P A T
Nararamdaman kong nanginginig ang mga kamay ko habang naglalakad sa likod ni Axl. Hindi ako makapaniwala na pumayag ako sa gusto niya, but I don't want to end my first ever Dawson University School Fair experience locked inside the jail booth while everyone's having fun outside.
Nakaka-guilty rin kung makukulong sina Mads at Ganja dahil tinanggihan ko ang alok ni Axl sa akin. In the first place, if I didn't wear that stupid red lipstick, then they wouldn't have done, too. Kailangan ko na lang sigurong mag-ipon ng kapal ng mukha para mamaya dahil pumayag na akong sumali sa banda nila Axl at hindi ko na mababawi 'yon.
"Hayyy." Buntonghininga ko habang naglalakad.
"Relax," mahinang sambit ni Axl mula sa harapan ko. "You'll be fine."
Habang pinagmamasdan siya ay mas napagtatanto ko na talaga palang matangkad siya. He's walking a few feet ahead of me and he looks like a giant from my line of sight. Obvious din na may iba siyang lahi base sa itsura niya.
It's already 04:30 p.m. and from what I know, the competition starts at exactly 7 in the evening. I'm not good with numbers but I'm pretty sure that we don't have enough time left to rehearse.
I don't feel so good at pakiramdam ko ay masusuka ako dahil sa labis na kaba. Sanay naman akong humarap sa maraming tao dahil sa course ko, pero hindi talaga ako kampante kapag hindi ako nakakapaghanda sa mga bagay. Gusto kong laging handa, at ayaw na ayaw ko ang nagka-cram.
I hate that I got myself in this situation pero wala na akong magagawa dahil nandito na ako.
Gaano pa ba kalayo? We were already approaching the school's west perimeter fence but Axl still hasn't stopped walking. We are now at the back of the auditorium and I have never been this far out before. Hindi ko nga alam kung saan ba siya pupunta. Ang sabi niya lang kasi sa akin ay sumunod ako sa kaniya dahil magpe-prepare kami para mamaya.
I almost bumped onto his back when he suddenly stopped in his tracks after reaching a metal door that has a sign that says FOR AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.
I thought that we were just going to pass by it, but my hands began to grow cold when Axl unlocked the door and stepped inside without hesitation.
Suddenly, I was reminded of the serial killers and murder scenes in all the crime documentaries I have watched on Netflix.
"A-Axl! Ano bang ginagawa natin dito? Baka pagalitan tayo!" I yelled. But it was pitch dark and he's nowhere to be found. "Hoy? Axl! Nasaan ka na? We shouldn't be here!" natatakot na tanong ko.
I don't want to die yet. It's so cold and dark in here, and I doubt anyone would hear me even if I yell my lungs out. I shuddered at the thought.
Paalis na sana ako nang biglang may bumukas na ilaw mula sa bandang itaas.
"Tara rito."
I looked up and saw Axl standing on a second-floor platform. Ngayong may ilaw na, I realized na hindi naman pala talaga nakakatakot 'yong lugar. May mga ilang bangko lang na nakakalat, but there's absolutely nothing to be creeped up about. OA lang pala talaga 'ko minsan.
Sumunod ako kay Axl sa itaas at nakita kong may maliit pa na silid kung saan siya pumasok. I followed him inside but I didn't expect what I found when I opened the door.
It's a small music room!
Soundproof walls, an organ, six to seven guitars, a couple of beatbox drums, a single violin . . . and a drum set!
This is every indie musician's dream, and I can't believe I'm standing right in the middle of it!
"Oh, bunganga mo." He smiled at me.
I looked around and I realized that it wasn't just the two of us in the room. There were two other people—a guy and a girl—who both approached me when I walked in.
"Hi! Kara. You?" mabait na pakilala sa akin no'ng babae habang nakalahad ang kamay niya. She looks nice with short, wavy, hair, glasses, and a bright smile.
I shook her hand and smiled back at her. "Pat," mahinang sagot ko.
I then looked at the other guy who was also extending his hand. "Denver," nakangiting bati niya. "Welcome sa grupo. Buti pumayag ka kahit short notice."
"W-Wala 'yon," sagot ko sa kaniya habang nakikipagkamay. Kahit ang totoo ay napilitan lang naman talaga ako dahil sa usapan namin ni Axl.
Now that he's standing beside me, I realized that Denver looks like a younger version of Jericho Rosales, especially with the way he styled his hair. Base sa pananalita niya ay nasisiguro kong siya ang "leader" ng grupo. Sigurado rin ako na pasok siya sa mga tipo ni Mads, so I can't wait to introduce them once this is over.
I looked around, still unable to believe that they have their own studio. May music room naman sa D-Hall but this one is just so cool! It's like having your own personal batcave right in school, and it's just so astig! They're all so astig!
"So, uhm, what's the plan?" I asked, talking to no one in particular.
I noticed that both Kara and Denver turned to Axl for an answer.
"Just name an 80's or 90's song you're comfortable with. Iyon ang gagawin natin," Axl answered while tuning his guitar.
Oo nga pala. Kasama nga pala sa rules 'yon ng Battle Of The Bands.
"Kahit anong kanta?" tanong ko.
I began to worry because we only have less than three hours until the show. Hindi ba nila kailangan ng mahaba pang oras para pag-aralan 'yong mga chords and keys and stuff?
"Yes. Any song. Just name one," maiksing sagot ni Axl.
Siguro ay gano'n na sila kagaling. Kahit anong kanta ang ibigay ko ay kaya na nilang tugtugin kahit hindi pina-practice.
"Axl, puwedeng mag-suggest?" singit ni Kara habang nag-iisip ako. "Naisip na namin 'to ni Denver kanina no'ng sinabi mong may nahanap kang babaeng bokalista."
She stood up from behind the drums and walked over to whisper something in Axl's ear.
He moved his gaze towards me as soon as he heard Kara's suggestion. He eyed me carefully—slowly—a handsome smile forming on his lips as he finally nodded his head in approval.
"G," he finally said, his beautiful, dark brown eyes still not leaving mine.