Hinahanap - Hanap Ko Siya

Chapter 14

Flashback Late 2014:

Bamboo and Sarah would be awarded as Best Performers of the Year for Yahoo OMG Awards. It was more than a blessing of recieving an award and being honored, it would mean another collaboration. And that's more important.... at least, according to Bamboo. He'd get another chance to spend time with Sarah. And he's determined to prove to her that she belongs with him. Not with Matteo.

They had their rehearsal in a mall and they met at the parking lot. Both of them were wearing shades. It was the first time they saw reach other again after that biting incident at Asap.

Sarah was her usual self - all quiet and demure, and.... obviously uncomfortable with him.

He tried to make their rearsal as light as possible. So she'd feel less awkward towards him. Kahit na gustong gusto niya itong kulitin, kausapin, hawakan, ay hindi niya ginawa. Kulang na nga lang di niya kibuin si Sarah, eh. He wanted to give her space, this time. So he acted civil and casual the whole time.

Habang si Sarah naman ay nagtataka sa ikinikilos ni Bamboo. Yes, nakikipagusap na siya rito, actually mas maraming beses pa nga nuong araw na iyon na nauna siyang magapproach kay Bamboo kesa dito. Parang wala atang balak siyang pansinin nito. And sa di niya maintindihang kadahilanan, ay naninibago siya at tila ba hindi sanay na hindi siya kinukulit nito.

Nang matapos ang kanilang rehearsal, ay kusa siyang lumapit kay Bamboo nung magkasalubong ulit sila sa parking lot ng mall. Hindi niya kase matiis, nagaalala siya baka may problema ito at di niya maintindihan ang sarili pero gusto niyang makasiguro na okay lang ang lagay ni Bamboo. Friendly concern nga lang naman. Chos!

"Ah... eh, coach", she hesitated.

Napalingon naman si Bamboo sa kaniya habang pasakay ng van. He hadn't taken his shades off pero halatang nakataas ang kilay nito sa kaniya.

"Coach", sabi ulit ni Sarah, "ma... may problema ba? I, I mean... Okay ka lang ba?"

Bamboo took his shades off and stared at Sarah. He couldn't believe it. She approached him. She approached him! But he didn't let his emotions show. He just stared at her blankly.

"Why do you ask?", tanong niya kay Sarah.

"Um, kase po", she seemed to be at a loss of words, "para kasing di ka ok kanina eh, ang tahimik mo."

"Bakit? May kailangan ba tayong pagusapan?", he asked.

Natameme naman si Sarah dun. Nakita niyang nalungkot ang mala anghel na mukha nito, pero tiniis niya yun. Kailangan, eh.

"Ah, eh wala naman, coach", sabi ni Sarah. "Nagaalala lang. Kala ko may problema ka kase", she gave a conscious laugh.

"Eh kung sabihin ko sayong meron", sagot naman ni Bamboo, "na ikaw yung problema ko? May magagawa ka ba?"

"Ha?", namulagat mga mata ni Sarah. "Coach...."

Bamboo sighed. "Kung wala ka rin naman magagawa para sakin, wag mo nalang akong intindihin." Sabay papasok na sana sa van, pero humawak si Sarah bigla sa braso niya. He looked down on her small, dainty hand on his right bicep. Then back up to her face. She was frowning. But she's still beautiful. He waited for her to say something. Anything.

She opened her mouth, then closed it. And then she opened it again and said, "I'm really sorry. Kung may magagawa lang talaga sana ako...."

Humarap bigla si Bamboo ng tuluyan kay Sarah. "How about ditching your boyfriend and commit yourself to me, hmm?" His eyes were never leaving hers.

Nashock si Sarah. "Hin... hindi ganun kadali yun..."

"Then please", he stared into her eyes, "kung wala kang balak na iwan siya para sakin, wag mo kong intindihin", and with that being said, he deliberately peeled her soft hand from his forearm.

Sarah watched him go, her hand over her mouth. She could feel her tears at the back of her eyes, threatening to spill.

Yahoo OMG Awards:

Bamboo was standing by the hallway, watching Sarah approach, as they walk towards the stage to perform What's Goin On before accepting their awards.

He noticed that she got thinner. He wondered if she was in too much pressure with work, or if something's come up between Matteo and her, but he'd rather prefer the latter, so he can enter the picture. He shook himself, mentally. What's wrong with him? A week ago, he came to a resolve to make her miss him so much, she'd beg him to take her away from Matteo, but of course that didn't happened. But he was still keeping his distance, untill she admits that she feels the same way for him.

As he watched her approach, he remembered a corporate event wherein they performed a mash up of the songs It's All Coming Back and I Would Do Anything For Love, at the Tanduay Anniversary, a couple of months back. He though she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid his eyes on.

When they were performing, he let go of his emotions, every line was sung with so much soul and meaning.

When I kiss you like this (When you kiss me like this)
And when you whisper like that (Whisper like that)
It was dead long ago, but it's all coming back to me

When I touch you like this (Touch me like this)
And when I hold you like that (Hold me like that)
It was gone with the wind but its all coming back to me

He wanted the audience to feel what he was feeling at that moment. That he wanted to kiss her, touch her, hold her. The feeling was all too consuming, he thought it would burst out him and shatter into a million pieces.

Before the song finishes, at the climax, he made a come - hither gesture to Sarah and said, "Come here.... Halika dito."

But Sarah laughed it off and promoted TVOP Kids, instead. She didn't come nearer, though.

After their performance at the Yahoo OMG Awards, they smiled and posed for the cameras, hiding their awkwardness and pretending they were comfortable with each other.

When Bamboo was approached by Pancho at the backstage, however, Sarah was nowhere to be found. She already left ahead of him.