Light Up The Sky

Chapter 30

TW: Depiction of Bullying

"Do you believe in right person, wrong time?"

I glanced at Kiara beside me. She placed her book, Jojo Moyes' Me Before You, on the table and focused her attention on Lim who was now squinting his eyes, acting as if he was thinking of how to answer her question.

On a normal day, he would have been troubling his best friend Salverio but he skipped this day because the former was busy listening to Eunice. The two of them are on the side of the studio, seem to have their own world, while both playing the guitar and singing.

"Hindi," answered Lim as he scarcely shook his head. "Kapag right person, aayon lahat ng bagay."

Kiara smiled and gently nodded. Even I smiled a little at his answer—it was short but on point. I feel like I'm getting to know them better. Even though I'm just new to this group, I'm slowly discovering who they really are. I'm getting to know their other sides bit by bit.

"Acosta."

From eavesdropping on the conversation between the two, my attention was caught by Oliveros. He stealthily looked at Salverio and Eunice with a creased forehead before turning to me.

"Tara," he said as he motioned his head to the door. He once again stealthily looked at Salverio and Eunice before exiting the studio.

I frowned for a moment but shrugged the thought off before picking up my things and follow him. Today is my orientation with their band's coach. Their band lacked a keyboardist and since Oliveros and Alex had heard me play once, they introduced me to Salverio who is the vocalist of the band he formed. And because there will be a battle of the bands next two weeks, I have to introduce myself to their coach today by showing him how I play.

The truth is, there are many who wanted to be in the position I am currently pursuing. Luckily, Salverio chose me. He helped me achieve my dream to play with a band, a band I can call my own.

On the way to the faculty, I bumped into someone who fell on the uneven pavement. I was about to help him but I stopped when he helped himself up, stood up quickly, looked behind him, and ran away. I saw his face. It looked like someone I knew. And it looked like he was terrified.

 "Hoy, lampa, lumapit ka rito!" 

"Duwag amputa!"

"Hans talunan!"

My forehead automatically creased when a group of guys who have baseball bats and knuckle dusters with them. With the way they are calling the guy who fell on the pavement, I knew that they were after them. As they walked away, I stood where I was standing, still thinking about the thing they are carrying.

Is this some act of violence?

"Dude, ginagawa mo d'yan?" Oliveros asked impatiently.

When I saw his face, I hurriedly ran to him. He didn't talk to me as we both go to the faculty. He just congratulated me when Coach Gonzalo welcomed me as an official keyboardist of Undivided Rhythm.

Things turned euphoric as I play with the band. We nailed the battle of the bands as a champion with Salverio and Eunice as our vocalists. We celebrated. We practiced a lot. And we played together during events.

It was all nice.

I was happy.

But when I once again saw that guy, it bothers me again. Especially when I saw him with a bruise one afternoon.

"Hey," I hesitantly said as I walked towards him.

When I was in front of him, I had a much clear view of his face. The bruise looked worst. It was forming a purplish mark on his temple and the side of his lips. His whole face looked so pale as if he was about to faint. His hands were both shaking. He's carrying a handkerchief as he dampens it on the side of his face, there's probably a cube of ice inside it.