Your Lucky One

Chapter Four: Old habits

Trese Anaya's Point of View

I woke up the next morning with a throbbing headache and a bitter taste in my mouth, remnants of last night's drinking still clinging to me. I blinked at the sunlight filtering through my curtains, the warmth mocking the turmoil inside me. Class. Miss Everette.

I just felt heavy. It's friday morning and all I can think is yung first period class ko and it's Lenore's Class, after what she did yesterday all I can ask my self is kailangan ko ba talagang umattend ng klase niya? The thought sent a wave of dread through me. Miss Everette's piercing gaze flashed in my mind, and I quickly shoved it aside.

I grabbed my phone and texted some people I know will surely help me to figure things out, my bandmates.

Do you guys still go to garage resto bar to perform? I texted them.

A few moments later, my phone buzzed with replies.

"Finally! Akala ko hindi ka na magbabalik!" Fonso texted, his excitement palpable even through the screen.

"Anong oras?" Dale chimed in.

"Garage, 3 PM!" I shot back, a smile breaking through my earlier gloom.

I hadn't played with them in months, caught up in the whirlwind of classes and trying to prove myself to Miss Everette. But today, I was ready to escape all that. I needed to breathe, to remember what it felt like to lose myself in music.

***

By the time I arrived at the garage, Fonso, Dale, and Praise were already setting up. The familiar scent of wood and metal hit me, and I felt a surge of nostalgia.

"Trese!" Praise exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "Finally, the prodigal daughter returns! Saan ka na ba? Aasa na lang kami sa mga YouTube videos ng band natin!" Yeah, she's the vlogger slash drummer.

"Kailangan ko lang ng break," I replied, my heart racing as I picked up my guitar. "Medyo... complicated ang buhay ko lately."

Fonso smirked, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Sabi ko na nga ba, what happened this time, trese? Anong nangyari? Is it about your Dad or your brother? Business things na ayaw mo naman talagang gawin?" he laughed.

"Don't remind me," I groaned, plucking the strings of my guitar absentmindedly. "Ayaw ko na munang mag-aral. Baka mag-drop out na ako."

Dale raised an eyebrow, his expression turning serious. "Wow new problem yan from you, hah! That's new, you were smart the last time I checked. Music is great and all, pero walang katulad ang education. What's going on?"

I sighed, feeling the weight of their concern. "Just school stuff, never kong sineryoso 'to."

Praise suddenly laughs out loud, halata ang sa kanyang mukha na para bang panibago ang mga narinig niya sa akin. "Dude, that's new talaga, ilang months ka lang hindi bumanda at biglang nagseseryoso ka na sa pag-aaral? What happened to I'm a Monforte thing?"