8 Rules to Play (RULES DUOLOGY BOOK ONE - COMPLETED)

Chapter 16

Nanatili lang siyang tahimik na nakayakap sakin. Bumitiw lang siya ng marinig naming tinawag na ng emcee ang pangalan ko.

"Sige na Drey!! Go! Wag mo munang isipin ang kadramahan ko. Break a leg!" at saka pilit na ngumiti sakin. I just give her a sad smile before tapping her shoulder and started walking towards the stage.

Agad na tumama sakin ang spotlight pagka-akyat ko sa stage. The emcee approached me and gave me a microphone.

"So may I ask our SC Muse, what will be your first song for tonight?" he asked while smiling.

"I choose Catch me I'm Falling by Tony G. for be my first song." I answered with a smile plastered in my face as well.

Humarap naman ang emcee sa audience at hiniling na sabayan siya sa pagtatanong kung para kanino daw ang kanta. Natawa na lang ako ng isa sa mga kaklase ko ang sumigaw na para daw iyon kay Lavi.

After mag tanong ng emcee ay bumaba na siya ng stage, senyales na mag umpisa na kong mag perform. Huminga ako ng malalim ng marinig ang intro ng kanta.

"I don't know why but when I look in your eyes

I feel something that seems so right

You've got yours I've got mine

I think I'm loosing my mind

Coz I shouldn't feel this way

Catch me I'm falling for you

And I don't know what to do

How can something so wrong?

Feel so right all along

Catch me I'm falling for you"

Nag palakpakan ang lahat ng humina ang melody nang kanta, hudyat na para sa susunod kong kanta.

"Sadya nga ba o tadhana na

Mula ng ikaw ay nakita sinta

Kislap ng 'yong mata ay nadarama

Na ikaw na nga

Na ikaw na nga"

"Andrea..... will you be my girlfriend?"

Napapikit ako ng mariin ng pumasok sa isip ko ang mukha ni Lavi habang kumakanta.

Sa 'yong tabi ang puso'y 'di mapalaki

Ngunit 'di mapaliwanag

'di mapaliwanag

Pag-ibig sa iyo'y tumitindi

Ngunit 'di mapaliwanag

'di mapaliwanag"

"Andrea... pwede bang hilingin ko sayo na... na wag muna natin isiping pag papanggap lang to?"

"Pwede bang kalimutan muna natin ang tungkol sa rules? Pwede bang wala munang Cedric at Justine? Pwede bang tayo muna? Tayo lang dalawa?"

Humina ulit ang background music ng kanta at nagulat ang mga audience sa pag-babago ng beat ng music na sunod kung kakantahin.

"Now that I'm thinking sober

Don't you try to get no closer

I'm just gonna get in my car and drive, and drive

Looking in the rear view mirror

Everything is so much clearer

Watch me wave it all goodbye, goodbye

The lights flashing giving me all the danger signs

Someone to save, to save but it don't work that way

Think you made your greatest mistake

I'm not gonna call this a break

Think you really blew it this time

Think you could walk on such a thin line

Won't be taking your midnight calls

Ignore the rocks you throw at my wall

I see it written on your face

You know you made it, your greatest mistake"

Nag palakpakan ang mga tao after I sang the first verse. Ngumiti lang ako at huminga ng malalim hinahanda ang boses ko para sa susunod na part ng kanta.

"When the last straw is broken

When the last door is closing

I ain't that dumb to stick around, stick around

I ain't got the time for looking back

When you let yourself slip through the cracks

And you just keep going down, down, down"

Narinig ko ang hiyawan ng mga tao na pinangungunahan ng mga kaklase ko. Ngumiti lang ako habang kumakanta.

"Think you made your greatest mistake

I'm not gonna call this a break

Think you really blew it this time

Think you could walk on such a thin line

Won't be taking your midnight calls

Ignore the rocks you throw at my wall

I see it written on your face

You know you made it, your greatest mistake

Oh, oh"

Tumayo at nag palakpakan ang mga tao after I sang the last line of the song. Lumapit sakin ang emcee habang tumatawa.

"Woah! That is a shocking performance Ms. Andrea. You did really really great! Right guys?!" Naghiyawan lang ang mga tao bilang sagot sa tanong niya.

Ngumiti lang ako at nagpasalamat at bumalik na sa backstage. Nagulantang ako sa taong sumalubong sakin pag pasok ko.

"You rock the stage, babe." he said with a sweet smile as he gave me a bouquet of flowers and gave me a quick peck in my cheeks.

Sa gulat ko sa ginawa niya ay hindi ko napansing naka alis na pala siya sa harap ko. Wala sa sariling napahawak ako sa mukha ko.

What... was that?

Pinakiramdaman ko ang sarili at agad na kinabahan dahil sa napaka-bilis na tibok ng puso ko.

"Oh no. This is bad." I uttered to myself.

SOMEONE ELSE's

"Are you all excited to hear the names of the contestants that will be a part of the duet-duo level?! " nangingibabaw ang boses ng emcee sa buong AVR. Mas naging maingay pa ng pasigaw na sumagot ang mga manunuod ng oo.

"Okay, okay, everyone's very eager to know who passed for the next level. So what are we waiting for? Contestants, please come up to the stage." The AVR was filled with different cheers from the supporters as they cheer for their own picked candidates, as they walk up the stage one by one.

"So it goes like this, lahat ng mga numbers na matatawag ay automatic na pasok na sa next level," The AVR stayed still while waiting for the emcee to start announcing the names.

"You will be a candidate for the duet-duo level..." the crowd groaned loudly ng bigla pang sumegway ng announcement ang emcee, having fun seeing the crowd so riled up.

"We won't delay it anymore! Congratulations contestant number 1,2,3,5,6,8,13,14,15,17,19,20,22,23,24 and 25!!" the fans of each candidates that was mentioned jumped in joy, samantalang ang mga hindi naman pinalad ay nakangiti paring nag-paalam sa mga co-contestants nila.

"Again, congratulations everyone! Boys after the program kindly look for the coordinator, para sa bunutan ng makakapartner niyo. Thank you everyone see you again next week." ani ng emcee na naging hudyat ng tuluyang pag-tatapos ng program.