five

lima

Reward

"What took you so long?" Vortigern clicked his tongue at the sight of me. His eyes narrowing as he saw them grin at him proudly as if they've accomplished the hardest of task.

My knees ressembled noodles as I took him in. His hair disheveled, the black long sleeved shirt he wore; unbuttoned at the top showcasing his masculine chest, him leaned on the tiny black sofa with a can of coke in hands as his legs were spread in a manly way. Vortigern Zacarìas was a vision to behold. I felt unworthy to see him, even breathe the same air as him. That's how powerful he is.

"Ano ginagawa niya'n dito?" his jaw clenched while scanning my frightened form.

"She's our muse!" Zemex said as his chest puffed out with pride.

Vortigern smirked, his eyes shifting to mine. "Muse, huh?" his tone mocking me. "She doesn't even look like she knows how to sing." He plops his back down the sofa.

Napakurap ang aking mata. Kakanta? Ba't 'di ako na-inform dito? They said all I had to do was sit and look pretty! Mga scam! A panicked expression morphs their faces like they were dropped in cold water. Lahat sila'y napatingin sa'kin.

"What?"

"Marunong ka naman kumanta 'di ba?" Ani Yce. "We haven't mentioned you singing, hehe."

Could I sing? Of course, without a doubt. I used to be part of our junior chorale in elementary, tumigil lang ako dahil tinamad na 'ko sumali sa mga practice and I focused on my dancing instead. But, I didn't want to tell them that I could. A part of me wanted to be with Vortigern on stage, yet, another fraction of my mind wanted to escape the humiliation. Humiliation that Vortigern's probably planning right now inside his mind. He might not have say it out loud but I could read it through his eyes.

"No," iling ko. Ayokong sabihin ang totoo, dahil ayokong mag-perform sa harap kasama 'yan.

"Hala p're. Pa'no 'to?" Zemex panicked demeanor catches our attention. "Why does she have to sing, p'wede naman ata na 'di nalang s'ya kumanta?"

Vortigern scoffed. "The song's a duet, Zemex. Keilangan mo'ng humanap ng bago if she can't sing." his hard eyes bore into mine. "Masyado kayong nag-expect from a low class girl."

My hands ball into a fist. Ba't minamaliit niya 'ko? From what I know, wala naman akong inaapakang tao. Ba't inis na inis siya sa'kin?

"How about we jus—" Bhaltair tried to say but he was cut off by the stage director.

"Guys, five minutes left. Prepare na kayo para diretso nalang kayo sa harap." sabi nito at sinara na ang pinto.

Hinilot ni Bhaltair ang sentido niya, nagpapakalma at nag-iisip ng gagawin. Si Yce at Zemex naman ay nagtatalo na naman sa gilid, nagbibintangan ang dalawa. Habang si Trevion ay lumiwanag ang mukha.

"Okay, how 'bout this? We just make it into our own version? Let's do it the Nexus way." Trevion explains. "Hindi na keilangan kumanta ni Hate, we can sing her part. Make it a cover with our own little twist. 'Pag part mo na," Tumingin ito sa'kin kaya lahat sila napatingin rin sa direksyon ko. "Just be flirty with each other, okay? Okay! Let's go, it's show time!"

Tumayo sila, bitbit na ang mga gamit nila pangtug-tog at lumabas na sa waiting room. Kaming dalawa na lang ni Vortigern ang natira dito sa loob. I cast my eyes down my feet as if they're the more interesting thing in the world when I say him staring at me.

"Ayusin mo mamaya." his voice, cool and filled with solemn. "I'll consider going to your party if you do great."

I heard the heavy steps of his expensive leather shoes halting in front of me. My feet now kissing with his. A finger under my chin tips me up to look at him. My heart fastened it's pace as I'm now aware of the distance of our face. We're only centimetres apart. If I move closer, I would definitely feel his lips on mine.

"You be a good girl now," his breathe fans my lips. "Maybe I'll reward you if you manage to pull this off."

Sobrang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko nang lumapit siya lalo sa'kin, but our lips never touched. A corner of his mouth twinged upwards at the sight of my breatheless state before untucking his finger under my chin. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag nang umalis na siya at sumunod na sa mga ka-banda niya. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero nanghihina ako, grabe ang epekto niya. Tumayo ako ng tuwid at inayos ang uniform ko upang maging presentable tingnan sa harap ng iba. Blowing out a breathe of air before joining the guys on stage.

May malaking kurtina na kulay pula ang nakaharang sa'min para di makita ng ibang estudyante. They were setting up their equipments and a stage staff thrusted a microphone in front of my face.

"A-ano—" nagtataka kong tanong ngunit 'di ko pa nasasabi ang gusto kong sabihin ay naunahan na 'ko. "Duet kayo ni Vortigern 'di ba?" Ani ng babaeng nakasuot ng kulay itim na t-shirt, 'di 'man lang 'to tumingin sa'kin at nanatili ang tingin niya sa hawak niyang papel.

Aangal na sana ako ngunit hindi ako nabigyan ng pagkakataon nang umalis na siya at sinigaw sa lahat na isang minuto na lamang ang natitirang oras bago mag-simula ang show. The staff and teachers buzzed through the stage like busy bees collecting honey for their queen. I observe the microphone given to me. Blue and glitter decorated the heavy object, mukhang customised 'to para sa Nexus. Hindi na ako nagtaka kung bakit customised yung microphones nila, they're probably rich and spoiled like most of the students here.

It's no secret that Northride Charter University (NCU)'s one of the most prestigious school in the Philippines. The acceptance rate is low, you either get in by money and fame or you get in with your knowledge. Only the best of the best, as our principle would say. Ako, kaya lang naman ako nakapasok dito because of Maeve. We met through an unusual setting. Let's just say after that, she liked me a lot and demanded to her father to enrol me here. My family's not that rich. We have a few small businesses in Canada and Saudi Arabia but they're not doing so well.

I sauntered my way to the guys, Zemex noticed my presence immediately and waved a hand at me. His eyes travel down the shiny blue mic in my hands. "Oh, ba't ka may mic?" nagdikit ang kanyang makapal na kilay.

"The staff gave it to me," paliwanag ko.

"What? Zemex, you dumb shit. Haven't you told the staff of our plan yet, she's not supposed to sing!" Yce glared at his bandmate with ice cold daggers.

"Man, I kind of forgot..." kamot nito sa ulo niya, "B-but, I'm sorry alrig—"

"30 seconds left!"

Mukhang pagsasabihan pa ito ni Yce subalit humarang si Vortigern sa dalawa at pinatong ang kamay niya sa balikat ng kaibigan. Nagkatinginan sila. "Hayaan mo na, Yce." Sumulyap siya sa'kin. "Kaya niya naman siguro 'to."

My hands suddenly became sweaty as did my back, the thought of singing in front of a crowd again caused my nerves to come to life. It had been a while, I'm not sure if I'm still as good or if I'd do great enough to reach Vortigern's expectations.

Tightening the grip on the microphone, I nod with determination at them. His lips twitch upwards to a small— barely there— smile. The butterflies in my stomach caused havoc at the sight. I almost sighed before reminding myself of our situation right now. Binulong sa'kin ni Bhaltair ang kanta. Buti nalang ay alam ko ang lyrics nito. My heart hammered against my chest, the fear of messing up overpowering my senses. Wala 'man lang kaming practice.

Albeit I'm no foreigner to rushed performances and I've done well in situations such as this before. I blow out a breathe of air, somewhat to ease my nervousness and reduce the shaking of my hands. Pumwesto na 'ko sa harap, malapit sa border ng stage at katabi ni Vortigern na may hawak na gitara. Mero'n ding microphone stand na nakahanda para sa kanya, kinabit n'ya na ang blue mic niya do'n.

The last time I've performed was way back in 7th grade, matagal-tagal na. That's why I'm not as confident as before. Lalo na't si Vortigern kasama ko, nahihiya ako at baka mapahiya ko pa sila ng banda niya.

"Mic test, hello, hello, Nexus. One, two, three. One, two, three." Si Vortigern.

Mukhang na-recognise agad ito ng mga manonood, mga hiyaw at tili ang bumungad sa'min. Sumilay ang ngiti sa kanilang mga labi at tumawa si Zemex. Bhaltair tapped his drumsticks, counting one to three. A surprised squeal escaped my mouth as a hand latched around my waist, pulling me close to a warm body.

My breathe hitched as Vortigern's face inched closer to mine. "Stay close to me," he said. "'Wag kang mag-assume, 'di kita type. It's only for the sake of our performance."

Umiwas ako ng tingin. "O-okay," nauutal kong sagot.

Nang bitawan na niya ang bewang ko ay saka pa 'ko nakahinga ng maluwag. I caught him glancing at me for a moment before looking back at his friends, he nods at them which they immediately respond to. Like an unspoken word between them, "One, two. One, two, three and—" Bhaltair starts before the harmony of guitars filled my ears.

The curtains swung open, revealing us to the curious eyes of the students. Hinigpitan ko ang hawak ko sa microphone nang sinimulan na ni Vortigern ang pag-kanta. Ang malamig niyang boses as pinuno ang buong quadrangle, napatigil ang lahat sa mga ginagawa nila. Ang mga mukhang walang interes ay biglang nabuhayan at napasulyap sila dito sa stage. Lumunok ako nang nahanap ng mga mata ko sina Maeve at Helios na pumapalakpak para sa'kin. Tumawa pa ang mga ito at ngumingiti dahilan ng pag-ngiti ko rin. Nagpigil ako ng tawa at kinagat ang labi ko ng maramdaman ang paginit ng pisngi ko. Binalik ko na ang tingin ko kay Vortigern na nakapikit habang kumakanta.

"And I wonder where you are, you're a million miles away." Nagtama ang aming mga mata, bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. "'Cause I need you now, you're the love that I have hoped for."

Na-estatwa ako nang tumigil ito sa paggi-gitara at kinalas ang mic sa stand bago lumapit sa'kin. Mas lumakas ang tili at hiyaw ng mga manonood nang makita nilang hinawakan ni Vortigern ang bewang ko at hinila ako palapit sa kanya. And just like that, it was as if it were only the two of us in the wide area. Siya lang ang nakikita ko, wala ng iba.

"You are everything I asked for." Para akong hinaharana ng isang anghel. "'Cause I'm falling faster like a train of love, coming right and getting close to you."

Pasimple siyang tumango sa'kin, reminding me of my turn to sing. Kumapit ang isa kong kamay sa balikat niya, bahaya siyang nagulat ngunit 'di niya pinakita 'yon. Itinaas ko ang mic sa labi ko, "Like a movie scene, I'm watching all the time. Like a child, I'm running forward into you."

His arm tightened around my waist at the sound of my voice. "And I wonder if there's something I could do to make you mine."

"'Cause I need you now," (I need you now,) sinabayan ko siya, harmonising our voices. "You're the love that I have hoped for." (You're the love that I have hoped for.)

His lip twinged upwards before undoing his arm around my waist, taking a hold of my hand in his. I swayed to the beat, his eyes never wavered from me. Siguro, kung 'di ko lang alam na ginagawa niya 'to para lang sa performance, i-isipin ko na may gusto siya sa'kin. Assumera na kung assumera.

And I'm falling faster like the speed of light, shining bright and chasing over you.

Now I'm closer into you (Closer into you.)

There is nothing I can ask for, there is no one else but you.

You are everything I hope for and this ain't over 'cause I'm closer into you.

He twirls me around before pulling me closer to him. The soft tune of the piano surrounds us like a trail of music as we sway to the beat. I wrap one arm around his neck as he captures my waist with his left arm. I'm drowning in his honey-like voice, his eyes hypnotising me in his spell. My eyelids weighed down as I sang out the lyrics.

Vortigern pressed our foreheads together, the cheers and screams of the students deafen out as his nose lined up to mine.

"I'm closer into you," bulong n'ya sa mic. The curtains shut, leaving the students wild as we breathe heavily. Napapikit siya, pinatay na ang mic gamit ang kanyang kanang kamay. "Good job," puri niya sa'kin.

'Di ko inasahan ang sunod niyang gagawin. Kinulong niya ang mukha ko sa malaki niyang kamay at hinalikan ang noo ko. My eyes flutter shut as his lips pressed on my forehead.

"That's your reward."