WHEN FOREVER MEANT UNTIL (WHEN SERIES #1)

Chapter 7: Dance with me

He paused. "It reminds me of someone. A promise. Matagal na."

Pareho pala kami.

Nagkatinginan kami, and for a moment, tahimik lang ang paligid. Para kaming bumalik sa nakaraan. Sa ilalim ng punong paborito namin. Sa mga araw na pareho naming akala ay walang katapusan ang pagkabata.

Pero hindi pwedeng siya si Den-Den. Wala namang nagsabi sa'kin na may second name si Zayden. And that was years ago...

"You okay?" tanong niya, breaking my thoughts.

"Yeah. I'm just thinking."

"About?"

"Memories," sagot ko, di na nag-elaborate.

"Memories are tricky," sagot niya. "Minsan akala mo, wala na. Pero isang kanta lang, bumabalik lahat."

I looked at him.

Why do you sound like you know what I'm feeling?

Kinabukasan, balik practice kami.

This time, mas maayos na ang sayaw namin. Mas sabay, mas natural. May rhythm na. May connection.

And I hated it.

Hindi dahil hindi siya marunong. Kundi dahil masyado siyang... familiar.

Lalo na nung tinulungan niya akong iikot. Sa paghawak ng kamay niya sa baywang ko, sa tamang timing ng bawat galaw—parang dati na naming ginawa 'to. Maraming beses na. As if we danced this together... years ago.

"Shayla?" he asked, noticing how I froze mid-step.

"Sorry, napaisip lang," I said quickly.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Let's just finish this."

Pero sa totoo lang, gusto kong umiyak.

Bakit ang daming coincidence?

Bakit siya pa rin ang partner ko? Sa kanta pa na pinakapersonal sa akin?

At bakit para bang nararamdaman kong kilala ko siya?

Sa huling araw ng practice, habang natutugtog ang huling chorus ng Ang Huling El Bimbo, I caught myself smiling.

He spun me slowly, and for that second, I closed my eyes.

Den-Den... ikaw ba talaga 'to?

I wanted to ask. I wanted to scream. Pero wala akong lakas.

Pagkatapos ng kanta, napatingin siya sa akin, and he whispered,

"You dance like someone I used to know."

I stared at him.

"You too," I replied.

Performance Day

Shayla's POV

The gym was packed.

Maaga pa lang, puno na agad ng estudyanteng naka-P.E. uniform, lahat may kanya-kanyang kaba sa dibdib. May mga nagpa-practice pa last minute, may nagtitilian sa excitement, at ako?

Ako'y naglalakad papasok, pilit pinapakalma ang puso ko.

Today is performance day.

Today, I dance Ang Huling El Bimbo onstage.

With him. With Skyler.

"Shayla! Ready ka na ba?" lapit ni Trina, best friend ko, hawak pa ang suot naming white gloves. "Ako? Kinakabahan to death pero go na rin. Kayo ni Skyler, naku ha, bagay kayo sa sayaw. Smooth n'yong dalawa. May chemistry ba?"

Napairap ako. "Trins, hindi kami love team. Sayaw lang 'to. Performance lang."

"Pero tingnan mo nga, ang gwapo talaga ni Skyler. Parang mysterious bad boy. Silent type. Pero pag sumayaw, boom! Lakad-gera!"

I tried to laugh, pero ang totoo, distracted ako. I kept looking around.

Wala siya.

Wala si Skyler.

"Late lang siguro siya," bulong ko sa sarili ko.

He'll be here. He's always early during practice. Baka na-traffic lang.

Pero habang lumilipas ang oras, lalo akong kinakabahan.

"Group 5, get ready. You're next!" sigaw ng instructor.

Kami na 'yun.

Tinawag ko siya. Tinext ko. Wala.

Nagchat ako:
SHAYLA: Where are you? Please tell me you're on your way.

No reply.

"Shayla, anong gagawin mo?" tanong ni Trina, hawak ang braso ko. "Ikaw na next!"

Huminga ako nang malalim. My heart was pounding. Lahat ng pinaghirapan namin—lahat ng effort, timing, practice, connection... mawawala?

I looked at the stage.

Then at the door.

He's not coming, isn't he?

Nilingon ko si Ma'am, who was now calling names.

"Ma'am..." I walked up to her, forcing calm into my voice. "Can I dance solo?"

"Solo? Eh hindi ito individual performance—"

"Please, Ma'am. My partner isn't here. I don't want to fail just because of that."

She looked hesitant. Tumahimik muna siya bago tumango. "Okay. You're lucky na familiar ang mga steps. I'll count this as a special case. Go."

Naglakad ako papunta sa gitna ng gym. Pakiramdam ko, para akong pinagtitinginan ng lahat.

"Si Shayla 'yan, 'di ba dapat may partner siya?"

"Ay! Yung wala 'yung gwapong kasama niya?"

"Sayang, ang ganda pa naman nila tingnan together!"

Sabay kong naririnig ang mga bulungan habang pinipilit kong ayusin ang sarili kong expression. Don't cry. Don't choke. Just dance.

Then the music started.

The opening chords of Ang Huling El Bimbo filled the gym.

And suddenly, I was a child again.

Doon sa ilalim ng puno.

"Den-Den, dapat sabay ha!"

"Oo naman, Lala!"

Tears threatened to fall but I kept moving. This was my moment. This was for me. Even if he wasn't here.

Ginawa ko ang steps. Minsan mag-isa, minsan ina-act ko as if may ka-partner ako, hoping they'd see what we built together. Hoping he'd see what he missed.

And when the final spin came, I stopped centerstage, breathing hard, heart heavy.

Walang palakpak sa utak ko. Walang sigawan.

Just the sound of silence and my own regret echoing inside me.

After the performance, I sat alone sa gilid ng gym. Suot ko pa ang costume namin. Pinipigilan kong umiyak.

Then my phone buzzed.

SKYLER: I'm sorry. Something came up. I couldn't make it.

That was it. Walang explanation. Walang detalye. Walang effort.

I stared at the message.

After everything? After the connection? The practice? The unspoken memories?

I clenched my jaw.

Maybe I was wrong about him.

Maybe Skyler wasn't Den-Den after all.

Den-Den would never leave me hanging.

Oh, he already did, ages ago.