I.
[Second Year High School]
I don't want to be here. Can I just leave?
Ayun ang paulit ulit na tumatakbo sa isip ko habang naka upo ako sa isa sa mga seats dito sa auditorium kung saan kasalukuyang ginaganap ang battle of the bands dito sa school namin. Big deal ito para sa karamihan ng mga estudyante because the winner will be the official band of the school. Everyone seems to love music.
Except me.
Naiingayan ako sa totoo lang. Bawat hampas ng drums, bawat strum ng gitara, parang may ugat sa ulo ko ang puputok. Even the slower songs sounds too loud for me. Idagdag mo pa sa maya't maya pa nag titilian ang mga katabi ko.
Nakakarindi.
Foundation Day ngayon ng school namin at sa totoo lang, nakalimutan ko. I showed up in school wearing my school uniform at dala dala ko pa ang mga text books ko only to see my classmates wearing their best civilian clothes. Some of the girls laughed at me when they saw me. 'That's why you don't have friends,' they say. 'You are such a loser, Rika.'
That's why I planned to spend my entire day sa library and do some advance study. Ayoko naman umuwi. Ayoko sa bahay. Ayokong makita yung girlfriend ni Daddy. Naiinis ako sa kanya.
Kaya lang, biglang pinatawag ang section namin ng adviser namin to go to the auditorium and watch the battle of the bands. It's a requirement and she said she will deduct points pag umalis kami. (Which I find so unfair kasi bakit mo babawasan ang hard earned points ko just because ayokong manood ng battle of the bands?) Apparently, some of my classmates are joining the competition kaya naman need nila ng taga cheer.
And that's how I ended up in this place.
"Okay! For our next band. They are the representative of Class 2-D. Let's give it up for Endless Miracle!!"
The crowd cheers. Four guys went up the stage. Everyone look mad nervous---well except for that guy with spikey hair and shades. He's doing some weird poses at nagpa cute pa sa audience bago dumiretso sa drums niya. Muntik pa siyang mapatid. Probably the shades. Ang dilim na sa auditorium naka shades pa siya. At mukhang narealize din niya kaya naman hinubad niya rin ito at itinaas na lang sa ulo niya.
The other guy is playing the keyboard. Ang una kong napansin ay hindi color coordinated ang suot niyang damit. He's wearing a bright red polo shirt and beige pants. Kung sino naka isip ng damit niya, I have no idea.
The other guy is playing the bass guitar. Among them, mukhang siya ang pinaka kalmado sa kanila. Although I feel like nasa emo-phase siya ngayon. He's wearing a dark pants and black shirt. May skull necklace na suot at spike bracelet. Naka eyeglass siya pero kalahati ng mukha niya ay natatabunan ng buhok niya.
And then, there's this guy in the middle holding a guitar at nasa tapat ng mic. By the looks of it, mukhang siya ang vocalist nila. He got a clean cut hair na nakahawi sa mukha niya kaya aninag ko yung facial features niya. He does looks nervous, but still, nag r-radiate pa rin ang ganda ng ngiti niya. He's just wearing a simple maong pants, white t-shirt and black plaid long sleeves. If I am being honest, he looks cute.
"Hi!" he said in the microphone at nag echo ito kaya naman napatakip kami ng tenga. Inulit niya ulit. "Hi. How's everyone doing?"
Everyone cheers.
"We are Endless Miracle, and we are very excited to perform tonight. But before that, let me introduce to you my bandmates."
As Angelo---Geo looks at his bandmates, I can't help but to smile kasi the way he speaks is too formal. Yung para bang nag pe-present siya ng report sa harap ng teacher.
