"You're falling off the charts," walang anu-ano'y sinabi ng producer. Seryoso ang mukha nito, prenteng nakaupo sa kabisera ng mahabang lamesa. Alden and company arrived ten minutes late. Admittedly, traffic was no excuse, and it put the producer into a more sour mood when they came.
"Four was okay, seven was tolerable, but all the way down to eighteenth? Mr. Richards, I've never seen anything fall this fast!" Dismayadong sabi ng producer.
Alden cringed, sighing. Nagkataon din kasing nagrelease ng album ang tatlong artist ng kabilang istasyon, isang loveteam, at isang rising star na nanalo sa isang talent search on national television. Still, the Prince of Serenades falling off the list that quick just wasn't supposed to happen.
"We can fix this," Tori assured the producer. "Kailangan lang ni Alden ng strategical promotion. Magg-guest na po siya sa morning show bukas, at sa afternoon talkshow interview. May mall shows din siya to promote his album, and a movie would use one of his songs. He's also scheduled to shoot for three music videos-- maayos din po ito, sir. Nakakita lang ng bago ang mga tao kaya nangangapa pa sila."
"Exactly," the producer snapped. "You need to do something new. Kung kaya mo nang mag-shirtless sa mga video, gawin mo. Just fix this, okay? Otherwise hindi namin ifafinalize ang concert at world tour mo."
With one final glare, the producer stood and left the room. Alden ruffled his hair, initiating a cry from Tori. "Ano ka ba! Pinaayos ko lang yang buhok mo!"
"Kailangan ko ba talaga maghubad sa mga mv's ko?" Tanong niya kay Tori. Kaya niya naman, at hindi niya naman ikinakahiya ang katawan niya, pero kasi parang... hindi dapat. Lalo't marami sa kanyang fans ay nasa murang edad pa lang.
"Kapag hindi gumana ang promotions mo, malamang oo," Tori didn't miss a bit, and then she wrinkled her nose. "Pero kailangan natin makuha yung world tour, 'Den."
"Alam ko," bulong ni Alden.
Mula sa office, hinatid ni Tori at Mang Johnny si Alden sa condo nito. Nagyaya pa silang kumain pero wala nang gana ang binata. Pagdating sa unit niya, binuksan niya ang ilaw at hinubad ang suot na jacket. May tatlong awards pa siya sa loob ng unit na hindi naiuuwi sa Laguna.
Totally losing his appetite, he went to his bedroom and picked up his old guitar-- yung guitar na regalo pa sa kanya ng parents niya. May mga sticker pa ito ni Iron Man at ng pangalan nilang magkakapatid. Ang wala lang talaga sa lugar ay ang pink na heart sa bandang gilid-- that small pink heart that seemed to balance the whole thing.
Alden felt like he was swallowing barbed wire. Binuksan niya ang drawer sa tabi ng kama niya at kinuha ang isang lumang notebook. Its once bright yellow cover was now starting to fade, the pages turning yellow and brittle. It was a simple notebook, but it held lots of memories.
IF FOUND, PLEASE CONTACT: 09370716015
Kapag hindi mo binalik, mamalasin ka ng sampung taon!
Alden sniggered, but the amusement left him just as easy. "Nagsisimula na ata malas ko. Tama ka."
Sometimes he wondered if she ever searched for her notebook again, if she thought she misplaced it (which was likely), or if she purposefully left it with him so he'd be able to torture himself in the years to come. Or she knew she left it with him but didn't have enough courage to get it back.
Siya naman yung umalis ng walang paalam eh, Alden thought bitterly, and then berated his self. Ano bang karapatan niya mag-bitter? Wala. Wala siyang karapatan.
Alden flipped the pages and found something that caught his eye. Three stanzas, tapos may doodle pa ng skulls and flowers and hearts sa gilid.
You were that sunlight
I tried to touch but can't
You burn brighter than anyone else
You're a supernova, I can tell
And sometimes I can't believe
That I run out of words to say
You were an earthquake I didn't see
That my heart stutters when it hears your name
But I am a drop in the ocean
A rock by the side of the road
So I let the wind whisper my words
And hope they reach you in time
"You were that... uh, no," he took his guitar, strumming some chords, testing.
Before he knew it all the chords and the words flowed out of him easily, his fingers to strings, his voice knowing the word before he even says them. This was his passion, his world. This was where no one can touch him, where he felt invincible.
🎵Oooh... I hope the wind tell you... 🎵
The sound of an applause made him freeze. Alden looked up, eyes finding his twenty-year-old sister by his door, shoving her phone in her pocket. "Hi, Kuya!"
"Ria? Anong-- paanong--"
"Chill, Kuya. Nabubulol ka na naman. Binigyan mo kong spare key, di ba? May nilakad lang kami ng friends ko malapit dito. Naisip ko na daanan ka since isang buwan ka nang di umuuwi, titignan ko lang kung buhay ka pa."
"Gabi na ah," kumunot ang noo ni Alden. "Saan ka tutuloy?"
"Pauwi na rin kami."
"Commute? Hatid ko kayo."
"Hindi, kasama namin yung tatay ng isa kong kaklase. Tsaka ayoko nga magpahatid sa'yo, pagkakaguluhan ka pa ng classmates ko. Di na nga sila tumitigil kakakanta ng Paradise eh," then she made a face, making her brother laugh.
"Kuya, oo nga pala, nagdala ako ng kare-kare. Nasa kusina mo. Kailan mo nga pala balak umuwi?"
"Pagkashoot siguro ng mv's ko. Busy lang talaga this month."
Ria shot him a stare, crossing her arms. "Siguraduhin mo 'yan. Sige, kuya, una na ko."
"Mag-ingat ka. Text ka pag nasa bahay ka na. Tsaka paki-ref na lang yung kare-kare, bukas ko na kakainin. Busog pa ko eh."
"Sige," though she sent him a quizzical look. Ria turned her back on him but hesitated at the last minute. "Kuya, I don't understand. Gumagawa ka pa pala ng music the way mom taught you. Pero the music I hear everywhere... it's not like you. At all. No offense."
Alden smiled warily, a melancholy in his eyes he didn't speak of, staring at the notebook and the guitar that lay discarded on his bed. "I know, Ri. I know."
YOU ARE READING
Melodious
Fanfictionmelodious (adj.) - full of melody, tuneful, musical; sweet sounding. In which Maine Mendoza (poet, vlogger) works with fading star singer Alden Richards (musician, singer). For fate, it was a masterpiece-- a girl who writes with her blood and soul...
