Ears and Rhymes

Chapter 25- NOT SIKAT DAW

Michelle

I suddenly woke up when I remember that our house was burned down last night. I immediately run outside the room to look for my dad. Baka atakihin na naman sa puso kapag nalaman niya. I found him having breakfast with Tita Merjie, Tita Kaye, Tito Redgie, and Tito Angel.

"Ang aga mong nagising," puna ni Tita Merjie sa akin.

"Uhmmm, good morning to all... Dad?"

Napatingin sa akin si Daddy. "I saw the news," he said. He looks even calmer than I was last night.

"Mabuti at nandito kayo kagabi. Merry Christmas Mitch. Huwag mo ng alalahanin muna ang nangyari. Join us muna," yaya ni Tita Merjie sa akin.

Dad is super calm, nakakapagtaka. I expected him to be furious. Well, it's our house that was burned.

"May balita po ba kung—"

"It's arson," kalmadong sagot ni Daddy.

Oh, shit, you kid me not.

"Our kasambahay—"

"They are safe." Si Tita Merjie na ang sumagot.

Okay, that's good.

"May lechon pa— ay bawal nga pala kay pare ang lechon."

Natatawa si Tita Kaye kay Tita Merjie. She called my dad pare.

"Are you okay, dad?" I asked softly.

Napatingin si Daddy sa akin. "Are you?" he asked back.

"I am just glad we were not there last night," I said honestly.

Brix and I were walking around the Country Club while he helped me push my dad. Ang daming kids around the street na namamasko. Some are wearing costumes of elf and little Santa. They are extortionists, these cute kids. May dala silang box with a note 'Merry Christmas'.

The speakers on the street are blowing with Christmas songs which the kids sing along and also Brix. He sings softly as we stroll.

My Dad is terribly quiet and I am starting to get worried.

"Buti na lang bawal fan girling dito. They are looking at you," I said to Brix.

"Sa iyo sila nakatingin hindi sa akin," he replied.

"Nah, hindi naman Brix ang pangalan ko. They said, 'Si Brix ng Overdrive.'"

"Hindi ko narinig," sagot ni Brix.

"Sikat ang boyfriend ko," tukso ko kay Brix. Natawa lang siya ng slight.

"Si Jaxx ang mukha ng Overdrive," he insisted. "Siya ang kilala."

"But you also wrote your songs."

"Almost half of it. Kami ni Jaxx ang song writers. Dati si Margaux nagpi-pitch din ng kanta. Her royalties go to her charity."

"Amazing. I can't even form a straight tagalog sentence without my friend's nose bleeding."

Natawa kami ni Brix.

This is calming and Brix spending time with me and my Dad is something I prayed for. I knew what he did to Brix and what caused his heart attack. Rose told it to me. I am amazed at how Brix handled it. If sa ibang tao siguro, they took the money. It's 20 million after all. The insults that my Dad told Brix were hard to swallow. I am super over grateful for Brix, for not being bastos to my dad after all. He still respected my dad and I thought this guy is a gem. This guy was raised by a queen.

"How did you guys meet?"

"Who? Kami ni Jaxx?" he asked back.

Tumigil kami sa isang coffee shop at naupo kami doon. Dad is besides me listening.

"Nagkakilala kami noon sa UP sa isang club na pinilit kaming isali ng Philosophy Prof namin. Hindi kami magkakilala no'n. Magkakaiba kami ng course. Sa sobrang bored namin sa club, nagsimulang gumawa ng drumbeat si Blaze. Doon nagstart ang lahat. After a week, nagkita-kita ulit, may dala na akong gitara. Gano'n din pala ang naisip ni Jaxx. Nag-click kaming apat at every week na nagkikita kami, nabubuo ang pangarap naming kumanta. Unang nagpa-autograph sa amin si Margaux."

"Cool," I murmured. "Pero hindi kayo nag-drop out?"

"Hindi," umiling si Brix. "Iyon lang ang meron kami, education. Si Jaxx lang ang mayaman sa amin. Kaming tatlo nila Blaze at Ryker ay mga scholars."

"Amazing," bulong ko. Nakaka-proud si honey ko.

Nahihiyang ngumiti si Brix.

"Grabe, nahiya ako sa grades ko." I laugh at my silliness.

"Iyon lang kasi ang naipamana ng magulang ko sa akin. Sobrang proud sila ng naka-graduate ako. Sulit ang puyat at pagod."

"Yeah, I know they are proud of you."

Brix smiled shyly again. Nakalimutan na namin si Dad na nandito kung hindi lang siya huminga ng malalim.

"Brix... hi... Overdrive... I'm Melissa and I am a fan." She's high-pitched screaming, sakit sa ears.

And I am the girlfriend.

The nerve of this girl. She making bulabog us. No fangirling ngaaaa!

Ngumiti lang si Brix dito but not the smile he always gives to me. Not the cute smile... no! He smiled politely.

"Pwedeng magpa-picture?" this Melissa girl asked.

"I am with my girlfriend and her Dad. Some other time na lang kapag nasa stage kami. Thank you." Brix politely decline which made me smile.

"Ow..." Mukha siyang disappointed when she looked at me.

"I'm the girlfriend," I said with a big smile. "And no fangirling dito."

"Sorry, I didn't know."

Umalis si Melissa na disappointed.

"Hindi raw siya sikat," tukso ko kay Brix.

Namumulang umiling si Brix.

How cute.