Chapter 14 : Jayvee Matthew Guevarra
[EXELLOR ONEIRO'S POV]
From: Unknown Number
Pwede ba tayong magkita ngayon?
I looked carefully on that text. Wondering who might have texted that to me. I'm betting on one person who's always on my tail. Paul Trevor.
I saw how he watched me sang 'Tadhana' in front of everybody at the theater room. I don't even know why I chose that song, it just... came on impulse. I remembered how his mouth opened when I sang the first verse of the song. I never thought I'll join and audition to the club. Singing isn't my thing, but Don Kael told me that I should sing, because I have a beautiful voice.
How can someone's voice be beautiful if her thoughts are deadly as knives?
To: Unknown Number
Sure.
I waited for several minutes outside Don Kael's fields, near the open fence where I enter the premises, since the gate is on the other side of the road. I received another text from the same number.
From: Unknown Number
Where are you at?
To: Unknown Number
Usual spot.
I sighed, looking at the clear, blue sky. It was perfect. The color, the fluffy clouds, and the sun as the main source of light. Since I got here at around 3:40, the orange flares from the sky are already there. Suddenly, my small wound on my bottom lip near my right cheek, felt like burning.
It hurts. I wish I had dodged that.
I tasted blood when I licked my lips. Immediately taking my handkerchief from my pocket, I turned around and tried to wipe the blood off...
"Hey, Exellor."
I stopped. The voice, it wasn't his. I turned around, and I was right.
"Oh... Jayvee." I greet lowly, continously wiping the blood of my bottom lip. I was abruptly stopped when he touched my chin, and looked at the wound.
"What happened to your lip?"
"It's wounded."
He chuckled lightly. "Tama nga si Trev."
My eyes widen at that. Have he told his friends that he's with me after class, every after class?
"Masyado kang pilosopo." he joked.
"Why do you know that I am exactly here waiting??" I asked him. There wasn't any hint of curiousness on any parts of his face, but only a smile that tells me he's really happy today. His eyes moved from mine to scan Don Kael's field behind me.
"Trev just told me the directions. Actually, I don't know why you're here.."
Then, I remembered the texts he sent me. My number's too private to be shared on anyone, only Jamiel, Chris, Don Kael and.. Dad have my number but how did he got mine? Paul Trevor? Impossible. I needed the logic to see what's what. Retrace the steps, weight and remove possibilities.
So, Jamiel and Chris are the only people that are capable of doing it, since they're inside school grounds. At that vacant time, I joined the Glee Club, meanwhile, Jamiel went to the IT club, and Chris joined the tryouts for the football team. Jayvee's never close to Jamiel and she told me that she really wanted to talk to him 'cause she got this little crush on him. Chris... who joined the football club. He gave it.
"Saan kayo sasali, Chris? Oneiro?"
"Glee Club." I gave my short answer, meanwhile Chris had to think first.
"I'm not sure... pero I have this liking at fooball, might wanna give it a try."
"Ooohh, sounds interesting! Nanduon si Jayvee Matthew EH! Gusto ko sana siyang panuorin kaso magmumukha akong isa sa mga fangirls nilang trio."
"Trio?" Chris asked.
"Yes, the trio! Paul Trevor Funtelo, Jayvee Matthew Guevarra and Gregorio Mendel Mercado. Silang tatlo ang isa sa pinakasikat na heartthrobs sa campus. Trevor's the one who just got your papers stamped with dirt and germs."
"Ah! Oo nga pala. Hindi ko naman kasi talaga sinasadya. Hindi ko namalayan na naglalakad pala yung babaeng kasama niya sa harapan ko."
"You got my number from Chris..." bigla kong nasambit, which made him step back.
"Y-Yeah?... he told you?"
"... Got to think."
He smiled like he's a kid. "That's amazing. Umm, if you don't mind, pwede ba kitang makausap, kung sa tahimik man na lugar okay lang."
Nanatili ang katahimikan ng ilang segundo, titigan lang ang naging sagot ko sa kanya, but I gave up in the end. "Sure." I answered. He suddenly took my hands and nodded happily.
"Thank you! Really! So, where are we going?" he asks.
I decided to stay at Don Kael's mansion. His face was confused when he saw Jayvee. I told him that he needed to talk to me and he just told me that we can talk to the front porch, where there are sofas around and a nice view of the fields to look at.
"Be careful, Exellor." Don Kael whispers.
"I will be."
When he entered inside the mansion, Jayvee and I sat together on a sofa near the double doors.
"You speek Greek? Wow, that's pretty amazing. But Don Kael telling you to be careful is kinda weird." Jayvee asks, returning his attention to me.
That's when my face turned around to face him. "You understand Greek."
"Yes. I studied it along with Spanish, Italian and Dutch while I was at America."
I turned my attention on the tall grass and the trees around the fields. I loved looking at them. For me, they symbolize peace. Suddenly, a thought made my eyes widen:
"Well... umm... There's this saying that... if you meet her the first time,that's accidental, and when you meet her again, it's coincidence, and if you–"
"... meet her the third time, it's called... destiny."
"Do you believe in that?"
"Sometimes."
I didn't know why that thought just came up on my head. Oftentimes, I think of so many things, the world, my life, my existence, the reasons behind everything... and out of nowhere, I thought of destiny.
"Wow, the scenery's very peaceful and quiet." Jayvee suddenly, his eyes were everywhere, cutting me out of my monologues.
"I guess, away from lies and deceit."
He looked at me. "A-Are you okay?"
"Yes."
"You look like you're angry... to the world, aren't you?"
"No." I simply answered, raising my brow. "I'm just saying what my mind wants to say. It's what I see anyway, it's what I feel and what I know."
"Well... you should change perspectives..." I can hear his tone was low, saying those words, like he's scared of talking.
"... I can't. Like others say, you can't change someone that easily. In simple analogy, you can't just make and expect a child to eat vegetables that easily, except If he's already used to it."
I can see he was quiet. His eyes were very attentive to every single things that he sees on me. He's like... observing me. Nanatili muli ang katahimikan hanggang magsalita siya at para bang nawala sa titigan.
"You're... really... beautiful."
"What?" I wasn't expecting his compliment.
"I don't... even know. I feel so...starstrucked to you. I'm feeling lucky 'cause I can see your whole this close. I can hear your voice that clear, and your thoughts out loud." he said, emphasizing the 'whole'.
I felt lightheaded. That was the first time I heard that from another person. I don't want to believe it, but I can hear his words, it's sincere, full of emotions and meaning. His looking at me, like he's trying to dive deep into my ocean eyes. His eyes were like a starry night. Dark, but surrounded with stars that emits light.
"I was astonished by your voice. Narinig kitang kumanta sa theater. I wanted to talk to you 'cause I want you to join our band, Marshall's Death."
"Why would I?"
"I want to be friends with you. We want to, we're just scared because you might think of us as deliquents."
I wonder why he's admired by most of the girls at the whole campus. He's intelligent, very practical, good-looking and has a way of words. His twin is the same as his. Her beauty is hidden behind her caps and baggy jackets. One would be lucky if he shares his love and life upon eternity.
In my case, doubt are already on the back of my mind. This could be a lie. An illusion. I can't trust no one. He maybe almost the defenition of perfect but he will never be the word. I must be careful. But since, I want to experience being in a band, I'll consider.
"I can quit whenever I want?"
"Yes. This is not forced."
"I'll join then."
"REALLY?" his eyes widen when I accepted his offer. I can see how his hapiness went up to the higher level than earlier. I backed up a little. I gave him a nod, and I saw him raise a hand, whispering a yes, like he won a race. I smiled at that.
But I know he isn't the leader. Paul is. I just wondered why he isn't the one that's asking me to join..
"Since you joined..." he continued, recovered from his celebratory reaction. "and the fact that I made you join, you have to be with me tomorrow."
Wait, what?
"What?"
"I'll be with you anywhere you go. It's okay if you'll just be quiet. You can do anything, sleep, look everywhere and hey, even tell me what you feel. I'm open. Just let me be with you tomorrow."
I saw how he looked at me earlier, upto now. That same emotion were still in his eyes. I couldn't deny the fact that I was shy to his offer. My mind told me to agree.
So, I nodded at him.
He clasped his hands together. "Alright, Exellor. That's settled. You're a part of Marshall's Death as a vocalist." he announced.
I rested my head on the trunk and closed my eyes. I head him asked another question.
"Umm... A-Are you still okay? N-Not bothered joining the band? Baka kasi napipilitan ka lang?"
"I'm okay." I answered, my eyes still closed, relaxing my head. "I'm actually happy for that, I get to experience being the vocalist in a band. I got to grab the chance while there is opportunity, 'cause maybe sooner or later, I may dissapear."
"Exellor, don't worry of such things. As long as you know to yourself that you do things that's right, you'll enjoy life."
That's when I opened my eyes. "Isn't it?"
"Really. You know, there is a lot to see in this world. Wonders to discover, feelings to be felt, and a lot of things to see."
"An optimist, I see."
"It's better than seeing the storm on the sky." ang mga ngiti niya'y naging malapad, at inayos niya ang pagkakaupo.
"But behind those rainbow-colored personality, you sure have burdens."
"Hmm... Yeah, such as studying in the US, Mom and Dad not in terms, Kylie's security, and... much more" hindi pa niya naituloy. He's hesitating to continue, but he can't just find the right words to say. His smiley face erlier was turned into seriousness. His forehead formed creases and his lips turned straight.
***
At later times, we kept quiet, looking at the wide field, feeling the fresh air. We stayed like that for minutes until he decided to go home, when he received a text from his driver.
"Thanks for the time." he says, leaving the field while I accompany him going out.
I just nodded as an answer, and he waved his hand as a final goodbye before riding his car going home at 5:20.