Chapter 16. Busy
NAGING mas abala pa si Acel mula nang tanggapin niya ang alok na maging miyembro ng bandang Sunshine. Gaya ng naunang paliwag, mayroong limang miyembro ang banda at lahat sila ay mga babae. She still didn't meet the other members but she was sure that Lana Amelia would be the band's drummer, and she would be the keyboardist.
Sa isang iglap ay nagbago ang buhay niya, at kahit pa nga ba abala siya dahil sa nalalapit na pagtatapos ay siniguro niyang hindi napabayaan ang pag-aaral. Mabuti na lamang pala ay kinuha na niya ang ilang mga hindi prerequisite units noong mga nakaraang Summer breaks dahil ang katwiran niya ay sinusulit niya ang pagiging scholar, kaya kakaunti na lamang ang kailang niyang tapusin ngayong ikalawa at ang huling semestre niya sa pag-aaral.
Sa loob ng tatlong buwan ay madalang pa sa patak ng ulan kung magkita sila ni Baxter. Mahirap, oo, pero pinipilit nilang kayanin. They never broke up but she felt that they did. Kung hindi nga lang nauso ang teknolohiya ngayon ay masisiguro niyang wala silang magiging regular na komunikasyon ng kanyang boyfriend.
Ganoon din naman si Baxter na sobrang abala na rin. Especially when the agency already released teaser about his group's debut, and each members had teasers, too. She visited his Twitter account while browsing on her phone. And dating limangdaang followers nito ay mas lumobo pa. Libo-libo na ang nakakikilala sa boyfriend niya at natutuwa siya na maganda ang magiging simula ng karera nito.
Pero sa loob niya ay hindi maiiwasan ang malungkot nang bahagya dahil, ayun na nga, nawalan sila ng oras sa isa't isa.
"Acel, tama na ang pagda-drama," bulong niya sa sarili. "Napag-usapan n'yo naman na iyan noon, hindi ba?"
Bumuntong-hininga siya.
Tumunog ang notifications niya dahil nakatanggap ng dm. Binuksan niya iyon at galing pala kay Jean.
@jeanlucas.m: Hey, what's up?
She replied: Everything's fine. Kumusta na? Ang tagal mong hindi nagparamdam, ah?
The latter always chatted her with correct usage of punctuation marks, plus he didn't use shortcuts. Nakasanayan na rin tuloy niya na ganoon din mag-chat. Wala lang, she just found it helpful for her.
Then, he asked if could he call on her Messenger account. She agreed and now, they were on the phone for almost thirty minutes already.
"I started taking voice lessons," masayang pagbibigay-alam nito sa kaniya.
"Oh, wow! Really?"
"Yes. And my vocal instructor said I have a soothing voice. You should listen to my demo songs soon. Do you think we could meet?"
"I'd loved to! Kaya lang, busy kasi ako, eh. But I can listen to it now. Play mo."
"Sa susunod na lang, sige. Mukha kasing hindi ka naman talaga nakikinig."
"Huh? Hey, wait!" pigil niya rito. "Sorry if I offended you. May iniisip lang kasi ako."
"Okay lang. Acel," he paused for a while, then, he continued, "I really like you. I approached you before because I kind of have a crush on you."
"Ha?"
"Don't worry, that was before. Gusto ko lang sabihin sa iyo para gumaan ang pakiramdam ko."
She didn't know what to react.
"But don't think I don't like Music. I sincerely do. And now, I realize that my crush on you isn't that romantic one. Hinangaan kita kasi nalaman kong pinaglaban mo ang gusto mo. You inspired me to fight for what I want to be, too. I'm telling you this because I want to thank you."
"Whoa... I... I, uh..."
"Did I surprise you?"
"A bit," kaila niya dahil nabigla talaga siya sa isiniwalat nito.
Pagak itong natawa. "At kahit siguro magustuhan kita nang higit pa, hindi mo na masusuklian. I know that you like someone else."
"Sorry..."
"No, don't be. I know you aren't really sorry. Huwag kang mag-alala, hindi naman ito malalim. It's more of an admiration than the romantic one," ulit pa nito.
She stayed silent.
"Alright, then... Best of luck to our journeys!"
"Y-yeah... Best of luck."
He chuckled lightly. "I'm really glad that I met you. Take care, Acel."
"You, too, Jean."
Hindi mawaglit sa isip niya ang napag-usapan nila ng kaibigan hanggang sa nakatulugan na niya.
It was already midnight and she was waiting for Baxter to call her. Sinubukan niya itong tawagan subali't busy tone lang ang narinig niya sa kabilang linya. She knew that he's busy practicing real hard for their upcoming debut on April, and also, was busy on his studies. Jam-packed ang schedule nito at kung minsa'y pati ang weekends nito ay kinakain ng prepasyon ng huli para sa grupo.
Humugot siya ng malalim na paghinga. Kasabay nang pagbuntong-hininga niya ay ang pag-ring ng kanyang cellphone. It was a video call from her boyfriend.
"I'm sorry, I called late. We had a dinner with our CEO—" Natigilan ito sa pambungad nang suminghap ito nang marahas pagkakita sa malungkot niyang mukha. "I miss you..."
Hindi niya napigilang mahikbi. She didn't notice that her tears already fell even before he called in.
"Can you wait for me? I know you're sleepy but... I want go to your place," anas nito.
Umiling siya kahit hindi naman nito nakikita. Sinadya niyang huwag buksan ang lamp shade.
"Please?" he pleaded.
"Huwag na," aniya sa maliit na tinig. "Alam kong pagod ka na at may recording pa kayo bukas ng hapon, hindi ba?"
Sumusukong bumuntong-hininga ito dahil alam nitong hindi siya papayag na bumiyahe ito ng higit isang oras para makasama siya, lalo pa't alam niyang pagod na ito.
"Please turn on the lights, I want to see you."
"No. Pangit ako ngayon."
"You're always beautiful. Please...?"
Napangiti siya at pinindot ang switch ng lampshade. Napapikit pa siya nang bahagya bago nagmulat at nakita niyang nakangiti si Baxter. "See? I told you, I'm ugly tonight."
"You are not. But your eyes are swelling..." May dumaang kirot sa mga mukha nito. "How long have you been crying?"
"I did not cry!" depensa niya. "I just woke up..." katwiran pa niya na totoo naman.
"Huwag ka nang umiyak." Pagkuwa'y napamura ito. "Let me go to you now," pakiusap ulit nito.
Napakagat-labi siya saka marahang tumango. Hindi napigilan ang pamumuo ng luha sa kanyang mga mata.
He smiled wearily, and yet, he was glad when she nodded. Ilang sandali pa ay pinatay na niya ang tawag at pumuntang kusina. Kahit sinabi nitong nag-dinner na ito ay ipaghahanda niya pa rin ito ng makakain. She prepared the food she bought awhile ago, and would just heat it in the oven when he arrived. Hindi pa rin naman siya kumakain dahil wala siyang gana kanina.
She decided to take a shower, too, and dressed up nicely. Alam niyang hindi sila lalabas ni Baxter, she just wanted to dress up. She was wearing a pink plaid skirt and a sleeveless top, she wore light makeup, too.
An hour or so, Baxter showed in their front door, with beads of sweat forming on his perfect forehead. Natawa siya sa naisip. Pati ang noo nito'y perpekto para sa kanya.
"Why are you sweating?" she asked the moment he came inside.
"I ran. Ang bagal kasing bumaba ng lift." Nasa fifth floor kasi ang apartment na tinutuluyan niya. Aeiou wasn't there, she went to her brother's place to finally meet Abcde's fiancée. Tumawag na ito kanina at nagsabing hindi ito makakauwi ng dalawa o tatlong araw dahil mamamanhikan sila sa pamilya ng mapapangasawa ng kakambal nito.
She chuckled and helped him removed his coat. Mukhang bigatin nga ang mga nakasama nito sa dinner dahil ang bihis nito'y parang isang negosyanteng dadalo ng board meeting.
His jet black hair was brushed up, showing his forehead. Napasinghap siya nang yakagin siya nito at kintalan ng mabilis na halik kaya hindi na niya masyadong natitigan ang mukha nito.
"Ang pawis mo!" she joked but didn't went away. Instead, he hugged him back and tiptoed to reach his lips.
Binuhat siya nito at hinayaang mahulog ang hawak-hawak na coat. Mabilis na pinagsiklop niya ang mga binti sa balakang nito habang tinutugunan ang ngayo'y mapupusok na niyang halik.
"I miss you..." she chanted continously in between their kisses.