Nagsimulang magsalita ang vocalist ng banda, pero wala akong naiintindihan sa sinasabi niya. I was too busy glaring at the drummer who replaced my crush.
How dare they replace him with that guy? He's not even that good-looking. And I bet he wouldn't sound as good as my crush.
Pero nang magsimula silang tumugtog, every insult I had in my head disappeared.
I looked around, checking the audience's reaction, like I always did whenever I watched a live performance.
People were cheering loudly, smiles lighting up their faces. Their eyes sparkled with excitement. And I knew—this band was good. If they weren't, the audience wouldn't be reacting like this.
And... Elliot was good. He wouldn't even be there in the first place if he wasn't. I was just being biased earlier because he replaced someone I liked.
Their performance. This performance... it was different from the one I saw when I was a kid. But my heart tightened at the sight of the band on stage, the way the crowd adored them, and the happiness shining on their faces as their music was well received.
Because... after all these years, I missed it. I missed performing.
Pagkauwi ko, I was already expecting a long scolding from my father. I was even prepared to be hit. But when I stepped inside the house, my mother greeted me with a warm smile.
"Go to your room," she said.
Napatigil ako. "How about Dad?" I asked, brows furrowing.
Ngumiti siya. "Don't worry about him. I told him I asked you to do an errand for me," she said, winking at me.
Napangiti ako, agad siyang niyakap nang mahigpit.
"Thank you, Mom," I whispered, my voice barely holding back the lump in my throat.
She gently patted my back.
"You're always welcome, my son."
When I reached senior high school, my days were still the same—mundane and boring. Kahit ilang beses na akong lumabas kasama ang mga kaklase ko, wala namang nagbago. At the end of the day, I'm still a robot following what my father wants me to do.
Not until I saw an odd combination on my way to get lunch.
Nakita ko sina Luna at Wynther na seryosong nag-uusap sa isang gilid. Wynther isn't the type to be with someone like Luna. I mean, ilang beses ko na siyang nakitang iniiwasan ito, at si Luna lang naman ang abot-abot ang pagsunod sa kanya. I even saw how annoyed he looked every time she approached him. So this... is new.
Lumapit ako sa kanila at tinanong kung pwede akong makiupo. Kaagad naman akong pinayagan ni Luna, habang nanatili namang walang imik si Wynther.
The reason I approached them isn't just because wala nang vacant seat. It's also because I'm curious about what they're talking about. I know I'm being nosy, pero hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko.
Hindi ako nakikichismis, okay? Let's just say I'm data gathering.
Ipinakilala kami ni Luna sa isa't-isa, and for some reason, I found myself teasing Wynther. He looked so uncomfortable, kaya naman agad siyang sinaklolohan ni Luna.
"Sorry if he made you uncomfortable, Wynther. Rive's bi and he's just like that to other people, so please don't be disgusted." Paliwanag niya, at hindi ko mapigilang makaramdam ng init sa puso ko dahil sa sinabi niya.
Wynther said he wasn't disgusted, just uncomfortable. And I couldn't help but smile more. He didn't judge me for being different.
As the conversation went on, napangiti na lang ako habang pinagmamasdan ang dalawa.
BINABASA MO ANG
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...
Extra 1
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