Clouded Hearts

25: In shadows

Astraea

The moment Achelois started to sing, her voice filled the air with a softness that sent a shiver down my spine, it always does. Each note she hit felt like it was connected to something magical, a quiet kind of power that wrapped around me, warm and overwhelming. And when she reached that part—the line that goes, "Walang papantay sa 'yo maging sino man sila." It was like my heart skipped a beat.

The meaning behind it is beautiful, just like the lyrics: walang papantay sa'yo, maging sino man sila. Yung tipong kahit sino pa iharap mo sa akin, ikaw lang ang gusto at gugustuhin ko. Hindi kita ikukumpara sa iba kasi walang papantay sa 'yo maging sino pa sila. Kahit anak pa ng pinakamayamang tao sa buong mundo. Kung hindi ikaw ay hindi na lang.

The lyrics resonated so deeply that I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. Those words… they weren’t just beautiful; they were powerful. The kind of words you want someone to mean when they sing them to you. Walang papantay sa 'yo maging sino man sila. It’s like saying, “You are it for me. No one else. Nothing else. Just you.” The way she sang those words, soft yet steady, made my stomach twist and turn in the most delightful way, like a storm of butterflies had suddenly taken flight inside me.

Her voice carried the next lines, "Walang sagot sa tanong kung bakit ka mahalaga," and I felt the weight of those words hit me like a wave. It wasn’t just a line—it was a confession. Like saying, “I don’t know why you matter so much, but you do. And I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.” It was so raw, so vulnerable, that it left me speechless. It's like saying, Sa sobrang swerte ko sa 'yo, I'm out of words to tell how lucky I am to have you. To tell you the truth, no words can define how grateful I am to have you. All I could do was sit there, drowning in her voice and the feelings it stirred inside me.

As the song reached its end, Achelois harmonized so beautifully that my breath caught in my throat. My heartbeat quickened, and I had to force myself to breathe.

“You’re amazing.” I blurted out, my voice barely a whisper. I didn’t even mean to say it, it just slipped.

She tilted her head, a soft smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “The song’s amazing,” she corrected, brushing off the compliment with an easy shrug.

“No.” I said, shaking my head as I tried to gather my thoughts. “The song is beautiful, sure, but the way you sang it? That’s… something else.” My voice softened, my cheeks burning from the honesty of it all.

Achelois chuckled, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her fingers brushing against her cheek. “Thanks,” she said, her voice softer now, almost shy.

“I mean it,” I added, feeling like I needed to say more, but not knowing how. “Teach me how to sing like that sometime.”

She raised an eyebrow, amused. “You? Singing?”

“Hey, don’t underestimate me,” I said, pretending to be offended. “With a teacher like you, I might just surprise you.”

Her laugh was light, like the tinkling of wind chimes. “We’ll see about that,” she said, her eyes meeting mine.

"Ganto pala maging kandila sa dinner date?" Narinig kong sambit ni Eryx.

"Now you know. Sabihin mo if gusto mo magpart time ah." Gatong pa ni Ice.

How can I forgot that they're here? It seems like we share the same brain cells because we didn't pay attention to them. We just stared at each other.

With her gaze holding mine and the remains of her song still hanging in the air, I realized something. Achelois wasn’t just singing about someone. She was the song. Beautiful, irreplaceable, and utterly unforgettable.