Star-Crossed Melodies (Echoes #1)

Prologue

Prologue

I strummed a chord on my guitar, and the crowd in front of me exploded into cheers. I couldn't help but smile as I looked out at them. Malakas ang sigawan nila habang naririnig ko ang tawanan ng mga ka-banda ko sa likuran.

There I was, standing in the center of the stage, taking in the sight of the sea of people. The lights were dim, and the glow from their cellphones was the only source of light. Nag mimistulang bituin iyon sa sobrang dami.

"What should I play?" I asked into the microphone. Malakas silang sumigaw. I licked my lips and tried again.

"Anong tutugtugin ko?" ulit ko.

The cheers grew even louder, but their requests were lost in the overwhelming noise.

"Easy, everyone," I called out. "I can't make out what you're saying." Nang tumahimik sila ay tsaka ko lang narinig ang sigaw ng iba.

“Bakit ang gwapo mo, Austin?!" a voice cut through the silence.

Humalakhak ang ako at tinalunton kung saan nang galing ang sigaw na iyon. I found her in the back, and the crowd went wild when they realized I was heading her way. As I made my way through the crowd, the lights came up, making it easy to spot her.

And her face? It was as red as a tomato. I couldn't tell if she'd hit the bar before coming here or if it was my presence that had her blushing.

Her friends were squealing and pushing her towards me. She covered her face, clearly overwhelmed. I shook my head, smirking.

She's undeniably pretty.

"What's your name?" I asked, setting off another round of cheers. May nakita akong kumukuha ng video gamit ang cellphone nila, at malamang ipopost na naman iyon sa social media! Great. My notifications were about to blow up again.

"What? Bago 'to, ah? First mong mag tanong ng pangalan! Love at first sight, dude?" Reon, our drummer, tossed the comment from the stage, microphone still in hand.

I laughed and shook my head at him, then turned back to the girl.

"What's your name?" I asked again, prompting more cheers. I held a finger to my lips, signaling for them to quiet down.

"Leyla," she answered, still not meeting my gaze.

I grinned. "Look at me."

The crowd went wild again. I expected her to resist, but when she finally looked up at me, I was the one caught off guard.

Wow. There was something captivating about her almond eyes.

I cleared my throat.

Alright. I'm going to ask her out. I can't let this chance pass without getting her number. Sure, I have her name, but finding her on social media is proving to be a challenge. Her name is unique, but there are still a ton of Leylas on Instagram and other platforms.

She looked thoughtful for a moment. I just watched her, as if time had stopped. I knew I wouldn't see her tomorrow. Maybe not even next month or next year. But maybe, at my next gig, she'd be in the crowd again.

"Anong gusto mong kantahin ko?"

"When I Look at You, by Miley Cyrus," she finally said, smiling.

I nodded. "Alright."

Bumalik ako sa stage nang mag simula ang intro ng kantang sinabi niya. Mabuti na lang at hindi niya ako pinahirapan sa kanta. I returned to my spot before stepping down. Putting the microphone back on its stand, I took a seat on the high chair and gazed out at the crowd.