When I Stop Chasing

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Ruined

"I dare you to sing with me at that stage."

Seryoso ang pagksabi ko n'on habang itinuturo ang stage, He just looked at me with his poker face. Hindi ko alam kung kakabahan ba ako or ano! He's not smiling, He didn't even flinched on what I said so I creased my forehead at him. Nakatulala lang siya sa akin, Sa mismong muhka ko. Anong trip ng lalaking 'to?

I snapped my fingers infront of him kaya nabalik siya sa realidad. So natulala talaga siya? Saan naman? Sa ganda ko? Napangisi ako sa naisip ko, Sa sobrang ganda ko pala ay matutulala nalang sila...

"Ano ulit yung sinabi mo?" I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"You spaced out. Sabi ko, Kanta tayong dalawa!" Kita ko ang gulat sa mata niya and then he pointed the stage and I nodded my head as a response.

"Really?" I can feel the excitement on his voice, Like he's a five year old na papayagang lumabas ng bahay para makapaglaro. I smiled again, Bakit ba paulit ulit siya?

"Game!" Masaya niyang sabi sabay hila ng kamay ko.

Napangisi ako nang kakastrum palang ni Jao ng gitara ay may pumalakpak na agad. Some of them even chanted Jao's name! Napahalakhak ako ng may isang babaeng sumigaw ng,

"Akin ka nalang Jao!" And then the crowd cracked into laughter.

It wasn't that hard para pakiusapan si Jesse na kakanta kami. Singit lang naman, And duh? I'm the owner of this resto bar!

My hands were shaking as I strum the guitar, Ang lakas ng loob kong mag-aya then ngayon kinakabahan na ako!

I should be!

Crowd's favorite itong si Jao! Hindi siya basta basta lang, Kaya nakakahiya naman kapag sumablay ako. Pumikit ako habang pinapakinggan ang intro ng kanta. I was the one who decided what will be the song we'll sing. Sana naman maganda ang blending ng boses naming dalawa, I opened my eyes and sang the first paragraph.

"All I knew this morning when I woke

Is I know something, know something now I didn't before

And all I've seen since eighteen hours ago is green eyes

And freckles in your smilein the back of my mind making me feel like

I just want to know you better, know you better, know you better now

I just want to know you better, know you better, know you better now

I just want to know you better, know you better, know you better now

I just want to know you , know you, know you"

I smiled at the crowd and the audience as I hit the chorus, I looked at Jao who were ready to sing with me. He smiled that made his dimple appeared on his left cheek and I smiled back at him.