A girl with long black hair, holding an electric guitar.
Napahinto siya sa pagtugtog at napatitig sa akin. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya at napaatras ng kaunti.
"A-anong ginagawa mo dito, W-wynther?" Nauutal niyang tanong.
"I've been looking for you," sagot ko agad.
She blinked. "M-me?" Tanong niya habang nakaturo sa sarili, her brows furrowing in confusion.
Tumango ako. "I'm not going to beat around the bush, Zeira."
Nakita ko ang ginawa niyang paglunok, as if bracing herself for what I was about to say next.
"Join my band," I said.
For a moment, she was too stunned to react katulad ng kay Rive. Pero ilang segundo lang at nakabawi rin siya.
She started fidgeting with her fingers habang hinihintay ko ang sagot niya. Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga. Paulit-ulit. Bago salubungin ang mga mata ko.
"I'm sorry, Wynther," mahina niyang sabi.
A dull ache settled in my chest at her words, pero hindi ako nagulat. I expected this. Alam kong hindi ito magiging madali.
"I'm... already in a band," she admitted, almost in a whisper.
Natigilan ako. What now? She already has a band. Should I just give up?
"I've always been looking for bandmates," she continued. "Ever since you first found me in this room. Bandmates who shared the same dreams as me. But it was never easy."
She smiled—pero halata ang lungkot sa likod noon.
"So when Luna asked me to join, I might have come off as harsh at first, but I just wanted to make sure na hindi ako maiiwan ulit. Na sabay-sabay tayong aabot sa pangarap natin."
I felt my chest tighten.
"But then that incident happened. No one expected it... and we all went our separate ways." Her voice turned softer, almost distant. "And maybe... maybe because you all accepted me for who I am, it made getting along with other people easier. The band I'm in now... they don't have the same talents as you guys, but they accepted me the way you did. And that was enough for me."
Tinitigan niya ako sa mata.
"So I'm really sorry, Wynther. But I can't join you."
She smiled apologetically, as if that would soften the blow.
Napakagat ako sa pang ibabang labi ko at napalunok. I know I'll be hurting her if I still try to persuade her. She already found people who accepted her, just like we did. Maybe... maybe this is what she really wants now. But I can still see it in her eyes.
She misses our band.
And that's why she's here. Playing her guitar.
She misses it—just like I do. Because that band, our band, was home. We were each other's home.
"I know I'm asking for the impossible," I started.
She stilled at my words, and I saw the slight tremble in her gaze.
"But it won't feel the same if you're not with us."
Natigilan siya dahil sa sinabi ko and I saw how her eyes shook pero nagpatuloy lang ako sa pagsasalita.
"I want to be in a band with all of you again," I admitted, my voice quieter now. "I know I already missed my chance when I walked away that day. When I left without saying anything. When I knew—when I knew—how much you still wanted to keep the band going even after Luna was gone."
ESTÁS LEYENDO
Strings of Memory
Novela Juvenil"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...
Chapter 29
Comenzar desde el principio
