Si Torpe at Si Feeling

Chapter 10~The Start

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Chapter 10: The Start

Graciello High's main school field suddenly turned into some music festival similar to Big Weekend in Glasgow; which happened last May of... I forgot what year, though I'm not personally there. May mga booths from each curriculum. May mga gaming booths, food stalls, merch stalls, DJs and such. May mga rides rin tulad ng ferris wheel carousel at rollercoasters. It's like a music fest and a carnival merged together. Ganito mag-celebrate and Graciello High. Ladies and Gents, welcome to Graciello High's foundation week celebration. Kung saan walang classes for a week and the students get to enjoy their time.

Meanwhile I wasn't enjoying. I was nervous as heck. Not that I haven't performed here before, I already have, twice. Eh kasi hindi pa dumadating si Jeanna. Wala pa yung lead singer namin, that's what I'm worried about, and the fact that the show is gonna start soon. Patay kami diyan.

Kahapon pa kasi nag-eepal ang lalamunan ni Jea kaya mukhang nagpacheck up sila ng ate niya at hindi pa sila nakakabalik. Dapat sana ngayon na yung contest eh, bakit pa kasi umepal ang lalamunan ni Jeanna?

Even worse, hindi ko pa alam kung kailan magsisimula ang plano ni Jared. Wala kasi siyang sinabi kung kailan talaga, I'm nervous 'cause he might do it today.

I dried my hands in the hand dryer, picked up my bass from the side at lumabas sa cr nang may nakabanga akong lalake. Mukhang SPA siya, tapos may dala siyang trumpet at naka band shirt ng school.

"Sorry." I bowed a bit due to my bass strapped at my back and apologized.

"It's okay... Wait, Ikaw si Clare Sanchez ng EL!" the guy exclaimed.

"Yeah, the one and only." I smiled. "And you are?"

"I'm Raffy, Rafael Quentin, from the marching band. Umm, pwede bang hingin ang number mo? Gusto ko kasing makipagkaibigan." Raffy gets out his phone, a much more expensive phone than my crappy old android. Parang ayokong hawakan, baka mabasag ko eh.

"Sure." Kinuha ko ang phone niya at nilagay ang number ko. "I'm sorry, I really have to get going, sa susunod na lang Raffy ah?" I said rushing to give his phone with my number and run back as fast as I can to the dressing room they reserved for EL. The Boyz also had their dressing room as well these new bands, namely Lilac Blues, Elf, and The Rejects.

As I was to enter our dressing room, someone called on my phone... Finally, Jeanna, nagparamdam ka rin!

"Jeanna nasaan ka ba? Bakit wala ka pa eh magsisimula na ang show!" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"Clare, si Jenna to, ate ni Jeanna. Hindi makakapunta si Jeanna."

"Ha?! Bakit naman ate?"

"May tonsillitis si Jeanna at hindi muna siya pakakantahin ng doctor hanggang maoperahan na siya. Sorry talaga hun."

"Okay lang po yun, ate Jen. Sige po, sasabihan ko na po sila, at get well soon kay Jeanna."

Nagpaalam na ako kay ate Jenna at pagkababa ko ay may nakabangga na naman ako. Aish ano ba ang problema ko ba't namamangga ako ng tao...

"Jared?" I look at him. He dropped the things he was carrying at the impact at may kasama siyang girl na mukhang kasama ng mga nag-organize ng event. Tinulungan ko siyang pulutin ang mga dala niya at binigay ulit sa kanya ang mga gamit. "Hi. Sinong kasama mo?"

"Oh, Avery, this is Sweet... I mean, Candy. Dati namin siyang kaklase ni Szane."

I felt something bubbling inside me, something like jealousy, but I brush it off.

"Oh, hi Candy! Nice to meet you, sige mauna na ako, magsisimula na mamaya ang contest diba?"

"Oo nga, break a leg Avy!" Ngiti sakin ni Jared with a cheesy thumbs up at tumawa ako sa kanya, sabay pasok ko sa dressing room.

Huminga ako ng malalim at sinabing, "Guys, hindi makakapunta si Jeanna, may tonsillitis ang babae. Anong gagawin natin?"

"WHAT?" they chorused.

"What do you mean hindi makakapunta si Jea?" Tanong sakin ni ate AJ.

"Like I said, may tonsillitis siya at hindi siya pinayagan ng doktor na pumunta dito sabi ni ate Jen." I take off the bass from my back at umupo. "Anong gagawin natin? Sino ang kakanta at tutugtog ng main guitar?"

Bigla silang napatingin sakin moments later at I knew instantly what they mean. "No, no no no no.. Hindi ko kaboses si Jea, hindi ko kakayanin ang high notes niya sa Wings!"

"Edi pumili tayo ng ibang song! Problema ba yan? Basta na-rehearse lang natin. Tapos si Louisse nalang sa main guitars!"sabi sakin ni ate AJ

"Sige na Clare-y! Kaya natin yan!" Louisse adds.

"Ikaw na lang, Clare.. Wala na tayong oras, either back out and let The Boyz win, or you lead the way to kicking their asses." Szanelle convinces. May point siya.

Tinignan ko sila ng masama for a first few seconds before giving in... "Fine.. Let's do last week's cover."

Everyone cheers as I breathe out. I still haven't figured out who Candy...or Sweet is to Jared.

May pumasok na saming dressing room. This time, it was another event organizer telling us that we're up in 5 minutes. So we stood up and gathered the things we needed and walk to the backstage, where a tent was set.

Habang naglalakad, tinanong ko si Szane kung sino si Candy.

"You mean Candy Elaine Santos? Yeah kaklase namin siya noong elementary. First crush ni Jared. Bakit?" sabi ni Szane.

"Ah wala, tinawag kasi siya ni Jared na Sweet. Tapos magkasama sila kanina sa labas at nag-uusap." sagot ko, drinking a bottle of water afterwards.

"Sweet kasi ang palayaw sa kanya ni Jared at Jay-Jay ang tawag sa kanya ni Candy. I don't know why though. Bakit? Do you feel jealous?" She asked me and I choked on my water. "Sorry na, sorry Clare-tot.."

After I recovered, binatukan ko si Szanelle. "Walanghiya ka. Bakit naman ako magiging jealous sa kanilang dalawa?"

Nang nakarating kami sa tent backstage, kakababa lang ng stage ng The Boyz and I snickered when Bryce winked directly at me. Louisse squealed slightly, thinking sa kanya nag-wiwink si Bryce and I hit her in her arm. "Focus, Lou."

Seriously, this boy thinks na mapaglalaruan niya kaming dalawa. Kakarmahin 'din yan someday.

Finally, the host announces that we're up and the nerves set in. I took my bass and slipped it on, umakyat na sila sa stage. Pero bago pa naman ako makaakyat sa stage may pumigil sakin.

"Avy." He looked at me with that knowing look. I feel like it's beginning. "Break a leg, princess."

And he cupped my cheeks and kissed my forehead as I feel like namula ako. Yup, the plan is on.

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