White Lies

I Want You

"Aaand.. stop rolling!" the floor director's voice can be heard through a microphone inside the studio.

"Stand by coaches. Please. Thank you. " and went to Luis Manzano for further instructions.

"Water break? Water break?" asked Bamboo who is still hyped from the last blind performance.

The director gave Bamboo a thumbs up and Lea gestured at her PA for her tumbler.

Its the first day of taping of the blind audition of The Voice and she finds it very fun and exciting. Hearing someone sings without looking at their faces fascinates her.

Rona approached her on her red chair and handed Lea's tumbler with straw. Lea took it and lazily sipping through while listening to Bamboo's babbling regrets on how he should've turned his chair earlier.

"Ms. Lea, you want something to eat po?" Rona asked.

Lea shooked her head 'no' and took a swig of lemon water.

"Powerbar?"

"No, water is okay. Baka saglit lang to, baka may technical problem lang?" she gaze at Luis and the director still talking at the corner of the stage.

"Dude, why do you always get the best ones?!" Bamboo suddenly asked Lea.

"What can I do? They love me!" she said stating a matter of fact while receiving a few cheers and claps from the crowd. Even APL is impressed and motioned to Bamboo a hand slashing to the neck. Cut it out bro!

"Smooth. Alright, I get it. I get it. " chuckling, Bamboo shakes his head and raised his both hands in surrender. You can never win with Lea Salonga and her very smart mouth.

Bamboo sat back on his red chair and raised his both feet up and closed his eyes.

"Yeah dude, just sleep it off! " says APL.

"Oh come on, don't rub it on me more, I am trying to get back my dignity here bro. " and both men laugh it off together with the crowd.

This is what's nice about studio tapings, you get to have a very active audience even on and off cam. The interaction between coaches is a bonus.

Lea just shakes her head while biting on the straw.

"We will be rolling in 2.. standby coaches. " said the floor director as he gestured for the coaches to take their seats.

Lea handed back her tumbler to Rona and fixed herself on her red chair. The chairs were turned in preparation for next auditionee. She feels her excitement bubbling again. When suddenly Bamboo stood up and faced the stage looking for the floor director.

"Direk? Direk? Pwede ba magrequest, can we please turn off Coach Lea's I Want You button? Please anyone by-pass her chair.. As in right now. " everybody in the studio were laughing at Bamboo's antics. "Like, how many.. you have two members na right?" asking Lea and she nods in confirmation. "See? She might get this one again direk!"

"Well see! Third time's a charm!" Lea said giggling.

Everybody quiet down when its the cue for the next auditionee to come up the stage. When out of the blue everybody from the crowd started cheering and jumping on their seats.

The coaches were all confused and too curious and amazed of the crowds reaction.

"Oh, wow?! Oh this must be good. " Lea sat up, hands already on alert for the red button.

The intro music played by the live band, and the crowd shreiked again.

Lea was looking at the crowd still clueless of their big reactions. When suddenly she felt something fishy about it, so she fisted her right hand in retreat, hesitations clouding her mind.

Bamboo saw her hesitations and gave her a questioning look.

"I don't feel good about this. " Lea said chuckling and then the auditionee sang the first line of the song.

"Sana maulit muli..."

And the crowd went wild shreiking their lungs out.

"Oh. God. No. " Lea knew that voice. She sat back on her chair shaking her head. "God. No." she can't hide her smile.

"What? Who is it? Who?" looking at Lea fishing for answers.

"Oh, please don't turn! For the love of God. Please don't. " she answered back giggling while the crowd is still going wild on the background. They were shouting 'Coach Lea' in chorus and making gestures of slamming the button.

"What is happening?!" says Bamboo who is very clueless on his chair. Even APL gestures his hands no idea.

Lea sat back lazyly, hand massaging her temple, totally no plans on turning when the last line of the song came in.

"Mahal pa rin kitaaaa.. "

And she slammed her hand and braced herself for the impact as her chair turns and faced the auditionee. The studio went wild as the I WANT YOU logo of her chair lit up.

There at the center stage standing is the ridiculously handsome Aga Muhlach himself, grinning at her.

When the cheers and claps died down, the chairs of the other two coaches were turned and they were shocked to see who was the cause of the commotion.

"Good afternoon coaches. Hi Babes, este Coach Lea." Aga chimed in and the crowd went wild again.

"Hay nako?! Ano to? Hindi ako na-orient!" says Lea who looking for the floor director.

Luis in all smiles butted in "Coaches, coach APL ano masasabi nyo sa performance ni Sir Aga?"

"You know what Sir Aga, that was amazing performance the crowd loves you. Hats off. " and the crowd shreiked.

"Coach Bamboo?" asked Luis.

"Wow. I am totally speechless actually no, I mean who wouldn't want that naman di ba? Di ba? Siguro hindi lang ako umikot kasi, I have a strong feeling na someone else wants you more eh!" the crowd in the studio is getting crazy.

"And lastly, ang nag-iisang umikot sayo Sir Aga, congrats! Coach Lea? any words?" Luis asked her while wiggling his eyebrows.

Aga can't contain himself as he looked at Lea's side. She looks very gorgeous as ever

"Mr. Aga Muhlach. " she said and the crowd cheered again. "Wala pa! " said Lea addressing to the crowd and they laughed.

"Ags.. " and the crowd cheered again. Lea shook her head. Oh God. These people. "Actually, my ears are bleeding right now." the crowd is laughing hard. "Ags, never ever sing again. Please."

"But, di ba nga you just turned your chair for me! Ayan oh, nakailaw pa rin.. I WANT YOU. Mahirap ata mapabilib ang isang Lea Salonga." said Aga who is still grinning from ear to ear.

Lea smiled and raised her pointy finger, signaling the crowd to wait because the cheers are getting more crazier.

Lea waited for the crowd to quiet down first before proceeding again "Dude. I didn't turned.. because I want your singing per se. I turned because, I want you for some other reasons... and I am not going to elaborate it more." the crowd cheered again.
"So, go. Alis ka na diyan." Lea smiling ear to ear.

"Okay sige. I want you too Coach Lea."

And the crowd went wild even more.

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