"Golden Melody" is a tale of love, dreams, and resilience, exploring the power of music and memory as Zatariel fights to bring back the melody of their hearts amidst the challenges they face.
Will their shared passion for music be enough to bridge...
The hall was filling up fast, packed with students buzzing with excitement.
Anticipation hung in the air, a mix of nerves and holiday cheer.
The decorations were dazzling, a shimmering spectacle of lights and tinsel. But all I could see was her Miexha.
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She stood at the Sweet Corner, and my heart skipped a beat. She was wearing a red dress, a perfect Christmas outfit, her long brown hair waving down her back. She looked stunning, and for a moment, everything and everyone else faded into the background.
But then, she smiled widely, and I turned to see who had captured her attention. Thyron. Of course. He was walking toward her, and before I knew it, she was hugging him. A strange feeling twisted in my chest. jealousy, maybe? I wasn't sure.
Moments later, my cousin, Aleanna, showed up. She was a sophomore, and Thyron held her hand as they left Mimi to dance on the floor.
I watched Miexha's face fall, the smile fading into hurt. Her eyes, usually so bright and full of life, were now clouded with sadness. It wasn't long before she quietly slipped out of the hall. Without thinking, I followed her.
She went outside to the garden and sat on a bench, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed quietly. It felt like someone had taken a knife to my chest seeing her like that.
The sight of her tears, the way her whole body trembled with sadness, tore at my heart. I wanted to comfort her, to hold her close and make everything alright.
But my phone buzzed.
Unknown "Wun? It's time for your opening speech."
Shit. I don't want to leave her here alone. I wanted to stay with her, to be there for her, but I knew I had to go. I walked over to her, my steps heavy with a mixture of guilt and concern. I took off my coat, my hands trembling slightly, and draped it over her shoulders. She looked up, startled, her tear-filled eyes meeting mine. I quickly looked away, feeling a lump in my throat.
"A-a" she started, but before she could finish, she hugged me. Tight. Her small frame pressed against mine, her arms wrapped around me as if clinging to a lifeline.
"Santa, thank you for showing up this year!" she cried into my chest, her voice choked with tears. "I don't need expensive gifts... I just want someone to love me!"
My heart broke hearing those words. She thought I was Santa? Okay, I was wearing red, but... teka, hindi naman ako mataba ah! I gently patted her back, trying to calm her down, though I had no idea what to do in situations like this. My mind screamed at me to find Thyron and knock him out, even though I didn't fully understand what had happened.
"Do you know how it feels to be invisible?" she whispered, her voice trembling, her words barely audible. "Sometimes, it's like no one sees me. Even when I'm standing right in front of them." She leaned her head against my shoulder, the warmth of my coat comforting her.
"Is it because I'm deaf? Because I can't hear properly? Is that why they treat me like this? Am I... abnormal?" She choked on her words, her tears flowing freely now, her face contorted in a mixture of pain and confusion.
"My family's too busy for me. Even Ron... my only friend doesn't want to be with me anymore. And the students here... they hate me. They treat me like I'm some kind of virus." She sniffled, her voice cracking with each word. "My classmates always bully me. And even Riel avoids me. I just don't understand why."
Hearing my name, my heart sank even deeper. She didn't know. She had no idea that I was always around her, watching from a distance. And she thought I was avoiding her? My chest tightened with a mixture of guilt and despair.
She cried like a child, pouring out all her pain, her sobs echoing in the stillness of the garden.
I wanted to say something, to comfort her, but I wasn't good at this. Should I just... hug her tighter? Ugh, whatever. I pulled her closer, hoping it would help.
Suddenly, fireworks erupted in the sky, the loud crackling filling the air with deafening booms. Miexha groaned in pain, pulling away from me to clutch her ears. Her eyes widened in fear, her face pale with terror.
"It's okay, it's okay. Look at me," I said, trying to get her attention. She whimpered, but I held her tightly, shielding her from the noise as best I could. "Everything's going to be okay, Mimi. I'm here. Just breathe."
The fireworks eventually died down, and the night returned to a calm stillness. After a while, her sobbing quieted, her breathing evening out as she slowly relaxed in my arms. She was still trembling, but her tears had stopped.
After a while, she started to relax, her sobs turning into quiet sniffles. It felt like a heavy weight was slowly lifting off her shoulders.
"Riel isn't avoiding you," I whispered softly, more to myself than to her. "He's always been by your side. He loves you." I didn't know why I said that. Maybe it was just something she needed to hear, or maybe it was because it was the truth. Either way, she calmed down, finally drifting off to sleep in my arms. Her breathing was soft and even, her face was serene in her sleep.
I looked around and saw the crowd starting to spill out of the event hall. My phone buzzed with a ridiculous number of missed calls and texts.
I ignored them all.
Just then, I heard a voice behind me.
"Thank you for taking care of our baby."
Startled, I turned to see a man and a woman walking toward us. The man gently lifted Mimi out of my arms as if they were in some kind of fairytale scene. The woman smiled at me, her voice soft.
"You should go home now. Merry Christmas."
I nodded, speechless. I felt a strange mix of emotions, relief, sadness, and a sense of responsibility. I had to get out of there.
