CHAPTER 16
What a nightmare! It's just a dream, a very bad dream.
Sa panaginip ko, nagkita raw kami ni Dad at sinampal niya ko. I can't bear it, ba't niya ako sinampal? Iyong pride ko grabe, siya na napakasama, siya na satanas, sinampal niya ako? The nerve! All I did was to please him even though he's being a jerk. The jerkiest jerk that hurt my mom. Argggggh!
Wala akong ganang kumain so I skipped breakfast, good thing kase Saturday ngayon, wala akong classes. Nakabalik na kaya si Damian from London?
I'm gonna take a walk outside, I want to be physically fit. Health conscious ako dapat.
I'm wearing a velour hoodie & pants and I'm walking and walking and walking with my earphones, nakikinig ako ng audiobook ng Collection of Essays of Francis Bacon.
Tumigil ako sa Van Allen's Park to take a rest. Then may maingay. I hate noises talaga but then, unfortunate me, the proximity is so near, may mga OA na mga babae ang nagkakaroon ng OA na convo.
"Yeah right! Sold out iyong concert nila within just 2 hours! Buti may kakilala si mom doon sa Blue Cross Arena. Siguro kung wala akong pull, hindi na ako nakabili ng ticket," ang OA naman ng babaeng to kung maka-react, wagas! Pati iyong kausap niya parang nag-spa-sparkle iyong mata niya dahil sa excitement.
"May backstage pass ka ba?," sabat ng isa. Mga fangirls talaga, nakakaawa sila. Eh kung nag-review na lang sana sila ng mga notes nila sa school eh di perfect!
"Super protective ng label sa kanila so hindi sila nagbibigay ng mga backstage passes," nag-pout pa si ate.
Tch! Mga ka-batch ko sa henerasyon na 'to, nakakainis! They're just wasting their time fantasizing idols. Ako nga wala akong idol, style icon lang siguro like the late Princess Diana of Wales and i'm not that obsessed for the fish's sake!
I spent too much time outside pala. Hindi ko namalayan ang oras. I went to this tea shop kase and I almost ordered all teas available in that shop.
Nang pagpasok ko sa condo ko, I noticed iyong poster na pinunit-punit ko into pieces weeks ago. Nasa table near the door pa rin ito. Matagal-tagal na ring nasa condo ko ang poster na ito, hindi ko lang napapansin. It's so expensive nakakainis! Kung hindi lang ako nagalit sa dalawang nag-aagawang muntik nang magpatayang mga fangirls na mga iyon sa bookstore eh 'di hindi ko sana pinunit-punit ito into pieces at hindi ako obliged na bilhin ito!
But as I stare sa poster na 'to. It reminds me of Philippe Albert Gregory Englebert, si Ken and si Ulrich. I don't know why.
They do look so familiar to me. It's as if they were really my friends back then but I'm not convinced and I'm not interested in finding it out.
At iyon, nag sink-in na may pupuntahan pa pala kaming concert ni Damian ngayon. So ano nang nangyayari sa iyo Kayleena Ayla Therene Eleanor? Pupunta ka nanaman sa isang concert? Nakakainis rin itong si Damian! Adik sa mga concerts!
What if hindi siya nakauwi on time ?
*ringggggg
"Hello"
[I'm gonna pick you up at 7:30, you still have an hour and a half to prep yourself up Kate!]
Oh the British accent, even though he's pure Filipino, still, his accent is too British!
"Okay. Okay."
[So how have you been lonesome? Good? ]
"Sanay na ako Damian. Matagal na akong naging si Miss Independent. Bye."
So I ended his call just like that.
What am I gonna wear? Think Kayleena, think!
And there are so many failed attempts. Ang hirap mag-hunt ng mga simpleng outfit sa closet ko. They're all too formal; all are intended, or should I say "customized" for corporate dinners. Pag dumarating kase si mom, palagi niya akong isinasama sa mga business meetings/dinners/appointments niya eh.
I ended up with a super plain attire, all are in shades of blue, blue jeans (maong) imagine that? I know I look like a kid who needs some sort of donations I guess? I look petty, so what?
*Dingdong
Si Damian na siguro 'to.
Okay fine. Sino pa ba ang lapastangang epal na pumupunta na lang sa condo ko 'di ba? Kundi si Damian de la Torre lang naman?
Totoo ba iyong nakita ko? Tinawanan niya ang itsura ko? Iyong nakakairitang facial expression niya nakaka-bother kase nga nakakairita di ba?! Itong mokong na 'to talaga mga liberated style lang ang pinupuri. What's wrong for being so conservative and ang daming tao sa pupuntahan namin, mga bacteria and viruses! They will all be there!
Pagkapasok ko sa car niya, "Isn't it weird that I have a crush on someone that has no fashion sense Kate?"
Is he referring to me? Yuck! Ew Damian de la Torre!
"Am I that 'someone' Damian?"
He caught my eye at hindi siya sumuko sa pagtitig. There's this awkward silence kaya I smiled at him na lang, "Okay lang kung magka-crush ka sa akin Damian pero ang masasabi ko sa iyo as your friend is that, wala kang karapatang pumorma/manligaw to any girls out there kung lahat-lahat pa na ginagastos mo is that galing pa sa mga parents mo, okay?"
Nag-start na siyang mag-drive na may ngiti on his perfect lips, "Hindi ikaw iyong 'someone' Kate. Don't be so delusional."
Nag-let go ako ng monosyllabic laugh, "Then we're okay then. Hindi ko kase matatanggap kung nagkataong magkagusto ka nga sa akin eh. We're young and stupid so huwag ka munang magkaka-crush-crush kahit sa sinumang girls. I know we have these hyper-performing-brainy-brains kaya sana maging mature ka when it comes to stuffs like that. And when the right time comes, you can seek advice from me and i'll be glad to help and scrutinize and reject your type of girls. I'm your sissy and you're my bro! We'll gonna be partner in crimes!"
I'm considering Damian as my older brother. Honestly, I'm tired of being alone. I'm so sick of it. I need a family, I need friends, I need companions but I couldn't say it out loud.
Biglang siyang nagseryoso, "Yah, i'm your bro and your my sis. Basta Kate, what might happen tonight, I hope it'll turn out well."
"What is it?"
"Just trust me Kate."
Nasa Blue Cross Arena kami ni Damian to watch a concert. Nasa isang private room kami sa backstage, I don't know how did that became possible pero talaga, nasa isang room kami backstage and what's bothering me is that Damian is feeling uneasy.
Silip ng silip siya sa labas. Parang may pinagtataguan, "All clear! They all went inside. Let's go!"
He pulled my left wrist at hinatak ako palabas ng room, tumatakbo kami na parang may pinagtataguan.
We reached our seats. Front row seats. My eyes are still adapting sa mga flickering lights ng arena nang biglang may ibinigay si Damian na shades, "Wear this and don't you dare remove it."
Concerned siya. Okay, eh di thank you bro.
Lumalakas na ang hiyawan. Ito na yata ang pinaka-maingay na sound na narinig ko in my whole life. It's supersonic!
"Good evening Philippines!"
Lalong lumakas ang ingay, I think my tympanic membrane will give up soon!
Sumisigaw lahat, well except me and Damian. They're all shouting, "F-SOT-RL!"
Nagsalita na naman iyong lalakeng artista, "Trivia about me, I am actually fluent in your language. Excited na si Philippe! Kayo? Aren't you excited? We will make this night memorable Philippines! Ken are you ready? How about you Ulrich? Let's get this party started!"
At may ilalakas pa pala ang ingay, "Kyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!"
Narinig ko ang mga usap-usapan sa mga malapit sa akin, "Marunong siyang mag-tagalog? Really? Fated kame!"
Sumabat iyong isa, "Are you really a fan? This is not new duh? He's really fond of learning Tagalog even when they were still kids because there's his Filipino best friend who recommended it to him and surprisingly, it became his hobby! Weird right? BUT AWESOME! SO WE, FILIPINO FANS, ARE SPECIAL!"
I'm frozen. I can't move!
"Surprise Kate!"- Si Damian, plano niya lahat 'to.
"What were you thinking Damian de la Torre?!"
Tuloy pa rin ang hiyawan, "Phil!"
"Phil! Kyaaaaa!"
"Phil! O-m-g!"
"Phil! Kyaaaaa! Waaah!"
"Phil! I love you! Marry me please!"
Biglang dumagundong ang mga drums, electric guitar, bass guitar, ang keyboards, at nag-feedback ang isang microphone. .
(SONG TITLE: "She Looks So Perfect" by 5 Seconds of Summer)
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Simmer down, simmer down
They say we're too young now to amount to anything else
But look around
Totoo ba talaga ang mga nakikita at naririnig ko? I'm excited na anxious na may halong galit. Hindi ko alam if what's this sensation that I'm feeling right now. Galit ako dahil hinahabol ako ng nakaraan na matagal ko nang nilimot. Anong silbi ng pagtitiis ko ng napakatagal na panahon kung babalik lang ito sa dati? Basta, my brain is still processing everything na I'm looking into Page, Ken and Ulrich. They're all infront of me!
Page is looking in our direction, si Damian naman, poker face lang then nag-smirked.
"Look who's in the crowd everyone! My dearest friend with her girl! Would you mind Damian if I borrow your girl for a while up here?"
I froze. Basta everyone is screaming because they're envious, "Ako na lang Phil! Kyaaa!"
"Swerte ng girl, sino kaya ang tinutukoy niya?"
Basta, all I know is that, ako iyong tinutukoy niya at pinapapunta niya ako sa stage!
We work too damn hard for this just to give it up now
If you don't swim, you'll drown
But don't move, honey
Lumapit si Page sa amin, and from the stage, he grab my wrist and pulled me up.
"Sing it everbody!"
I'm still wearing the shades that Damian had given me. And Page, still unaware of who I am, serenades me with their song, and I'm shaking. All I need to do is not to let the shades fall off.
You look so perfect standing there
In my American Apparel underwear
And I know now, that I'm so down
Your lipstick stain is a work of art
I got your name tattooed in an arrow heart
And I know now, that I'm so down (hey!)
~End of Chapter 16~