Melpomene

[8] Beware The Ides Of March (Part 3)

GOD DEL VALLE
[8]

"Why did you call us here?" tanong sa akin ni Regina habang sinasara ko ang pinto ng dating audiovisual room. Walang gaanong gamit ang natira dito bukod sa mga malalaking itim na kahon. The whole room is really abandoned and dusty.

After Rose told me that her crush is named Oscar, I can't help but to panic because all along I thought that she liked my boyfriend. I didn't signed up for this. I thought to myself. I can't ruin this for Rose.

"Ew! Andami namang alikabok!" Belle complained, sliding her fingers on the boxes at the end of the room. "Goddess, umalis na tayo dito. Hindi kaya ng balat ko ang maruming kwarto na 'to!"

"Walang lalabas hanggang 'di niyo ko tutulungan mag-perform mamaya," I said to them, scratching my arm. Belle is right, masyadong maalikabok ang kwartong ito, but this is the only abandoned room in the gymnasium.

"Talaga namang tutulungan ka namin mamaya, ha? Did you hit your head and forgot our arrangements?" sabi sa akin ni Regina. "You're going to stand onstage and act a little, while I'm going to play the song at a faster tempo behind the stage."

Sa mga nakaraang araw, hindi talaga ako ang nagpapatugtog. Yes, I'm the one playing the guitar, but I'm not playing the music. Every time me and Rose are going to have a practice, pumupunta muna ako sa club room nila kasama si Regina para mag-iwan ng isang speaker, na kung saan naka-connect ang iPad ng kaibigan ko.

"If you're worrying that we would mess this up, don't be, okay?" Regina assured me, patting her MK shoulder bag where her iPad is secretly placed. "Everything will run smooth. Hindi makakakanta ng maayos si Rose and—"

"Rose isn't in love with Antonio!" I quickly said. To which Belle and Regina replied in unison, "Haaaaa!?"

"What do you mean? A-akala ko ba kaya natin 'to ginagawa kasi inaagaw ni Rose sa'yo si Antonio?" tugon ni Belle. Well, in my defense, Antonio gave her notes for Emotions 101 at ganoon din 'yung ginawa niya sa akin dati. I thought to myself.

"Besides, Goddess, ano namang problema if we will humiliate her again?" Regina said, crossing her arms on her chest. "We know that she's a good actress and we can't let her outshine your legacy."

Tama si Regina. Napa-bilib ko ang buong Melpomene Academy kasi ako ang unang first year na naging leading lady sa Showcase. I thought to myself. Kung magagawa ni Rose na gayahin 'yon, then my victory would mean nothing.

"You don't want to be the 'first,' you want to be the 'only,'" paalala ni Regina sa akin habang hinahawakan ako sa balikat. "Goddess, alam kong 'di mo kaya maging leading lady for obvious reasons. Kaya naman gawin natin 'to para naman mapanatili ang kapangyarihan mo sa school."

I gently removed her hands on my shoulder and started pacing around the room, thinking on what should I do. "Hindi ko rin kasi maiwasang isipin na siguro kaya ako naisumpa in the first place kasi gawa rin ng ugali ko," sabi ko kina Regina at Belle.