The Dissonant Keys
"What's your dream, Rive?"
Napatingin ako kay Luna. She was staring into the distance, her mind seemingly lost in thought.
Her words carried more weight than she probably intended. May kung anong bigat sa tanong niya, and the way she looks right now... parang hindi niya talaga alam kung ano ang gusto niyang gawin.
She's like a bird trapped in a cage—unable to spread her wings freely.
Masayahin siya most of the time, but I always notice a shift in her demeanor whenever dreams are brought up. Whenever she sees someone passionately chasing after what they want. Whenever she sees someone who has already found their purpose. Laging may bahid ng inggit sa mga mata niya.
Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga. "I... don't have one," sagot ko.
Parang nagising siya sa sinabi ko at mabilis siyang bumaling sa akin.
"Why?" Nagtatakang tanong niya.
"I don't have one," inulit ko. "But the path I have to take in life is already decided."
Bahagyang kumunot ang noo niya. "What is it?"
Ngumiti ako. "I'm going to succeed Dad."
Halatang hindi niya nagustuhan ang sagot ko dahil bigla siyang naging seryoso.
"Why are you letting someone else decide for you?" Hindi ngumingiti niyang tanong.
I reached out and patted her head. "It's alright. I don't really have something I want to do."
And that's the truth. Wala naman talaga akong gustong gawin, kaya okay lang na si Daddy ang magdesisyon para sa akin. I'll just follow what he wants. As long as it makes him happy, then that's fine.
"Let's go, Rive. We're late."
Tumango ako kay Mommy at hinawakan ang kamay niya. We got into the car and drove to a venue where a piano competition was being held. Sabi niya, gusto niyang suportahan ang anak ng kaibigan niya—ni Tita Madi.
Pagdating namin sa venue, dumiretso lang kami sa loob. I saw a few people walking around, pero tuloy-tuloy lang kami hanggang sa huminto kami sa harap ng isang double door. My mom pushed it open, and we went inside.
Madilim ang paligid, tanging ilaw lang sa stage ang nagbibigay-liwanag. Tahimik kaming naglakad papunta sa upuan. Naupo si Mommy, at umupo ako sa tabi niya.
Sakto namang may nagsalita.
"Number 6, Mendoza, Vincent Jareth. Pachelbel's Canon."
The voice echoed throughout the room.
People clapped—including my mom—kaya napilitan na rin akong pumalakpak.
Tumingin ako sa stage at nakita ko ang isang batang lalaki na mukhang kasing-edad ko lang. He was wearing a dark blue suit, looking so small from up here.
Mendoza. Siguradong siya ang anak ni Tita Madi. Narinig ko na siya noon—he was dubbed as a genius, constantly winning every piano competition he joined.
We're the same age, yet he's already making a name for himself.
Umupo siya sa harap ng piano at dahan-dahang itinaas ang mga kamay. As soon as his fingers touched the keys and the first note echoed in the room, a shiver ran down my spine. My heart started pounding loudly, kaya napakapit ako sa damit ko, watching his every move.
The moment his performance ended, tahimik lang ang buong paligid. Tumayo siya, yumuko, at naglakad palayo sa stage. Doon lang nagsimula ang malalakas na palakpakan.
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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...
