(A/N: Pls. Play Counting Stars and Bawat Kaluluwa)
Showdown (Part 2)
CROSS
I STILL CAN'T believe that Aiko invited me to sing. Although, that's only because I'm the one who got the metal ball when the music stopped. Namimili pala siya ng mahahamon that time.
And the lucky me, who's prone to everything was there to catch the ball even if I'm disoriented. So... here I am, just in front of the stage, sitting at the nearest seat in front of it while waiting for Aiko to get up on the stage.
Para siyang ahas kung makabuntot at makalingkis sa mga ka-share ko dito sa table. Wala siyang pinapalagpas.
I saw her chug a huge glass of beer first before she went up on the stage. Sobrang angas niya habang naglalakad yet she's also gracefull at the same time. Aakalain mo talagang lalaki siya sa pagka-boyish niya.
Yun nga lang, I knew better. She may be the opposite of Sumera, they still had the same love interest. And it was Zad.
Matino bang babae ang makikisiping sa lalaki ng may kahati pang isang babae sa kama? Seriously? She's that desperate? Nasaan na ang class niya?
And threesome? That is so fucking gross.
I wonder what happened between her and Zad after they've done the nasty. Hindi naman siguro iyon ang unang pagkakataon na nag-sex sila di ba?
Eww. 'Nagsiping' is so foreign to be pronounce by me, masyadong malalim. And speaking of Zad. He's still here. Nagsilabasan na rin ang apat pang mga kaibigan niya which is the gothic guys.
Sila ang mga tinutukoy kong ka-share ko ng table kanina.
The attention of the whole crowd is now on them. Ang ingay nilang lima. Isama niyo pa si Aiko. Ang mas nakakapang-gigil pa dito ay katabi ko sila sa kinau-upuan ko.
They are also drinking alcohols. Zadreth is not that noisy but he talk much than the usual. Good thing hindi rin siya ang katabi ko. He kept looking around and I have no idea why.
Parang meron siyang hinahanap na hindi ko mawari kung sino. And another one, I also noticed that he's not interested on me. Para kasing wala siyang pakialam sa existence ko.
Talking about bullshit.
Anyway, it's Dray and Ghan who are in my sides. Dray keep trying to make a conversation with me but I'm just ignoring him. The least thing I would do is to talk to the most asshole guy I knew and that's him.
He's very talkative. Like a nagging machine.
Back to Aiko. Nagsipag-pwestuhan na ang buong banda sa kanya-kanya nilang mga pwesto. Including Aiko herself. She didn't make further introductions. She just started to sing.
And the song she choose was Counting Stars. Damn it! That's my first choice of song!
"🎶Lately I've been,
I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things
that we could be
But baby, I've been,
I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars...
We'll be counting stars...🎶"
The instrumental starts as the crowd started to cheer for her. Loud screams surrounds every corner of the Central Wing like there was a concert happening.
I can say that, Aiko is a pretty good singer. Her voice was like a voice of an angel. Sweet, demure with mix emotion.
I'm wonderin'...
Will the crowd scream with joy if I was the one who's singing on that stage? Would they react the same way they did on Aiko with me?
Anxiety started to eat me up.
"🎶I see this life like a swing vine
Swing my heart across the line
In my face is flasing signs
Seek it out and ye shall find🎶"
The crowd sings with her.
"🎶Oh, but I'm not that old
Young, but I'm not that bold
I don't think the world is sold
I'm just doing what we're told🎶"
Aiko walk down the stage and stand in front of me. Oh, well in front of Zadreth to be specific while her hips are moving. Bakit ba masyado siyang halata?
She's not like this before Zadreth announced at the crowd that he wanted to fuck her that night.
"🎶I... feel something so right
Doing the wrong thing
I... feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing
I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie🎶"
So she change the original tune, huh?
"🎶Everything that kills me...
Make's me feel alive🎶"
She pointed Zadreth then walked to towards him. Zadreth on the other hand remained poker face like he was not pleased with Aiko's doings. Well, ganyan na siya kanina. Baka naman di siya naaliw?
Seriously? Aiko looks seductive? Hindi ba niya papatulan ang kalandian nito ngayon?
"🎶Lately, I've been,
I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things
That we could be
But baby, I've been,
I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars
We'll be counting stars🎶"
"🎶Lately, I've been,
I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things
That we could be
But baby, I've been,
I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars
We'll be counting stars🎶"
Nah, mahihirapan yata akong talunin si Aiko ngayon. She's so great. I'm proud with my voice. But I can't flirt like her. Dance like her. Like what she's doing right now.
Nakakahiya!
"🎶I feel your love and I feel it burn
Damn this river, every turn
Hope is a four-letterword
Make that money, watch it burn🎶"
Damn those dance steps! I wish I could do better...
"🎶Oh, but I'm not that old
Young, but I'm not that bold
I don't think the world is sold
I'm just doing what we're told🎶"
"🎶I... feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing...
I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie🎶"
Mukhang nagsawa na si Aiko kaya nilayuan na niya si Zad. Maybe she realized by now that Zadreth don't like her anymore and what she's doing.
Nah, hindi yata tumagal ang pagiging fling nila sa isa't isa?
"🎶Lately, I've been,
I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things
That we could be
But baby, I've been,
I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars
We'll be counting stars🎶"
Aiko went back on the stage, set her mic at the stick in the middle and repeat the chorus of Counting Stars.
Napatagay nalang ako ng wala sa oras. I'm pressured. Kumakanta pa rin ang mga tao sa paligid. You can even include the gothic guys na todo support kay Aiko. Specially Dray.
Sira ulong lalaki...
"🎶Oh, take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
Lessons are learnt
Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
Lessons I learnt🎶"
She's rapping!
"🎶Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
Lessons are learnt
Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
Lessons are learnt🎶"
"🎶Everything that kills me...
Makes me feel alive🎶"
Itinapat niya ang kanyang mic sa mga crowds na para bang sila ang pinapakanta nito. And the crowd sings for her willingly. Kitang-kita ko ang tagumpay na ngiti sa mukha niya ng magtama ang mata namin.
I gritted my teeth. Nang-aasar siya.
Maybe her performance is perfect. But I can do better. Arrgh!
I have to do better!
"🎶Lately, I've been,
I've been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things
That we could be
But baby, I've been
I've been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars
We'll be counting stars🎶"
Ugh. Kaasar...
"🎶Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
Lessons are learnt
Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
Lessons are learnt🎶"
"🎶Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
Lessons are learnt🎶"
Aiko twirl around then raised her right leg smootly. She then gripped her hat, took a bow at the crowd after she stood up straight once again then spread her arms imitating UP oblation style.
With that, her performance ended well. Isang masigapong palakpakan at sigawan ang ginawa ng lahat. Isingaw din pati pangalan niya.
Ugh. Down na down ako. Puta.
I sighed. I need to focus. I need to do better.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhal—
"Omo, nervous?" Napabaling ako kay Dray ng ako na naman ang napansin niya. He blinked his eyes thrice like he wants me to be pissed off. But he doesn't have to do that. Sayang effort.
Why? I'm already pissed off. No need to booze it more!
"What? Speachless? Hah! Di ka mananalo kay Aiko. She's the best. Dapat si Ferro yung nandyan sa pwesto mo, eh."
As if na may pakealam ako.
"Whatever, Cocky guy—" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.
Damn.
I forgot that that was my endearment to him when I'm in my nerdy mode. Sana hindi niya napansin. Sana hindi. Bakit ang careless ko?
"Cocky... guy? You remind me of someone... Funny—she also call me in that nickname. Did... I heard it right?"
Fuck. He noticed!
"You heard me already. No need to repeat myself, tsk." Inirapan ko siya saka deretchong tinungga ang Jack Daniels ko mula sa mismong bote nito. I did that to divert Dray from that topic.
Sakto namang may dumating—thank god. Aiko appoarch us again—no. Aiko approach Zadreth again. Ha! Hindi ba siya nagsasawa? Hindi siya naaawa sa sarili niya?
She's just making herself like a fool. Napakamanhid niya talaga. A lot of men ogling her. Mas mabait at mas interasado sa kanya. Ang tanga! Nagmana kay Sumera.
Gosh. Why every single damn lady act like a clingy bitch after they got laid with Zadreth? Was he that good?
"Was my performance great, Zad? Did you like it? I gave my whole effort there. Just anything for you, Vice..." sunod-sunod na sabi nito sa lalaki.
Zadreth passed a huge glass of beer to her that she immediately took. Ngumiti din ang lalaki pero halatang pilit. Bakit ba ang cold niya?
"It's great. Thank you."
Aiko grinned like a stupid cat. Daig niya pa ang kiti-kiti sa ginawa niyang iyon dahil halatang kinilig siya. Compared to Sumera, at least that self-proclaimed bitch has a pride left on herself.
Masyadong bulgar ang babaeng 'to. Wala namang nakakakilig dun sa sinabi ng lalaki, ah?
"Oh, hi there...?" Aiko turned her head on me. Sadyang ibinitin niya ang kanyang pagbati na para bang tinatanong ang pangalan ko
"Cross." I said without hesitation. Masyado akong excited—ano ba!
"Oh, Cross, nice name." Tumango-tango ang babae. Halatang plastic ang ngiti. So ayun. I also smiled at her, of course—a fake one. "What are you up to? I mean... the song you will sing. It's your turn already."
"I know." Tumayo ako. Muli kong hinatak ang bote ng Jack Daniels saka humaldok doon. I'm so gross and I don't give a damn what she think of me. "Anyway, I'm not planning to defeat you, Aiko. Because there's no one to defeat to."
"Is that what you think?"
"No. I'm just confident." Walang emosyon kong sagot. Tumango-tango nalang siya ulit saka sumagot.
"We'll see..."
--
Nang dahil sa sagutan namin ni Aiko ay lumakas ang loob ko. As soon as we finished talking, I immediately go up on the stage and tell the band the first song came up on my mind that moment.
Hindi gaanong sikat ang kanta at na-trip-an ko lang kantahin ng dahil sa inis. But that will do. Gagalingan ko nalang ang pagkanta. My choice of song is not bad.
But unlike Aiko who made a self-version of Counting Stars... I on the other hand intend to use the original tune of Bawat Kaluluwa. I like the way they sing that song. Oh, I'm refering at the group of IV of Spades.
They're cool. Especially because all of them are young. Just about my age.
So... yes. I'm not nervous at all. I'm just worried at the fact that... maybe... my schoolmates won't support me like what they did at that popstar. Hindi naman sa kailangan ko sila.
Pero hindi ko ikakaila na nakakataas ng confidence ang pagche-cheer ng crowd. Tahimik pa naman ngayon. As in, tahimik talaga. Parang naghihintay lang ang mga tao sa paligid kung ano ang gagawin ko.
Not wasting time... I gave my signal to the leader of the band behind me so they will start playing my choice of song. Habang nakikinig ako sa intro ng kanta ay pinasadahan ko muna ng tingin sina Aiko.
She's still sharing table with the five jerks there. Tahimik lang din silang nanonood doon. Ang pwesto nila ay walang pinagbago magmula ng iwanan ko sila.
Aiko was still flirting with Zadreth. In fact, I can see her kissing ZAD on the neck from here. Wala namang pakialam ang lalaki sa kanya na patuloy lang sa pag-inom ng tequilla.
I shook my head and and blinked my eyes few times. I have to sing now.
One...
Two...
Three...
"🎶Wag tahaking mag-isa...
Mula ulo hanggang paa
Ang araw ay mag-aantay
Sa sinag ng buwan
Wag hayaan ang paa🎶"
I saw few students talking na para bang nagdidiskusyon sila.
Fuck distractions...
"🎶Pinosasan ang kamay ng bata
Upang ito'y maging isang sunod-sunuran
Akin ngang inaasahang
Hindi mawawala
Ang kawalan sa iyong kaluluwa🎶"
Pinasadahan ko muli ng tingin ang aking paligid.
"🎶Wala ka nang magagawa,
Patuloy mong sisirain
Basahin bawat kaluluwa,
Bangungot ng panaginip,
Ang magpapagising,
Ang pag-asang nawala,
Pilit kong balikan ang nakaraan🎶"
Now, may nag-su-support na. I can feel my heart beating faster as I'm hearing a part of the audience, screaming my name.
I need to put more effort. So I closed my eyes.
Wala akong balak sumayaw kaya dinamdam ko nalang ang kinakanta ko. A few shouts, hand jesture and foot work on me will do. So that's what I did.
"🎶Pinosasan ang kamay ng bata
Upang ito'y maging isang sunod-sunuran
Akin ngang inaasahang hindi mawawala
Ang kawalan sa iyong kaluluwa🎶"
"🎶Wala ka nang magagawa
Patuloy mong sisirain...
Basahin bawat kaluluwa,
Bangungot ng panaginip,
Ang magpapagising🎶"
I opened my eyes. His eyes and mine met that made me frown a little. Why is Zadreth staring at me?
"🎶Subukan mo lang
Subukan mo lang🎶"
Hindi pa rin siya humuhiwalay ng tingin sa akin. Pero bakit hindi rin ako umiiwas?
"🎶At makakaya mo
Baka sakaling ang nawala
Isara ang kamay sa mga gabay ng mga
, langit at luha aking pinapasan🎶"
The voices of cheers stop in my head. Was that them?
Sabay kaming kumurap ng lalaki. Nag-init ang lalamunan ko saka nag-iwas ng tingin. Hindi maganda ang pakiramdam ko sa pagtama ng aming paningin ni Zadreth.
Strange.
"🎶Subukan mo lang
Subukan mo lang🎶"
I felt something odd that I can't explain. Flashes of images in my head started to ruin my focus. I closed my eyes once again to shut them out.
Konti pa. Buti nalang at gumana.
"🎶At makikita mo, subukan mo lang
Subukan mo kung makakalaya ang🎶"
When I thought that I'm fine already... I looked up at the crowd with my head held high. I am now hearing their voices again.
There are times that my mind is creating some illusions when I'm distracted and some of my senses aren't functioning well. Gaya ng pandinig ko. Nagpa-panic ako noon kapag nangyayari iyon but when time passed by... I learned how to handle and master that situation of mine in my head.
Ibig bang sabihin noon ay malaki ang epekto ni Zadreth sa akin?
"🎶Pinosasan ang kamay ng bata,
Upang ito'y maging isang sunod-sunuran
Akin ngang inaasahang hindi mawawalan
Ang kawalan sa iyong kaluluwa🎶"
God. There he is again. Bakit nakatitig na nanaman siya sa akin?
"🎶Wala ka nang magagawa,
Patuloy mong sisirain
Basahin bawat kaluluwa
Bangungot ng panaginip
Ang magpapagising
-gagawa, patuloy mong sisirain🎶"
Hininaan ko na ang boses ko para sa pagtatapos ng kanta. Nahuli ko naman si Aiko na masamang nakatitig sa akin. Her glares are piercing on me. Kulang nalang ay mapatay niya ako.
Especially because she knew that Zadreth's attention was on mine now. Sinusuportahan na rin ako ng mga schoolmates namin sa paligid at nasisiguro kong mas may impact ang ngayon kaysa sa kanya kanina.
"🎶Basahin bawat kaluluwa,
Bangungot ng panaginip,
Ang magpapagising...🎶"
Like Aiko, I also recieved a lot of applause from the crowd. Narinig ko pang may nag-i love you sa kanila na inignora ko nalang. Buti alam nila ang pangalan ko?
My attention was diverted into another person. And that was Zadreth.
Parang nag-slow motion ang paligid ng ma-ispatan ko siyang umakyat sa stage at naglakad patungo sa direksyon ko. Napansin ng lahat ang tensyon sa paligid. Parang tumigil sa pag-inog ang mundo at biglang tumahimik.
Zad smiled with me when he stopped a meter away from me. His smile is develish—I can feel that. It was cold and very strange. Mas lalo lang akong napa-isip sa pakay niya sa akin ng may inilabas siyang makintab na bagay mula sa loob ng jacket niya.
Worry started to eat me up. Nahuhulaan ko na ang gagawin niya.
"Nice voice, Cross. You won." Tinutukan niya ako ng isang malamig na bagay sa pagitan ng mga kilay ko. "I'm afraid, you can't enjoy the temporary fame. Am I right?"
"What are you doing?" I asked instead without any emotion. Ano problema niya?
A while ago, he's starring at me intently like we are agreeing on something that no one can explained. Then, next thing I knew, he's pointing a gun with me already. Like damn... what the fuck happened?
Seriously talking guys... I can't spell his attitude. No wonder he's the most powerful student of St. Death High. Ugh.
Isa lang ang dahilan ng pagtutok niya ng baril sa akin. It's either he discovered that I'm Crisanta or he knows that the face I'm wearing right now is not a student here.
Even Sumera. Akala niya ay isa akong newbie.
This is bad. Very bad.
"You're not a student here..."
Nginisian ko siya saka humalukipkip.
"Can you kill me outside instead? I don't want my blood and my body scattering in a place like this."
Kinaladkad niya ako paalis. At nagkagulo na ang lahat.