"Are you comfortable with your guitar, Aya?"
I turned to Ali who asked as we were walking towards the stage.
He must've thought that I am not as I looked questionable. I just nodded in response and gripped the guitar like it would break if I let go.
"Breathe in, breathe out. Do not stress yourself." Simone butted in, and now I can hear the applause of the crowd louder.
The host called our name once again, gaining an even louder scream from the audience.
I used to be like that.
Another memory came, so I shook my head to brush it off. I did breathing exercises just like what they told me and it helped for a while.
I am now in front of these talented people who play with hundreds of colors and deliver their unheard thoughts through their art.
The room is filled with paintings, sculptures, and different types of art. A faint scent from fresh canvas and dried paint can be smelled all throughout the room.
How fascinating.
I heard August touch his keyboard- it is a signal for all of us.
We started singing our recent song, 'Colorful Yesterday' - it was a song about how our past produced and gave us different colors, be it happy or not. But it created beautiful art and that is who we are now.
"If only yellow filled yesterday, what could we be today, and with tomorrow's different hues, there could be thousands of you's," I sang the pre-chorus of our song. This is the part where we will be upgrading the middle part.
It was an upbeat song fitting for our band, but the lyrics surely defy it. An ironic song-piece just like an art piece. We only see the beauty, but its history will forever be a mystery- unless you start digging more into it.
And that usually doesn't happen.
"Thanks to yesterday, that colorful yesterday!" The song ended with the four of us singing and complementing each other's voices.
I was panting, probably out of breath from singing, while scanning the room. Everyone gave us a standing ovation, grinned from ear to ear, and cheered for us. They must have related to the song we played.
Calming down, the host came back on the stage carrying his mini index card. "Introduce your band please." He smiled at us and Simone stood from his drum set, as well as August from his keyboard.
We formed a line in front and waited for Ali's cue.
"Sunken Sound! We are," he started and we finished it with, "Anchor!"
They clapped once more, louder than earlier, but nothing could top the beating sound of my heart.
"That was a cool way to introduce your band. Care to share the reason behind it?" Ali, as our spokesperson and leader, took the microphone.
"Our group was formed when we were in our darkest times. And just like the anchor that goes deeper in the ocean, we hope that our music will not be just on the surface of your ears but it will sink into you and your system."
"That was one way to explain it and of course as the witness myself, I can testify that your music did bring encouragement to the whole being of these great people right here." he pointed to the audience.
We talked more on stage and later on bid farewell.
Fixing our instruments, I felt three pairs of eyes looking at me. I gave them my what-do-you-want-from-me look as I looked up.
They were slightly pushing each other in front of me to represent them as a whole until Gold fell- face first.
"Hey! That wasn't in the plan." he complained while dusting off his outfit after Simone helped him get up. He kept on mumbling stuff we couldn't understand because he won't bring out his deep voice.
As we were busy acting like children- especially August, the guy with headphones on came inside.
"Thank you! Thank you!" we accepted it and shook his hand. He genuinely looked so happy, so we congratulated him for his hard work.
"Anchor is really a nice group name. I will tell Mr. Clifford a good word about your performance." He clasped his hands and leaned closer to Gold to whisper but I can hear it.
"You don't have to worry anymore," The guy which they all called Kean, smiled before he went out. He is the youngest and most talented producer alive which is one of the reasons he was hired immediately.
Soon as the door was closed I crossed my arms and looked at them. "Any explanations?"
I heard August sigh and was about to talk when Simone stopped him. We looked at the latter and heard him clear his throat before speaking.
"Aren't you all hungry? Let's grab a bite first and talk it later." The two of them gave a meaningful look to each other which Ali and I understood just by watching them.
"Sure! I'm craving for some chicken right now."
"Then it's set." We went out of the hall, and the muffled noise from it can be heard outside.
I quietly smiled. That felt good. I thought to myself.
"Guys." We all looked at him. He's in front of us turning his back to the direction we are going. He smiled using his evil-gummy smile. Oh no, I think I know where this is going already.
"Last one to reach the parking lot would treat everyone!" He screamed that and ran already for his life. Man, this dude's unfair.
We started running along this long hallway too with all our subtle laughter echoing around. I would sometimes grab August's shirt, but then he would grab mine so he could move forward.
The cycle goes on and on. And there's Ali who's quietly competitive and is now on one on one with Simone. They looked like any minute lasers would come out from their eyes.
I was busy running and looking at them when my eyes caught a familiar build. My running became unstable until it turned slow- to walking and finally stopped.
That almost side-profile is so familiar that only people who focus would notice. It's that person from Xelo's family restaurant!
His whole get-up is eye-catching- at least for me. He's wearing a black hoodie underneath his denim jacket, pants from a famous brand with three vertical stripes, and white shoes.
The man was about to turn this way when someone called my attention. The quick rise of my anticipation parkoured to a disappointment like my grades in that subject that uses evil numbers.
"What now, Sim?" I asked, brows almost merging.
"You're in last place, princess!" I compared my place to where they're now and I couldn't tell how fast my jaw dropped.
"Unfair!"
"What do you mean, Yami? You stopped running midway." He said while pointing my position using his mouth before adding, "You know I don't hold myself back when it comes to a treat, especially from a person like you! Good luck!"
I pouted as I heard his annoying laughter fade away. I stomped my feet and looked at the guy I was watching earlier.
He's gone! Where did he go?
A deep sigh escaped from me, and I didn't have a choice but run towards the parking lot.
"Mad snail."
"What took you so long, Aya?"
"What did you experience? Load Traffic?"
I was bombarded by their questions that I don't have an inch of interest to answer. I went and sat quietly in August's car.
"Are you su-" I heard August talk but I am fully aware the other two stopped him. Gold must've been wondering why I chose his hell of a car over Ali's. I didn't mind them and just went back to my wonderland.
What's with that guy? Why is it hard for me to catch a glimpse of him?
Ugh! Who is he, anyway?
I was floating and flooded by my own thoughts I didn't even notice that we were inside and already eating.
Whatever they ask I would just agree because my mind is still wandering somewhere else and thinking about that guy.
I think he would complete something close to me and I couldn't even point it out.
What could it be?!
"Aya!" I finally came back to reality after all of that shaking and calling of names.
"Yes?"
"You've been drinking!"
"What are you saying? I don't even drink!" I denied what he told me. August laughed while shaking his head then pointed something at my left side.
"Oh dear!" I almost dropped the bottle I was holding. I gently put it on the table now shocked that I drank half of it.
"D-did I really drink that?" The three of them, as if practiced, nodded at once. "Why didn't you stop me?"
"Dude, you were ready to fight the three of us for that damn bottle," August answered me.
"It's true, Ayako. We tried stopping you but you held it like your dear life depends on it." Simone added.
"We should go home now. We need to practice tomorrow morning." Ali butted in.
"Where were you?"
"I paid for everything. Now let's go." I was about to say something when he interrupted it. "You don't need to pay me back. I was actually intending to treat everyone tonight."
"Thank you, Ali! You're the best!" The two guys hug-attacked Ali. We were all laughing until we all went different ways.
Ali's the one who brought me home. I couldn't walk straight- maybe the drink is finally kicking in.
I have low tolerance and any amount of alcohol would get me drunk.
Everything is happening in circles and in a blur, but all I could hear is Ali's voice talking to me. I was too drunk to comprehend what he was saying so I just agreed and dropped myself at him.
Everything went black and I hope I didn't do anything that I would regret later on.