Music Lovers (AU)

Chapter 6.1

AN:
- finally, right? /shot
- very short. Chapter 6 is the last chapter. I'll try finishing the next part quickly. hopefully, i can post the next part today as well. :)

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"Jaron!"

"Huh, what?"

Jaron heard Harper sighed quite loudly.

"Kanina ka pa namin tinatawag." Jaron heard Mel say.

Nasa isang fast food chain sila malapit sa condo ni Harper at Mel. Kaylangan pang hilahin ng magkapatid si Jaron, sumama lang sa kanila.

"Jaye, are you okay?" Mel asked.

"Yeah." Sabi naman agad ni Jaron.

"You're not." sabi naman ni Harper.

It was Jaron's turn to sigh. Hinawakan naman ni Mel ang kamay niya. "We just wanna help. And nag-aalala kami sa'yo..."

Nagbuntong hininga uli si Jaron pero sinimulan na rin niyang ikwento yung nangyari. Parehas na tahimik yung dalawa habang nagkukwento siya. The only indication na nakikinig sila (since hindi naman niya nakikita) is yung intake ng breath ni Harper and yung pag-squeeze ni Mel ng kamay niya nung sinabi niya na yung tungkol kay Charmaine.

Matagal silang tahimik after niyang magkwento. Jaron didn't mind because he was thinking about a lot of things.

Nagulat na lang si Jaron nung bigla niyang naramdaman na dumampi ang labi ni Mel sa cheeks niya.

"Kakausapin ko si Aria, promise." Sinabi niya. "Don't worry too much, everything will be okay."

"Yeah, dude. Parehas lang siguro kayo'ng shock ngayon." Harper said in turn.

And for the first time since knowing the truth, napangiti si Jaron. He really was thankful to have them as his friends.

"Pero grabe, Jaye. Pwede na pang-MMK love story niyo ha." Mel said. And this time, Jaron couldn't help but laugh.

Nagtinginan naman ang magkapatid. It was a very very very rare occurrence, but at the moment thankful sila na di sila nakikita ng kaibigan nila.

'I thought it's dahil October 22 ngayon.' Mel wrote on her phone and showed it to her brother.

'Thought so, too. Jeez, kelangan talaga niya ng kaibigan today doesn't he?' Type naman ni Harper sa phone ng kapatid niya.

As an answer, Mel gave him a grim nod.

----

Napatigil si Aria nang nakita niya si Jaron sa loob ng classroom. He was sitting forlornly in his usual sit by the window.

Naghesitate siya for a moment, but in the end stepped back and walked away. Hindi pa talaga niya kaya na kausapin si Jaron. Something changed, and Aria didn't know how to deal with that change. Jaron brings her mixed feelings. Masyado siyang na-o-overwhelm maisip lang niya si Jaron. She just couldn't see him just then. Not specially today.

Inisip niya na kaya niya. Inisip niya na iinda, kasi di siya nakatiis nung Sept. 17 at birthday ng ate niya. Iniisip niya rin si Jaron, kung ano kaya ang iniisip niya, nararamdaman niya. Oo, may nagbago, pero di pa rin naman nagbabago yung malasakit niya kay Jaron. Kaya lang hindi pala talaga niya kaya. At least wag muna ngayong araw na 'to na death anniversary ng ate niya. She was perfectly aware that she's been avoiding him for a week now, but she really needs the space.

'One more day. Just let this day end. Tomorrow, I'll talk to him.'

Aria was so deep in thought, it was too late when she realized she has been followed.

-

"Chyna, please..." Chantal tried to plead as she followed her two friends. Papunta sila sa class nung nakita nila si Aria na lumabas ng classroom nila. Napatigil yung dalawa niyang kaibigan and without saying anything, just started following the Aria.

Di siya pinansin ni Chyna at nakatitig pa rin kay Aria.

"Chyna!" Sabi naman ni Chantal, sabay hila sa kamay ng kaibigan.

"What?!" Chyna said, glaring at her.

Natatakot na talaga si Chantal sa Chyna na kaharap niya ngayon. Usually, hindi naman ganito ang kaibigan niya. Mahinhin, mabait sa lahat ng tao, completely different from the Chyna she becomes whenever Aria is around.

Nung unang nikwento ni Chyna ang nangyari sa kanila ni Aria, sobrang nagalit din si Chantal. Sobrang naawa siya kay Chyna, at sobrang naupset kay Aria. Yung pagkakakwento ni Chyna, it was clear that Aria was the bad one, the reason Chyna was miserable, the reason Chyna's sister died.

Pero si Rina... she started bullying Aria... at si Aria tuwing nangyayari yun... Hindi siya lumalaban, ni parang di siya nagugulat o nagtatanong bakit ginagawa sa kanya yun. It was as if she wanted to be punished. She believed she really deserved it.

She was brought back to the present when Rina suddenly pushed her away from Chyna.

"Kung ayaw mo, wag kang sumama!" Sabi ni Rina.

Chantal glared at her. Si Rina... iba siya kay Chyna. Nag-eenjoy siya sa ginagawa niya kay Aria. It wasn't a matter of 'revenge' as it seems to be for Chyna. She just does it for her own pleasure.

Rina raised a brow at her in challenge. A moment pass, and Rina just started pulling Chyna to continue chasing Aria.

Chantal felt useless as she watched the two girls go. Nagpapanic siya, nag-iisip kung ano dapat gawin. She started running towards their classroom. Baka sakaling andun si Clarke. Anyone who can help Aria.

She turned a corner and felt disconcerted as she was pushed back to the ground. She opened her eyes and realized she bumped into someone.

Her eyes widen, feeling relieved when she recognize who it was.

"You! Please come quick! Si Aria!"

-

"Chyna..." Alam ni Aria na nagmamakaawa na ang tono niya, pero natatakot talaga siya.

"Oi Ross, it's been a while..." Sabi ng kaibigan ni Chyna with a fake friendly tone.

Aria took a step back. But Rina had quickly made her way to her and grabbed her. "San ka pupunta?"

Tumingin uli si Aria kay Chyna.

"Chyna..." She pleaded.

"Wag mo kong tawagin ng ganyan. We're not friends anymore."

Rina grinned maliciously and started pulling Aria.

--

"Nasan na sila??" Melody demanded, feeling very worried.

"Dito sila papunta kanina." Sabi naman ni Chantal na halatang nagpapanic na.

The two of them both tried to look around, looking at people passing by the walk.

"Wala ka bang idea kung san sila pwedeng pumunta??" Melody asked. She was starting to panic, too.

"Sorry, I--" She trailed off when she noticed a girl looking up in horror.

Chantal and Melody, too, looked up.

"That's them!" Chantal told Melody, her heart pounding. "Oh my God."

"Aria!" Melody called out as she ran to the building, Chantal following close behind.