The Playlist // Ricci Rivero Fanfiction (On-Hold)

Kabanata 15

Nang nakita ko yun, I went up to him. I can't just stand in a distance at tingnan siya habang umiiyak.

"Ccing! Anong nangyare, ba't ka umiiyak?" Agad niyang pinalis ang iilan pang takas ng luha and smiled.

"Wala wala, happy lang ako for you. Manatili ka dito ha? Make it a promise for me." Kumunot ang noo ko sa kanyang sinabi.

"Huh? Oo naman, pero are you going somewhere? Are you leaving me?"

"No no. Hindi ako aalis, promise. Basta mag promise ka rin ah?"

"Promise." We connected our pinkys together as if yung ginagawa ng mga bata kapag nag p-promise.

W occupied the nearest booth at nag order na rin ng mga inumin. Mellow parin ang music na tumutugtog ngayon pero may performer na. I think this is what Ricci called their band. Di ko nga alam kung anong pangalan. 

"Ccing, ano pala name ng band niyo?" He turned his head towards me at pinatay muna ang kanyang phone. 

"Niyo? Let me correct you, it must be our band. You're part of it now diba? Don't worry alam na ito ng kuya mo and he's really happy about it." 

"Ay oo nga! Why thank you for informing kuya about this. So ano nga name ng band?" 

"We call it 90 Degrees Green. Don't ask bakit yan kasi wala kaming naisip na iba and since Green tayo yan nalang. No choice." Tumawa ako sa history ng new band ko ngayon, weird pero cute. 

"So it's considered as a right angle?" 

"Tss, huwag ka nga. Halika picture nalang tayo." I shrugged and scooted closer to him para sa picture. After nun, he posted it on Instagram tagging me. 

@Ricci06Rivero
Night is lit! Congrats @CzarinaMontalbo🦄 for being a part of the band! Please do visit Love and Music guys, Fridays po kami mag p-perform. Support our band po 90 Degrees Green!

Habang nag ch-chill lang kami sa booth, I remembered something. The Playlist, sobrang curious ako kung sino yung nagbigay and it's leaving me notes. As if he -oo lalake siya- is leaving tapos nagbibigay clue pa siya kung sino. 

I'm thinking of one person. Azrael. Pero, he's not into music right? I must ask Ccing, even though hindi na sila nagkaka-usap, he knows him well. 

"Ccing, into music ba si Azrael?" 

"Hmm, as far as I know hindi. Why?" 

"About kasi doon sa playlist na iniwan sa aking locker. Nagbibigay pa nga ng clues and I got one earlier. Eto nakalagay oh: I'm like your guardian angel, always watching you. If I leave, you'll no longer be the same old you. Weird no? 'tsaka yung handwriting niya familiar." 

He examined the paper and smiled, tapos bumalik naman sa pagka seryoso yung kanyang mukha. Does he know about this? 

"Baka nga si Azrael. He's always watching you right? Since he's courting you. Teka nga, di mo pa ba siya sinasagot?" I shook my head in reply. "Naku, masyado mo pang pinapatagal yan. Baka umasa yan and malaman nating may iba ka papalang gusto. Tsk tsk, pero it's your choice naman Ina. All of this ends with you. Remember that." 

Tumango ako at muling tinitigan ang papel. I reread it again and again pero walang saktong tao ang pumapasok sa isip ko. Azrael? It can't be, because one; he's not into music. Two, he doesn't like sending letters or sticky notes. Three, he's not good with poems like this. Imposibleng si Azrael to. 

Wala akong nagawa kundi niligpit na lamang ang papel sa aking bag. Natatamlay na nga ako at muntik nang makatulog sa balikat ni Cci. Not until a group of men entered the bar. They seem familiar, but when they turned their heads, it was Azrael's group. 

"Sina Azrael. Kausapin ko lang." I excused myself and he nodded. Nang tiningnan ko siya muli, he looks mad and confused. Di ko na alam anong ganap sa kanya ngayon, he doesn't share with me anymore. 

"Hi babe. Anong ginagawa mo dito?" He called out and nilagay ang kanyang kamay sa aking waistline. 

"Babe ka diyan, di kita sagutin diyan eh." Napa oh ang kanyang mga kasama and I laughed. 

"Grabe ka naman! So ano pala ginagawa mo dito and bakit mo kasama si Ricci?" Tumingin siya sa booth namin kanina and there was Ccing, who busied himself with his phone. I sighed. 

"Hmm, sinamahan niya ako kanina para makasali dito sa band nila. Guess what? I got it! Part na ako ng 90 Degrees Green!" 

He looks enlightened with my news. Everybody at DLSU knows what 9DG means and it's the first band in school. Kaya ang saya saya ko nang natanggap ako. 

"Really? Well congrats! You should've told me para naman nasamahan kita kanina." 

"Okay lang yun. You should order now and it's getting late na." Tumango siya at nagtungo sa counter para mag chill and ordered their drinks. 

We talked for a good 30 minutes when someone talked behind us. 

"Ina, uuwi na ako. Looks like you're having fun there." Si Ricci. 

"Sige go alis kana." Sabi naman ni Azrael na ngayon ay medyo tipsy na ata. 

Shit. Nakalimutan ko na nag antay pala si Ccing! This is so not good. I followed him out of the bar without even thinking about the other boys. I need to fix this. I need to know whatever he's going through with his life. Right now.