VELA

"When you love someone tunanananan"

"Ms. Pretty chappy ka"

Tumigil sila sa pagtugtog dahil di ko maalala yung lyrics.

"ikaw kasi Ashe nalimutan mo iprint yung lyrics" siko ni Jelo kay Ashe

"I was eating" tas nagsamaan sila ng tingin

"Why don't you search the lyrics through your phone?" tinaasan naman ako ng kilay ni Shawn na inaayos
yung mike stand niya.

"Sorry ha, I was so prepared I had all the time to memorize the song" I said sarcastically.

Oo famous yung song, pero ung love someone lang talaga natatandaan ko.

Inirapan ko siya and I put my hand out.

"Let me borrow yours"

"Why, you just secretly want to-"

"deadbat"

He gave in and handed me his phone.

"ayieeee" we both looked at Jelo who was smiling so widely.

I ignored him and searched through Shawn's phone.

Nang magload na yung lyrics, tinuloy na namin yung pagpractice.

"Ms. Pretty, I like your voice, it is very soothing, you're the next superstar"

"Jelo, di toh Idol, Philippines"

"He's right, your voice is relaxing, I could sleep" Ashe joined in the conversation

Wow, that was a long one, for his standards ha

"One more time, now that the voice is polished, let's focus on the way you perform," Shawn said
seriously

"ha? Di ba pwede pagewang gewang lang?"

"Tsk, Vela this isn't a group presentation in class"

Sa bagay, ganun ganun lang kami eh, perfect naman XD

"How about isway yung arms sa taas para gagaya yung crowd?"

"You can't do that the entire duration of the song, can you?"

Sa bagay, mangangalay yung arms ko. Ish bat kasi di nalang sabihin ni Shawn diretso.
Nilingon ko sina Jelo at Ashe at biglang umiwas sila ng tingin. Aba, so iwanan ganun

"Then what are you talking about?, " I directly asked.

"Chemistry, " He said with a smirk.

"Tama Ms. Pretty, kailangan may tinginan kayo ni Shawn, parang gantoh" tas hinila niya si Ashe at
nagtitigan sila though mukhang nandidiri si Ashe, he didn't look away.

"Pfft" Natatawa na ako kasi di naman kailangan idemonstrate dahil gets ko naman.

"hah? Paano? ," Since it seemed entertaining, I played dumb.

"Ganito nga kasi," tas nilapit lalo ni Jelo yung mukha niya kay Ashe.

"I'm hungry," tas dumiretso si Ashe sa may ref. Yes, may ref dito sa room ni Shawn.

"Hays, sayo na nga lang Ms. Pretty nang mademonstrate ko nang masmaayos"

Lalapit na sana sa akin si Jelo nang humarang si Shawn at nilapit mukha niya sa akin, oh my Gosh parang
2 inches nalang distance ng mukha namin.

"Are you done playing dumb? I know very well that you know what I meant by Chemistry" He gave his
signature smirk then followed Ashe to the ref.

"5 minutes break"

That surprised me, my heart's beating too fast, napagod ata ako sa practice.

I sat on a beanbag comfortably and reviewed the lyrics on Shawn's phone.

Imememorize ko na nga, nakakahiya naman sa kanila.

_____

Shawn cued na break was over and so we went back to our places.

"1, 2, go"

The beat started and I acted more relaxed, I was feeling the song and looking at Shawn from time to
time.

"When you love someone, you open up your heart, when you love someone you make rules" while I was
singing that part, I approached Shawn and placed a hand on his cheek.

Akala mo ikaw lang marunong ha. Chemistry pala ha.

_____

"When you love someone and you're not afraid to lose 'em you probably never loved someone like I do"
Shawn let go of his guitar, grabbed his mike, approached me then I just stared at him.

"You probably never loved someone like I do," We both sang as he leaned his forehead on mine.

I was dazed. Omg, what just happened?

*clap, clap, clap

I was too frozen on the spot, if not for the clapping of Jelo.
Syempre lumayo nako.

"Ano, belib na kayo sakin?," I jokingly said to hide away my nervousness.

"Not bad," Ashe complimented.

"Bagay na bagay, parang totoo," Jelo gave a thumbs up.

I looked at Shawn, waiting for his comment.

Pero masnagulat ako nang bigyan niya ako ng ngiti, yung totoo, deym, that was better than I expected.

--------

"Hey West, Can't you wake up already? Dahil sayo, naging member ako ng Youngblood. Andaya mo
naman kasi eh, alam mo ba magpeperform na kami maya maya, ambilis ng oras noh? Kaya bangon ka
na, dapat mapanood mo ko," sabi ko habang hawak ang kamay niya.

Nandito ako ngayon sa private room ni West, I'm sitting on a chair beside his bed habang hawak kamay
niya.

Actually, di ako mag-isang dumating dito, I just told Shawn and the others na lumabas muna dahil gusto
ko makausap si West in private. After ilang pangungulit ni Jelo na di naman daw ako maririnig, hinila siya
nina Ashe at Shawn palabas.

I needed this, huge crowd or not, I'm still nervous since I'm not so confident sa boses ko.

But talking to West like this feels so calming.

"Alam mo ba, things are getting too... Abnormal? Sabi sakin ni mama noon dapat low key lang ako na
hindi magstastand out pero look what's happening now.. I'm running for student council president, I'm
going to perform with Youngblood as your replacement and their fangirls I'm sure are dying to kill me
since I'm a lot of times seen with Shawn and the others. Gosh West, di ko nga alam kung tama ba tong
mga pinaggagawa ko, " I sighed after talking.

I brought his hand that I was holding to my cheek. He always did this when I lacked belief in myself. He
would stare at me directly then tell me that he was gonna make everything okay.

It was different than the usual," Everything's gonna be ok" kasi he took initiative to make everything
okay just for me, It was so assuring that it makes all my nervousness disappear every time.

"Vela," I heard Shawn enter the room.

Binaba ko yung kamay ni West mula sa pisngi ko pero I still held onto his hand.

Shawn looked at my hand that held onto West, "This guy is sleeping too long," sabi niya habang umiiling.

"I know," my eyes were getting blurry, hindi ko alam kung sobrang miss na miss ko siya o takot akong di
na siya magising.

"Tara naaa! Baka malate pa tayo, Ms. Pretty!," pasigaw na sabi ni Jelo pagkapasok niya.

Shawn glared at him for being too loud, he approached me then put his hand on my hand that was
holding onto West.

"I'll protect you Vela, I'll make you happy," he was staring at me, "for West," he continued.

Hindi ko alam pero I felt a little uncomfortable kaya I took my hand away, kissed West's forehead then
lumabas na ng pinto after ko sabihan silang, "tara na."

Sumakay kami sa car ni Shawn and thorughout the whole ride, Jelo wouldn't shut up about sa "moment"
daw namin ni Shawn kanina sa ospital.
"Parang love triangle noh Ashe, kaya lang tulog yung isa," sabi ni Jelo habang kumakain ng chips.

Tumango tango lang si Ashe dahil busy siya kumain ng sarili niyang chips.

Nakapwesto silang dalawa sa backseat, ako sa passenger and si Shawn nagdadrive.

"Alam mo yung sa teleserye sa TV na dalawang lalaki nagkagusto sa isang babae tas yung babae
nahihirapan mamili," pagtuloy ni Jelo.

"Imposible/Impossible," sabay naming sabi ni Shawn, yung English pronunciation nga lang yung kaniya.

"Eh sabi ko lang naman parang, hayaan niyo nako mag-imagine, baka naman ikaw leader natatamaan?
Hmm?," pinanliitan pa ni Jelo ng mata ang kaibigan niya.

"I don't like her, too plain," at nagsmirk pa talaga siya ha.

"Asa ka naman, kung ako mamimili syempre yung maspinapahalagahan ako, ewan ko ba sa mga
teleserye, laging pinipili yung bad boy tas yung laging nandun para sa kaniya yung maiiwan mag-isa,"
diretso kong sabi.

Sumang-ayon naman si Jelo at kung anu-anong teleserye na binabanggit niya. Adik rin pala yun sa korea
novela.

"Siyempre Ms. Prettty dapat maalam ako dun para maapply ko diba," kinindatan ako ng mokong at
lumabas na. Nandito na pala kami.

Chapter 12

VELA

“That was amazing!,” I exhaled after our first performance together.

“Syempre! Magpractice Kaya Tayo nang sobra,” masiglang Sabi ni Jelo.