A week has passed already at so far, everything is going well for Matthew and Louie. They almost have the same subjects, nagka-iba lang sa Spanish. Louie took spanish class at ngayon pa lang, nagsisisi na siya.
"Me llamo Louie. Anong mahirap dun?", tanong ni Matthew.
"Yabang mo boy! Yan lang naman ang alam mo. Grabe yung prof namin, unang araw, turo agad? Walang pahi-pahinga?", pagrereklamo ni Louie.
"Kakasimula pa lang ng sem, pahinga agad? Utak mo rin e no."
"Teka, si 'Yes' o", biglang sabi ni Louie.
Luminga-linga si Matthew and saw Therese on a bleacher. There is a smile playing in her lips as she is so focused on the book that she's reading.
"Lapitan natin", sabi ni Louie.
"Bakit?"
"Wala lang, kausapin lang natin".
Bago pa man mapigilan ni Matthew si Louie ay naglakad na ito papuntang Bleacher 13, where Therese is sitting.
"Hi", bati ni Louie.
Iniangat ni Therese ang kaniyang ulo to see who greeted her. Ang dalawang mokong pala, she thought. Naalala niya ang mga mukha nila kasi isa sila sa mga pinipigil yung tawa nila nung nagpakilala siya sa Social Dance class. Hindi alam ni Therese pero naalibadbaran na siya bigla.
"Hindi ba kaklase ka namin sa Social Dance Class?", tanong ni Louie.
Nanlaki ng kaunti ang mata ni Therese. Medyo nagulat siya dahil natandaan pa pala nila ang mukha niya. And then she remembered, paano nga ba nila makakalimutan, e she made a mess out of her introduction.
"Yup", ang maikli niyang sabi.
"¿Cómo estás?", tanong ni Louie.
Nag-angat lang ng kilay si Therese dahil feeling niya ay pinagti-tripan lang siya ng mga ito. Siniko naman ni Matthew si Louie.
"Pasensiya ka na, nagpapractice lang siya. Nahihirapan kasi sa Spanish", pagsisinungaling ni Matthew. Alam niya kasi na nangloloko na naman si Louie. And Therese is not the type of person who would fall for that lie.
"Bien, gracias, ¿Y tu?", pagsagot ni Therese na may halong panghahamon. Pero nagulat na lang siya when Louie's face lifts up and smiled at her.
"Whoaaah marunong kang mag-Spanish? Astig!", he exclaimed.
"Hindi masyado. Basic lang."
"Pwedeng paturo?"
"Ha?", gulat na tanong ni Tere.
"Pasensiya ka na, feeling close kasi yan. Makapal ang mukha. Hindi pa pala kami nagpapakilala", biglang sabi ni Matthew. He extended his hand for Therese to take.
"I'm Matthew, baka lang hindi mo natandaan."
Ang totoo ay hindi rin talaga natandaan ni Tere. She extended her hand and took his for a handshake pero bigla na lang siyang may naramdamang spark. As in literal.
"Ouch", sabi ni Matthew na chineck ang kamay pagkatapos ng handshake.
"Sorry", Therese blurted out.
"Ha?", Louie and Matthew asked at the same time.
"Uhmm. Kakasuklay ko lang kasi", sabi ni Therese. Nang hindi pa rin umiimik sina Matthew ay nagpatuloy sa pagpapaliwanag si Tere.
"Kakasuklay ko lang, kaya nagkaroon ng friction. T--tapos kaya nagkaroon ng static elec--electricity nung nagshakehands tayo", she stammered. She sounded so geek.
Walang anu-ano ay biglang tumawa si Matthew. Masyadong napalakas na may ibang tumingin sa kanila.
"Wow, you really are something", sabi nito.
"Not really", Tere automatically said.
"Baka itinadhana kayo! Yieee", pang-aasar ni Louie.
Matthew thought that he would see a blushing Therese because she seems so shy and not used to teasing but he was wrong.
"Kapag hinawakan din kita, may static electricity din so tinadhana rin tayo?", she sarcastically asked.
That made Matthew laugh again. He likes her dry humor.
"Panis ka pala, Louie e. Ito nga pala si Louie, maloko lang 'to pero mabait naman".
Tumango lang si Therese. She can feel that the conversation is going nowhere so pinili na niyang magpa-alam.
"Sige ha, una na ako. Bye. Nice knowing your names", sabi niya sabay kuha sa gamit na para bang nagmamadali.
When she was about to go, biglang nagtanong si Matthew.
"Sorry, were you able to tell us your name?"
She was contemplating if she'll give her name to them pero naalala nga pala niya na kaklase niya ang mga ito. So she doesn't have a choice.
"Therese."
"It was nice knowing your name too, Therese", sabi ni Matthew sabay ngiti.
Tumango lang si Tere at umalis na.
"Pre, gawan ko na ba kayo ng loveteam name?", biglang tanong ni Louie na parang natatawa na.
"Gago", ang tanging sabi lang ni Matthew na hindi na rin napigilang tumawa. What are the odds that he would feel a spark, in the literal sense, for a girl but she chose to think of it in a geeky way instead of the romantic side. She is really something, he thought.
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It was already the fourth month since the classes started and Therese is elated na may nahanap siyang "Happy place". Sa may building nila ay may lumang org. room at dun merong keyboard na hindi na ginagamit. Nakabukas lang naman yun dahil dun nilalagay yung mga props that were used for events. Usually, she would go there early para konti pa lang ang mga tao sa school. So that she could feel the music alone.
She fell in love with music ever since her dad bought a piano for them. She took her piano lessons rigorously. And she also tried other musical instruments. Music is her sanity. So now that she has her happy place sa university, mas gusto na niyang pumasok sa school.
She opened the door sa lumang org. room and saw her keyboard. Not that it was hers, she thought. Pero gusto niyang isipin na meron na sila nitong connection. She sat in the seat in front of it then started pounding the keys.
The voice, the melody, the sound of the keyboard, all merging together to create a wonderful music.
Little did she know that there is someone listening. Hidden in the props, trying to hide from someone. But he could not care about that anymore. For he is enamored by the wonderful voice he's hearing. He is helplessly enamored. And all he could do is listen.
Then ring.
Therese was so shocked na hindi na niya nilingon kung may tao ba dun. Bigla na lang siyang kumaripas ng takbo. Walang nakakaalam na pumupunta siya dun, baka isumbong pa siya. At lalung-lalo na, walang nakakaalam na kumakanta siya. Kaya kailangangan niyang umalis na. She doesn't want to be revealed.
The man on the other hand, panicked and could not stop his phone from ringing. Ang kaibigan niya lang pala ang tumatawag. Hindi niya ito sinagot because he wants to see the girl with the wonderful voice, more than anything.
Pero nung umalis na siya sa pagtatago niya, nakita niya na wala ng tao sa kwarto maliban sa kaniya at nakabukas na ang pinto.
"Shit, hindi ko siya nakita", yun lang ang nasabi ni Matthew.
BINABASA MO ANG
HAUNTING VOICE
RandomWhat if the friendship (that might yield to a romantic relationship) that you longed for started with a lie? And as time passed by, you are more becoming aware that it will definitely haunt you. And you are too much afraid because you wouldn't know...
