Seventeen

Chapter 13

"Live house?" sabi ni Nixie. "Memorable place ba sa'yo 'to?"

"Yeah." Sagot naman ni Kaiser.

Dinala niya ang dalaga sa live house bar kung saan sila dating nagpe-perform ng kanyang banda. Namamangha namang nagpalinga-linga sa loob noon si Nixie. Marami ring tao ang nanonood sa bandang kasalukuyang nagpe-perform ng mga oras na 'yun.

"This is so nostalgic, it hasn't change at all." Wika ni Kaiser.

"Talaga?" sabi ng dalaga.

Nag-stay sila sa likod ng mga taong manonood. Hindi kasi masyadong crowded doon kumpara sa harap.

"When I was still a student and we're still an indie band, we used to perform here all the time." Pagkukuwento ni Kaiser. "Oh yeah, the ex-girlfriend that girl was talking about was the vocalist for the first band that I created."

Napatitig sa kanya si Nixie. Tila nais nitong malaman ang iba pang detalye.

"Well, we were about to make our major debut, that girl quit." Wika ni Kaiser.

"Bakit naman siya biglang nag-quit? Ayaw ba niyang mag-major debut kasama kayo?" takang tanong ni Nixie.

Sinulyapan siya ni Kaiser bago sumagot.

"She was scouted by a famous producer... so she quit the band to pursue a solo career." Sagot niya rito.

"No way..." hindi makapaniwalang sambit ni Nixie.

"To be more specific, instead of staying with us, who were still in the beginning stages, it was probably more practical to make a debut with a famous producer. That's the only reason she did that." Dagdag pa ni Kaiser.

"No way... iyon lang ang dahilan..." nanlulumong wika ni Nixie matapos marinig ang kuwento nito.

Napansin ni Kaiser ang malungkot na expression sa mukha nito.

"Hey... why are you making a face like that?!" nag-aalalang tanong nito sa dalaga sabay hawak sa kaniyang balikat. "It's something that has already happened long time ago, okay?"

Hindi sumagot si Nixie. Hinawakan lang niya sa jacket ang binata. Saka walang sabi-sabing niyakap niya ito ng mahigpit. Nagulat si Kaiser sa ginawa nito dahil hindi niya inalintana ang maraming tao sa paligid nila.

"Nixie?" takang sabi ni Kaiser.

That's awful...

That's really awful...