Just Because You Are

Chapter 13 (Part 2) - Break a Leg!

Music is the shorthand of emotion.
- Leo Tolstoy

“Ang thoughtful mo naman, Sir Quino! Thank you, ha!” Louie exclaimed just as Quino handed her the bouquet of yellow roses. She placed the shoe boxes down a nearby chair in order to take hold of the bouquet firmly, and then she happily smelled the flowers.

“Thanks. These roses are beautiful,” Raffie said, her soft voice full of sincerity. Unlike Louie, she was still holding the two ballet shoe boxes with her left hand and now taking hold of the flowers with her right arm.

Quino saw Raffie’s weak smile as she received the red roses.

He observed that although she was trying to sound and look alright there was an air of somberness surrounding her.  She had thanked him but she seemed to be looking at him blankly. She usually looked cheerful even when she was already tired, but now, her eyes mirrored a kind of gloominess. ‘May problema kaya sya?’ he thought, suddenly wanting to comfort her and just stay by her side and listen to whatever might be bothering her at that moment.

And then suddenly, he became more worried. ‘Yung Dad kaya nya?’ Quino wondered.

“Um…Sir Quino, excuse muna, ha…ilalagay lang muna namin ito sa dressing room,” Louie said, about to get the boxes.

“Here, let me help you…” Quino quickly volunteered, suddenly realizing that Raffie’s hands were literally full.

He quickly reached out to take the three ballet shoe boxes that Louie placed on a nearby chair and then he immediately turned to Raffie to get the other two boxes.

“Okay lang, kaya ko na ’to, Sir Quino,” Raffie refused politely, starting to walk behind Louie who had just entered the dressing room.

But Quino would not allow her to refuse, knowing that she did need some help. “No, please, let me….”

Then all of a sudden, Raffie dropped down the shoe boxes and out came the two pairs of ballet shoes all scattered on the floor.

“Oh boy!” she exclaimed, as she hurriedly put the bouquet on a chair and went down her knees to gather the shoes.

Quino, upset about what happened, immediately placed the three boxes on the floor to give Raffie a hand. But as he bowed down to help her pick up the shoes, he accidentally hit his forehead against hers.

“Ouch!” Raffie exclaimed in pain, immediately looking up. All at once, she was greatly surprised when she felt an uncomfortable but tingly sensation as her nose rubbed against Quino’s and her eyes met his startled gaze. 

And instinctively, her adrenaline-addled heart seemed to pump faster than its normal pace as she felt her pulses literally racing.

Needless to say, the same spark was felt by Quino who looked equally in pain…but undeniably thrilled.

The twinge of pain caused by that sudden bumping seemed to be overshadowed by an odd feeling of magnetic desire to just hold each other’s gazes firmly.

That moment seemed like forever as both their eyes lingered at each other’s faces.

In reality, though, it only lasted for a couple of seconds. Raffie was the first one to break the eye contact as she stepped an inch away from Quino.