin.

“Ang ganda mo kapag nakangiti..”

Nangunot ang aking noo, “ano?! Sabi mo bingi ako?!” Ani ko’t nilakasan ang boses hindi narinig ang sasabihin nito dahil sa pagkanta ng banda.

Sa ilalim ng nagsasayawang kulay ng stage at ang malamig na simoy ng hangin, nakita kong ngumiti si Feitan at malamlam akong tinitigan.. “Sabi ko ang ganda mo kapag nakangiti.” Natulos ako sa kinatatayuan normal lang na sabihan ako ni Feitan ng ganiyan pero parang may kakaiba sa pagkakataong ito..

“F-Fei..”

“Gusto kita.. Gustong-gusto kita, Dorothy.”

I'm dumbfounded, left in nowhere hearing his confession. Ito ang kinatatakutan ko iyong marinig na mismo sakanya ang mga salitang iyon. Alam ko, nakakaramdam ako... Akala ko’y mapipigilan pa ni Feitan. Akala ko mananatili kaming magkaibigan at akala ko hindi siya maglalakas ng loob sabihin..

“The sky fades from blue to gray inside it's just like an ocean.Still I'm drowning how bad I wanna sink & let it take me away. I don't know why I come back, I do every time. We get close to the end. It's a finish line.
Sing these words for the girl I've been dreaming of.. Is this just another song about love?” Naagaw ng aking atensyon ang paraan ng pagkanta ni Gremory, tila galit at madiin bawat bigkas ng liriko.

I laugh on an awkward manner, “pero magkaibigan tayo..” Iyon ang aking nasagot sakanya.

Feitan forehead creased and slightly pouted. “Friendzone na ba ako?” Aniya, hindi ako umimik. “Don’t worry, sinabi ko lang ito para maka move on na ako sayo. Swerte mo naman kung magiging patay na patay ako sayo, ano ka chicks?” Biro niya’t pagkuwana'y natawa pero hindi abot sakanyang mga mata.



“Let it out.. Been building up I better let it out.. Say everything I've been meaning now. Dreaming bout, I need it now.I need it now. I need your touch
I have no doubt. I want your love till it all runs out. Cause you're all I've been dreaming of.. Is this just another song about love? I need your voice. I need your lips, I need you bad. I wanna steal your kiss, cause you're all that I've been dreaming of.. This is just another song about love..” Natapos na ang kanta– “Can you fucking stop touching her?!”

Halos tumigil ang mundo at sabay-sabay kaming napabaling kay Gremory na bigla nalamang nagmura at nagsalita ng maanghang na patutsada. Anong meron sakanya? Naka topak na naman?

Feitan leaned over me, “basta magkaibigan pa rin tayo. Pwede ring magka-ibigan para bongga. ” I smiled a bit, he's trying to easy the awkwardness that is starting be a barrier on our relationship. “Magpakipot ka lang, Smile. At hayaan mo siyang mabaliw hanggang sa hindi niya na makayanan..” Anito at kinindatan ako.

He left me with so much question on my head. Naiwan akong nakatayo naguusap-usap na rin ang Victorious pero kapansin-pansing wala sa mood ang vocalist nila. Bahala sila diyan!

Nakasalukbaba naman si Deiry ng maabutan ko ito. “Saan ka galing?” Tanong niya, “tignan mo ‘yon.” Ininguso niya ang isang direksyon awtomatikong sinundan ko iyon at doon nakita si Rossweisse na pabalik-balik at balisa, susulyap at mag-iiwas ng tingin sa kinalalagyan ni Deiry. “Kanina pa iyan, problema niya?”

Ngumisi ako. “Baka gusto kang isayaw. Tignan mo iyong si Xerxes, kasayaw niya iyong kaklase niyang si Galatea..” We both watched the pair, seems like they're having a serious conversation while dancing and swaying to the rhythm.

I wracked my brain for something trivial, “sana all..”  I said while watching all our batch mates giving their hands to the girl and boys they wanted to dance with.

Iyong pangarap kong maisayaw ako ni Gremory... Tanggap ko ng mas malabo pa iyon sa kanal kung mangyayari. Lahat ng pag-asa nawala na, iyong pag-asa na malaman ko kung bakit bigla nalang siyang nagbago ng pakikitungo sa akin..

Nanghihinayang..

Mapait akong napangiti habang pinapanood ang mga kinikilig, naiiyak, bored, inaantok na mga estudyante sa JS siguro nga huwag nalang.. Kahit ngayon lang panindigan ko ang pag-iwas sakanya.

Napalingon ako kay Deiry ng kalabitin ako nito. “D-Dorothy,” nautal at parang naguguluhan nitong tawag sa akin.

I glanced at her, “bakit?”  I whispered.
Minutes had passed and she didn't talk. “Huh–––”





“May I take you for a dance?”

__________________
#Sudden change of action

Sitio Series 3: Scheming List  Where stories live. Discover now