The Mistake

Chapter 25

"—te Fe! Can we make a choreography based on this song? It was just released last night by one of my favorite singer."

"Oh! I heard this one too!"

Papasok pa lamang ako sa studio pero iyon na agad ang narinig ko. And worse, it was my fucking song!

Dire-diretso akong umupo sa gilid at pinasandal din ang dalang gitara sa pader.

"Li!"

"Oh?" Sagot ko kay Fe nang lumapit siya sa'kin.

"The new song... I love it!"

Nilakihan ko siya ng mata. "Fe! Hinaan mo iyang boses mo!" Bulong ko.

"Ops, sorry." Nakaluhod siya at may excited na mukha. "I already did a choreo earlier!"

Napamaang ako. "Baliw ka ba?" My face was full of disbelief. "Sasayawin mo 'yung kantang tungkol sa isang taong heartbroken?"

"Eh! Sorry na... Habang pinapakinggan ko kasi kanina 'yung kanta mo, e, sumayaw nalang ako bigla." Pag-eexplain niya. "You won't know what it's like unless you were in my shoes, no."

Napabuntong hininga na lamang ako. Bakit ko ba hindi naisip 'to?

That song I released last night immediately spread since my anonymous account in certain platform is pretty famous. Malalaman lang nila na ako ang kumanta nun kung isa sila sa nanood sa'kin noong kantahin ko 'yon sa club ni Gabriel kagabi bago pa marelease ang kanta sa account ko.

"Ate Li!"

Napabaling ako sa tumawag sakin. It was Eryn, one of Fe's students in dance class.

"Here. For you po." She gave me a small box of chocolates. "Happy Valentines, Ate Li. Thank you for taking care of me when I said I wanted to learn playing a guitar."

"Here's mine too, Ate Carli!"

"Mine too! Ang daya niyo! You told me that we'll give it with the others mamaya!"

Since silang tatlong studyante palang naman ang nandito ay tatlo lang rin ang natanggap ko.

"How about you, Fe? Wanna share?" Tanong ko dahil nakatingin lang sa'kin si Fe.

She chuckled. "I had my own, no! They gave me mine earlier."

"Nako, mukhang kakailanganin ko ulit bumisita sa dentista." I joked.

The students laughed.

I kinda envy them. Parang wala pa silang problemang hinaharap. It's nice to laugh and have fun with nothing to think about.

Sana lahat.

"Hi, guys! Oh..." A young woman barged into the studio. "Hi din po, mga Ate!"

"Ah... Ehem."

"Eh? Sino 'yang kasama mo, Margo?"

"Oh, right. This is my second older brother, Rio." She introduced the man she's with who's only wearing a simple sando and a short with a pair of slippers. "Kahit ganito ang porma ni Kuya, e , gwapo parin naman siya."

Rio clicked his tongue as a warning to his sister. "Bigla kana lang pumasok sa condo ko tapos gaganituhin mo 'ko?"

Margo grinned before running inside. "Bye, Kuya! Safe trip! Love yah! Now, shoo!"

Napakamot ng leeg si Rio at nang mapatingin sa direksyon namin ni Fe ay bahagya siyang yumukod. Then he look to his sister again. "Just text me or Kuya Rago if you're done with this."

"Yeah, yeah. Bye!"

Umalis na siya.

Margo also gave me a box with different chocolates that she made herself, ganoon din sila Fe.

They were practicing when I took my phone out.

To: Rio
You look stupid, Marquez🖕🏻

Minutes after that I received a reply from him.

From: Rio
A pleasant morning to you too, Meunier🖕🏻

I snicker. That stupid motherfucker.

"Oy, Miss Meunier! Happy Valentines!"

Kakaupo ko palang binati agad ako ni Gabriel na papaupo lang din dala ang bote ng beer. "Yeah." It was just me, Ian, Gabriel, and Rio in the club's second floor. "Where's my chocolates?"

Ian laughs. "Bro, giving chocolates aren't my thing. It is the other way around so give me chocolates instead."

I scowled at him. "Anyway, nasaan si Sante at iyong isang masungit na palaging nireregla?"

Napahalakhak si Ian. "Damn. If Rago hears that, I'm sure to love his reaction."

Alas sais pa lang kaya wala pa medyong tao sa club. Tinignan ko ulit sila at ngayon ko lang napansin na may kausap sa cellphone si Gabriel kaya hindi siya sumasali sa amin.

"Who's he talking to?" Tanong ko.

Well... I'm curious.

Rio glance at me before drinking to his bottle. "His son."

"Son!?" Gulat kong tanong kaya pati sila Gabriel ay napatingin na rin sa akin. "M-may anak ka na, Gab?"

That made him smile and signaled me to come so I submissively move to his side. Tinanggal niya ang pagkakaconnect ng bluetooth earbuds para marinig ko ang kausap niya.

"Baby, say hi to this Tita right here." Sabi ni Gabriel at pinaharap sa akin ang screen.

Nakita ko ang isang bata na nagsusulat sa kabilang linya. "Hi, I'm Tita Carli. What's your name, little cutie?"

Mas inilapit niya ang mukha sa screen bago kumaway. "Hi, Tita Carli. I am Gael Domfront Turner and I'm 3 years old."

Humarap ako kay Gabriel. "Really, Gab? Naming him after a beverage?"

He just shrugged me off.

"Anong ginagawa mo?" Tanong ko ulit.

"He doesn't understand tagalog yet, Miss Meunier." Ani ni Gabriel.

"Ah." I bit my lip. "So what are you doing, Gael?"

He showed me the paper. "I'm doing homework, Tita Carli." May itinuro siya. "This is my name and this is my Papa's name."

My heart melted. "You're so cute and sweet, Gael." Napamaang ako nang umayos ang brightness ng camera ni Gael. "Wait... he had the same eyes as you?" Stunned, I asked Gabriel.

Narinig yata ng bata ang sinabi ko dahil mas inilapit niya ang mata sa camera.

"Yes, Tita Carli. I have the same eye color as my Papa."

Ngumiti ako at tumango. "Yes, yes." Humarap ulit ako kay Gabriel. "Nasaan siya?"

Napatigil sa pagtungga ng beer si Gab. "Sa Dad ko, sa Normandy. I'm planning to get him this year since managing the club is much stable now."

"I'm gonna give the phone back to your father now, Gael. See you when you come here in the Philippines, ah?"

He smiles showing his full teeth. "Yes, Tita! Thank you for talking to me. Bye bye!"

Kumuha ako ng bote ng beer na galing sa dala ni Gabriel. I used the bottle cap opener to remove the cap.

Agad kong tinungga ang bote. "Ahh. Dang! That hit the spot!"

Napakurap-kurap ako nang makitang nakatingin silang tatlo sa akin. Then Gabriel shook his head.

"You never fail to surprise me, Miss Meunier."

Nang dumighay ako ay narinig kong tumawa si Grab.

While Ian on the other hand was grimacing at my action. "So unladylike."

I fake a smile at Ian before showing him my middle finger. "Shut the fuck up. I don't have the time to act such ladylike way." Prenteng sumandal ako sa backrest ng sofa. "That's troublesome to do."