One Of Those Nights

Juris

↑ You may play this song while reading. ↑

✧❨✧

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS

It was peaceful.

It had been three days of listening to this familiar lullaby.

Once the time shifted to 11:59, my night would be accompanied by silence again. Lagi niyang sinisimulan ito sa bandang 11:57 at inaabot ito ng tatlong minuto.

It was weird how the day had not passed yet the music was already done.

I just had this inkling feeling of wanting it to end exactly on midnight. Dahil sa pagtapos ng kanta ay siyang pagdating ng panibagong araw.

Maybe the perfectionist in me was conquering. I really want it to be exact to truly feel the satisfaction.

Ngunit ganoon talaga, she decided to end it that way.

Ang ikinabuti naman nito ay nakatutulog ako nang mahimbing. With fear of still being awake after the song, I cherished it deeply. I didn't long for the quiet because I always think the undisturbed will be disturbed by intrusive thoughts.

In those moments that I have difficulty in dozing off, the soothing music of my neighbor could end the riot.

It was a lullaby to the ongoing war inside my head.

I was thankful.

It was a good distraction.

Maraming beses na nitong pinalaya ang aking kaisipan sa mga matatalim na salitang naririnig sa aking utak.

All the more, the music could also somehow bring me to the elysian of my dreams every night.

The romance of life.

I would have a dream about a day at the park, having a picnic and making my significant other some club sandwich whilst we share old daddy jokes with each other.

I would have a dream of being serenaded with this song and a dream about slow dancing along the melody.

I would also have a dream about a night at the rooftop, spending time with my partner, cuddling together as we view the beautiful sky and raising our little fingers to form constellations from the scattered stars.

At times, because of the song, these dreams were vivid. Masyado silang totoo na akala ko talaga ay nangyari na sa akin. The feeling felt surreal as well, I thought I was really there for a moment.

But before everything happened, before this music alone has given my mind a break from overthinking, no one was staying in there.

Tahimik ang kabila dahil ilang linggo ring walang tumitira rito. Walang gumalaw nito nang halos isang buwan.

Not until the empty room was occupied by a girl named Piari.

Rumors had already spread amongst the four walls of this building a few days prior to when she moved in; she was said to be involved in an accident and was the only one who survived.

The people also said this neighbor was clinically depressed.

Did I believe them?

I tried not to but hearing these stories about her, even though the song sounded romantic, it left a pang of sadness in my chest.

It was a sad call for your love all along.

Para na itong humihingi ng tyansang maalala muli.

Minsan, inilalagay ko nalang ang posisyon ko sa kanya. The way the time was fixed, the moments she had stored in this music and the reasons behind playing this song. Ano ba ang gusto niyang ipahiwatig?

I could tell there was a tale to be unveiled.

Unti-unting bumigat ang aking mga mata. I covered my mouth when I yawned. I decided to let myself be succumbed to the enticing song.

Maybe I should ask her tomorrow.

I moved closer to the thin wall that separated my room from her. I closed my eyes and drifted away to sleep before the music would even stop.

I wrapped myself in the comfy blanket like a small burrito to fight the chilling sensation of the cold weather.

The soothing sound of the trumpets collided once again with the sound of the drizzling rain.

It was filled with tranquility.

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS
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(you may read it backwards)

Published: June 02, 2020