PORTION 42

Al's POV

I planned everything, from the very beginning.

Pagkaalis nila agad akong tumakbo para makapunta sa stage. And the exact time, everything became so dark, as I expected.

After asking her, I sing a song.

"Maybe you're wondering why I sing this song," I said.

Flashback...

Pagkatapos naming gumala sa school nila Petot, umuwi na kaagad kami. And all of a sudden, Kuya Tj approached me.

"Maybe she told you but not in detail," he started.

I get it right away, yung kinowento ni Petot sa akin yung ginawa siya sa stage for someone. And I nodded as an answer.

They are siblings having telepathy, because they know what each other's doing.

"Si Lauren ay isa sa mga stranger na naging importante sa buhay ni Petot. That stage, where she sing Harana by Parokya ni Edgar, it was all dedicated to him, as well, to Lauren."

Now I fully understand why that school, especially the stage, was so memorable to her.

"Why are you saying it to me, po? It seems like you're not scared if I misunderstood that."

He laughs, "That's why I'm saying it to you, ayaw ko na ma-misunderstood mo yun. Ganyan talaga siya, hirap na hirap siyang i-let go ang past niya.”

“Bakit, po?” I asked.

“Hindi ko rin alam. Basta ang alam ko, sobra siya magtiwala kaya kapag nasaktan, ayun! sobrang sakit din para sa kanya.”

“Pero kita ko po sa kanya na hirap siya magtiwala. Sobrang sungit niya pa nga po nung mga unang araw na gusto ko siyang lapitan at kausapin.”

Kuy TJ laughed so hard, “Ganyan talaga ‘yan, masungit ta's mag-o-overthink nang mag-o-overthink hanggang sa iiyak na lang ‘yan at mapapagod, pero mabait ‘yan.”

I was just listening to Kuya while he was talking, he was talking while looking at her sister on the other side of this house.

“Sobra ang bait niya! Kahit sobra na siyang nasaktan ng isang tao, she will forgive it that easily,” I agreed to what he said.

“Tunay.” And he gave me a nod, “Just like what I said, iiyak na lang siya at mapapagod, but it doesn’t mean na susuko siya.”

“Little things can hurt her, but little things can make her happy too.”

“Kilala ko ang kapatid ko, she will not trust people that easily because she’s scared to get hurt. Kaya nagulat na lang ako nung nakita kita sa bahay at sabihin ni Mama na manliligaw ka ng kapatid ko, but . . .” He stopped. Suddenly looked at me in the eyes, seriously, but after a few seconds it became so different, his eyes were smiling, “but talking to you this one on one, makes me so happy that it all happened.”

Hearing those words from the brother of the person I love, gives me more motivation to continue and it makes me think that he is letting me have his sister. . . . but I have to make sure, too.

"Alam ko po na nagsasabi sa inyo si Petot, and we all know that Lauren kept bothering her. Do you think it's worth enough to fight?" I asked, going back to the topic we’ve talked about a bit earlier.

"What do you think, worth it ba?" he questioned me back.

I looked at Petot, she’s smiling and for some reason, I want to be one of the reasons why she is happy.

I smiled, "I love her.”

"Then, do the reason why you approached her from the very beginning."

I looked at him because of what he said, and he just smiled at me.

End of Flashback...

"Wala akong mababago sa past mo, ayokong may kalimutan ka sa past mo. It's your past, whatever happens it's up to you what you should do about them. . . . but I chose to be with you because I want to be with you." As I looked at her from here, the stage.

She's a bit far, but I can see that she's confused.

"Why do I like you? At first I didn't know why, but now I think I know, it's because of love. The love you give to the people around you, appreciation for music, for everything you have even in those little things. I'm in love with someone who loves everything," I continued.

She's not saying anything yet.

"I asked your Inay, Mama, Kuya and Sam, if they would let me be your boyfriend. Your Inay answered 'Harana muna' so I did this, you once dedicated this song to someone but now it's dedicated to you, gusto ko ma-feel mo yung na-feel nung taong yun nung ginawa mo 'to. Kahit ilang pang paghaharana ang gawin ko, I'm willing to do it. The rest of them didn't answer me whether it's a yes or no but instead they said your answer will be theirs. . . . so let me ask you. Precious Jewe Johnson, will you be my girlfriend?"

There was a small pause, everyone became so quiet and it seems like no one wanted to speak or say anything.

"Mag a-Ava Maldita na ako rito, Petot," singit ni Love, "Aarte ka pa ba?"

We just laughed at what Love had said.

"From now on, I’m not just a girl you love. I’m yours, too!" she shouted.

"She said yes! Everyone heard that, right?" After asking, I went down. I went to her, and I hugged her.

Jaybi's POV

After announcing to the barangay how Petot and Al got together yesterday night. We are celebrating a double event now.

From 8 to 12 pm, we're just eating and singing at our karaoke here in Inay's house. Yung mga pagkain ay nasa teris habang kami rito na kanta-kanta lang sa loob.

"Okay, next! Next!" Petot said, and gave her mic away to the next person who will sing the next song.

"Kaninong kanta ‘tong Pangarap Lang Kita?" Tj asked.

I raised my hand, "Me!" so Petot gave the mic to me.

"Okay, then sing the second verse." As Al is trying to give the second mic to Sam.

And suddenly, all of them looked at Sam.

Iniligay ni Sam yung kamay niya sa dibdib niya, "Ako? Bakit ako?"

And from that they all looked away.

"Fine," she agreed, taking the mic away from Al.

I sang verse 1 till chorus, where the part was contributed, the part of Chito Miranda.

Sam sang the part of the girl, Happee Sy's part, next to mine.

We are exchanging our lines, it's getting more exciting!

We both sang the next lines, the chorus.

Kumanta kami ni Sam. And after singing that song, they all clapped.

"Ano ba ga naman, Jaybi? Ikay ga'y nanligaw na rineh sa apo ko?" Inay showed up, out of nowhere.

We all looked at one another, it looks like no one wants to speak.

"Juskupo rudeh! 'Wag mong sabihin na hindi pa?"

Napatawa na lang kami.

“Eh seryoso ako, ako’y inyong tinatawan. Walang kakain ng mga niluto ko sa labas, ah? Ay, sinasabi ko sa inyo!” biro ni Inay.

“Inay kayo talaga!”

3pm...

We went outside to watch the sagala. Habang naglalakad ang mga babaeng may hawak ng letrang pang Ave Maria, Petot asked me.

"Have you ever asked and wondered, kung nakapag-suot na si Sam ng gown?" Petot went in.

Without looking at her, I smiled and answered, "No."

"Pero sa totoo lang, oo."

"Eh?" At medyo napatawa pa ako.

"Oo,” she said, nodding, "Way back then when she's grade 4, she fought a competition and won a title of Best in Gown and the title of Miss United Nation."

I laughed, "At panigurado, yun na ang una at huling suot niya ng gown."

Napatawa siya sa nasabi ko, "Hindi ka nagkakamali!"

Sam went in, between me and Petot. Sam is with Al a few minutes ago, they are a bit far from us, giving bottled water to the people who are walking for sagala, and now she's here. Petot looked at her other side when she probably realized that Al was on her side and looking at her.

“Oh, bakit ka nakatingin?” she asked Al.

“Can’t I look at my beautiful girlfriend?”

Ang corni!

“May-ari ng cheese factory!” And looked away, and just now, she caught me looking at her, too, “Oh, ba’t ka rin nakatingin? ₱100 kada minuto.”

“Luh!” react ko sa sinabi niya.

“Oo, ganun nga raw kasi dapat. May bayad kapag ‘di boyfriend,” Sam said, at nag-apir pa ang dalawa.

I was speechless, while still looking at them.

“Ayaw mo talaga ‘ko alisan ng tingin? Sinasabi ko na nga ba eh, crush mo ‘ko ‘no?”

I looked at her in disbelief, “Bakit, Samantha Melanie Smith ba pangalan mo? Sam ba nickname mo? Hindi naman, ah?”

Sam suddenly laughs, but coughs after, trying to resist her laugh to herself.

She rolled her eyes, “At least ako, gusto ako ng gusto ko.”

“Gusto ko rin naman siya.” Out of nowhere, Sam confessed which startled the three of us here. “Ay, mali! Nagustuhan ko pala.”

Napakamot na lang ako sa ulo ko, habang si Petot ay nagpipigil ng tawa.

I looked away, “Sige, pag tulungan niyo pa akong dalawa!”

"Oh, Sam! Look at them, ang gaganda nila, 'no?" Petot changed the topic, while clinging her hands on Sam’s right arm. As if they don't care about me, as if I didn't say anything, and as if I'm not here.

"Mas maganda ka pa rin," singit ni Al.

“Ikaw kanina ka pa, eh!” And Sam put her hands on her waist, tilted her head, while looking at Al, "Ikaw kausap, ikaw kausap? I'm Sam, so I'm the one she's talking to. Ang sakit niyo na sa mata, ang sakit niyo pa sa tenga!"

Petot, Al and I did the same, we faced our palm.

AttitUde talaga si Sam, eh!