Eternal Tune (Haunted Series 1)

Chapter 17: When the Cherry Blossoms Fade

When things go smoothly and calmly, you have to expect there's going to be a storm that will knock you down unexpectedly.

"Late na si Gabe!" Rinig kong sigaw ni Melanie. Three hours before opening, wala parin siya. The first storm.

"Pres."

I glance at Robbie, holding my phone beside my ear, trying to call Gabriel. "What?"

"Hindi makakapunta si Jennie." The second storm.

Daniel heard Robbie from outside our office, so he stormed in here. "Gago?!"

Robbie stared at both of us with panic. "She was rushed into the hospital with fatigue."

Napahawak nalang ako sa bunganga from shock. We didn't even notice she was so stressed. This is my fault. "Kumusta siya? May balita ka?"

Tumango siya. "Yes. She's resting. Pinapasabi niya na sorry, she ruined the showcase." Umiling ako. It's not her fault that her body couldn't take the stress.

Ganon lang kabilis, two of our lead characters were MIA. One is in the hospital at ang isa ay hindi matawagan. Nilagay ko sa tenga ang cellphone, still trying to call Gabe.

"Pres, you have to do Jennie's part." Tumingin lang ako kay Daniel na mukhang kinakabahan at di siya sinagot, "You're the stage manager, ikaw ang backup."

I'm panicking, but I didn't want them to see that. Gabe had a shoot last night. Pano kung napagod nga si Gabe sa pag ddrive pauwi and he woke up late? Or what if he got into an accident?

I gasped when he picked up the call, and I calmed myself na hindi sumigaw. "Gabe! Are you okay? What happened?"

[Fuck I'm sorry Princess. I think I'm going to be late. I had an accident.]

Ito na nga ang sinasabi ko eh! "What? What do you mean you had an accident what happened?!"

I hear him sigh. [May nabangga ako, it's a slight bump, but the owner wants me to pay 10k for hospital fees and the scratch on his car.]

"What?" I almost screamed. The two members I'm with tried to listen to our conversation, moving their ears close to me, kaya lumayo ako ng onti. "Kanina ka pa namin tinatawagan, why weren't you answering the call?"

[I was talking to the driver outside. I left my phone in here, kakapasok ko lang. I'll try to get there as soon as possible, but if I don't... You have to give it to my understudy.] Di ako maka sagot. We've rehearsed the play for months, and at the last minute, we're changing casts.

Still, the show must go on.

I let out a huge breath and closed my eyes. "Okay, wag mo muna isipin ang nandito and settle that first. I want to talk to you pa, but I—"

[I get it, Princess, do what you have to do.]

I exasperatedly sighed. I felt so guilty. "Please mag ingat ka diyan, Gabe."

We said our goodbyes at napahilamos ako ng mukha. All of a sudden, our plans changed. 

Looking up, I caught one of our assistant stage managers' eyes across the door, and she was panicking. Humarap ako kay Daniel, "Dan, go to the dressing room and get ready. Gabe had an accident at hindi natin alam kung makaka habol siya. We'll be Guillermo and Francheska."

Nanlaki ang mata niya sa sinabi ko, but I went straight to Melanie, who was standing near the door, and she dragged me towards the dressing room. Habang inaayusan nila ako, I was reviewing all the lines.

It was all a rush. Make-up, hair, costume, ambilis lang. It's a relief that Jennie and I are in the same size at kumasya sa'kin ang costumes na sukat niya, medyo maikli nga lang ng onti dahil mas matangkad ako.