3 TRACK 3

In music, there's this technique called modal interchange. It was the process of borrowing a chord from another mode and taking it into your song, and it was meant to take the listener by surprise. That's the reason why that A7 chord in the E-heads song, Ang Huling El-Bimbo was so dreamy and nostalgic. That's how this moment felt like - a Lydian ii... A haunting nostalgia. That song, Ikaw, Araw. The first one that I wrote for Macy, served as a reminder that I could never be with her again.

And now, this happened.

I couldn't believe it. Mai-mai... Macy's little sister. I've been gone too long, I didn't recognize her anymore.

I clutched my chest, gasping for breath as the band tried to figure out what was going on.

"Dee, what's this guy saying? Do you know him?" the skunk-haired guy asked.

Mai-mai... or Dee as her friends called her, nodded. She cried onto her hanky.

"She's my Ate Macy's best friend."

Her band mates all turned their heads towards me.

"I'm sorry for coming at you guys like this but I really can't let you use those songs," I said to them while shaking my head.

With my hand still over my chest, I drank my booze.

"If my Ate was here, she won't let my dreams get destroyed like this," Mai-mai whispered.

As the music started playing again from the speakers, I lowered my head and exhaled.

"Yeah. Things would've been a lot better if your Ate was here."

Drummer boy with side parted hair rubbed his hands nervously. "Dee. Let's just give him back his songs and get this over with. We're attracting too much unwanted attention."

The boy was right. Even more people were staring. I turned to face the bar once more and enjoy my drink in peace. I'd only got three bottles left in my second bucket. I still couldn't feel the buzz.

"Please leave me and my songs alone, guys. Do that, and you'll never see me again. I promise you."

"We will talk about it, Sir," said the spiky haired bassist.

"Let's get back to our table," the skunk-haired guitarist added.

They turned their backs and walked towards their booth.

When I was sure they were gone, I took a deep breath, raised my head, and closed my eyes. I covered my face with my right hand and cried.

I knocked down my beer in one long gulp and then slammed the empty bottle on the counter.

"This freakin' sucks!"

I lifted my head from the bar counter, then blinked my eyes to remove the blur of sleep. Another band was playing on the stage - Bossa Nova music filled the air while multi-colored lights danced around the bar.

Blinking my eyes once more, I looked at my watch. "11:30. Hmmm. I guess I should just keep on drinking 'til life becomes good again," I said with a chuckle.

I was about to order when I heard some commotion coming from behind me. I turned my head towards the slurred voice of a girl. It was Dee, being surrounded by three foreigners built like mountains.

Military men. And the worst kind - trashed military men. How'd they get this far into the city?

A white guy grabbed Mai-mai's hand and whispered something into her ear. She slapped him hard. Her band mates stood up to help her but the other creeps blocked their way. "Let's get out of this place, girl and have a good time," he shouted over the music as he touched Mai-mai's hip and pulled her close to him.

That was my cue to stand up.

With the veins on my temples at the edge of popping, I approached the drunk soldier. I cleared my throat and tapped the big guy's shoulder.

"Sir, please leave the girl alone. This is not that kind of bar."

He turned and leaned his head towards me with glassy eyes.

"That's for me to decide, pal," he sneered.

He gave me a shove. "Take a hike!"

I scoffed. "You think you could just come here and disrespect our women?"

The man spat on the floor near my foot then fixed his glare at me. Mai-mai was trying to let go of his clutches. "News flash for you, punk. They love being disrespected," he said with a nasty smile.

At this, he slapped Mai-mai's backside.

I clenched my teeth and punched the guy on his jaw. Then, he collapsed against a shrieking group of party girls and their boyfriends on a table nearby.

Someone grabbed my shoulder. It was one of the drunk soldier's behemoth friends. He spun me around and socked my eye.

I staggered back and grabbed a chair for support. Wincing and cursing, I touched my right eye. It was throbbing like mad.

I pulled up the sleeves of my hoodie.

Mai-mai's friends were already lying on the bar floor, knocked out by a combination of booze and standard issued punches.

The three guys towered above me, grabbing whatever they could hit me with.

What a bunch of wussies.

It felt like my first month at Webster High, only, with a bunch of army men, instead of wrestling jocks in the locker room.

This is where Papa's training pays off.

I assumed a boxing stance and beckoned one of the drunk angry dudes to come forward.

"Let's dance, fellas."

One guy lunged at me.

I twisted my body and he missed me. I struck his ribs with my right elbow. He fell down on fours and coughed.

The next moment was pandemonium with tables being overturned, more screaming and people running to the exit. Where are the bouncers when you need them?

Another one, this time a black man, leaped towards me. I ducked and used his momentum to throw him to the ground.

The last man left standing, came at me with a beer bottle, I blocked his strike with a swing of my right arm. I landed combo punches to his sides and then to his stomach. Like his friends, he fell to the floor groaning.

I was a victor with a nasty black-eye.

The stocky white dude who disrespected Mai-mai earlier groaned and struggled to get up. I crouched beside him and lifted the collar of his shirt.

"Lights out, Private!"

His face made a squishing sound as I landed a potent right hook on his cheek.

Seconds later, police sirens wailed outside of the bar.

I swung my head to the direction of the sound. "Shit! Cops!" What do I do now?

I looked for Mai-mai and found her semi-conscious, cocking her head from side to side and muttering to herself with eyes half open like Droopy the dog. I shook her shoulders to snap her out of her trance. "Mai, we need to go!"

She looked at me with bloodshot, half-closed eyes and snickered.

I grabbed her hand as the men in blue uniform bust into the bar arresting some of the brawlers who weren't even involved in our fight in the first place. I raced towards the kitchen, looking for another exit.

"Lolo, where are you taking me?" she yelled.

"Home!"

She hiccuped. "You don't even know where it is."

"Let's deal with that later. For now, we got to get out of here."

We escaped through the back door of the kitchen. When we were finally out, I cocked my head left and right, scanning the area to check if there were any cops near my red scooter.

Coast is clear.

Dragging the drunk girl who stole my songs and got me this black eye, I dashed towards my scooter. I removed the lock chained to the lamp post and mounted my cherry red Honda. Then, I turned to the girl.

"Hop in, Dummy!"

She frowned at me.

"Why are you like this, Lolo? It's a pity you're so mean. You're kind of cute."

"And you're kind of drunk. Now, hop in before I change my mind and leave you here for the cops."

She hopped on the backseat.

As I was placing a helmet over her head, she giggled. "Oooh! How exciting."

"You've never ridden a scooter before?" I asked while adjusting the straps to her helmet.

She shook her head and hiccupped. I turned my back, started the scooter and revved it.

I looked over my shoulder. "Hold tight."

She lightly placed both of her hands on my waist.

"You're going to fall off with that grip, Mai."

Then, she wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug and placed her head on my back. I sped off away from the bar as blood rose to my cheeks.

"Where are you staying, Mai?" I yelled over the sound of whipping wind as we were cruising along the motorway.

She hiccupped. "On planet earth," she said with a giggle.

I muttered a curse under my breath.

"I don't got no home. Margaux Dee... no home."

"What?"

"I said, I don't got no --"

Without a warning, she let out a loud vomiting sound behind me. I could feel the wet and slimy chunks on different areas of my shirt. I just cringed and almost teared up.

Good God. Why me?

"Oops! I'm sorry, Lolo," she said with a hiccup.

She placed her head on my back again like nothing happened. With nowhere else to go, I decided to head to my apartment.

Later, we arrived at my apartment in Cembo. I carried her up a flight of stairs to my flat on the third floor. It was no easy task.

When we got to my room, I laid her down on the bed, took off her shoes and pulled a blanket over her.

Covered in sweat, bloodstains, bruises, a black eye and traces of vomit, I was completely exhausted. I wanted to collapse onto the sofa but I just couldn't bear not to take a shower. I gingerly stood up. If muscles could talk, mine would be crying right now.

On my way to the bathroom, I grabbed a fresh towel from my cabinet and stopped by the bedroom to check on Mai-mai.

Her mouth gaped open and she was snoring loudly.

I snickered, relieved that she wasn't barfing anymore. But just in case...

I placed a small plastic trash can by the side of her bed. Then, I looked at her once more before leaving the room.

She scrunched up her nose and made chewing noises. I couldn't help but smile. Macy used to ugly sleep like thi-

I shook my head and closed my eyes.

Get a grip, man. It's been nine damn years already.