Strings That Bind
"I'd best be on my way out."
Pagkatapos kantahin ng deskmate ko ang huling linya ng kanta at matapos ang tunog ng mga instrumentong gamit namin, katahimikan ang bumalot sa buong lugar.
Sinulyapan ko ang vocalist at nakita ko ang ngisi na namuo sa mga labi niya. Nakipagtawanan siya sa mga kabanda niya at iniangat ang hawak na microphone para magsalita—pero hindi niya nagawa dahil biglang nagpalakpakan at hiyawan ang mga taong nanonood.
Cheers and applause erupted in the whole place, and I couldn't help but smirk when I saw how the band's expression shifted. Sabay-sabay na nalukot ang mga mukha nila, hindi makapaniwalang nakatitig sa audience.
Feeling satisfied with what just happened, I turned to the people I was with and saw their shocked expressions at the audience's sudden reaction.
Hindi sila makapaniwalang tumingin sa akin pero imbis na bigyan pa sila ng kung anong mabulaklak na salita ay pinili ko na lang na ayain sila paalis doon.
"Let's go. We already got what we need," sabi ko, itinuro ko gamit ang ulo ko ang reaksyon ng banda sa performance namin.
Napalitan ng ngisi ang mga mukha ng mga kasama ko, at sabay-sabay silang tumango.
"You're right," sabay nilang sagot.
We don't need to hear any comments from that band—especially from that vocalist—because the cheers and applause we received were more than enough to tell us how good we were.
"Join us, Wynther," sabi ng deskmate ko habang naglalakad kami pauwi.
Now that she heard me play, I knew she had more reason to ask me to join their band. But I still... don't want to. Kaya umiling ako.
"No," mahinahon kong sagot na ikinawala ng ngiti niya.
"But why?" she exclaimed. "You were so good at playing! Right, guys?"
Sabay-sabay silang tumango.
"Ang galing mo kanina, Wynther," sabi ni Rive habang nakangiti.
"I didn't know you could play the bass. Hanap pa kami ng hanap ng pwedeng maging bassist, nasa tabi lang pala namin ang kailangan namin," nangingiting sabi ni Elliot.
"They're right. You were really amazing, and the way you led us earlier was excellent. Do you have any experience performing with a band?" tanong ni Zeira na halos makapagpatigil sa akin.
Tinignan ko ang iba naming kasama kung napansin ba nila ang naging reaksyon ko, pero nang makita kong wala namang nagbago sa mga mukha nila ay ibinalik ko ang tingin kay Zeira.
Marahan akong tumango. "Yes. Like Elliot, I sometimes did fill-ins when I was in junior high," sagot ko.
It wasn't really a lie. I did fill in for The Reverie before—though only during practice sessions. They never let me be their bassist during gigs, and I knew why. My father was their one and only bassist. No one else could ever replace him, kaya naman nauwi sa disbandment ang banda.
No one could ever replace any of them. Kahit sinong mawala sa kanila, siguradong disbandment pa rin ang kahahantungan ng banda.
"You lied to me."
Napatingin ako sa deskmate ko at nakita ko siyang naka-pout.
"You told me you didn't know how to play any instruments."
Nagkibit balikat ako. "I just don't want to join your band," sagot ko, which made her pout even more.
"How did you learn how to play the bass, Wynther?" tanong ni Rive. Nakangiti pa rin siya. He's probably diverting the topic because of what my deskmate said—but the subject he brought up wasn't good either.
YOU ARE READING
Strings of Memory
Teen Fiction"Hating the one thing you love is a pain worse than losing it." - Wynther Fynne Clemenceau Wynther never had a dream-until he heard his father play the bass. In that moment, music became his purpose, his passion, his future. He dreamed of standing o...
