Dance the Rhythm

Storm

            Heavy rain started to pour at isa-isa na silang nagtakbuhan pauwi. At kasabay ng pagbagsak ng malakas na ulan ang kaba ng palapit na bagyo.

            Zarins, Vince and Gino started to think of steps panlaban sa SayawCalle. They have to practice for over an hour kahit malakas ang ulan.. They have to condition their body under the rain para makasabay sila kahit madulas ang kalsada.

            And then the torture began…

Day 1

            Malakas ang ulan pero hindi nagpapigil ang Imperio para magensayo. They practiced under the heavy rain. Napansin ng lahat ang pagka-obsess ni Zarins sa mga steps ng sayaw. She wanted it to be perfect at halos dalawang oras silang nakababad sa malakas na ulan.

            Bawat beat ay nilalagyan nila ng step para kahit mag-mix ang kalaban, masabayan pa din nila. Zarin’s in front to give them some signals sa kung ano dapat ang susunod.

Day 2

            Bukas inaasahang tatama ang bagyo sa lugar nila at bukas na din ang laban nila sa SayawCalle. Halos magtatatlong oras na pero hindi pa din pinapatigil ni Zarins ang pageensayo. They cannot afford to stop now..

            But Gino forced them to stop. Nakikita nyang hindi na maganda ang epekto ng ulan sa katawan ng mga kasama nya. Zarins’ far from seeing things dahil tanging ang panalo lang ang nakikita nito. He ordered them to stop and have a break and drag Zarins inside their dressing room.

            He tossed a towel to her and glared at her calm demeanor.

Gino: Ano ba ha?!! Hindi ka na ba talaga papaawat?

Zarins: Papaawat saan?

Gino: I’ve chosen this path dahil gusto kong mabago ang daang tinatahak ko kasama ang dati kong grupo..grupo namin ni Vince.

Zarins: Grupo nyo?

Gino: Lumalaban kami sa iba’t-ibang bansa. Inilalaban kami ni lolo. I’ve always been greedy with fame and money..at dahil nga mas madalas kaming manalo, mas madalas ang pera samin. Gusto kong laging perpekto ang steps…at halos saktan ko ang kung sino mang magkamali. Hindi ko alam na unti-unti na silang bumubuo ng ibang grupo hanggang sa itiwalag nila ako kamasa si Vince. I almost killed the man who replaced my position but when I saw them…even felt them..my group…helping him up..looking angrily at me.. I realized.. nawala na sila sakin. At ayokong maranasan mo yon, Zarins!!

Zarins: We are one whole group, Gino. Lumalaban kami para makaahon sa hirap!!. Akala mo gusto ko din toh? Akala mo hindi ko sila iniisip!? Isinuko ko na ang pangarap kong sumayaw.. all I wanted now is to get out in this hell!!

Gino: (looked at her, submitting at how hard she’s become, smiling sadly) I thought we still have the same dream.

            That night, nakakapagtakang kumalma at tumila ang ulan.. Gino’s not yet home at si Vince lang ang kasama ni Zarins sa bahay.

Vince asked her help para maglagay ng gulong at bato sa bubong nila.

Zarins: Vince…am I being selfish?

Vince: ….

Zarins: I am..

Vince: Nakikita ko sayo si Gino bago kami mapadpad dito.

Zarins: Pero bakit hindi nyo maintindihang para toh sa kinabukasan nating lahat?

Vince: We’re not asking you to do those things for us. Kuntento kaming lahat sa kung paano tayo nanalo at nagkakapera..but not to the extent like this, Zarins. Pero…kahit na anong desisyon mo, sinusuportahan ka naman namin eh.. We just hope na sana, pakinggan mo din ang buong grupo…not that you’re assuming things for us.  We’re humans, Zarins..

  Zarins: I’m sorry..

Vince: Naiintindihan kita.. and save that apology kapag natalo tayo..that I’m sure we will not.

Zarins: Hindi tayo papatalo.

The Dance Showdown

            Malakas ang hampas ng hangin..halos liparin ang mga bubong.. at kampanteng nakatayo sa ilalim ang SayawCalle. Samantalang tensionado ang buong grupo ni Zarins dahil sa naging away nila ni Gino. They are also exhausted from being soaked under the rain. And this is not what Zarins wanted. Ramdam na ramdam nya ang pagod ng buong grupo... ramdam nya ang pagdadalawang isip ng mga ito..but they have to win this one.. para makalayo sa impyernong toh.. They have to have faith on their talents..

            She inhaled bago pumwesto katabi ang grupo ng SayawCalle. Punong-puno ang klaye nila kahit pa malakas na malakas ang bagyo…ramdam nya ang dagundong ng sigawan at hiyawan.

            Angelo grinned at her doubtful look but then… she felt Vince’s strong hands held her shoulders firmly..

Vince: We can do this.. Malalampasan natin toh..

Zarins: I…I hope so..

            She take a glimpse at Gino’s position and saw that he’s still mad at her…

            The music started, their body moved and the storm swallowed them..

            First ten minutes, Zarins felt like they will win dahil talong-talo nila sa execution ang SAYAWCALLE.. nakukuha nila ang tiempo ng isa’t-isa, ramdam nila ang kagustuhan ng lahat manalo. Zarins give her full capacity para matalo ang kalaban… Gino’s behind her.. and she can feel his warm body close to her.. and knew na kahit galit ito sa kanya, sinusuportahan sya nito..

            But then after the next ten minutes, biglang bumagsak si Kyle, ilang ka-grupo nila ang nag-alis dito.. Mas malakas na ngayon ang hampas ng bagyo at hangin.. at kitang-kita nila na tuloy lang at parang hindi apektado ang kalaban..while their group’s energy is wearing thin.. then he knew..on that moment…the dance is not about how good your steps are..it is not how good the group is in execution..it is about how far your body can go in this kind of weather.

            30 minutes, lima na ang sumuko sa kanila but Zarins just kept on moving.. Anger seethed through him.. Alam nilang lahat na talo na sila dahil nabawasan na sila. She never even glanced behind her… and that made his last patience snap. He stopped moving… for they are not dancing anymore.. He grabbed her arms and forced her to face him..saw that against the heavy rain..her eyes is blank and she’s biting her lower lip. Pero hindi nagpabawas yon sa galit na nararamdaman nya.   

            Naririnig nya ang malakas na tawanan ng kalabang grupo..he can hear the loud beating of his heart… nasasaktan sya..pero nangyari na ang kinatatakutan nyang mangyari. Ang lahat ng pinaghirapan nila..nawala sa isang iglap. All because of Zarin’s stupid decision.

            Nakatungo lang ang mga kagrupo nila..all mourning for their lost sanctuary.

Gino: (angrily glare at Zarins) Ipinusta mo kaming lahat…tapos ngayon…ipinatalo mo ang laban. Simula pa lang, Zarins, talo ka na.,.Simula ng kalimutan mong isang grupo tayo.. Simula ng unahin mong isipin yang sarili mo. You forget us when we desperately needed our leader!!! And now it’s time for us to forget you… You ruined the dance… You ruined our group… You ruined us.. You danced out of rhythm and that leads you to destruction.”

            He turned away from her… trying not to be move by her pained look. Trying not to feel anything than anger..

Gino: Hindi na ikaw ang babaeng minahal ko. The girl dancing with passion is not existing anymore.. ang natira na lang… yung ambisyosang babae na iniwan kaming lahat sa ere.