The atmosphere is exciting for everybody present in the hall except for the two persons who are glaring at each other.
"Finally, you've shown up," Keanne thought to himself.
"Uhhm, Maigne. Do you have something to say?" tanong ni Dalton kay Maigne.
It took few seconds before Maigne went back to her senses. "Huh? Ow, yes." Maigned cleared her throat. "Hi everyone, I'm Maigne. So my task here is to mentor both the new and under observation members. Uhhm, I hope we'll all get along. Let us work together as one and bring the trophy to our care!"
"She's so cool, isn't she?" nakangising sabi ni Kyle sa katabing si Keanne.
"Yeah… She was," sagot naman niya.
"Was? Owwww," tugon ni Kyle at ibinalik ang atensyon sa harapan.
**********
Kinabukasan,
"Uy, you know what, ginaganahan talaga akong mag take-note pag si Ms. Alodia ang nagsusulat sa board. I wonder why. Any thoughts Keanne?" tanong ni John Mark sa katabi nitong si Keanne na nakatingin sa bintana at malayo ang tingin.
"Hoy Keanne!" tawag niya ulit.
"Ow, yeah. What are you saying?" Keanne went back to his senses.
"I said, I wonder why I'm so comfortable and fast in copying what's written in the board if it's Ms. Alodia," sagot ni John.
Sasagot na sana si Keanne nang lumingon ang kaklase nilang naka-upo sa kanilang unahan. "Sssshh! Kailangan mo pa talagang mag- 'wonder' ha, wala ka namang utak. Hahaha," pabulong na sita nito.
Gustong tumawa ni Keanne sa isinagot na iyon ni Hernan.
"Isn't it obvious? John, you're motivated because she's freaking ma'am Alodia! The hottest teacher here! Even I can't be motivated more if it's not her," pagpapatuloy pa niya.
"Come on dude, don't stick your ideals to other people's perspectives. Though I kinda agree, she's really attractive" pabulong din namang tugon ni John Mark.
"Boys at the back, it seems like you're talking about something fun there. Maybe you to share it with your other classmates as well?" hamon sa kanila ng guro.
Nakangising tumingin si Hernan kay John Mark at itinaas baba ang kilay nito. "Mwehihihi. What do you think?" tanong niya.
Binatukan siya ni John Mark. "Gago. Hahahaha. Mag concentrate ka na nga!"
Napatawa nalang si Keanne sa dalawang kaklase.
Nang matapos ang period, muling ibinalik ni John Mark ang tanong kay Keanne.
"My goodness John Mark, hindi ka pa rin titigil diyan ah. Hot kasi si Ma---"
"Shut up Hernan!" napipikon ngunit tumatawang pagputol ni John Mark sa makulit na kaklase.
Sumagot si Keanne. "Hahaha! Actually, you do the same thing when it's Mr. Reynald who's writing on the board."
Binatukan ulit ni John Mark si Hernan. "Oh, di'ba. Hindi yun dahil sexy si Ms. Alodia! Pektusan kita diyan eh. Hmmm!"
Lumapit si Hernan kay Keanne. "Matalino talaga tong si Keanne eh noh. Keanne my friend…" komplimento ni Hernan sa kaklase.
"Pero kung hindi dahil sexy si Ms. Alodia kaya ginanahang mag-kopya itong si John Mark, eh ano pa ang ibang dahilan?" ang pahabol niyang tanong kay Keanne.
"If you could let me guys finish explaini---"
"Ow, ow, ow. I'm sorry," "Tahimik ka kasi pre!" sabay na sabi ng dalawa.
Napatawa na lamang si Keanne. "Okay. I'll ask you, anong kamay ang ginamit ng dalawa nating guro sa pagsulat sa board?" tanong niya.
"Left!" sabay na sagot ng dalawa.
"Tumpak! Unlike Japanese and others who doesn't really use the English alphabet as their main form of writing, we tend to read the words from left to write in which kapag ang isang right handed person ang nagsusulat nito sa board, natatakpan ng kanilang katawan ang kanilang isinulat. However, kapag ang left-handed person like Ms. Alodia and Mr. Reynald ang nagsusulat sa board, their bodies cannot block the writings that's why we can see it immediately after it was being written," eksplinasyon ni Keanne.
"Ahhhhh," sabay na pagsang-ayon ng dalawa. "Ganun pala yun."
"Yes. And, I have to leave you guys now. May pupuntahan pa ako," paalam ni Keanne.
"Noooooo, Keanne my friend---"
Binatukan ulit ni John Mark ang kaklase. "Okay Keanne. May pupuntahan pa din kami nitong si Hernan 'your friend', hahaha!" tugon naman ni John Mark at lumakad na papalayo.
Naisipan ni Keanne na tumambay muna sa Lily Garden. Ilang araw na rin siyang hindi nakakapunta doon.
Habang naglalakad, isang pamilyar na tunog ang kaniyang narinig mula sa nadaanang music room.
Sinilip niya kung sino ang nasa loob.
"Damn Val, why so beautiful," ang sabi ni Keanne sa sarili habang pinapanood ang kababatang malumanay na hinahagod ang keys ng piano.
Ilang segundo rin siyang nakamasid sa maliit na bintana ng silid. Ninamnam ang parehong musika na tinugtog ng kababata sa nakaraang kompetisyon.
**********
Nang matapos si Valerie, nakita niya ang kababata sa bintana. Kinawayan niya ito at tinawag, "Hey yanyan!"
Dali daling tumakbo si Keanne papalayo rito.
"Hey Yanyan!" tawag niya ulit habang tumatakbo.
Keanne paused for a while. "Nani?!"
"Thank God Keanne," hinihingal na sabi ni Valerie habang nakahawak sa dibdib. "Bat naman bigla ka nalang tumakbo? Are you ignoring me?"
"I'm sorry. It's just that, It's embarrassing when you call me that way! I felt bad when I left you that's why I decided to bail out!" sagot ni Keanne.
"Huh? When we were young, it is you who said that we'll call ourselves names that only us can use right?" Valerie replied
"Ahh, ehh haha did I?" napakamot ng ulo si Keanne.
"What?! Have you forgotten already?" Valerie exclaimed.
"No, uhhm, hehehe well it's in the past so yeah a lot had happened. And I tend to forget a lot of things kasi actually hehehe," depensa naman ni Keanne.
Hindi umimik si Valerie. Seryoso ang mukhang tinignan niya si Keanne sa mga mata.
"That means even that promise?" she asked.
"Ah eh, Val I'm sor---"
Tumungo si Valerie. "That promise that I've held on for several years? The promise which became my motivation every time I go up the stage and fight?" she asked while wiping her tears away.
The students around them stared at the scene they're making.
Maya maya pa, lumabas si Maigne mula sa Principal's Office na malapit lang sa kinatatayuan ngayon nina Kyle at Valerie.
Tumigil ito saglit at tinignan ang nangyayari.
Keanne grabbed Valerie's hand and dragged her away from the crowd.
Tumigil sila sa isang hallway na wala masyadong tao.
"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, it's just that---"
"Yeah I understand. Those things aren't much of a thing for you. I shouldn't have expected much" Valerie said and started to walk away.
Pipigilan pa sana siya ni Keanne ngunit nakita niya si Maigne na papunta sa kanilang direksyon.
Keanne saw the smirk on her face.
"Tsk!" ang tangi na lamang nasabi ni Keanne at dumiretso na sa garden. Doon, pinilit ni Keanne na kalimutan nalang ang nangyari.
Makalipas ang ilang oras, pumunta na sa Audio Visual Hall si Keanne kung saan magpa-practice ang kanilang choir.
Mahilig magbasa si Keanne ng mga news article online kaya habang naglalakad papunta ng practice ay nagbasa muna siya ng mga balita.
[Guttierez manor robbed: Family driver, a suspected accomplice?] (local news)
[Ghost Killer just made one of its dumbest mistakes yet] (entertainment)
[He was never the better player: Baseball analyst compares Tom Johnson and Patrick Starks] (sports)
[Police say random killings in Valenzuela city which cost 5 lives hinted as a work of a serial killer.] (national news)
[Panadtalan Bus bombing: A disaster with luck] (local news)
"Hmmm, Panadtalan? Malapit lang yan dito ah. Wish I could check it out. Too bad, it's beyond tito Neil's response area," dismayadong sabi ni Keanne. "Di bale. Ipagbibigay alam ko nalang to sa kaniya mamaya."
Nang makarating sa AV Hall, nakita niya si Kyle na abalang nag di-distribute ng mga music sheets sa mga kasama sa choir.
"Hey Kyle!" bati sa kaniya ni Keanne.
"Hey bro! Fist bump," sagot naman ni Kyle.
"Fist bump. What are you up to?" tanong ni Keanne.
"Ahhh. Maigne arrived here earlier and since ako pa lang nandito kanina, inatasan niya akong i-distribute ito sa inyo pag dumating na kayo. May pinuntahan pa siya saglit, babalik din yun." Iniabot ni Kyle ang music sheet ni Keanne. "Here's yours."
"Wait, bat walang sayo?" nagtatakang tanong ni Keanne.
"Didn't you remember, I'm bad at reading notes. Hahaha," natatawang sabi ni Kyle.
"Ow, yeah right. The weakness. But you have an amazing voice quality to be honest. And it's a natural talent of yours! Reading notes is actually a skill and if you have the time, you can just analyze and study how to read it," mungkahi ni Keanne.
"Well actually, the truth is, I'm also a tone deaf," sagot ni Kyle.
"No way! You gotta be kidding me!" Keanne exclaimed.
"Ssshh! Haha. Maupo nga muna tayo." Umupo ang dalawa sa bakanteng upuan malayo sa ibang members. "I swear Keanne. It's true. Hahaha!"
"I don't believe you! Okay, let's have a test. Repeat after me… La(C3) la(E3) la(G3) la(C4) la(G3) la(E3) la(C3)"
"La la la la la la la!" Kyle perfectly followed the notes Keanne made.
"Nah, you're just screwing with me Kyle," mungkahi ni Keanne.
"Well, it's just a normal scaling. Almost every singer knows that!" sagot naman ni Kyle.
"Okay, here's another one. La(D3) la(F#3) la(B3) la(A#3) la(A3)," kompas ni Keanne.
"La la la la la" nakuha pa rin ni Kyle ang tono maliban sa isang mataas na nota.
"Uhhhm, there is a slight issue. But you're not a tone deaf at all! What crap are you saying?" komento ni Keanne.
"Pero yan sabi ni Dalton sakin nung audition eh. It's even on the form they gave back to both of us," pahayag ni Kyle.
"Wait a second." Nagka-ideya si Keanne. Kinuha niya ang kaniyang cellphone at binuksan ang isang piano application. He pressed the last five notes he made a while ago at pinasundan ito kay Kyle bilang bahagi pa rin ng test.
Unfortunately, nahirapan si Kyle na i-interpret ang notes na ito.
"Now I get it," mungkahi ni Keanne.
"What?" excited na tanong ni Kyle.
"Last audition, the director only used the piano in order to check your hearing. And, base sa test ko, you are one of those people who had a hard time interpreting notes when an instrument is playing it instead of a human voice," Keanne explained.
"Woah! Is that even possible?" hindi makapaniwala si Kyle.
"Well, to some I guess. Way back when I used to play the violin, there was this one guitarist who can't keep up with my tempo just because, he can't seem to understand how violin tempos work. So yeah our practice was really a mess until the final second," tugon ni Keanne.
"Whoa music minded indeed! So are you still playing the violin right now?" tanong ni Kyle.
"I haven't. It's been 4 years already," Keanne replied.
"Why? Did something happen?" tanong ulit ni Kyle.
"Well, yeah," seryoso namang tugon ni Keanne.
Napansin ni Kyle ang seryosong mukha ng kasama. "I see," ang tanging naging tugon niya.
Maya maya pa ay dumating na si Maigne dala-dala ang mas marami pang music sheet.
Sinalubong siya ni Keanne. "Let me help you," alok niya kay Maigne.
Ibinigay naman ni Maigne ang dala sa kaniya.
"Alright everyone, gather here!" tawag ni Maigne sa iba pang members.
Habang inilalagay ni Keanne ang dalang music sheets sa lamesa hindi niya maiwasang tumitig kay Maigne. "I have to ask her why. Now's my chance," he said to himself.
[End of Chapter 6]