His Favorite Song (Completed)

Chapter 50

The Very First Night
Taylor Swift
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PAUL

After 5 years of spending my life in Las Vegas, I decided to go back to the Philippines. I already signed a contract with a local music label two days ago. People greeted me with a warm welcome and were excited to see a global star back in his home country.

Within those years, people would probably say that I've changed. Dan and Nathan told me that they couldn't almost recognize me at all personally. It was the first time I had seen my college bandmates again ever since I left. Marco wasn't there. He's probably too busy to come over for our dinner.

"So, what's your next plan now that you're back?" Dan asked while we were enjoying our drinks.

I took a sip from my wineglass. "Well, I'll be collaborating with some genius hitmakers here."

While I was in Vegas making music, my team had been receiving some demos from talented people based here in the country. But, I had to decline them all until I decided to use them now and personally meet the producers.

I won't be staying too long here. So, I have to spend my time here wisely. I'll just request a schedule for vacation.

After that night, I was fetched by my personal assistant. I couldn't even walk straight that he had to drag me into the car. "You're drunk," my PA said.

"Just a little bit tipsy. Com'on, minsan lang naman 'to eh," I replied, but he rolled his eyes at me.

"You have a meeting tomorrow with your collaborators. Umayos ka."

He's the PA that my Dad gave to help me with setting schedules. Just like any guy I met, he once confessed that he had some feelings for me but now he had found some guy on the internet after how busy we were. If he hadn't, we would've been dating now.

"Bakit wala pa rin akong girlfriend?" I asked out of the blue while he was driving us back to my condo.

Walang imik naman ang PA ko kaya umidlip muna ako.

The next day, I was awakened by a series of knocks on my door early in the morning. I was already in my bedroom but still wearing the same clothes I wore last night.

"John Paul Abellana! We're already late! Gumising ka na jan!" rinig kong sigaw niya sa labas kaya pinagbuksan ko siya ng pinto.

Pagpasok niya ay may dala na siyang damit at tinulak ako sa tapat ng banyo. "Take a bath! Now!"

When he acts like this, I regret choosing this kind of career. I could barely have a peaceful sleep with no one knocking on my door to remind me that I had something to attend to.

Paglabas ko, nakahanda rin yung coffee ko sa table. Nagbihis muna ako saka ininom ang coffee habang inaayos niya ako. I forgot to mention that he's an all-rounder PA. He always does my make-up.

Pagkatapos ng lahat, bumaba na kami patungo sa parking lot at sumakay sa kotse. This time, I wanted to drive the car, so he rode shotgun while holding his iPad. "So where are we going to?"

"Today, recording studio with our first collaborator. He has been sending our team some demos since then, but you have always declined them. And, today's agenda will be working on his demos he sent."

"Yan ba yung lyricist ng mga sikat na banda dito?" I asked.

"Apparently, yes. He's quite an in-demand lyricist. He was also called the Filipino Taylor Swift. The one singing in demos was him, but surprisingly, he doesn't have any songs as a lead singer."

"Maybe, he only wants to write songs, not to be a singer," sabi ko.

"I guess."

Nakarating na kami sa recording studio. May nakaabang naman na guards na haharang sa mga paparazzi na 'di ko inexpect na andito rin. "Another usual day," nasabi ko sabay suot ng shades ko.

I got out of the car and was greeted by camera flashes and microphones trying to reach me, but I ignored them all and went straight to the door.

"Next time, let's have a meeting at another recording studio. I don't want to go through them every day," sabi ko sa kanya habang naglalakad kami sa hallway hanggang sa narating namin ang studio.

Wala kaming nadatnan na tao sa loob. "Wait for a minute, I'll just answer my call," sabi niya saka ako iniwan na mag-isa sa studio.

Naglakad-lakad ako at tinignan ang loob. It's just an ordinary one, nothing special.

Pumasok ulit ang PA ko. "Paul, andito na siya kaso nasa ibang room raw siya."

"Are we supposed to be working right here?"

"Yeah, pero umiiyak raw eh. Kaya nasa ibang room siya at gustong mapag-isa muna."

"Well, we don't have any time to wait," sabi ko at lumabas ng studio. "Where is he?"

He led me to the room upstairs, and as we stopped right in front of the door, nakarinig kami ng umiiyak sa loob.

"That's him. Papasok ba tayo—"

Pinigilan ko siya. "Ako na bahala. Just leave this to me."

I opened the door and slowly walked into the room. There, I saw someone on the floor, facing the wall and crying on his knees.

I looked around and was surprised to see pastel colored walls with some Taylor Swift posters. There were stuffed toys, which reminded me of someone, until I found a phone connected with a pair of earphones.

Those earphones—baby blue colored earphones were familiar to me. I grabbed the phone and it flashed with a song playing on repeat. I put on one earphone and listened to the song.

I smiled as it brought me back to the night when I was with someone I loved before.

With the phone in my hand, I walked towards the guy crying on the floor. I sat beside him. Just looking at his side, I knew it'd be him.

Natawa na lang ako. How strange it was to be at his side once again?

I put the other earphone in his ear and replayed the song.

He lifted his head and turned to me. "Sino ka?"

I smiled once more. "I'm J.Paul. John Paul Abellana. You're Ely Sanchez, right?"

As the song was played through the earphones, I felt my heart skip a beat as he gave me his sweet smile.