Since Then (Alive Series #1)

Chapter 15

"Remember to live" - Anonymous

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We are now encircling around the very large ball that symbolize our school. The lighting of the ball means Light and hope for every students who experience struggles inside this school and this is my first time attending this. Since junior high ay sa Laguna Unversity na ako nag- aaral at bonfire ang ginagawa nila tuwing FOT pero kailanman ay hindi ako sumipot, nag- aatendance lang at umuwi na.

"Every students has a lot of obstacles to overcome before they feel the success. We cried, we laugh and we lost but never forget that in every darkness there's a glimpse of light that will make us happy. It will pull us into a different world where we truly belong," anang teacher na emcee. " So this program, this night, all students were problem free! Let's forget struggles and throw it away!"

Maliwanag na umilaw ang bolang kaninang madilim. Nakakasilaw pero maganda sa pakiramdam, nakakamangha. Napasinghap ako.

"LET THE FREEDOM BEGINS!"

Mas lalo pa akong namangha nang magbago ang ilaw at mapalitan ng iba't ibang kulay na tila sumasayaw. Kasabay noon ay isang malakas na beat ng music at pagkanta ng isang banda.

It was not ours. Humarap ako sa stage. Hindi na students ang mga kumakanta, siguradong school mismo ang nagbayad sa kanila. Nakatalikod kasi kaming lahat at nakatunghay sa glass ball kaya siguro hindi namin sila napansin.

Masigla ang beat na siyang kabaliktaran ng tono ng kumakanta.

There's a little house on a perfect little hill
Just short of a fairytale
There's a little child with a million ways to feel
Caught up in a hurricane.

"You're the song, Elle," dinig kong bulong ni Draquen na nasa tabi ko. Kasama ko silang apat na nakaupo sa damo ng field. Mia is nowhere to be found, maybe she's with Mark o umuwi na. "And we are the listeners whose willing to change your lyrics into something new."

Naguluhan ako sa turan niya kaya humarap nalang ulit ako sa banda hanggang sa maintindihan ko na ang kanta. Dumating ang chorus at doon ko muli siyang tingnan at ang mga kasama ko na nakatingin na rin sa akin. Puwesto sila sa harap ko nang nakangiti.

Now there's a ghost in the back of this room
And I don't like it I fall asleep with my covers pulled up
And try to fight it I gotta say it's hard to be brave
When you're alone in the dark
I told myself that I wouldn't be scared
But I'm still having nightmares I'm still having nightmares

"Elle," kinuha ni Joy ang kamay ko at sinakop iyon ng kanya. "I may be silent sometimes and we're not talking that much but you know I really like you. Alam ko hindi mo na ito natatandaan pero magkaklase tayo noong junior at minsan mo na akong niligtas sa mga nambully sa akin noon. That's when I started liking you, I wanted to be closed with you back then but I was too shy and you were too cold and intimidating... so I'm glad na naging kaibigan kita ngayon."

Halos malaglag ang panga ko roon. Indeed, I didn't remember something like that but Joy's sincerity was enough for me to believe.

Nagsalita naman si Salli. "Lagi na kitang nakikita noon since pareho tayo ng strand which is HUMSS, I am always stunned by your beauty to the point that I nearly suspect myself as a lesbian. Pero kapag tumitingin ako sa mata mo, wala akong nakikitang emosyon, parang lagi kang nawawala at nakakatakot sa tingin ng iba. Kaya naman, nagulat ako nung sumali ka sa amin at masaya akong nakilala kita, Elle. You know minsan tamad ako mag-aral pero sa tuwing nakikita kitang may libro parang na-momotivate ako. Thank you."

Bahagya akong natawa nang tumulo ang patak ng luha sa kanya. Naramdaman ko na naman ang braso sa balikat ko bago ginulo ang buhok ko.

"You don't need to be scared in the dark anymore, we will be that glimpes of light, we will be an angel that will help you fight your nightmares," marahan siyang ngumiti, " just don't give up in this wicked fucking world."

"You are not alone anymore. You have us."

Dama ko ang sincerity sa kanilang lahat, maluha-luha ko silang tiningnan nang nakangiti ng malapad. I'm so lucky to have them.

I just didn't mind his bad word. Indeed, this world is really fucked up.

So damn cruel.

"Ang drama! Open forum ba to?" Natatawang asik ni Gino bago tumikhim, "Basta Elle, simula nang dumating ka ay parte ka na ng grupong ito at hindi kami makukompleto kung wala ka. Keep safe sana kayo lagi ni Lover boy," sumama ang tingin ko nang bumungisngis siya at gumuhit ng puso gamit ang palad. "Dralle supporter here! Wew."

Isang matunog na batok ang natanggap niya kay Salli. Ilang sandali ay nagbago na ang kanta. Masigla, at masaya na nagdulot sa mga taong tumalon at magsigawan.

Tonight will change our lives
It's so good to be by your side
But we'll cry
We won't give up the fight
We'll scream loud at the top of our lungs
And they'll think it's just 'cause we're young
And we'll feel so alive

Hinila na nila ako patayo. Tonight, we will scream like wild animals who doesn't care about anybody. And guess what, in just a seconds I just found myself jumping, head banging, and singing at the top of my lungs.

Throw it away
Forget yesterday
We'll make the great escape
We won't hear a word they say They don't know us anyway Watch it burn
Let it die
'Cause we are finally free tonight

Nakapalibot pa rin sina Salli, Joy, Draq, at Gino. We acted like we are playing intruments and I imagined that I'm strumming a guitar wildly.

All of the wasted time
The hours that were left behind The answers that we'll never find They don't mean a thing tonight

Throw it away
Forget yesterday
We'll make the great escape
We won't hear a word they say They don't know us anyway Watch it burn
Let it die
'Cause we are finally free tonight

But of course, short lived was made to be done.

After that short freedom I immediately returned to where I belong. In the cage, my own world.

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Song title: Nightmare by All Time low and Great Escape by Boys Like Girls

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