#NewClassicILIB
Chapter 7
Fierce
"Zendaya!"
I saw Jerlyn running towards me with a huge smile on her face. And as soon as she reached me, she enveloped me with a tight embrace.
"I missed you!" she said happily, before letting me go.
The last time we saw each was three months ago. We couldn't see each other because we were so busy. We also didn't communicate that much. Dati ay madalas kaming nakakapagkita kapag parehas ng uwian, ngunit dahil tambak ng mga gawain ay nawawalan kami ng oras. Pero kapag nagkikita naman kaming dalawa ay walang sawa ang pagkukuwentuhan at talagang sinusulit namin.
Distance didn't matter to us that much. Kahit madalang kaming mag-usap sa chat o text, kapag nagkikita naman kami ay parang walang nagbago sa relasyon naming dalawa bilang magkaibigan. Our friendship was strong enough to overcome the changes, distance, and lack of communication.
I thought she came here alone at first, but then I saw a guy figure just standing a meter away from us. He smiled at me, and I realized that he must be a friend of Jerlyn... I think?
"Miggy, halika rito! Pakilala kita sa best friend ko," tinawag niya ang lalaking nanonood lamang sa amin kanina.
He walked up to us, and Jerlyn moved towards him.
"Zendaya, this is Miggy. Miggy, this is Zendaya," she introduced us to each other and vice-versa.
Nginitian ko lamang ang lalaki pabalik. Medyo nakahinga pa ako nang maluwag nang hindi niya ito pinakilala bilang kanyang bagong boyfriend. I feared that she had a new boyfriend again, when she just broke up with her last boyfriend two months ago. I couldn't decide whether she had good luck with boys because she could get a new boyfriend fast, or bad luck because her relationship with boys tends to end fast, too.
"I'll go home first, Jerlyn," paalam ni Miggy. "Okay na ba kayo rito?"
"Yup!" Jerlyn smiled and nodded once. "Thanks for driving me here."
"No problem," Miggy told her, before he looked at me again. "Nice meeting you."
Ngumiti na lamang ako ulit at pinanood na siyang umalis. His car was just parked near, since he just dropped off Jerlyn. Nang makasakay na ito sa kanyang sasakyan ay nilingon kong muli si Jerlyn.
"Sino ang Miggy na 'yon?" tanong ko sa kanya habang papasok na kaming dalawa sa loob ng mall.
"Manliligaw ko," kaswal niyang sagot sa akin.
My jaw dropped a bit.
So, the guy wasn't her boyfriend yet because he was still her suitor. Muli akong namroblema dahil sa kanyang mga relasyon.
"Didn't you just break up with Harry?"
She nodded, looking so uninterested to talk about her ex-boyfriend.
"Pagkatapos ay mayroon na agad nanliligaw sa'yo?"
To be honest, at this point, I had no idea why I was still surprised. But I couldn't help but to be concerned about her romantic relationship escapades.
I had no experience of being in a relationship, but I knew relationship hopping wasn't something good for your mental health. I read a book about it that it tends to affect the psychological well-being of a person. But I also read that some people go relationship hopping because of their emotional needs―like craving for a feeling to be needed by someone and using it as a way to prove that they are worth it.
As I was concerned about her, I asked her about it. She assured me that there was nothing to be worried about that aspect. She said she just really wanted to keep trying until finds her "the one." However, even if she assured me for so many times, I couldn't stop myself from being worried about her.
"Zendaya, si Harry nga ay may girlfriend na ulit, isang linggo pagkatapos kong makipaghiwalay sa kanya," dahilan niya sa akin. "At least, I only entertained a suitor."
Bitterness was dripping on every word she spoke out.
"And besides, I could tell that Miggy is a better guy than him," she confidently said. "He courted me before as well, but I turned him down because of Harry. Nang malaman niyang break na kami ni Harry ay sumubok siya ulit sa akin. I think it's only right to give him a chance this time. Nagkamali ako noon sa pagpili."
Pakiramdam ko ay sumasakit ang ulo ko sa mga problema niya pagdating sa pakikipagrelasyon. I already accepted that I was a part of her emotional support council as her best friend, but sometimes I felt like I just wanted to resign and take that responsibility off me and just be her best friend. However, it's like a bundle. If I want to be her best friend, I have to stick up with it.
"Jerlyn, hindi pa rin magandang papalit-palit ka." I still tried to make sense to her.
"Zendaya, do you know Taylor Swift?" She suddenly turned to face me with her arms crossed over her chest.
I silently nodded my head. Who doesn't know her?
"Taylor Swift, the greatest singer-songwriter of all time; the artist of the decade! She often got hurt and lost, too, while trying to find the man who will treat and love her the way she deserves," she cited an example. "Now, she's living the best life with Joe Alwyn, a.k.a. her longest boyfriend or maybe, her last boyfriend."
Napataas ako ng kilay sa kanya.
"Someday, I'll find my own Joe Alwyn, too!" she stated with determination. "Hay nako! Let's not talk about my relationship anymore," she frustratedly tried to divert our topic. "Let's talk about your fangirl life instead!"
Kaya naman agad nagtungo roon ang aming usapan nang makarating kami sa aming paboritong kainan tuwing nagkikita sa mall na 'to. Habang hinihintay ang aming pagkain ay nagsimula ako sa pagkukuwento sa kanya.
"Bukas ay pupunta kami sa Skydome para simulan ang pag-aayos ng event sa Linggo," kuwento ko. "Kasama namin si mommy at pati na rin ang staffs ng New Classic."
Naayos na naming lahat nila Dawn ang mga kailangan para sa program. Naibalot na rin namin ang ibang freebies, pero mayroon pang mga natitira. We will pack the rest tomorrow, after we visit the venue. Ang sabi naman ni mommy ay puwedeng hindi kami magtagal doon dahil madaming staff ang tutulong sa pag-aayos.
Unfortunately, Mr. Joel told us that the band couldn't make it to the fan gathering. They had a photoshoot and an interview with an international entertainment channel scheduled that day. Their schedule was packed. They didn't have time to attend.
Nakakapanghinayang pero gaya nga ng sabi ko, ayos lang din namang hindi sila makapunta. I just really wanted them to rest after those schedules.
We already posted the registration link last Saturday. It got filled up within a day. I expected that it would last days before those five hundred slots were taken. Kailangan mo pa kasing magbayad muna ng registration fee, na nasa halagang dalawang daan, bago ka makapagregister. But it went out faster than expected.
That was when I realized that New Classic's popularity and fandom were really prospering. I felt proud and pressured at the same time. Proud because New Classic was getting the attention they deserved, and pressured because as the fandom was growing bigger, my responsibility as the President of the fanclub was also getting more challenging.
"I never thought that you'd be this dedicated to a band," Jerlyn commented. "Nagulat nga ako nung sinabi mo sa aking President ka ng fanclub nila. I mean, do you have that much time?"
"It's actually hard and stressful, but I enjoy doing everything I can to support the band," I told her the truth with a smile.
"Zendaya, the fangirl," she said, slightly shaking her head in disbelief. "I really didn't imagine that this would be happening."
Natawa na ako ngayon sa kanya. "Is it really that shocking?"
"Hindi naman..." Bumuntonghininga siya. "I just really can't imagine you being a fangirl. I mean, you hate being in the crowd. You like peace and quiet. To think that you even met friends, it's unusual. But I'm also glad that you find something you really like."
Knowing the sincerity of her words, I smiled.
"Pero nako, Zendaya! Maalala ko nga!"
Nagulat ako nang medyo hinampas niya ang kanyang kamay sa lamesa para mas lalong makuha ang aking atensyon. Nabigla naman akong tumingin sa kanya.
"That band's Isaiah, is he really the one you kept talking about since we were in high school?" she asked, her eyes squinted due to curiosity.
Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala sa sinabi ko sa kanya. She still had doubts. Though, I could understand her. It was too much of a coincidence. To think that he's also a part now of a rising band. Baka nga ang isipin pa ng iba ay nananaginip lang ako.
"Yes, he is the one," I answered.
"And can he still remember you?" she probed. "Hindi ba't nasabi mo rin sa akin na pumunta ka sa meet and greet at fansigning nila?"
Ngumuso ako. "He didn't recognize me..." medyo nahihiya kong sagot. "Hindi ko rin sinabi sa kanya."
"Ha?!" She sounded so scandalous. "Why didn't you tell him?"
Shrugging my shoulders, I said, "I don't think it's that important to tell him about it."
At first, I just didn't really want to look or sound like a desperate fan to him. But then, I realized that it was supposed to be the way it was. He's an artist now, and I'm just his fan. To mention something like that isn't important anymore.
All I want to do now is to support him in every way I can―as what a fan should do to their idol.
It didn't matter to me anymore that he couldn't recognize nor remember me. No matter what, in my heart, I'll be his number one fan among all his fans. It's fine with me, even if he will not see me in the crowd.
"You are crazy." She rolled her eyes on me. "Kung ibang tao siguro 'yan ay baka gumagapang pa 'yan para makalapit sa kanya at sabihing mayroon silang naging intimate rendezvous four years ago. While you―you already have the chance, but you just blew it away."
I just smiled because I didn't know how to explain to her and make her understand the reasons I had. I felt like I was the only one who could understand what's running around my head.
"But anyway, alam kong adik na adik ka ngayon sa banda na 'yan, lalo na kay Isaiah whatever, pero sana ay huwag mong kalimutang tumingin-tingin sa mga reachable na lalaki riyan sa paligid mo," paalala sa akin ni Jerlyn. "You should try to pay attention to guys sending you some signals."
Napailing na lang ako.
"I'm serious, Zendaya!" she told me, and I could sense her slight frustration. "I know fans who are getting completely delusional―like daydreaming that they're going to marry their idol someday or whatever. I would just like to remind you that we're not getting any younger. You should try to get some experience dating. But as I can see how much time you're dedicating to the band, I'm sure you'll have lesser time to think about going out with someone."
"Of course, I know my limits, Jerlyn. I'm just a fan. You don't have to worry about that," I assured her, though I didn't know why I felt a strange prick on my heart as I admitted that. "Wala lang sa isip ko ang pakikipagrelasyon. When the time comes, I'm sure I'll be open to it already."
The idea of being in a relationship was already at the back of my head, but it was something that I couldn't really grasp on. I felt like I wasn't yet ready for something like that. I would just like to enjoy my youth first. And seeing how stressed Jerlyn was when it comes to boys, the more I wasn't feeling like being in a relationship.
But like what I just said, if the right time comes, I'll just let it be. I didn't need to rush it.
Nang dumating na ang aming pagkain ay muling naiba ang aming usapan. We were deciding whether to watch a movie before we go home or just go to the café and chill out while doing some of our homeworks, when my eyes caught someone.
My lips went apart from each other as I saw Ida Mallari entered the restaurant. Not long after, my eyes drifted to the girl she was with. I didn't have to guess much. She was with Blair Alcoberes. Just like me and Jerlyn, they were also best of friends.
Ida Mallari, Isaiah's younger sister. Hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili kong titigan siya. I could see her resemblance to Isaiah. She's pretty, just like how handsome her brother is.
I already knew that she was studying in the same university as me, but I didn't really see her that much around the campus. But she had a good reputation though. On the other hand, her best friend, Blair, had the opposite reputation. She was known to be a very fierce woman. She also had some issues going around the campus. She's a beauty, but no boys would dare approach her. They found her too intimidating.
Unlike Ida Mallari, I often saw Blair around the campus, especially because we were in the same department and same program. But just like how the others perceived her, I also found her intimidating as I rarely saw her smiling.
I wondered how it felt like to be close to Ida. For sure, she already met Isaiah. I couldn't help but think―is she also close with Isaiah?
"Hoy, Zendaya! Hindi ka na naman nakikinig sa akin."
Binalingan ko ulit ng tingin si Jerlyn. Nakasimangot siya dahil nawala sa kanya ang aking atensyon.
"I'm sorry." Smiling, I shook my head to stop myself from thinking about something so trivial. "Let's just go to the café, instead of watching a movie. I have to do something."
She nodded her head, and we finished our meal quickly to head out to the café.
Before we were out of the restaurant, I looked back at Ida Mallari and Blair Alcoberes, who were having a conversation while waiting for their food. When Blair was about to raise her eyes to look at me, probably sensing that someone was staring at them, I quickly averted my gaze and went outside with Jerlyn.