Conquering the Barriers

Kabanata 23

Nang maproseso ko ang sinabi niya ay saglit pa kong napatingin sa paligid para tignan kung may malapit ba samin lalo na't nabanggit niya ang tungkol sa pag-uwi namin nang sabay pero wala naman. Kami lang ang nandito sa pwesto namin ngayon.

I swallowed as I got my gaze back to him and I realized the main point of what he was telling me right now. They got scouted. Wanderlust just got scouted. Sky's band just got scouted. Let that sink in.

"W-wow, Sky... Congrats!" I exclaimed in quite a restricted voice. I blinked repeatedly while still in astonishment. "Now that.. someone's handling you, I'm sure that.. there will be more opportunities for Wanderlust." positibong sabi ko.

Marahan lang siyang tumango. He doesn't look so hyped though.

"I'm.. not quite liking their concepts for us though," he honestly said.

Sa sinabi niya ay napatitig ako sa kanya. Sky have always been the meticulous and outspoken type when it comes to his music. And for him to say this, he must be really not in favor of their ideas.

"Baka.. sa una lang naman. For sure they would be more open in incorporating your suggested schemes next time," I said in hopes of boosting up his spirit even just a little.

Hindi na nawala ang galak sa puso ko para sa banda nina Sky kahit nang bumalik kami sa ginagawa.

Pinatong muna namin ulit ang mga equipments sa pwesto namin sa long table. We then moved on our separate ways as Sky went to get the ring stand, burette, and other stuff needed for titration while I walked towards the fume hood to obtain the necessary reagents.

Pagbalik muli sa lamesa ay pumwesto na kami nang magkatapat. Siya na ang nagprisintang mag-set up kaya't sa kabilang bahagi ng lamesa muna ko nanatili habang ginagawa niya iyon. Malawak ang mesa kaya't may maluwag na distansya kami sa isa't isa. Sapat ang espasyong iyon para makagalaw nang maayos. Nagsimula na lang muna akong mag-fill up ng worksheet habang hinihintay siya.

Natigilan ako nang makaramdam ng presensya sa tabi ko. Pag-angat ng mata ko ay halos mapanganga ako nang makita na naman si River.

"Ang boring," reklamo niya.

Mula kanina ay hindi niya na tinanggal ang camera na nakasabit sa leeg niya. Nang iangat niya iyon at aktong kukuhanan na naman ako ng litrato ay umiwas agad ako ng tingin. Binaling ko na lang ang mata sa sinusulat at pinilit ang sariling ituon ang atensyon doon.

"River, ano ba." saway ko. 

He chuckled. "Isang maayos na shot lang promise tapos hindi na 'ko manggugulo,"

I rolled my eyes. "Tigilan mo 'ko. Sinungaling ka kaya, di mo na 'ko maloloko."

Napahalakhak ulit siya. "This time, it's true. I swear."

Umirap lang akong muli at hindi siya tinignan. Pinagpatuloy ko ang pagsusulat ngunit ramdam ko ang pagkakatutok sakin ng lens.

"Your hair is blocking your face," I heard him say.

I stiffened when I felt him raising his hand, probably aiming to reach for my hair.

"Yara," a stern voice called.

Inangat ko ang tingin sa kung saan nanggaling ang boses.

I was welcomed by a grim expression from Sky.

"Come here," he demanded. "..the set-up's ready," he firmly added.

I swallowed before I nodded and walked towards the other side of the table to position myself next to him.

River, on the other hand, was obviously pissed. 

Nilantad niya sakin ang pagkainis niya raw sa kapartner ko nang matapos ang lahat ng klase at hanggang nang magtungo na kami sa office ng club.

Kahit nang mag-cover na kami sa event kung san kami naka-assign ay panay pa rin ang pagsasabi niya ng tungkol sa pagkayamot niya kay Sky. Napapailing na lang ako.

Hindi ko inaakalang matatapos kami nang higit na mas maaga kumpara sa inaasahan. Pagtingin ko sa relo ay natuwa ako at agad na naisipang panoorin ang show nila Sky gamit ang mga nalalabing oras. Excited din kasi akong makita kung parehong mga genre pa rin ba ang kakantahin nila ngayong may humahawak na sa kanila.

Nagpumilit sumama si River at hindi na ko tumanggi pa dahil alam ko namang hindi siya magpapapigil. Sa labas pa lang ng venue ay dumadagundong na ang tunog ng kantang I.F.L.Y. ni Bazzi. 

"I guess what I'm sayin', I guess what I'm sayin'
I guess what I'm sayin' is, I
I fuckin' love you (I do)
I guess what I'm sayin', I guess what I'm sayin'
I guess what I'm sayin' is, I
I fuckin' love you (I do, I do, I do, ah)"

It kinda sounds different from what they used to play before. Their song choice may really have been influenced by the management now. It still sounds really good though. They can literally rock anything.

"Love you through the better days (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Love you through the rainy ones
Champion, you're number one, yeah, that's true
But I guess what I'm sayin', I guess what I'm sayin'
I guess what I'm sayin' is, I
I fuckin' love you (ah, yeah),"

Sky was very much eye-catching on stage. My lips involuntarily curved into a glad smile. He was delivering the song sexily and the wild response of the audience was understandable. 

My eyes then flew somewhere else on stage that made me lose the curve on my mouth. Something.. caught my attention.

"That's my baby, yeah
My baby, uh, uh
My baby, yeah
That's my baby, yeah
My baby, uh, uh
My baby,"

Tuluyan nang nawala ang ngiti sa mukha ko hanggang matapos ang kanta. 

The one that caught my attention.. it was his bandmate, Thea.

She was looking at him in a very familiar way.

It was very familiar to me.

Cause.. that's how I look at him too.