Chapter 13. Band
HALOS higitin ni Acel ang hininga niya habang papalapit kay Baxter na prenteng nakasandal sa pinto ng kotse nito. She knew that he's handsome but she never realized he could be this devilishly handsome... Maybe because she tried seeing him as her friend before so she only saw him as a soft type of person, and beautifully handsome.
Maaga siyang nag-shower kanina at nag-ayos. She dressed to perfection because this would be their first date as boyfriend-girlfriend. She never had the chance to date before because she's focused on her work in the University so she could afford her allowances.
She wore a light make up and let her hair loose because she didn't have time to curl the ends. Medyo humaba na ksi at pwede nang i-style-an na kulot sa bandang dulo sana, pero kasi, masyadong inokupa ang isipan niya ng katotohanang sinagot na niya si Baxter kaya nama'y bumawi na lamang siya sa damit. She was wearing an above the knee simple wine-colored dress with a low v-neck and a choker. The dress complemented her cream colored skin. She partnered it with her treasured black strapped stilettos. Pinag-ipunan niya kasing bilhin iyon galing sa kinita niya mula sa pagpa-part time sa KFC noong nakaraang taon at hindi pa niya iyon nasusuot. She planned to wear the stilettos on a special day, and she believed that her first date with her boyfriend would be the perfect day to wear those.
Napalunok siya nang tinitigan siya ni Baxter na punong-puno ng pamumuri at pagkamangha sa mga mata nito. She felt like a supermodel walking on a catwalk with the way he stared at her. He was in awe. There's also the unnamed emotion that she felt whenever he was around. Her heart was beating erratically, everything just turned into rainbows and unicorns; her mood instantly brightened up, and she was feeling those butterflies in her stomach as well.
Ah, so, that was what we called love.
She affectionately smiled at him, and he did, too.
"Nag-ayos ka nang husto..." bulalas nito sa namamaos na tinig nang sinalubong siya nito. "Nagpakaganda ka lalo para sa akin," dagdag pa nito.
Sininok siya bigla. Totoo ang sinabi nitong kaya siya nag-ayos ay para rito, pero namula siya nang pansinin nito. Parang nahiya na hindi.
He chuckled lightly and snaked his arms around her and gave he a quick, deep kiss. She groaned to protest when he immediately ended the kiss.
"Let's go now."
Nothing had change with his gestures. He's still gentleman for opening the door for her and putting on her seat belt. Kahit noong hindi pa niya ito sinasagot ay ganoon na ito kaasikaso sa kanya. Now that she realized it, they were really like a couple before. Kaya siguro palagi silang inuulan ng tukso dahil masyado silang malapit sa isa't isa na hindi aakalaing magkaibigan lamang sila. And she was really blissful that he became her boyfriend.
She smiled with the thought.
"A penny for your thought?"
"Make it a thousand," she joked.
"I'll just shower you with my thousand kisses, then." Inayos muna nito ang rearview mirror at lumapit sa kanya. She smiled when she accepted his soft and feathery kisses.
"You are devilishly handsome tonight, my boyfriend..." anas niya sa pagitan ng kanilang halik.
Suminghap ito at bago pa lumalim ang halik ay pinutol nito iyon. She pouted. "I had to stop..." bulong nito nang hulihin ang baba niya't magtama ang mga mata nila. "You just praised me while we were kissing. I almost lost it..."
Napakurap-kurap siya. "But it's true!" He's devilishly handsome especially when he smiled, his eyes were smiling, too, and that's just so breathtaking. He liked the way the side of his lips rose, his aristocratic nose and his midnight eyes perfectly complemented his thick eyebrows.
Her boyfriend's making her drop dead... Just by wearing that white long-sleeved polo shirt rolled up to his elbow and unbuttoned unto the chest area, paired with a dark jeans and brown leather boots, she sighed when he smirked, he looked hot doing absolutely nothing.
"This is the first time you told me I'm handsome. You always said I'm beautiful."
"Masama b-ba?" Napangiwi siya dahil pumiyok siya. Then, she smiled. "You're always beautifully handsome..." Yes, that's it. That's the point. Baxter's like an art and perfection; every other synonym of beauty.
Napatungo siya't napatitig sa mga braso nito, pagkuwa'y sa dibdib. She noticed he became fit. Sakto lang para sa kagandahang-lalaking taglay nito.
He chuckled. "Silly," then, he kissed her forehead. "I love you, Acel."
Suminghap siya't nag-angat ng tingin saka yumakap sa batok nito. "Nanggugulat ka naman," pabirong singhal niya.
Mabilis din siyang humiwalay nang ang katapat na sasakyan sa parking ay umilaw ang headlight bago umalis doon.
Nanlaki ang mga mata niya. Baxter was too busy staring at her so she pushed him back to his seat lightly.
He smirked as he started the engine.
"Let's go now, my girl. Bago pa ako mawalan ng kontrol sa sarili."
And she knew exactly what did he mean by that.
"WHY did you pursue Music, Baxter? Hindi ba't pamilya kayo ng mga lawyer?" Minsang tinanong ni Acel si Baxter matapos mag-practice para sa gaganapin na gig bago magsara ang semestre.
"Same with your reason on why did you fight for your course."
Napatangu-tango siya. "So, music is your passion, huh?"
He smiled at her and continued wiping the cello. Lagi kasi nilang kinukuskos ang mga musical instruments na nasa Club Room lalo na ang grand piano.
Two days after that, they performed in front of many people at the open grounds of their campus. Pati mga outsider ay naroon dahil bukod sa banda nila ay marami ring performances at mga pakulo gaya ng iba't ibang palaro ang mga organizer.
Habang nasa stage ay binuhos niya ang lahat ng talento sa pagtugtog. Panaka-nakang tinitingnan niya si Baxter sa tuwing may pagkakataon. He really shone on stage and she felt very proud for him. Kulang na lang ay ipagsigawan niya ang mga katagang "Boyfriend ko iyan!"
Ngunit saktong ipakikilala na siya nito sa madla ay namataan niya ang ilang mga kababaihang kanina pa tili nang tili sa pangalan ni Baxter. Others were even chanting, "Anakan mo ako, Baxter." Pumalya tuloy siya ng ilang segundo sa kanyang solo pero mabilis naman niyang nabawi ang sarili lalo na nang dumako ang tingin niya kay Baxter at ngumiti ito nang pagkatamis-tamis. It was like he was cheering her up silently; he was telling her that everything was going well. Pumikit siya nang mariin at pagkamulat ay magana siyang nagpakitang gilas sa pagtugtog ng keyboard. Pagkuwa'y pinakilala ni Baxter ang drummer nilang si Lana Amelia, pati na rin ang iba pa.
Tumagal ng halos tatlumpung minuto ang pagtugtog nila at nang matapos ay nagkaroon sila ng munting salu-salo sa backstage. Nagtayo ng tent ang mga organizer sa likod ng stage sa open grounds para magtipon sila roon.