Chapter 12

Ruben's Point of View

"...okay! So this will be the last practice for the day! Act 5, scene 3 from the top!" Sigaw ni pres.

Everyone from the club is really working hard today. Bukas na kasi ang pinakahinihintay ng lahat. Pagkatapos talaga ng play na 'to, quit na kagad ako. I'm doing this on behalf of my grades in arts after all.

Also, i can't really find any passion for acting. It's like you're playing pretend, but you gotta memorize a lot of crappy lines. Nang mag-umpisa na sila mag-act, nag-ready na ako para sa mga huling linya ko sa play na 'to.

"Romeo, pasok na." Sabi nung kasama ko na taga-ayos ng props. Pumunta kagad ako sa stage and did the best i could in delivering my lines.

And as i fought with the guy who has Paris's role, i improved my way of defeat and dying. Habang nakahiga ako sa sahig to pretend that i'm dead, i was quite bored waiting for practice to finally finish.

Then as Juliet a.k.a. Eliza killed herself, she gracefully fell beside me. Nagkatinginan din kami but she just simply rolled her eyes and closed it to keep on pretending she's dead. Wished it was for reals though.

"... for never was a story of more woe, than this Juliet and her Romeo." Then as the curtains closed, umalis na ko sa pagkahiga sa sahig and so as Eliza.

"Good job everyone! 5 minute rest then mag-uusap na tayo tungkol sa mga plano natin bukas!" Pres announced.

Naupo naman ako sa isang tabi para magpahinga. Pero nasira naman yon ng tawagin ako ni pres for some ridiculous reasons. "Rubeeen! Come here for a sec!"

Paglapit ko naman, may mga kausap na babae si pres. Nang makita nya ako ay bigla syang napahawak sya kagad ng mahigpit sa braso ko at ipinakita sa mga kausap nya. "Eto oh! This is the pride of the theatre club! Our very own Romeo Montague!!"

The girls squealed like fangirls and fussing over me.

"Heeey! Your pres sent me some vids of you practicing Romeo, you were awesome!"

"Can we take a selfie with you?"

"You're so cute, you're in a junior right?"

Napatingin lang ako kay pres, she was just grinning while letting this girls ruin my break. Gusto ko na talaga magpahinga langya!

"...Okay, okay." Kinuha ko na yung phone nung isang babae at kumuha ng picture namin. Nagsi-tilian pa sila at muntikan pa 'kong mabingi sa matitinis nilang boses.

If being popular is like this then i'mma decline, this is just so tiring.

After a few more chats with these fangirls, nag-umpisa na kaming magmeeting for our plans tomorrow. Nakakastress lang, minsan napapa-isip ako kung worth it ba talaga 'tong art subject na 'to. I should've just complied in all the activites than joining this shitty club.

"...everything's pretty much prepared. All that's left is the kissing scenes between Romeo and Juliet, bukas sa final rehearsals gagawin nyo na 'yon ah?" Nabanggit ni pres.

Nasamid ako sa hangin ng maalala ko na may kissing scenes nga pala, damn it. Everytime we practice, we just skip the kissing scenes and say that we'll just practice those at the final rehearsal for tomorrow. But damn it, nakakasuka. Ayokong halikan si miss clean freak.

"O-Okay." Sagot ni miss clean freak.

"Tch, fine." Sagot ko.

I wish tomorrow never comes, but that's just impossible.

Then as the day pass by, we were all busy as hell. Everyone's doing the final preparations at kaming mga actors ay nasa final rehearsal na.

"Kamusta na Romeo natin?" Pangangamusta ni pres, naka-ayos na costume ko at sobrang init sa mukha nung foundation and concealer na nilagay nila. Sinimangutan ko sya tsaka sumagot. "I hate this."

"I know! But don't forget to do your best, this is the final day of this play after all."

"Ugh, do i really have to do the kissing scenes? I mean, i have a girlfriend you know?" Palusot ko.

She just smirked and gently pinched my cheek. "As if someone like you have a girlfriend! Never ko nakitang may babaeng bumisita sayo."

Damn it.

"Fine." It's not like i can use Jade as an excuse anymore, that idiot must be having fun flirting with his boyfriend.

"Good to hear!" She gave me a harsh pat on the back then left.

Matapos non ay nag-umpisa na kami sa pagrehearse. All things were going smoothly then as we're about to get close to the kissing scene, i just got annoyed by the thought of kissing miss clean freak here. But damn i got no choice.

I don't like kissing random girls, but i mostly don't want to kiss miss clean freak as well. Bibili talaga ako nito ng mouth wash mamaya.

"...saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." Pansin kong medyo kinakabahan na siya sa susunod na mangyayari.

"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take." Then i went closer to her face to kiss her. It was quick, but long enough to make me feel how soft her lips are. "Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged." I continued my line.

Nagulat sya at namumula, i guess she wasn't prepared as i was. I couldn't help but smirk a little.

"T-Then have my lips the sin that they have took." She stuttered.

I grinned. "Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urge! Give me my sin again." Then i kissed her again.

Narinig ko namang may napatili sa mga nanonood sa practice namin. Gusto ko lang matawa dahil sa naiirita na 'ko, kissing a person against my will infront of people for entertainment is really bullshit. Then the rehearsal continues, and as it ends nakahinga ako ng maluwag pansamantala.

"That was great Ruben! All that's left now is the real deal!" Sabi ni pres.

I just kept nodded at her commentaries, and as i looked at some crowd nakita ko si Eliza na nag-aayos ng make up nya. Napatingin din sya sa akin, she blushed but still had the nerve to roll her eyes at me.

Napangisi lang ako, then out of nowhere, "...so are you guys a thing now?" Biglang tanong ni pres.

"What?"

"Kayo ni Eliza?" That was the most disgusting thing i ever heard. Di ko na napigilan at nakurot ko na si pres sa pisngi nya bilang ganti sa mga pang-aasar nya.

"That will never happen. And it never will." Never ever.

"A-Aray ko naman Rubeeen! Tama na huhuhu!" Mangiyak-ngiyak nyang paki-usap. Iniwan nya na din ako as soon as pinakawalan ko sya.

Napabuntong hininga na lang ako sa pagod. Sana matapos na 'tong araw na 'to.

***

"Go Rubeeeen!"

"Classmate namin yan!!"

"Class 1-11 supports you Ruben!"

Naririnig ko na ang pangalan ko sa mga kaklase ko from outside this stage curtain. Napahalakhak naman si pres. "Sobrang sikat ni Ruben ah."

My eyes just rolled. "Yeah right." Even though they're my classmates they're still nothing but a bunch of strangers to me.

"Anyways, someone's here to give his full support!" Banggit ni pres, then he suddenly came out. He was on a wheelchair and had cement on both of his legs. "Hi guys!!" It was Neil.

Nagsilapitan ang lahat para kamustahin sya. Matapos non ay lumapit sya sa akin para kausapin ako. "Dude, i never thought ikaw ang papalit sa'kin! Nakakagulat lang, kinaya mong i-memorize lahat ng linya sa role ko!"

Napangisi lang ako. "It was a piece of cake, but i was kinda sorry and disappointed that you had an accident. Ayokong maging Romeo, nakakapagod."

"Yeah, i'm sorry about that..." napakamot sya sa kanyang ulo. "...i wished the accident never happened, pero sobrang malas ko lang talaga. I really wanted to play Romeo-- or rather, be the Juliet's Romeo." Nagulat naman ako sa bigla nyang nasabi.

"You like Eliza?" I asked.

Napangiti sya sabay tango. "Well yeah! I'll never join the theatre club kung hindi naman sya 'yung Juliet. Then again, ang malas ko lang talaga dahil nangyari sa akin 'to." Medyo lumungkot sya pero nakangiti pa rin.

"Hahaha! Anyway, goodluck mamaya. I'll be cheering you with the crowd, Ruben!" Tas umalis na sya.

After a few more minutes, nag-umpisa na ang play. Napahinga lang ako ng malalim at nasabihan kami ni pres ng goodluck. And as we all stepped on stage, everything that we practiced so hard for were all perfectly executed on stage.

And as the kissing scenes happens, napapahiyaw lamang ang crowd sa napapanood. I better get the best grades for this damn subject after all this bullshit.

"...for never was a story more of woe, than this Juliet and her Romeo." As the last line was said, the crowd applaused and the curtains fell and every actor lined up for the final task.

"...now for the cast of Romeo and Juliet!!" Pres said to the audience. At pagkabukas muli ng curtains ay nagsipalakpakan ang mga nanonood.

Then all of us actors bowed and the curtains closed again.

Finally! Quit na talaga ako sa club na 'to. It was fun, but it was hellishly tiring and it took most of my rest time. Matapos magligpit ng backstage crew, lahat ng actors dumiretcho sa club para magcelebrate saglit.

Balak ko sanang di na sumama kasi gusto ko na umuwi para matulog pero kumain ako ng onti, then they also cheered for both of the main cast.

"To our Romeo and Juliet! You guys were so great!! Thank you so much for putting all of your best efforts in this play." Sabi ni pres sa amin.

Nagsipalakpakan din ang iba pa naming club members. Gusto ko sanang ngumiti to show a bit of appreciation pero pagod na talaga ako. Nang lalabas na ko ng club, di ko inaasahang marami pa lang naka-abang.

"ANDITO NA SI ROMEOOO!!"

"PA-PICTURE PO!"

"AKO DIN POOO!"

Kagad kong naisara yung pinto at biglang sumulpot si pres sa gilid ko. "Aalis ka na Ruben?"

"Yeah but i can't, andaming tao sa labas." Sagot ko.

Napangisi naman si pres. "Ah, yung mga fangirls mo. Ba't di mo na lang pagbigyan? Minsan lang yan." Can't this girl sense that i don't want fans? Ang hirap yung laging may nang-aabala sayo araw-araw.

"Tsaka baka may makita kang type mo diba? Why not? Go for it Ruben!" Aniya.

"I'd rather not. Anyway, may iba pa bang pwedeng lusutan dito para maiwasan ko 'yang mga yan?" Sabi ko sabay turo sa likod ko.

"Hmm, ayaw mo talaga?"

Napa-ikot na lang mata ko at natawa si pres. "Okay, teka lang. Tawagin ko lang si Eliza, gamay na gamay nya na ang escape route ng mga actors para maka-iwas sa ganyan." The heck!? Bakit si clean freak pa?!

Napasimangot na lang ako ng tawagin ni pres si Eliza. After telling her that i just wanna get out of here, di naman nagreklamo si clean freak na tulungan ako makalabas dito. She led me to the backstage at may pintuan pala dito, yung escape route nga ng mga actors.

"Okay, thanks for the help." Yon na lang nasabi ko sa kanya, pero bago ako umalis ay kinausap nya pa ko.

"Hey, uhm... congratulations, you were great back there." Aniya.

"Yeah, you too." Then she suddenly grabbed my arm. Napatingin lang ako sa kanya at naghintay pa ng kaniyang sasabihin.

She gave me this meaningful look that made me know what to expect next. "I know you hate me. But still, i won't let this chance go by..."

Her eyes were literally telling me everything she wanted to say. "Ruben, even though i might get rejected. Just please let me say this. I've always liked you. Ever since we met, even when you still didn't know me... I always liked you! Even now! Even if you're the worst jerk! I really like you!!" Then napabitiw sya sa akin.

I stared at her for a minute, then the least i could do was smile and place my hand on top of her head. "You got guts, i like that. But just like you said, you're rejected."

Natawa lang sya pero halata ang lungkot sa kanya. "I know. Nag baka sakali lang."

"Okay then, i'll be going now." Paalam ko dahil uwing-uwi na talaga ako.

Napakaway na lang sya sa akin at umalis na ako.

Napabuntong hininga na lang ako dahil sobrang exhausting ang araw na 'to. I also asked myself, could things get worst today for me? I hope not.

But i guess fate won't let me rest just yet. Bago ako umuwi sa bahay, pumunta muna ako sa dati kong tambayan. Ang park na malapit sa subdivision namin, and i saw someone unexpected at my usual place.

She was crying helplessly, and as our eyes met she looked like she was waiting for comfort to come to her. "Wow, haven't seen you in a while." Sabi ko sa kanya.

She wiped her own tears. "...Ruben." i heard her whisper my name.

"Ano? Akala ko ba masaya ka sa kanya?" I don't want to be like the antagonist here, but she's just bringing the worst out of me. I can't help but make her feel more bad than she does right now.

to be continued