Sing Me a Song, Soleil

Chapter 31

*Soleil's POV*

I performed at a benefit concert for the victims of a recent earthquake in Mindanao. Ironically, the concert was held in the SM MOA Arena despite the calamity happening in Zamboanga. While in a conference video call with my friends yesterday, nasabi ni Sarah na sana daw doon na lang sa Zamboanga para may free concert experience naman yung mga nasalanta ng lindol. Lisa disagreed, saying that the last thing those people need was a concert experience. Holding it in MOA guaranteed profits and only with practical benefits will this effort be considered useful to the victims.

"Oh, there she is! My dear niece!" 

I paused when I saw Amelia Mendez being interviewed at the backstage of the concert venue. Malambing na hinila niya ako sa tabi niya at agad naman itinutok ng cameraman ang lens sa amin.

"Sino ba naman mag-aakala na pamangkin ko ang tinatawag nilang, the next big thing!" she squealed in an elegant manner.  "As you can see, she got glitter in her veins. Nakuha niya 'yon on our side of the family, 'di ba, hija?"

She squeezed my shoulders fondly, but I was uncomfortable so I discreetly removed her hand.

"It runs in the blood!" I agreed, laughing to try and shake off the nervousness na dala ng awkwardness.

"Matagal mo na bang alam na magkamag-anak kayo ni Miss Amelia?" tanong ng reporter.

"Kamakailan lang din," tipid na sagot ko.

Amelia kept telling the reporter things about me, pointing out how I take after them and our resemblances and all that crap. Panay ang yakap at pisil niya sa akin habang iniinterview kami, as if acting like we're close-knit and happy, kaya lalo akong nakaramdam ng discomfort.

"Soleil, bata ka pa noong namatay ang iyong ina. How did you deal with that tragedy?"

"Oh that," I grinned. I had just managed to fully get Amelia's hands off of me. "I didn't have to deal with it because I never knew her and she never got in touch with me at all throughout my childhood."

My answer got both Amelia and the reporter speechless, so I took that as my ticket to get out of this unwanted spotlight.

"Excuse me, and have a nice day, tita," I said sarcastically before exiting.

Tinawagan ako ni ate Lauren kinabukasan para sabihing napanood niya ang interview sa TV. She asked if we were close already and I denied it.

"Basta niya na lang akong hinila. I couldn't leave easily," I explained as I was preparing a smoothie. "Nawatch mo ba lahat? I said some things that are... not nice."

"You did?" she questioned. 

"Oo. Sabi ko I never met our mother my whole life."

"I see. I didn't see that part. Mukhang close nga kayo masyado eh."

"No way," I laughed derisively. "Kung di mo nakita, malamang they cut it out. I was worried magti-trend na naman, turns out it wasn't aired."

"Maybe not and that's good. Pag-uusapan na naman family affairs natin ng mga tao eh. Pero, you shouldn't be so hard on Amelia. Malay mo naman she has good intentions."

I scoffed, slamming the blender shut. "Her every attempt at publicly announcing that her sister was a bad mom is not in any way an act of good intentions."

"Well, to be fair, ikaw ang nag-announce, you said so yourself."

"Yes, but I wouldn't have done that if she just stopped pestering me," I complained. "And unless I'm being judgmental of someone I don't know that much, I honestly don't feel any spark of sincerity in her actions. Sorry."