Joey, together with several other teachers, stood outside the faculty room and faced the flag pole on the spacious lawn in school. The four students assigned to raise the flag stood at the foot of the pole, ready and waiting. As promised, she arrived early despite a restless sleep last night. Her eyes scanned the rows of high school students quietly lined up outside their respective classrooms, waiting for the ceremony to start. There was no sign of Adrian. It was he who prodded her to be here now at this early hour and yet he was nowhere to be found.
Hushed whispers arose from the students as an unexpected scene unfolded on the lawn. Joey strained her neck to get a good look. It was Adrian and, to everyone's surprise, Dexter holding a microphone. Although it was commonplace to have a student sing the national anthem live during the ceremony, the boy was never known to sing. There were a number of worried and skeptical faces in the crowd as Adrian nodded to the boy as a signal to start. So this was his surprise, Joey thought.
And what a surprise it was! Dexter's voice resonated through the hallways like a gust of cool wind sweeping through the land, extinguishing any spark of doubt. Clearly, the boy had a gift that no one had tapped, until now. And as he sang the last line of the national anthem, everyone broke into applause, setting aside protocol just this once.
Joey joined in the applause, beaming proudly for the boy and his mentor. From her vantage point, she could clearly see the sudden change in Dexter. He still seemed shy but he seemed taller, more confident. Just then, Adrian looked up in her direction and singled her out, making eye contact. She smiled and gave him a thumbs-up sign.
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"Congrats, Adrian. That was a pleasant surprise." Joey smiled warmly as they stood in line at the cafeteria during lunchtime.
"Dexter has a great singing voice, right?"
"And you discovered his talent." Joey gazed up at him, still smiling.
"It was you who gave me the idea.....so, congrats to you, too." Adrian met her gaze. He, himself, was pleasantly surprised that she agreed to have lunch with him. Ched begged off, saying she was having a working lunch. As the line moved along and they chose their respective meals, he couldn't help stealing glances at her. There was something different about her, he thought. She seemed friendlier, more approachable. From the day he met her until yesterday when he left her staring at that abstract painting, she seemed to have an impenetrable wall around her which, for some reason, intrigued him. And this sudden shift in her demeanor further stoked his curiosity.
They sat at a corner table and settled down to eat while Adrian told her how he discovered Dexter's talent. She listened intently, noticing how Adrian's eyes lit up as he described their little musical number the previous day.
"So, what are your plans for Dexter? What happens to his piano class?"
"I asked Mrs. Bernabe if I can talk to his parents. She said yes. I'm meeting with them this afternoon.", he explained.
Joey smirked. "Good luck...you'll need it."
"No worries." Adrian smiled confidently. "With a little charm, I'm sure I can convince them to let Dexter stop....let him take voice lessons instead."
"From what I hear, his mom can be overbearing and stubborn.", Joey warned him.
"I can handle her." Adrian's eyes lit up with an idea. "Wanna bet?"
"Bet?" Joey laughed.
"Yes. If I convince them, you'll do something for me."
Joey lifted her brows. "Do what?"
"Hmm." Adrian rubbed his chin. "You'll be my... guide... while I'm here."
"Guide? And I'm supposed to do what exactly?"
So Adrian went into a lengthy explanation of how he came to be there and how he intended to make the most of every experience, big or small, that came his way. And how he needed Joey's help to achieve that.
She stared at him in consternation. "So, you want to experience life as it is....here. Is that it?"
He nodded.
"And you want to tag along wherever I go?"
He nodded. "Only for four weekends. Weekdays are packed for us, so let's schedule it on weekends. If that's okay? But wait, is anyone going to get jealous or something?"
She shook her head shyly. "None. But what if I don't want to?"
"That's okay...I'll just explore by my lonesome." Adrian shrugged gloomily. "I don't know anyone in this place. Except you." He sighed loudly, feigning extreme disappointment.
Joey couldn't help smiling at his dramatics. "Okay, okay. But four weekends is too much. Just two."
"Three."
Joey sighed. "Alright, three. What if I win?"
He flicked his eyebrows at her. "It's up to you. Name it."
Joey pondered on it, debating with herself whether or not to back out. Under usual circumstances, she wouldn't even think of getting into that kind of bet with someone she hardly knew. Imagine three weekends with him tagging along! Heck, she wouldn't even be having lunch with him now – not that this was a date. It's just that she was always slow to warm up to anyone. But after hearing his reaction to her painting the previous day, something clicked. Her guts were telling her that he could be trusted, at least, just a wee bit more. Besides, she could even win this bet.
"Hmm....I want you..... to compose a song for me."
Adrian lifted his brows in surprise. His other female friends would have asked for free dinner or would have made him 'slave for the day'. This was a first. "Agreed."
And they shook hands to seal the deal just as the lunch hour ended.
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The next morning, Joey found Adrian waiting for her along the corridor after her last class. He had his hands in his pockets and a smug smile on his face. She instinctively knew that she had lost the bet.
"Good morning, Josephine!" Adrian was now grinning from ear to ear.
"You're in a good mood." Joey smirked at him and continued walking. He quickly fell in stride with her.
"Aren't you going to congratulate me?" Adrian kept grinning at her. "I won."
"Really." Joey rolled her eyes.
"Yup. Dexter's parents agreed to enroll him in voice lessons. I told you what a little charm can do."
She glanced up at his smug expression. "Isn't that how you always work? Using your so-called charm to get what you want?"
Adrian laughed softly at her thinly-veiled sarcasm. "It doesn't work with everyone." He gave her a sidelong glance and paused meaningfully. "It doesn't work with you."
"I am not easily taken in by charm." She looked at him with a teasing smile.
Reaching the faculty room, Adrian quickly held the door knob, ready to let Joey in. He paused, barring her entrance. "What does?"
"Secret." She smirked at him and tapped his arm with her finger. "Excuse me."
Reluctantly, he let her in and followed her to her desk. He still had a wager to reckon. "So when's our first weekend date?", he teased.
"What date?!" She glowered up at him. "FYI, this is not a date. It's payment for a wager."
"If you say so." Adrian grinned, mildly amused at her reaction. "So when's the first installment?"
Joey pondered on it for a moment. "Saturday, 7 AM at the studio."
"What's up?"
"Uncle Laom has free art lessons at a home for abandoned children. We'll help out."
"That's great! Do I need to bring anything?"
"Hmm.... Do you have a guitar? To entertain the kids."
"Done." He nodded. "What else?"
"And..." She looked at him pointedly. "...your charming self."
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Adrian showed up, looking freshly-scrubbed in his yellow t-shirt and jeans, at the studio before 7 AM that Saturday. Paglaom, assisted by two of his students, was loading food supplies and art materials onto his truck.
"Good morning, sir." Adrian greeted the older man. "Need help?"
"Hey, Adrian! I'm glad you're here. We got it covered. Let's just wait for Joey."
Just then, Joey emerged from the main door, her long tresses still damp and flowing freely down her shoulders. As she stepped out of the roofed area, she was bathed in the morning light, her face looking fresh and radiant. She let out a shy smile at Adrian, then turned to her uncle to make last-minute checks on their supplies. Adrian stood transfixed. This was the first time he saw her with her hair down, literally.
Satisfied with their supplies, Joey turned to him. "Ready?"
"Huh?" Adrian blinked. "Sure."
"Was this something you talked about?," asked Paglaom, pointing to their shirts. They both realized that they were wearing the same shade of yellow.
Adrian stifled a smile while Joey shook her head. "Just a coincidence."
Paglaom shrugged. "Anyway, Joey since you know the place, why don't you ride with Adrian? You'll be his guide. I'll take the truck."
"Uncle, let me take the truck. You can ride with Adrian. I don't want you to get tired." But Paglaom would have none of it. They argued with each other while Adrian watched the mini-power struggle with amusement. He decided to butt in.
"Joey, sorry to interrupt. Just ride with me. It's perfectly fine." Before she could protest any further, he opened his car's front passenger door and waited. "And you're my guide, right?", he added with a slight flick of his eyebrows. Joey knew he was alluding to their wager. That settled it. Paglaom and his two students occupied the pickup truck while she reluctantly took her place beside Adrian.
As they hit the road, Adrian stole a glance at his passenger who sat quietly, her eyes on the road ahead. "I can't help noticing..... you're really close to your uncle. You argue like siblings."
"Yes....we're really close." Joey glanced back at him. "He saved my life."
"As in, literally?"
"No.......He taught me how to paint. If not for him, I might have strayed from the path, so to speak. It's a long story."
"I see. Are there no other family members? I mean....parents....siblings?"
"Take a left turn ....next intersection.", Joey instructed.
Adrian shot another glance at her. She kept her eyes on the road ahead, face devoid of emotion. Sensing her reluctance to answer his last question, he decided not to press further. A few minutes elapsed before she spoke.
"My mom is in the U.S." She paused and sighed inaudibly. "My dad and brothers are in Manila." She gave him a sidelong glance. "Do you mind if I turn on your radio?"
"No, go ahead." Adrian nodded. Though he was burning with curiosity, it was pretty obvious that his line of questioning was unwelcome. "Joey, I didn't mean to pry. Sorry."
She let out a faint smile. "It's okay. I'm just not comfortable.....talking about them."
"That's okay." He reassured her and quickly shifted the topic to safer ground. "What type of music do you like?"
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After a half-hour drive through light traffic, they finally reached Bagong Buhay Home for the Youth. It was a spacious edifice surrounded by well-kept lawns and thick foliage. Built ten years ago, it was home to abandoned children aged 0 to 16. It was Paglaom's and Joey's second time to hold free art lessons here and they intended to do so for as long as they could.
While her uncle went inside to talk to the head houseparent, they waited near the door. Adrian noticed Joey desperately rummaging through her bag.
"Shucks." Joey muttered to herself.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I left my ponytail holder." She smoothed her tresses and gathered them to one side of her neck.
"Why do you always tie up your hair?" Adrian was curious.
Joey eyed him warily, expecting it to be a trick question. She gave him the obvious answer. "To keep it in place. And to keep myself cool."
"Why don't you cut it short, then?"
She shook her head. "I don't want to look like a boy."
"You? That's impossible." Adrian turned to her. "You'd look way too pretty.", he blurted out.
Caught off guard, she let out a nervous smile and averted her eyes. Feeling the warmth in her cheeks, she was sorely tempted to drape her hair over her face. Fortunately, her uncle signaled to Adrian from the doorway, grabbing the latter's attention away from her.
"Come on over, I'll introduce you." Paglaom guided the younger man into the building. Joey trailed behind, Adrian's last remark still ringing in her ears.
They were quickly surrounded by children of varying ages. The older ones recognized Joey and greeted her with wide smiles while eyeing the tall newcomer with curiosity. The younger ones strained their necks to get a good look at him, perhaps awed by his height and drawn to his attractive face. Joey watched with amazement as Adrian dropped to one knee and started talking to the little ones. Soon, a small circle formed around him until he was hidden from view as the older kids joined in. This was the charming Adrian in action, she thought. And she was impressed.
Shortly, Paglaom gathered the kids to start the art lessons. Joey, Adrian, and the two students distributed the art materials and made sure everyone was seated comfortably. There were crayons for the smaller kids and oil pastels for the older ones. While Paglaom instructed the kids on what to draw, Joey and Adrian sat side by side in one corner of the room, quietly observing the class. Adrian caught himself discreetly observing his seatmate who seemed absorbed in her own thoughts. The glow from the adjacent window served as a backlight, outlining her delicate profile. There was a hint of a smile on her lips, making him wonder what could be running through her mind. Suddenly, his phone vibrated in his pocket, interrupting his scrutiny. Rocky was calling. Joey watched him as he stepped out of the room to take the call.
Rocky wanted to know how he was and what he was up to. He gave her a rundown of his activities and how he 'discovered' Dexter and how he was enjoying every minute of his stay. She, in turn, rattled off a list of commitments waiting for his return. Plus, there were plans of staging a series of shows abroad. Then, she gently reminded him of his songs. Yes, his songs! How can he forget? "Don't worry, I'll get to that.", was all he could say. Talk about pressure. Shaking his head, he pocketed his phone and returned to the room.
Joey was now seated with the older kids, focused on teaching them how to blend colors. Realizing that he had yet to see any of her works, he went closer to take a look. On a large sketch pad, she had lightly outlined the figure of a child. Adrian watched in awe as she filled in the colors, explaining to the kids as she went. Her tiny hands expertly moved across the paper in fluid strokes until the image of a boy with a mischievous grin slowly came to life. More than her hands, he was watching Joey's face as her brows creased in utmost concentration. He knew how it felt, that process of creating something out of nothing. It was like overturning his brain to come up with that perfect mix of skill and artistry. And watching another artist at work was simply magical.
As if reading his mind, Joey looked up and smiled at him. They both felt it – that unmistakable connection between kindred souls. And in that instant, Adrian thought, she never looked more beautiful.