Just The Benefits (PUBLISHED)

Kabanata 21

Nung lumabas na ang resulta, maraming lumabas pero ni isa sa mga iyon, walang mutual friends. Imposible naman na wala dahil friends kami ni Parker sa Facebook. Pero kahit na ganon, inisa-isa ko iyong mga Bianca Agustin na nandun. But to my luck, wala ni isa doon ang pwedeng maging Bianca na hinahanap ko.

I was really losing it, wasn't I?

Pinatay ko na lang iyong cellphone ko at itinago ito. Baka hindi ko lang talaga dapat makilala si Bianca kaya hindi ko siya mahanap. Maybe it's better this way... na hindi ko kakilala kung sino ang tao na nananakit sa akin. It's better she stay as this faceless stranger who continues to inflict me great amount of pain by just simply existing.

Iniyuko ko ang ulo ko sa lamesa. Itutulog ko na lang 'to. I was taking my nap when I heard someone singing.

Desperate for changing, starving for truth. I'm closer to where I started, I'm chasing after you. I'm falling even more in love with you. Letting go of all I've held on to
I'm standing here until you make me move. I'm hanging by a moment here with you.

I wanted to keep my eyes close and savor the melody. Sobrang sarap sa pandinig ng boses niya. Every word that comes out of his mouth was a lullaby to my soul. If this was a dream, I'd like to stay in it.

Forgetting all I'm lacking, completely incomplete. I'll take your invitation, you take all of me now. I'm falling even more in love with you. Letting go of all I've held on to
I'm standing here until you make me move. I'm hanging by a moment here with you

Nagpanggap ako na tulog pero ang totoo, gusto ko lang na pakinggan siya. Kung pwede lang na 'wag na siyang tumigil sa pagkanta...

I'm living for the only thing I know. I'm running and not quite sure where to go. And I don't know what I'm diving into. Just hanging by a moment here with you.

He sounded like an angel. But maybe he's really an angel... sobrang bait kasi niya. Ni minsan hindi ko pa siya nakikita na magalit. Kahit na marami akong nagawa na hindi maganda sa kanya, ni minsan hindi pa siya nagalit sa akin. Heck, I even ditched him once dahil kay Parker pero wala akong narinig na sumbat mula sa kanya. Maybe he's indeed an angel...

Just hanging by a moment. Just hanging by a moment. I'm hanging by a moment. Just hanging by a moment here with you...

And when he finally sang the last of the lyrics, I wanted to tell him how lovely the song was but reality came in and hit my hard.

"You sing really nice, baby." Of course the girlfriend was here. Ano ba ang iniisip ko?

Nagpanggap na lang ako na natutulog dahil hindi ko kaya na tignan sila. I didn't want to subject my eyes to such horrendous scene. I've done that once and I refuse to do that again.

"We'll go to Black District later. Wanna come?" Candy asked him. Magpaparty na naman sila? Wala ba silang kasawaan?

"Ano'ng oras?"

"We'll meet up first at Carl's place by 7 then mga 11 punta na sa BD?"

"Hindi ba hanggang 11pm pa 'yung booth?" Shiloah asked.

"Yeah..."

"I'll just stay here. Walang kasama si Imo."

My heart swelled because of what he said. He still cares for me...

"Well, okay fine. Whatever," Candy said. Sa palagay ko ay tumayo siya base sa tunog na narinig ko. Damn this situation! Kanina pa ako gising pero ni hindi ako magising talaga dahil nagpapanggap ako na tulog! Kailan ba ang tamang panahon para magising ako? My neck was starting to hurt!