Chapter 1 : I'm Late

Hey! Ako nga pala si Silas Sullivan and this is my story, totally cliché. I'll try to explain everything later, because right now I'm running as fast as I can, even though I am still feeling drowsy, dahil napasarap ang tulog ko kanina, I must not be late in our first practice. Pero habang tumatakbo ako ay narinig kong umungol ang tiyan ko. This is bad, I forgot to eat my breakfast. I feel like I'm using all of my energy by running and carrying this heavy bass guitar on my back. And now I'm covered with sweat, dammit! I hate this body of mine, parang gusto ko nalang ma-pass out dito sa hallway. Kung sakali man ay ma-late ako, then my groupmates or should I say my 'bandmates' are going to k*ll me, but I will accept my fate, so try to understand my situation okay?

It took me 15 minutes to run from my dorm to our designated practice room, bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko nang makita ko ang pintuan. Ayaw kong masigawan at mapagalitan dahil late ako. I'm a sensitive person, I don't like being scolded, ayaw kong masaktan ang feelings ko.

My eyes widened when I saw what's inside the practice room, it was empty, no one was there. Joke ba 'to? Are they pranking me as a punishment for being late? Na-check ko ang number ng room and this is where we're supposed to practice. Wait, bakit ang slow ko? Of course, sila ang late! Ang sarap sa pakiramdam na late ka na nga pero mas late pa ang iba. It feels like I've been awarded with the most punctual award.

I'm just gonna sit here in a chair while I wait for them, though it sounds so boring. Kinuha ko ang phone ko and I tried to find a song that will suit my mood right now.

Kasalanan bang magdahan-dahan

Nag-iingat lang dahil ayaw kitang saktan

Kung pwede munang huminga ng malalim...

Huli na ba ang lahat

Huli na ba ang lahat

Huli na ba ang lahat

Kung tayo sa huli, 'wag nang magmadali...

While I wait for the others I'll try to explain the important stuff. Music is a way to communicate to different people in the world. The world loved music, and music is about expressing love. A decade ago there was a famous band, almost all of the people in the world recognized and loved them and their songs. They inspired millions of fans, and some of them became musicians themselves. The band was passionate in making and sharing music, they decided to build a huge school, an academy, so they can teach young music enthusiasts from around the world on how to become a passionate musician, because they believed that "Music brings Harmony." The boarding school was named after the band's front man, the school's name is Ludwig Murray's Academy of Music.

International school siya kaya mahihirapan kang maka-enter, kailangan mong pumasa sa dalawang exam, the written exam, where your knowledge about music will be tested, and the demonstration, where you will show your skills in singing, playing instruments, or both. And of course you need to have a high level of luck, I mean skills. There is also a simple requirement that you need to have before you enter the school, kailangan marunong kang mag-speak ng English.

The curriculum here is a bit different from other schools, and kailangan mo lang magaral ng four years para maka-graduate, easy right? No. Sa first year ay ituturo sayo ang basic education about music, like the history of music, and different kinds of instruments, sa second year ay ituturo kung paano mo mapo-polish ang iyong skills sa instruments at sa pagkanta, sa third year naman ay kailangan pag-aralan kung paano magsulat ng sarili mong kanta, at sa final o fourth year ay tuturuan ka kung paano mag-produce ng music and other stuff that musicians do. But before the students graduate from the academy they must produce their own album.

"Silas wake up, tumutulo na ang laway mo," pang-aasar na nanggaling sa isang pamilyar na boses. Tinakpan ko ang aking bibig para i-check kung tumutulo talaga ang laway ko pero parang hindi naman. 'Di ko namalayan na nakatulog na pala ako kahihintay, at sa wakas ay dumating na sila.

"Oh bakit kayo late? Nakatulog tuloy ako," saad ko. "At hindi kaya tumulo yung laway ko!" sigaw ko kay Moss, ang gumising sa'kin kanina. Tumingin ako sa kanila, lima dapat kaming members sa group pero bakit tatlo lang kami ngayon na nandito? "Nasaan yung dalawa?" tanong ko na may halong pagkainis.

"I didn't saw them on my way here," paliwanag ni Julia. "Moss i-message mo nga yung dalawang yun." utos niya kay Moss, o mas kilala bilang Moses Niño, nagmula siya sa Spain. Madali lang talaga siyang sumunod sa mga utos ng babae pero kung ako ang nag-utos ay wala siyang pakialam, mas matanda daw kasi siya sa'kin at hindi daw ako babae. I knew that he's the only son of their family and he has three older sisters, maybe that's the reason he's chivalrous and kind towards women, that's why I liked him, and his like an older brother to me, minsan. We always got along, kasi minsan sabay kaming magpractice ng instruments, he's great on the drums and other percussions that's why I like playing music with him.

Kinuha niya ang kanyang phone, then he typed something, maybe he messaged the two missing members. Dapat kasi kanina nung dumating ako ay nagmessage ako sa kanila, but I was too lazy to do that.

"By the way Julia, pwede mong i-explain kung ano ang in-announce kahapon ni sir Terrel - our music teacher - ?" I kindly asked Julia, then I forced a smile.

"Ughh, next time remember to stay awake during class," may halong inis ang sagot niya.

Si Julia Lavinia, ay nagmula sa isang mayaman na pamilya sa Italya, iyon lang ang alam ko tungkol sa kanya. Sometimes naiinis ako sa kanya kasi hindi siya friendly sa'kin. Maybe na i-irritate siya sa pagmumukha ko, panget ba ako? Maganda siya, and many guys would fall for her gorgeous face and alluring hazel eyes. But she has a trashy attitude, she treat other people like they're inferior to her at minsan ay nang-iinsulto siya ng kapwa niya students. I would hate myself if I fall for I girl like her, totally not my type, though she's got real talent, she's skilled on the guitar, and she has a voice of an angel, wait -

"What're you doing? Were you imagining something? Gusto mo bang i-explain ko sa'yo o hindi?" pagtataas ng kilay ni Julia.

Of course hindi ko sasabihin sa kaniya kung ano ang iniisip ko, nakakahiya kaya! "Oh sorry, please tell me," sagot ko sa tanong niya.

"Sir Terrel said na every year ang mga second year ay kailangang magperform each month of the school year starting from August - this month - up to May. Our performance will be rated by the teachers and it will reflect in our grade, it's like having an examination every month. That's why we have to practice everyday in the last week of every month. We need to practice, we must have a perfect performance during the 'exam'," pagpaliwanag ni Julia.

Performance every month? Will reflect in our grade? Exam? My mind is still processing all the information, this may take a few minutes. Bakit hindi ko 'to alam? Akala ko dati nagko-concert lang ang mga second year para magpakita ng talent, exam pala nila yun? Pero kailan? Tinanong ko ulit si Julia "Kailan ang ba ang exact date ng pagpe-perform natin?"

"I don't know the exact date, but I think it's next wee -"

"Magpractice na tayo!" paniningit na sigaw ni Moss.

"Alright!" I shouted back. This is the reason that I liked him, his energy that motivates me to do things, even though I'm the laziest person ever. Someday he will become a great leader.

"Hey stupids, we're two members short, how're we supposed to practice?" pagtataas ng kilay ni Julia. May point ang sinabi niya, maybe we can just practice without the two.

"The two didn't replied," paglalahad ni Moss.

"Maybe they went out on a date," I said then laughed. Well, parang may mutual understanding naman yung dalawa. Seriously, kung maghintay pa kami ay posible na gutom lang ang dumating sa amin, and I'm already starving. "What if we just practice without the two, we have Moss on the drums, you, Julia, on the rhythm guitar and vocals, and me on the bass." I suggested.

"Okay then," Julia agreed.

"Let's start the show," Moss implied.

Wow, nag-agree sila sa akin, especially si Julia. Daling binuksan niya ang kaniyang gig bag at kinuha yung kulay pink niyang Fender Squier Mini Stratocaster guitar, inilagay niya ang strap at isinuot, at bumagay iyon sa suot niyang white polo at red vest and skirt, cute! My eyes can't handle this. Then I turned my eyes towards Moss, nakaupo na siya sa may kulay dark green niyang drum set na may tatak na 'Tama', hawak na niya ang kaniyang drum sticks, mukhang ready na siya. Kinuha ko na rin ang gig bag ko para kunin ang aking Rickenbacker 4003 Jetglo bass guitar. I put the leather strap then wore it, and yeah it's quite heavy but I'm used to carrying it, piece of cake. Me and Julia plugged in the cords of our instruments and of the microphone to the amplifier, I turned it on, then we tuned our instruments. Everything's ready I think.

Moss started counting backwards while he strike his two drum sticks. "3 2 1..."