Strings of Memory

Chapter 9

Malungkot siyang umiling.

"But why?" Elliot immediately asked, and I could almost hear the desperation in his voice, but my gaze remained to the girl beside me.

Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga bago sumagot. "I want to be in a band."

Naramdaman ko ang pagkabog ng puso ko dahil sa mga salitang binitiwan niya. She's still going on about being in a band, and... I think she's serious about it based on the sincerity I could hear in her voice.

"Are you telling the truth?" seryosong tanong ni Elliot, and I saw how her expression changed into a serious one. Honestly, I was taken aback by the sudden change in her expression. Especially since it's a serious one, because this is the first time I saw that expression on her.

And I think I'm not the only one shocked by this, because the guy in front of us stopped for a moment. I glanced at him and saw how he swallowed while waiting for her response.

"I am," seryosong sagot ng babae sa tabi ko. Ibinalik ko ang tingin ko sa kanya at nakitang ganoon pa din ang ekspresyon niya habang nakatitig kay Elliot. I looked back at him, and he's also staring at her.

Nagsukatan sila ng tingin bago nagbuga ng hininga si Elliot. Tumango siya at sinabing, "Fine," bago tumalikod at umalis.

Is that it? He gave up just like that? So what's the use of me being dragged here if she could just do that? Dapat simula palang ay ganito na ang ginawa niya para mabilis siyang tinigilan ni Elliot. But who am I to judge, right? From what I've seen so far, he's pretty stubborn, so it must have been really hard to constantly reject him.

Narinig ko ang pagpapakawala ng hininga ng babaeng katabi ko. Like she's heaving a sigh of relief.

Tumingin siya sa akin at binigyan ako ng isang ngiti. "I'm sorry for doing that, Wynther. I kept using you and I haven't even apologized. And thank you for cooperating kahit alam kong ayaw mo." sabi niya at tumawa ng mahina.

"So, I'm sorry and thank you," dagdag niya, pero nanatili lang akong nakatingin sa kanya. It felt odd to hear the words "sorry" and "thank you" in the same sentence.

Huminga siya ng malalim. "You see, the reason why Eli kept asking me was because he wants me to join the track and field team." Pauna niya.

So that's the reason. Although I didn't really want to listen to her story, I had no choice. She looked like she had a lot on her mind, and talking would surely help her. So I stayed quiet and listened.

"And the reason for that was because my mother was a famous track and field athlete. It seemed like Eli was a fan of my mother, so he kept asking me to join them." Dagdag niya bago ngumiti. But her smile didn't reach her eyes.

Yumuko siya bago nagpatuloy. "Since she was a famous athlete, they think their team needs me. My mother is very talented and I seemed to inherit her talent for running."

Yeah. She must have, dahil noong unang pagkikita namin ay mabilis siyang nawala sa harapan ko pagkatapos niyang tamaan ang mukha ko.

"I was then pressured to take the same path as her, but I don't want it." This time, inangat niya ang tingin niya at nagtama ang mga mata namin. Kung kanina ay malungkot ang mga mata niya, ngayon ay kitang-kita ko ang determinasyon doon.

"I want to be in a band. It's something I've always wanted since I was a kid, and I'm determined to do just that."

My heart pounded at the mention of the word "band," and as I looked at her, I couldn't help but think how I was the same as her before. How I was so determined to make my dreams come true, but it ended in tragedy.