Stolen (ViceRylle Oneshots)

dust off your highest hopes

Pinaupo ni Tala si Scarlet sa couch, katabi ni Tristan bago pumasok sa purple room and  vocalize.

"Hi, I'm Scarlet!" pagpapakilala ng batang babae sa katabi niyang busy maglaro sa iPad. "Hi." tipid na balik ng batang lalaki.

"Anak, 'wag mo namang i-snob si Scarlet." natatawa at iiling-iling na sabi ni Gian sa anak.

"Omaygas!" nanlaki ang mata ni Scarlet nang makita ang mukha ng binata.

"Omaygas why?!" panggagaya ni Gian sa batang babae. Hindi naman sila pinapansin ni Tala dahil nakatalikod ito at hindi sila naririnig.

"You're Gian!"

"Kilala mo 'ko?" gulat na tanong ng binata. "Yes! I heard Ninang Aya and Mommy talking about you!"

Magsasalita pa sana si Gian ngunit bigla siyang tinawag ni Tala.

"Tristan, be nice to her okay? Magta-trabaho muna si Papa,"

A few days after they started working together, thankfully nothing 'bad' has bappened to them yet. No awkwardness. No bangayans.

"I've been thinking of doing another duet with you," out of the blue na sabi ni Tala habang kumakain sila ni Gian sa opisina ng huli.

"Bakit naman? Baka magselos asawa mo niyan."

"No, he understands naman. Everything's all set, sagot mo nalang ang hinihintay."

Ibinaba naman ni Gian ang kaniyang mga kubyertos at hinarap ang dating kasintahan.

"Which song?" he asked.

"This one." sagot ni Tala at kinuha ang isang papel mula sa black folder sa lamesa. "Everything Has Changed." napalunok si Gian dahil doon, pero hindi naman iyon napansin ng dalagang kausap. "I guess I'll just have to rewrite this verse para mas bagay satin-- s-sayo. And then we can fix the arrangement later or tomorrow."

"Okay, sounds good. Sabihan mo nalang ako kapag tapos mo na, susunduin ko lang si Tristan sa school niya." palabas na sana si Gian nang magsalita si Tala.

"I thought you said it's Andeng's day with him?"

"Nagkaproblema sa sched, may emergency meeting daw siya eh. Text or tawagan mo nalang ako 'pag may kailangan ka ha?"

"Okay." sagot naman niya nang may impit na ngiti.

"Does this arrangement sound good to you?" tanong ni Tala while letting him hear the melody she has in mind.

He was about to play the guitar from behind her (yung mukhang nakayakap) nang may alaalang biglang sumagi sa kaniyang isipan.

"Here, try this," sabi ni Gian na nakatayo sa likod ni Tala. He leaned forward and strummed on the guitar his ideas on what the arrangement should be. Si Tala naman ay natigilan lang dahil sa posisyon nila ay tila nakayakap si Gian sa kaniya habang tumutugtog ito ng gitara.

"But that's the arrangement I played when you saw me at the bar."

"And it's good already. Wag mo nang baguhin." tugon naman ng binata at tinanggal na ang "pagkakayakap" sa dalaga.

He just went to take anothr guitar that was in the room and played the arrangement he thought of.

"Come back and tell me why
I'm feelin' like I've missed you all this time
And meet me there tonight
And let me know that it's not all in my mind..."  pagkanta ni Gian habang direktang nakatingin kay Tala. Ngunit si Tala rin ang naunang mag-iwas ng tingin.