The Story of Music (One-Shot Stories)

Leaves

"That's all for this day. Class, dismissed." paalam ko sa mga studyante ko. They were busy fixing their things inside their bags, while i was busy doing mine. Ready na sana akong umalis palabas ng classroom nang may lumapit sa'kin na studyante.

"Sir Cuero, pinapaabot po ni Pap- ay, ni Principal Gomez pala." he said, then he scratched his head. "Nakalimutan niya daw pong idaan sa inyo kanina sa faculty. Saktong nakita niya ako, kaya ayon." madaldal na sabi ng studyante ko pagkaabot noong envelope. It was an alumni invitation from my private high school alma mater. I nodded and said thank you to the Principal's son. Alumnus din kasi ang principal namin doon. The kid smiled and left, happily hopping away.

"Ate Dayne! Wait!" i heard from a familiar voice. Di ko nalang pinansin. After leaving my car locked, naglakad na ako papuntang Gym. Doon kasi idadaos ang Alumni Homecoming. I am about to go inside our High School Alma Mater's Gym when Ate Dayne approached me. She's kuya Sky's girlfriend. Speaking of, nasaan na kaya ang mga kapatid ko? I just smiled at her. I saw someone behind her. By the way that someone act, she's obviously avoiding me. Yeah, right. Keep doing that, Claudia Marion.

"Dia, bumati ka naman kay Bolt. Parang walang pinagsamahan, eh." pang-aasar ni ate Dayne. Parang walang narinig si Claudia at pinagtataguan pa rin ako. I just smirked.

"Let's not force someone to do things against their will. Hayaan mo na." i said. "Anyway, nasaan sila kuya, si Sunny? Akala ko ba magkakasama na kayo?" i asked to divert the topic.

"Ah, yeah. Magkasama na kami kanina. Nandoon na sila sa loob. Eh, itong si Claudia, ngayon lang dumating. Nagpapasundo pa parang others." nakangising sabi niya while looking at her younger sister. I just nodded.

"Ah. I see. Let's go in." aya ko sa kanila. Nauna pang naglakad si Claudia at iniwan kami ng ate niya. Uncomfortable, huh?

"Pagpasensyahan mo na, Bolt. Ganun talaga kapag nakasalubong ang ex." natatawang pagpaumanhin ni ate Dayne sa kapatid niya. I just nodded and gave her a small smile. Nagkakasiyahan na ang lahat when the party started. Nagkakamustahan ang iba sa tagal na di pagkikita.

I was just in my seat. Kasama ko sila kuya at si Sunny kanina, pati mga girlfriend nila. Kuya Cloud and Ate Louisa just got married last year. Pati si Kuya Rain at Ate Iana noong nakaraang buwan lang. Kuya Sky and Kuya Storm, still lying low with Ate Dayne and Ate Fight. Pa-chill chill lang muna sila. Nang matapos ang dinner, nagsialisan na sila para makipaghalubilo sa mga ka-batchmates nila.

Since i wasn't the type of person to initiate conversation, i just stayed in my seat, alone, sipping a glass of wine. Pinagmamasdan ko lang ang mga taong nagkakasiyahan. Nagpunta pa ako, di ba? May iilan namang kinakausap ako nang mapansin nila ako. Some were my colleagues in a secondary school i'm working. Some were my batchmates bragging what they've become. May mga ganoon talagang tao sa Alumni, no? Hinayaan ko na lang, doon sila masaya, eh.

Suddenly, memories flashing back when i heard a familiar song. That was the same song played when she broke my heart into pieces. I couldn't stand listening to it, so i went out of the venue for a while. Pagkalabas ko, i saw her sitting on a bench, hindi malayo sa gym at di masyadong rinig ang kanta sa loob.

I went to her with my hands on my pocket. I sat beside her. I saw her shoulders, shaking. Yeah, she's crying.