Music Lovers (AU)

Chapter 2

Napangiti si Aria when she saw a guy with messy black hair and brown eyes listening to music and even tapping his hand on his armchair. James is in his usual seat. And that makes everything alright.

James probably didn't know, pero kung wala siya, siguro 'di na papasok si Aria. Parang 'di niya kakayanin sa klase na yun kung wala siyang ni-isa man lang na kaibigan.
 
Lumapit si Aria kay James at napatingin naman si ito sa kanya. Napansin na niya na sobrang lakas talaga ng pandinig ni James.
 
"Good morning." Sabi naman niya para maipalam kay James na siya yun. Alam niya rin na magaling si James magdistinguish ng boses.
 
"Aria." He smiled, at inalis yung isang earbud niya. "Good morning."
 
"Ang aga mo lagi." Sabi naman ni Aria pag-upo niya sa tabi ni James.
 
"Mas madali kasi maglakad sa campus 'pag konti pa lang ang tao." Sabi naman ni James.
 
"Ah... Makes sense." Sabi naman  ni Aria. Mas komportable na siya ngayon pag-usapan yung condition ni James. Sabi nga ni James, it was just how things happened, at di naman makakatulong sa kanya if he let it bother him more than it already does.
 
Nilabas ni Aria yung mga libro niya at nilagay sa desk niya. James turned his head to her.
 
"Studying?" He asked.
 
"Yeah. May recitation sa Song Lit later, di ba?" Aria reminded him.
 
"Was that today??" Tanong naman ni James sabay tanggal ng earphones niya.
 
Tumawa naman si Aria. "Yes. In about an hour and a half." Sabi niya.
 
"I totally forgot." James said as he reached inside his bag. 

Tinanong na ni Aria kung gumagamit ba siya ng Braille books for studying. He had told her that he does, pero mostly nakikinig lang siya sa audio books.

"During high school, 'pag may  hand outs kami, my friend would just read it to me. It's lucky he can't really retain much if he doesn't review while reading aloud." He had told her.
 
Sinabi naman ni Aria that she'd be happy to read to him if ever they were given hand outs. Ngumiti si James nun at nagpasalamat sa kanya.
 
Aria was about to offer reading to him the reviewer she made, kaya lang nagbukas yung pinto at pumasok yung iba nilang classmates. Aria trailed off and didn't speak again.
 
Hindi nakalimutan ng mga classmates nila yung nangyari nung first day. And it seems everyone is just avoiding Aria to avoid trouble. Hindi rin magugulat si Aria kung may mga nasabi na si Chyna sa kanila about sa mga nagawa niya noon. Mula nung first day kasi, mukhang nagkaroon na ng mga kaibigan si Chyna.

Tumingin si Aria kay James, and felt grateful once again na nandun siya.
 
Alam naman ni Aria na hindi naman talaga intensiyon ni Chyna na gawin siyang miserable. Not exactly, at least. Alam niyang naniniwala si Chyna na yung ginagawa niya--punishing her-- ay yung tama. Ganun lang talaga niya nakikita sa nangyari. Naniniwala siya na lahat ng nangyari noon, kasalanan ni Aria. At minsan naiisip ni Aria na it probably was.
 
Hindi na rin nagsalita si James nung narinig niya yung pagpasok ng mga classmates nila. He'd never really brought up what happened during the first day. And she was even more grateful for that.
 
Ang ironic, actually. Lahat ng nandun at nakita kung ano ang nangyari, iniiwasan siya. Nandun din si James nung araw na yun, siya pa nga ang pinakamalapit sa kanila, pero kung iisipin mo, hindi niya naman talaga nakita kung anong nangyari. And he's the only one who seems to not mind to befriend her.
 
Nadistract naman si Aria sa mga iniisip niya nung kinalabit siya ni James. Tumingin siya sa kanya at nakita niyang inioffer niya yung isang earbud niya kay Aria. Ngumiti si Aria and gratefully took it and for a while, they listened to James' audio book.

Dun na siya nakakasurvive. Sa friendship ni James, at sa silence.

--
 
James smiled when he heard someone sat on the chair across from him. He knew at once that it was Aria.
 
"I got you chicken adobo and orange juice. Okay na ba yun?" She asked him. Lunch na nila ngayon and nasa cafeteria sila ng college nila. Eto na yung routine nila. If classmates sila before or after lunch, sabay na sila kakain. And of course, tuwing dinner sa dorm, sabay din sila. Today, they were in the same morning class, pero after lunch magkaiba na sila ng subjects.
 
"Yeah. Thanks." He told her. Ever since they started eating together, Aria had wordlessly taken it to herself to get both her and James' food. Alam ni James na malamang nag-aalala lang si Aria na mahirapan siya kumuha ng pagkain niya with the blindness issue at gusto lang niya makatulong. Most of the people he met treat him like that, but surprisingly, he didn't really feel offended with Aria. It doesn't feel like an act out of pity. Parang naturally lang talaga na maalaga si Aria.
 
"Here you go, James." Sabi naman ni Aria habang inaayos yung plato ni James sa harap niya. He could hear her doing so.
 
"Thank you." Sabi naman ni James. "And just call me Jaron." He added, nonchalantly.
 
"Huh? Jaron?" Narinig naman ni James umupo si Aria.
 
Ngumiti siya. "Pet name ni Mama sa'kin." Sabi naman niya kay Aria.
 
"Nakakahiya naman na tawagin kita nun kung ganun." Sabi naman kagad ni Aria.
 
"Don't be." James said. "Mas sanay ako na tinatawag na Jaron. Though mas sanay ako iintroduce yung sarili ko as James. Just one of my quirks, I guess. Pero during high school, there were two other James in our class and I couldn't see if they would be talking to me or to the others so my classmates just started calling me by what my best friend calls me. And since it's not a very usual name, I am always quite certain it's me they're calling. Plus my dad's name is also James, so it's a lot easier if you just call me Jaron." Inexplain naman niya.
 
"Uhm..." Aria's voice was barely audible. "O... okay."
 
James grinned. "Try saying it." He urged.
 
Naghintay si James, pero walang response. He couldn't help but chuckle.
 
"Sorry, nakakahiya talaga." Sabi naman ni Aria, sounding shy. She had only known James for a few days and kahit pa yun ang tawag sa kanya ng high school friends niya, it just seems overly familiar of her kung yung pet name ng mama niya kay James na kagad ang itatawag niya sa kanya. Especially, first time niya magkaroon ng guy na kaibigan.