Fragments ✔ (Haciendero #2)

Ikaapatnapu't Tatlong Kabanata

Kabanata 43

Someday

"Do you still sing?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Lumingon ako sa kanyang gawi.

"Just a few notes, not much."

Tumango naman ako. Well, his answer was getting longer. Napaka-konti niyang magsalita. Halos wala na kaming mapag-usapang dalawa.

"Do you still write songs?" I asked, smiling a bit. Nagkibit - balikat ako. "Music is your life, Gio. It has always been. You love music more than anything. Medyo nakakapanibagong hindi mo iyon ginagawa."

Mas nauna niyang mahalin ang musika kaysa akin. It was his priority back, then. I never competed with his passion. Masaya akong nakikita siyang ini-enjoy ang kanyang ginagawa.

Ito rin ang naging inspirasyon ko sa pangalan ng aming anak. I haven't told him about Gianna Musika.

Gusto ko munang makaalala siya bago ko sabihin sa kanya ang lahat ng nangyari matapos niya akong iwan. It might interfere for him to remember fully. Baka mas lalong maging matagal ang hindi niya pag-alaala.

"Did I write a song for you?" Napatalon ako sa biglaan niyang tanong.

Agad akong umiling. "You told me once, you'd write a song for me if I break your heart," sagot ko.

It was the other way around. He broke mine. He shred it into pieces.

Yet, I'm here helping him trying to remember.

Once and for all, I want to be free. For someone who asked for so long, I needed answers. Kahit iyon lang sana ay ibigay na sa akin.

Wala nang naging imikan sa pagitan naming dalawa hanggang sa tumigil ang sasakyan sa tapat ng MOA arena. Bumaba kami ni Gio. Sobrang daming tao. Asymptote has a concert tonight.

Ang concert ang unang pinagdalhan ko kay Gio. Maybe, fragments of his memories would come back seeing his old band performing live. They gained so much fans. It made me proud. Siguro kung andoon si Gio, I would be the happiest girl in the world.

Thaddeus Suarez is the current lead vocalist of the band. I met the guy a couple of times.

"You were the lead vocalist of the band since high school. You were the best vocalist." I told him.

Binaybay namin ang daan patungo sa VIP crowd. We were assisted by the bouncers.

"The band's name is Asymptote. Pang-emo vibe daw sabi ni Kuya." Tuloy - tuloy akong nagsalita.

Malungkot daw ang kwento ng Asymptote sa Math---mga bagay unti - unting nahuhulog papalapit pero hindi nagtatagpo sa gitna ng tadhana.

To me, it wasn't the saddest story in Math. Line intersection is. Mga pinagtagpo sa isang parte ng pagkakataon pero hindi nakatadhanang manatili. Ipinilig ko ang aking ulo at sumulyap kay Gio na nakasunod sa akin.

He was in the middle of the wild crowd. Umiikot ang kanyang paningin sa paligid. Hindi ko mahinuha ang kanyang emosyon.

"Gio, I'm here!" Kumaway ako sa kanya.

Ilang minuto siyang tumitig sa akin. Sa huli ay sumunod din siya sa akin. He followed me.

The stage was set up for the concert. Kumikislap ang napakaraming ilaw sa paligid. Kaliwa't kanan din ang banners na hawak ng mga babaeng taga-hanga ng banda. It made me smile and reminded me of the good times.

Once upon a time, I was one of those fangirls. Once upon a time, I dedicated my high school years to be seen by one band member. He becomes my world.

It didn't end in happily ever after. Nakalimutan kong paglaanan ng pagmamahal ang sarili ko, kaya noong bigla siyang lumisan, gumuho ang aking mundo. Now, he's back with no memories of me. Ikakasal na rin siya sa ibang babae.