Tainted Melodies (Ciudad de Escalante #5)

Phase 02

"Me! Me! I nominate Solaire Ferguson!"

I stopped scribbling something at the back of my math notebook when Ranti yelled my name in the class. Naisara ko ang kuwaderno para alamin kung anong kaganapan sa classroom at kung bakit isinigaw ng kaibigan ko ang aking pangalan.

"Okay, Solaire Ferguson. Who else?" The class's president stated and wrote my name on the board.

Nakagat ko ang aking pang-ibabang labi nang makita na dalawang pangalan lang ang nasa board. Kay Cosette na kaibigan ko rin at yung akin lang. The class were having a discussion about the incoming Intramurals here in Ridgeview.

Right now, we were having a nomination on who's gonna represent our class to participate in the screening for the Mister and Miss Intramurals. Napabuntong-hininga na lamang ako ng maisara ang nominasyon dahil wala ng nagtaas ng kamay kung sino ang gusto pang isali sa mga nominado.

I glared at my friend beside me. The result was so obvious! Hindi na dapat niya sinali ang pangalan ko dahil nakakahiya lang.

"What?" Ranti cluelessly asked.

Ngumingiti pa siya na parang nasisiyahan na makita ang pangalan ko sa board. I know her that well and she's only proud of me because I was nominated but she was oblivious about the aftermath it will cause me.

"Let's vote! Let's start with, hmm... Cosette Sadiyah Escalante. Those who are in favor, raise your hand!" sabik na pahayag ng aming presidente sa harapan.

Napayuko na lamang ako at hindi tiningnan ang mga kaklase kong sabay-sabay na nagtaas ng kamay. I sighed when the counting of our president reach 27!

We were only 32 in class!

"Majority wins! Congratulations, Cosette!"

The class applauded loudly for the result. Labis na lamang ang pasasalamat ko nang magkasiyahan ang iilan at pinalibutan si Cosette na nakaupo sa kabilang row. Everyone was giving her a goodluck messages. She deserves it though. Wala akong reklamo kung siya ang iboto ng lahat pero nakakahiya ang resulta dahil blanko ang bilang ng boto ng akin sa board.

"Air, I'm sorry..." Cosette uttered the second she walked near us outside the classroom.

Umihip ang hangin. Gladly, my hair was styled in a double dutch braid so I don't have to fixed it. Nakalugay ang mahabang buhok ni Cosette kaya napaawang ang bibig ko sa kung paao sumayaw ang malambot niyang buhok kasabay ng hangin. She instantly combed it using his porcelain candle-like hand.

Even I am satisfied with my own look, whenever I'm staring at her this close and how perfect she is, the growing insecurity I have is slowly fueling. Agad din namang mawawala pero kapag talaga nakasumpong, grabe kung maka-atake at makababa ng sarili.

"Sorry? What for?" tanong ko habang inaayos ang strap ng gitara na bitbit ko sa aking likuran. Si Ranti ay nasa tabi ko na rin at nakalingkis ang kanyang braso sa aking braso. The two of us will head together in our General Math remedial class.

"For what happened earlier..." she uttered softly.

Ngumiti ako at umiling.

I'm not really clueless about what she's sorry for but I want to confirm it if I'm right. Sa tuwing kasi may kaganapan gaya ng nangyari kanina sa classroom, agad siyang nagsasabi ng pasensya kahit hindi naman kailangan.

"It's okay. Ikaw naman talaga ang dapat. Binoto lang naman ako nitong si Ranti para may thrill kahit papano," I joked and nudged Ranti's waist.

"But I really want Solaire to join the pageant! Mas walang thrill kung si Cosette ulit. Escalantes will always have the crown. Predictable na lagi," aniya at ngumuso kaya palihim kong pinanlakihan ng mata.