AS#2: Lost And Found (Completed)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"If you're in I'm in,
If you're down, I'm down,
Do you want this too 'cause I need it now—"

I stopped the strumming of my acoustic guitar when the door of our studio opened widely.

Pumasok mula doon si Ei na agad na nagtaas ng kilay sa aking kinakanta. Ngumuso ako para itago ang ngiti. I know he senses I'm up to something. I can't have him ruining my surprise.

"Have you seen Ex yet?" Pasimple kong tanong habang muling nagstrum ng walang partikular na kanta.

He looked at me thoughtfully, as if studying me. Tapos ay mabagal na umiling.

I pouted at his directions again. What are you thinking about, Eiahel?

Umupo siya sa harap ng study table na may magulong music sheets. Its his usual spot.

Nagpatuloy ako sa pagstrum habang nakatingin sa kanya. Tulad ng inaasahan ko, saglit lang ay nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin.

He sighed.

"Are you sure, Elle?" Seryoso niyang tanong.

Dahan-dahan akong napangiti. Ei will always be Ei. He can sense even your deepest secrets. Tumango ako sa kanya. Muli ay bumuntong-hininga siya. Unti-unti ay ngumiti siya sa akin.

"I wish you luck, this time. Both of you." Sabi niyang nagpalawak sa ngiti ko.

Yes. I'll be saying yes to Ex tonight. Yes, I'm in. Yes, I'll try. I'll sing both of those songs back at him.

These passed few days had been so hard for the both of us. Halos hindi kami nakakapag-usap ng maayos. Ate Janine always has her eyes on us na para bang anumang oras ay gagawa kami ng masama.

She's pressuring us to the point na hindi na namin alam ng gagawin. She won't let us be together... again. Naiintindihan ko siya. That she's just concern about me. But I'm old enough to decide for myself.

Sa aming dalawa, alam kong mas nahihirapan si Ex. Ate Jan keep on saying that he needs to get out of the band to have me. That's not gonna happen.

I know all of the boys are going to get mad for my decision but I'm sure I want this. I'm sure they'll understand me, though. Just like how Ei understood me. I'm quitting the band. I'm quitting for him. For us.

I'm on my usual black tank top and denim jacket, black skinny jeans and leather boots. The only difference from my usual garb is I wear my hair down. Its because I won't be handling the drums tonight. Lagi ko iyong naii-pony tail upang hindi makasagabal sa aking pagtugtog.

I'm up at the center of the stage, tapping the pointed heel of my leather boots on the floor of the bar club. Nasa tapat ako ng naka-lagay sa stand na mikropono. My heart's pounding the hell out of me. I swear I've never been this nervous my whole life!

I heard Ei released his breath at agad akong napatingin sa pinto. Malawak akong napangiti at halos nawala lahat ng kaba sa aking dibdib. Halos.

Ilang minuto na kaming naka set-up bago pa dumating si Ex. I don't know where he'd been the whole day and it wasn't important now. Ang mahalaga ay naglalakad na siya papunta sa aking direksyon.

Bahagya siyang nakatungo at sa likod niya ay nandoon sina Kassandra at Jasmine kasama ang iba pa naming taga-suporta at mga kaibigan.

Nag-angat siya ng tingin at nakita ko ang gulat niya nang nakita akong nakatayo sa harap ng mic. I grin at him. He didn't smiled back maybe because he's still at shock. As if this is my first time to handle the freaking microphone.

Zee is on my usual spot on the drum set so Ex picked up the bass guitar. Ang madilim niyang mga mata ay nakatutok parin sa akin. I continued to smile at him from our two-step distance.