Music Lovers (AU)

Prologue

Ngumiti si Aria Charisse Castro habang inaayos yung picture frame sa may bedside table niya, yun na yung last one na hindi pa nakaayos.

In the picture, mahaba pa yung buhok niya. She smiled sadly as she touch the end of her hair na hanggang sa may balikat na lang niya. Matagal na, pero it just doesn't seem right to let it grow out. Yung maikli niyang buhok ang nagse-serve na reminder sa kanya.

Tatlong araw na lang bago mag-start yung classes at kasalukuyang nasa dorm siya, just settling in. Dahil Tita niya yung may-ari ng dorm, she was able to have a room for herself, although ang mga kapitbahay niya, mga staff ng dorm.

She smiled in satisfaction as she looked at the room she would be living in for the next four years. Pagdating niya kagabi, sobrang bare nung room at medyo creepy dahil medyo luma na rin yung building. Pero ngayon na nakapag-ayos na siya, it now resembles her own room from her family home.

After looking at her work for another minute, nag-unat siya at nararamdaman na niya yung pagod niya. Maghapon din kasi siya nag-unpack at nag-ayos.

"Hm, ang dumi ko na... maliligo muna ako tapos magpapahinga na..."

Bago siya tumuloy sa banyo, tinignan niya uli yung last na picture frame na inayos niya. Sa picture na ito, bata pa siya at may kasama siyang dalawa pang batang babae.

--

"Yeah. It's alright, Dad. I can handle myself." He said to the phone. Inantay niyang matapos magsalita yung dad niya--mga last na pabilin. Tapos nagbye na rin siya at binaba na yung phone.

It wasn't James Aaron Clarke's first time to live in a dorm, but all the same, medyo kinakabahan siya.

Dahil kaylangan niyang i-familiarize yung sarili niya sa place, he had moved in to his dorm three days earlier. Mas convenient kasi kung maeexplore niya yung building habang kokonti pa lang yung tao.

Naalala naman niya yung best friend and childhood friend niya na si Harper. The guy had offered to come with him today --to keep an eye on him, no doubt-- but he refused. He knew it'd be best if he was alone.

His dad had already told him about the building's structure and he already studied about where to find the places, so confident naman siya na di siya maliligaw. Nasanay na rin naman siya.

Lumabas siya sa room niya at kumaliwa kung san alam niyang andun yung stairs. Hanggang 7th floor yung dorm, pero he prefers to use the stairs rather than the elevator. Yun nga rin yung reason kung bakit pinili niya ay room sa second floor.

Napagdesisyunan niya na sa fourth floor pumunta. Sabi ng dad niya, nandun daw yung cafeteria. Co-ed yung dorm niya. The first to third floors are for male tenants and the fifth to seventh floors are for female tenants. Nilagay nila yung cafeteria sa gitna, in the fourth floor. Dun din yung rooms ng landlords na si Mr. and Mrs. Atal, at yung staff nila. Supposedly, it was so they could monitor the tenants. The boys are not allowed to go to the fifth floor and up without permission and after curfew. Hindi alam ni James kung pano nasusunod yun though, since there's an elevator.

He shrugged. "There's probably a CCTV in the elevator." He concluded silently.

At first glance, it seemed to James that rooming in the middle floor and by the cafeteria was a bit impractical. Hindi ba magiging pinakamaingay sa cafeteria? But then he remembered they have curfew. The cafeteria opens at 6 in the morning and closes at exactly 10PM. The building itself closes at 12 midnight so tenants are expected to be back before then.

Mukhang meron na ring ibang tao sa dorm. James had heard someone talking as he passed by the third floor.

Unexpectedly, it was much quieter in the fourth floor. James guessed the others must still be settling in. He turned left, going to the cafeteria, as his father had told him.

Napatigil din siya kagad. He had almost bumped into someone.

"Sorry." That someone said hastily. Mukhang nagmamadali siya.

Ngumiti na lang si James. "Okay lang."

James continued to walk. He remembered his dad saying that the cafeteria was at the end of the hallway. He'd passed by around three rooms by then so he knew he was close.

Pero napatigil din siya kagad when he heard something.

He heard someone.

And that someone is singing. Nanggagaling yung boses from the room to his right.

Unconsciously, lumapit siya dun sa room... dun sa voice.

"Kaboses niya..." He muttered distractedly, straining his ears to hear more.

Medyo muffled but he knew it was coming from above. From a window... He moved closer to the wall and stood on tiptoes and somehow he can hear more clearly.

--

Napatigil sa pagkanta si Aria nang may makita siyang ulo--mukha ng lalake sa bintana ng banyo niya. Di siya nakagalaw agad sa sobrang shock, pero after a very short pause, she started screaming. She saw the guy's face panicked and then disappeared from view. Hastily, kinuha niya yung robes niya, isinuot ito at tumakbo palabas, taking a book as she went. Not a very good weapon, but it'll do.

Paglabas niya, still soaking wet at may shampoo pa sa buhok, the guy was on the floor looking shocked. He was still in front of where bathroom window was and he didn't look at her when she came out.

"BASTOS!" Sigaw naman ni Aria at itinaas niya yung libro niya above her head, at papaluin na yung guy. Pero napatigil siya.

His head turned to her sharply sa pagsigaw niya but his eyes still weren't looking at her. It was looking somewhere to her side.

"I'm sorry!" Sabi naman niya, while trying to bow his head in apology. Hindi pa rin siya nakatingin straight sa kanya. Sa genereal direction lang niya.

And with a jolt, Aria realized...

The guy scrambled to his feet and muttered, "Yung boses mo kasi... I'm so sorry. I didn't realize..." He said yet again, and bowed very low. Hindi pa rin siya nakatingin sa kanya ng derecho.

"You're..." Aria said, shocked. "You're blind..."

James made another apologetic bow and sprinted back to the stairs and down.

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So. Just an introduction to the characters~ Hope you continue reading. :)