Moving Along The Beat

Chapter 26

"Z..." it's X. She's worried.

Nanubig ang mata ko sa nakita. I didn't know if it was because of sadness, joy, anger... I don't know.

He was dancing like he did not experience any kind of accident. I could see that his moves were not as sharp as before but he was still the best dancer for me.

Tuluyan nang tumulo ang luha ko nang humarap ito sa direksyon ko at ngumiti. Nakarinig pa ako ng tilian ngunit hindi ko inintindi ito. My eyes were locked at the sight in front of me.

Natapos ang sayaw nang hindi ko namamalayan. Rinig pa rin ang hiyawan dahil sa performance ng MAVIS, ang dami ko pang naririnig na compliment kay Theo, lalo't hindi nila ito kilala.

Inayos ko ang sarili nang makitang unti-unti nang bumabalik ang mga kasama namin. Pumapalibot sa buong clubhouse ang tugtog ng banda na pumalit sa MAVIS.

Nagpaalam akong aalis muna, gusto nga akong samahan ni X ngunit hindi ako pumayag. I was not alarmed na iiwan ko siya roon dahil matitino sila Yohan.

Dahan-dahan akong bumaba sa hagdan dahil nahihilo na rin pala ako.

"Let me cut our performance first, 'cause there's this someone na nanghihingi ng pabor. And I'm a good friend, so why not?"

Nagtawanan ang mga tao.

"So here's your anonymous handsome dancer earlier and he's about to do a cheesy thing."

Hindi ko nakikita ang nangyayari dahil nakatalikod ako sa stage. Nakarinig ako ng tikhim sa mic kaya napahinto ako, ngunit nanatili akong nakatalikod.

"Uh... I know that all of you are having fun. And, I'm sorry in advance for interrupting it-"

"It's okay!"

I heard him chuckle. Napapikit ako.

"Y-yeah... I can do it privately right? But I'm afraid she doesn't want to talk to me. May kasalanan kasi ako sa kaniya." I heard him sigh. "Sa babaeng nakatalikod na malapit sa pinto. Z. I'm sorry."

Nanatili akong nakapikit sa kahihiyan. I heard the people cheer, shouting to forgive that man.

"I'm really, really sorry."

Pinunasan ko ang luhang namuo bago humarap sa stage.

"Patawarin mo na Zhyra!"

Napuno ng halakhakan ang clubhouse dahil sa sigaw ni Keyna. Miski ako ay napangiti kahit nahihiya.

I looked at Theo seriously, he looked constipated tho. He was still wearing his red jacket, black shirt sa loob and red pants, his hair was in color black. Nagmukha tuloy siyang anime character.

He looked at me nervously as he waited for my answer. Sobrang tahimik din ng mga tao.

I rolled my eyes to stop my tears from falling. I missed him... so much. "Oo na. Bumaba ka riyan."

Cheers sorrounded the place.

"Ay marupok!"

Humalakhak ako nang sabay sabay na sumigaw ang grupo nila Yohan, nilingon ko sila at nakitang napaiiling sa gilid si X kaya tinawanan ko siya.

Tinignan ko si Theo at nag-alala nang nakitang tumatakbo itong bumaba sa stage.

I was about to say something pero nagulat ako nang sunggaban niya ako ng yakap. His set of warm arms enveloped the coldness I've felt.

"I'm sorry, Z," he whispered.

I jokingly rolles my eyes and hugged him back. "You've got a lot of explaining to do, Seo." It may sound like I was just kidding but I was serious.

"Yes. But for now, let's leave."

Hindi na kami muling lumingon sa loob, instead we held each other hands, looked at each other and ran. Natawa pa nga kami dahil sa kanta. Isa ito sa underrated ballad song ng MAVIS but the band sang it as reggae.

Run, before it's too late

Run, and don't ever look back

Run, and don't you ever hate

The people who hurt you

The people who hurt you

Just run

Nang makarating kami sa lugar na nakatatak na sa aming puso. Sa Graffiti Place. Naupo kami sa may bandang dulo. Hindi niya pa rin binibitawan ang kamay ko, instead, he intertwined it.

I stared at our hands couldn't help but to feel amaze. It was so endearing how our hands were perfect for each other.

"Z, I'm-"

I cut him off, "I know that you're sorry. I just want to hear and I think I have the rights to know why... why did you do that?"

Huminga nang malalim si Theo bago nagsalita, "after you left, gustong-gusto ko kayong sundan. Pero dahil sa lintik na paa ko, hindi ko nagawa. I locked myself in my room to practice on how to walk." He laughed bitterly. "I promised to myself that I won't talk to you 'til I'm healed. So that's what I did. Naawa ata si mama kaya pina-theraphy niya 'ko. They said it was impossible for me to heal for only a month pero dahil nasa isip kita. Sinikap ko, kaso hindi pa rin kaya. I really really wanted to hear your voice dahil gusto ko nang sumuko. Iniisip na hindi na ako makasasayaw muli, and that's one of my biggest fear. Hindi ko kaya, Z. Kaya sinubukan ko ulit, kahit na imposible, after three months, I'm healed. I still couldn't dance, pero sinubukan ko ngayong araw. Buti nga hindi napilay sa gitna," he said, chuckling.

Tears pooled in my eyes. "Sana tinawagan mo 'ko. I'm... I'm willing to be with you in every theraphy you've had."

He smiled, his chinky eyes wrinkled, and I felt happy to see him happy.

"And that's what I was afraid of. You coming to me. Kung sinamahan mo ako, you won't graduate."

"P-pero..." I sighed. "Hayaan mo na, the most important part is, you're healed now."

I felt him pulled me for a tight hug. "Yeah... I'm healed because I've done the therapy, but I'm more healed because I'm with you, and I'm happy."

I buried myself in his chest, I could hear his heart beat. Pinakawalan niya ako kaya't sumandal kaming pareho sa pader. We did not let each other hands go, and everytime he had the chance, pipisilin niya ito. We stayed like that for almost and hour, talking about each other.

And this is the most perfect moment in ny life.

"Ay nga pala!" I suddenly remembered my mama came home. "Umuwi si mama!"

He turned to pale white. "R-really?"

I grinned at him. "Yes! Tara, let's meet her."

He was more shocked when I said that. I pulled him up at hindi naman siya nagpabigat pa.

"Let's go!"