Mahaba-haba to.. still non-sexual though.. sorry for that. hayayay..
———-
“Okay, project for this quarter.. music video guys.” excited na sinabi ng teacher ko.. “..hindi nakakaboring tong project na to, right? Okay then, group yourselves.. 5 groups.. 10 members each..BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAH.”
Wala akong reaksyon.. Yung mga kaklase ko excited na.. Sa akin, wala lang.. Kanina pa ako wala sa mood makinig sa teacher..
Lumapit sa akin ang bestfriend ko, si Mae..
“..looks like you’re not in the mood today.. is something wrong?” she asked.. tumabi siya sa akin.. Tiningnan ko siya at umiling..
“No.. nothing’s wrong.. Masakit lang paa ko.”
Madami na ang lumapit sa pwesto naming dalawa.. Syempre, andito ata si Mae.. Sabi ko naman sa inyo, magaling siya.. she’s the kind of student who can lead a group;who can talk in front of many people and; who can make everything right just by talking and saying the right words to say;
That’s who she is..
Malayo sa akin.. I’m the opposite.. I can’t control my temper.. I’m loud.. I’m the girl who always messing things up..
“Oh, I see.” huminga siya ng malalim..Napansin niyang kumpleto na ang ten members..at naka form na kami ng circle. ”..well then, lets start the meeting..”
Inisa-isa ko yung mga members.. 6 girls.. and 4 boys, including Ralph.. I watched him without being noticed. He’s smiling and laughing. Ang sarap niyang panoorin.. I shook my head and looked away..
I realized, there’s another thing that I can’t do but Mae can … and that is to make ANY guy fall for her..
Naubos ang oras sa pagdedecide kung anong kanta ang gagamitin ng grupo namin. Sabi ni sir, it should be a love song.. bago man or luma pwede, as long as it expresses love.. romantic love to be exact.. mas maganda din daw kung gagawa kami ng sariling cover or ibahin ang lyrics. Bahala na daw kaming pagandahin at gawing unique ang music video. hindi ako nakapagsuggest ng kanta dahil wala namana kong hilig sa music..
Damn.. why am i so useless right now? Napatingin na naman ako kay Ralph.. he is talking to his seatmate this time.. Nag-iisip din ng kantang pwedeng isuggest..
“lexi..” kinalabit ako ni Mae.. “You’ll be one of the leads, okay?”
I said yes although I don’t have any idea what she’s talking about..
“Okay then, guys.. next saturday ang start ng recording. Then the weekend after next week, we will have a 2-day shoot. Pag-usapan na lang natin next saturday. Pwede na umalis yung iba..” announced ni Mae. Uwian na kasi. pwede ng umalis yung grupo na tapos ng magmeeting..
“Ralph..Alexis..” tiningnan kami ni Mae.. “..since kayong dalawa ang magiging actress/actor sa music video.. magpractice na kayo ng eye-to-eye contact or basta, be comfortable sa isa’t-isa..”
“What?!” nalilito ako.. “I.. Ralph? Kelan pa ako naging artista?”
“Best, you agreed earlier.. in front of our group members..” Mae looked at me..
“Oo nga.. wala talaga sa sarili..” sabat naman nitong si Ralph..
“Shut up..” Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay..
“Uh-oh.. sungit mode uli..” nakita ko siyang umiling.. pumunta siya likuran ng room at kumuha ng bunot.. Cleaner pala siya..
“Mae!” bumalik ang tingin ko kay Mae. “..why me?”
“..dahil kayo na ang pinakaOKAY na maging lead sa music video.. bakit?”
“Eh, bakit hindi na lang ikaw ang pumalit sa akin?”
Mas ok na yun.. at least siya, hindi niya kelangan magpretend.. at alam naman niyang hindi ko kayang umarte na in love ako.. Ano kaya yun! Lalo na kung si Ralph ang kapartner ko… Gusto ba niyang maging ‘patayan’ ang theme ng video?
“Alexis, di ka talaga nakikinig. Paul and I will make a cover of the song that we’ll use.. We need to give parts to other members..”
Damn. Damn.
“Then what if..”
“ALEX!” parang nainis na ata yung bestfriend ko sa akin. Hindi naman kasi ako reklamador pagdating sa mga ganitong projects dati. Kung ano ang ibigay sa akin, sige lang.. pero iba ngayon.. IBAAA.
“..all things are already set! Okay na lahat.. And there’s nothing wrong with you and Ralph being the stars. Both of you are good-looking. You also look cute together. Alangang kumuha pa kami ng mga star na pangit, di’ba?” she sighed and continued on packing her things up.
“You don’t understand.. You’re making this hard for me..” I whispered..
“..making this hard for you? What do you mean?” she looked at me, confused..
Bestfriend, gusto mo bang madevelop ang feelings ko para sa taong IKAW naman ang gusto? At di’ba gusto mo din siya? Bat ang gulo mo, girl?
How I wish I can tell that to Mae.
“Nevermind.. Fine, I’ll do it.. pero kapag nagkaproblema wag mong sabihing hindi ako tumanggi.”
———–
Saturday 9am
Sabay kaming pumunta ni Ralph sa bahay ni Mae. Hindi pa rin kami nag-uusap hanggang ngayon. Last time na nag-usap kami ay nung sinungitan ko siya sa classroom..and that was 2 weeks ago. Hindi na din masakit yung paa ko kapag naglalakad.
After an hour, kumpleto na ang grupo namin. Sa garden kami nagstay.
“Okay, uhm. We will have 4 major scenes for the vid. Una, solo ni Alexis..she will be painting Ralph sa video. Pangalawa, solo ni Ralph, he will be playing the guitar. Pangatlo, the night BEFORE and AFTER nilang magkita. Pang-apat, yung mismong araw na nagkita sila. Kung di niyo gets, magegets niyo din yan SOON.” Don, our director, explained to all of us. “Oh, by the way, our song is ‘Enchanted’ by Taylor Swift. Yun nga lang, gagawin nating duet. Si Mae sa babae and si Paul naman sa lalaki. Narecord na pala.. So today will be the start of our shoot. YEYYY.”
“Wow, hanep, Don! Galing mong mag-isip ah!” naghigh five si Don at Ralph.
Ako lang ata ang hindi natutuwa sa grupo namin..
Nagsimula na ang shoot.. At nananadya talaga ang tadhana, ang uunahin naming scene ay yung magkasama kaming dalawa ni Ralph slash FIRST MEETING daw. Hindi ba pwedeng yung solo muna namin? T.T
They let me wear a cute dress.. not too conservative nor revealing. It’s the simple type of dress. Donn wants me to wear a pair of eyeglass. I should look ‘mahiyain’ and ‘mysterious’ daw. My hairstyle didn’t change-one side – tapos ni-plantsa para bagsak na bagsak. Tapos meron din akong dalang plain white canvas. Props.
They let Ralph wear a ‘rakista’ outfit. Cool T-shirt and pants. And since may butas yung left ear niya, Donn let him wear a cross-shaped earring. Hmm. At dahil, rakista siya, his hair was spiked..just like the guys on anime. He also has a guitar as a props. Nakasabit na pala yung gitara sa likuran niya.
(Ready ang mga damit,props.. may naka-assign din kasi dun. Ang seryoso naman ng grupo namin sa project na to.)
Before we go out and shoot inside the mall, we need to practice here at Mae’s house. Para daw hindi kami ma-ilang mamaya. I’m alright being filmed when I’m alone- I don’t even care if it’s close-up or what. What’s bothering me is the scene where I need to look at Ralph’s eyes.
“Okay, both of you are doing great with the solo shots.. Try na natin yung magkakabungguan kayo. Malalaglag ang canvas ni Alexis, sabay niyong pupulutin. Then you tatayo kayo ng sabay. Iaabot mo Ralph yung canvas kay Alex, EYE-TO-EYE contact ha! Then, smile.. ” Donn instructed.
Shet.. kung sino man ang nag-pauso ng ganitong scene, DAMN YOU. >.<
“1,2,3 action!”
It’s really like I’m doing a music video that will be shown nationwide!
Bunggo-laglag-pulot-tayo-abot-’eye-to-eye contact’
Here it is..
I’m looking directly at Ralph’s eyes.. and he’s looking directly at mine..
I noticed.. he has a pair of light brown eyes.. fck. they are so enticing.. parang sinasabi ‘just look at me, babe. Stare at me.’
I looked away.
“CUT!” sigaw ni Donn. “Alexis, you forgot to smile before looking away!”
“Sorry.” this is sht.
Naka tatlong take pa kami pero di ko talaga magawa.
“..ano ba yan, simpleng ngiti lang, di pa magawa. Bakit ba ikaw pa ang napili?” reklamo ni Jane.. Alam kong inis to kasi gusto niyang siya ang maging lead sa video..
“..edi ikaw dito!” I almost shouted. nainis na din ako. Maganda nga, halatang feelingera naman.. epal. “…iyong-iyo na yung role.”
“Oh guys, you heard her.. She quits!” nagmadali namang sinabi ni Jane.
excited much ka ate? Quit na ako kaagad? Hindi ba pwedeng magdrama muna?
Nakatingin ang lahat sa aming dalawa ni Jane. Walang nagsasalita..kahit si Mae, wala ding reaction..GRRR.. Fine, kung walang pipigil sa akin ngayon.. I’d quit! Bakit, maarte ako e?
“If she quits, I quit..” lumapit si Ralph sa akin.. “..mas ok na sa aking maging extra, kung hindi naman si Alexis ang partner ko.”
DUG DUG DUG
Sht.. my heart.. AGAIN..
“What he said is nothing special..” i told myself.. “Don’t be affected.. it’s better if you stay away from him.”
“C’mon, alexis, wag ka nga padala sa babaeng yun.” bulong niya.
Nalilito na ako.. fuck.. bakit ba ang bait niya sa akin! Well, my father is his boss.. Pakitang tao lang alex, pakitang tao lang.. Keep that in mind..
“I won’t quit if..”
Napatingin sa akin lahat.. I saw Ralph smirked. He thinks he’s the reason.. Well, pwede naman diba? Siya na lang ang partner ko! But then, nabaling ang tingin ko kay Mae. No, I can’t.. I can’t. Kasi pag hinayaan kong mangyari to, kapag nagustuhan ko nang tuluyan si Ralph, baka hindi lang ako ang masaktan.. baka masaktan ko din ang bestfriend ko.
At ni minsan, di ko naisip na gawin yun..
I’m sorry, Ralph, ayokong mapahiya ka. I hate to say this.. but I need to..
“..I won’t quit.. if Paul will be my partner..”
Ralph’s eyes widened, his jaw dropped.. He looked at me.. his eyes asking me ‘Why?’.
“Di kita maintindihan..” Ralph whispered to me..he shook his head.. disappointment and frustration written all over his face. “..bahala ka na.” he sounds mad..
“Fine guys.” he shouted. Nakataas yung dalawang kamay niya. “I QUIT!” he walked out..
I was about to follow Ralph when I met my bestfriend’s eyes.. And I realized, I don’t have the right to follow him because I was the one who pushed him away..
And so I stayed..
——
kaya pa ba mga kapatid? HAHA.. mahaba-habang istorya to. tc
ren