Everything She Wanted

1.1 Carnival

SCARLET CLARAVAL aka CARA

"Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat! Thank you!"

The lights were blinding and the crowd was deafening. We took a bow, disconnected our guitars, and slowly walked off stage. The Sunken Garden was filled with maybe a thousand teenagers and it was amazing! Despite the thunder and occasional drizzling during the event, everybody's spirits were soaring high, cameras were flashing, cellphones up in the air recording our set while limbs were either waving or their fists pumping. The repeated shouts for an encore made my heart swell.

The UP Fair was yet the biggest concert we've performed in. We have been invited to several school fairs last December but this one takes the cake. To be performing on the same stage as several venerated rock bands like was a gargantuan achievement for me in this lifetime. We were just the opening act for the main bands but I felt that we were not worthy! But now, I think we've made a small, albeit indelible mark in the music scene.

"Putang ina, pare!! That was... that was, putang ina, mind-blowing!" Seb exclaimed, panting, trying to catch his breath. Still standing, he took off his guitar and gently placed the lower bout on his foot while holding on to the neck. He greedily chugged from his water bottle.

I sat on a chair and rested my guitar on my lap. "I can't believe we just did that. It's so surreal!"

Ace entered the tent with Jaxx behind him. Ace's guitar was slung on his back and plastered on his face was a Cheshire grin, both his hands rested on his hips, he was also breathing heavily, black eyes twinkling, but he was speechless. This is the first time ever after that Ace was rendered speechless after a gig.

Jaxx had his hands free. He threw his drumsticks at the audience after the last encore, feeling one with the moment. He hooked his left arm around Ace's neck and dragged him as they walked closer to Seb then he hooked his right arm around Seb's neck. Ace pulled me up and hooked his left arm around my neck so we could all huddle. Sweaty heads together, Ace said a short prayer of gratitude before he let go and yelled, "Group hug!"

All three engulfed me in a pile of arms, legs, and chests, Ace hugging me from the front, Jaxx behind me, his arms reaching all the way to Ace's shoulders, and Seb was at my right with his arms around Jaxx and Ace.

"Oh my god! Stop! Kadiri!!" I screamed, desperately trying to wedge my way out from the boys. Instead of letting go, Ace and Jaxx tightened their holds and began bouncing and chanting our band's name, "Green Skrambol! Green Skrambol! Green Skrambooooool!! Woooooww!!!"

They all threw their arms up in the air, shaking and waving. I was standing in the middle, my arms across my chest, half-smiling, half-grimacing in disgust. These guys were my family. This past year, I've spent more than half the time with them, hanging out, practicing, playing gigs, drinking.. lahat na. They familiarized me with the world that I had "missed" being in medical school.

I was always aiming to be a Dean's Lister to impress my mom so a lot of times, I would be studying. I kept the partying just a few rungs above the minimum because the last thing I needed was a hangover while taking an Anatomy moving exam.

Of course, they introduced me to a lot of the party drugs, cocktail mixes of various alcohols that only existed in frat houses and house parties. They've seen me high as a kite and they were there when I came crashing down. They showed me how to let loose yet still have control. They were masters of being party animals at night, but good, respectable, hard-working boys at day; they showed me how to balance my life and make my parents see me as a responsible adult, even though they don't know half of the story.