Falling For the Rockstar (Published under Pop Fiction)

Harry Potter

ABIGAIL

"Kumusta ka na, Abigail?"

Napatingin ako kay Dr. Mendez. Nasa kanyang office ako for our weekly session. I hate seeing her. She makes me feel ill. Like I'm a broken doll that needs to be fixed.

"I feel okay, doc," ang sabi ko. "I did everything you asked me to do last session."

I watched Harry Potter again last weekend. It's one of my favorite movies. Dr. Mendez suggested that I watch it again to stimulate my brain and bring back my memories. Ilang beses ko nang napanood ang Harry Potter pero wala pa ring bumabalik sa akin.

"And? May naalala ka ba?" Tanong nito sa kanya habang may sinusulat sa hawak nitong papel.

"Wala pa rin, doc," ang sagot ko.

I've been seeing Dr. Mendez eversince the accident two years ago. Dalawang taon ko na siyang kinakausap. Dalawang taon na niyang pinapagawa sa aking ang kung ano-anong activities para bumalik ang alaala ko pero wala pa ring nangyayari.

"Sa tingin 'nyo po, doc, babalik pa kaya ang alaala ko? Kasi kung hindi it's okay."

Napapagod na ako sa mga sessions at therapy namin. Nakakapagod maghintay. I'm okay right now. Inaamin ko na nahirapan talaga ako sa umpisa, especially the first two months of after the accident. Nalilito ako sa konting bagay. Nalilito ako sa mga taong nakapalibot sa akin.

Retrograde amnesia, 'yon ang nangyari sa akin. I can't remember anything prior to the car accident. I can't remember my name but I still know how to write. I can't remember what happened inside the car when the accident happened but I still know how to drive. It took away my memories but not my skills.

I lost 20 years of memories because of that car crash. Nakalimutan ko ang pamilya ko, nakalimutan ko ang mga bagay na gusto ko. I forgot the things that made me unique. I forgot me.

Madalas na sinasabi ni Samantha sa akin na hindi na ako ang Abbie na nakilala niya. That I'm not the sweet and sassy Abbie that she knew. But I like what I am now. Hindi ko man maalala kung ano ako dati pero kontento na ako ngayon. After two years I'm okay with myself. I don't know who I really am but I am slowly building myself up.

"The human brain is very complicated," ang sagot ni Dr. Mendez. "The therapy I'm doing to you worked on some people and didn't work on others. It may work with you. It may not. But what I am sure of is this. Habang may buhay, may pag-asa. Huwag kang mawalan ng pag-asa. It's all up to you."

I'm sure she said that the last time we met. Kung ako lang ang masusunod, ayoko na sa mga therapy at meetings namin ni Dr. Mendez but this is what my mom and my sisters want for me. They want me to give another try kaya't nandito ako.

"I'll give you another set of activies to stimulate your brain. We will re-evaluate things next week."

I just nodded. Habang may buhay may pag-asa. Sana nga.

ANTHONY

"What the hell?!"

I immediately covered myself with the blanket. The sun is up and somebody decided to open the draperies from the glass windows.

"Who is that?" sigaw ko sa ilalim ng comforter.

"It's me. Who else could it be?"

It's Faye, my half-sister. She is a major pain in the butt. Mas matanda ito sa akin ng apat na taon. She's 4 years older than me. She has this habit of inviting herself inside my apartment. Meron siyang spare key sa apartment ko at hindi ko alam kung paano nangyari 'yon.

"Go away!" I groaned. My eyes hurt, na parang tinapunan ng buhangin. Ito ang nakuha ko sa kapa-party buong gabi.

"I ran into your girlfriend on my way here. She's pretty," Faye said, still opening windows.

"She is not my girlfriend," I answered. I even forgot her name already. Some blonde I met at Jacob's party.

"Good. Because I know someone who's just perfect for you."

I groaned. Aside from being my sister, Faye is my personal matchmaker. Sine-set up niya ako sa mga babaeng kakilala niya.

"I don't need a girlfriend. And what are you doing here so early in the morning?"

"It's not early. It's almost 11 in the morning. And you need a girlfriend to forget about that— "

"Stop. Just stop," pakiusap ko sa kanya.

Naintindihan naman ako ni Faye. Alam nitong ayokong pag-usapan si Samantha.

"I hope this is not how you will spend the rest of your one year break. Partying all night and sleeping all day?"

I let out a sigh. Here goes the lecture.

"It's been a month after your band announced your hiatus but you're still here in New York. Go somewhere else. I heard your bandmates are having a blast."

Bandmates. Napatawa ako.

Michael, our bassist, is in the Caribbean with his girlfriend. Si Noah naman, our drummer, is fishing somewhere in Alaska. Ang naiwan lang dito sa New York at si Jacob, our vocalist, at ako.

"Why don't you go to Japan with Jacob and see the sights?"

Jacob is half American and half Japanese. We always talk about going to Japan.

For a moment I was deep in thought. Faye has a point. Mabuti siguro kung magbakasyon na muna ako.

"I'll talk to Jacob about it."

"You can also go back to the Philippines."

Hindi na ako nagulat na sinabi niya 'yon. She has been bugging me to go back and visit the rest of my family. It's been six years since I last seen my family.

"I know, right? That's why I booked a ticket to the Manila. My flight is tomorrow evening," ang sabi ko sa kapatid ko. I can imagine her eyes widening and a smile starting to form in her face.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," sagot ko sa ilalim ng comforter.

"Oh my god! Your parents will be really excited!" Sigaw nito.

I got out of the covers and searched for Faye. Nakatayo ito malapit sa bintana. I look at her while squinting my eyes.

"Do you need help packing your things?" Excited na tanong nito.

Bago ako nakasagot ay pumunta na ito sa closet ko.

"Of course you do!"

"Faye, I can do that," I said and struggled to get out of bed.

"No! I'll do it for you!" Sagot nito as she completely ignored me.

"Fine! Do what you want," I groaned and went back under the covers. I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

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