Chapter II: Meet me Halfway

Ashley POV

I was eating in my office ng biglang isang sharp tone ang narinig ko mula sa Grand piano. It gaves me a goosebump and a skip a beat, dahil if I know ako nalang ang naiwang tao dito sa club. Hanggang sa may narinig akong isang tawa.

A laugh that sounds like a possessed and it adds a really threathening situation para sakin!.

I startle and grab my two drumsticks. Eto lang ang malapit sakin ee. I made it a cross. Unti unti akong lumabas ng office to see kung multo nga yung nagpapatugtog ng Grand Piano. Actually, I heard rumores na may nagmumulto dito sa lower class but i didnt think that, dito mismo sa Club na to.

Ilang weeks pa kasi bago matapos yung Renovation ng Music Hall kaya eto nagtitiyaga kami sa maliit na club room na to.

I was too scared to do this and I cant scream dahil alam ko namang walang tao dito kung hindi ako lang. Kaya naman I calm myself and be brave enough to be ready for anything. Although may kaba at kabog dito sa dibdib ko but still...

Miya miya ay nagbago ang tugtog. From Bumbleebee to just the way you are song?.

Wait...

Does ghost can play piano this very well? I hope not.

Nabawasan ng kaunting kaba yung nararamdaman ko but still I thought for the worst. I open my the door silently as possible dahil baka manotice ako ng white lady or bloody face....

.

.

.

Kyyaa!!

I closed my eyes while opening the door. Yeah! It was like Im staring in pure nightmares. Really, Ashley? Yan yung proof mo para mapatunayan mong ghost nga yung nagpeplay ng piano?

Great!...

Wala akong enough courage to see whos or what being is playing the freaking Piano. Im nearing at my fastest heartbeat. Wow! A new record for me. Really.

I convince myself that hindi ghost ang nagpipiano kung hindi isang imahinasyon ko lang dahil medyo kulang na din ako sa tulog at kailangan na kailangan ko nun. I gently open my left eye only to peek. Actually hindi ko makita kung multo nga ba or what yung nagpeplay ng piano due to the cover of the piano.

Miya miya may na notice ako na isang bagay na kahit papaano nagpa hinga sakin ng malaki. Isang Bag sa may ilalim ng stand. I completely open my two eyes hanggang sa makita ko na isang guy na nakangiting nagpapatugtog ng piano. He was enjoying to play the keys.

Na drain lahat ng takot at kaba ko. Buti nalang totoong tao. Akala ko katapusan ko na. By the way...

He has a great ears para paglaruan ang mga notes to made a new rendition to this song ah!.

Hindi ko lang marinig yung boses niya kasi para siyang pabulong kung kumanta.

Wait a minute....

He looks familiar?

Hindi ko lang matandaan kung saan pero...

Yeah! I remember now sa may hallway. Siya yung nakabunggo sakin.

Aba!

What a fate of luck..

May taste din pala siya sa music ah! But I didn't know na member siya ng Club? Or...

"A-ah!... eh..." He stuttered nung nakita niya ako na para bang nakakita ng multo.

Dali dali niyang kinuha yung bag niya then he run fast palabas ng room. I tried make follow him but I didnt do. I have a weak lungs kaya hindi na din possible na maabutan ko pa siya.

I didnt know his name pero he drop something. I picked up. It looks like a key of something. It has a G clef symbol sa may handle.

Hmmm...

By the way,I like the way he plays the piano. He fitted to the Club I must say. But how? I didnt notice his uniform dahil sa ambilis ng pangyayare nung makita niya ko..

But from the way he plays baka he was in the Green Class.

Charlie POV

Two days have passed and I'm doomed. Plus naiwala ko pa yung kaisa isang bagay na pinakamahalaga sakin.

Ang susi ko..

Nalaglag ko ata last friday sa music club. Kainis na buhay to.

"uyy!! Ethang" napalingon ako sa tumawag sakin. Nakita kong tumatakbo si Freya papunta sakin.

Eto na naman po siya..

"Sabay na tayong pumasok?" she smiled. Kahit medyo butil butil na pawis niya sa noo. Ka aga aga pinagpapawisan?

Grabe! Ang lapit lang ng tinakbo nito pinagpawisan na agad.

Dinukot ko yung panyo ko sa bulsa at pinunasan ko yung pawis niya. "ang lapit lang ng tinakbo mo pinagpawisan ka na agad? Try mo din kasi mag cardio paminsan minsan" sabi ko habang pinupunasan ko siya ng pawis sa noo. She only smiled at me. The creepy smile. Ang weird nito?!.

"Hmm... sige pag iisipan ko" Nanguuto nitong sabi. Agad kong binigay sa kanya yung panyo at tinignan lang niya ito na tila nagtataka.

"kunin mo. Saiyo na iyan amoy pawis mo na yan e" sabi ko. Napakunot naman siya ng noo.

"Tsk" singhal nito. Aba't...

"oy! Armando karusso yan Freya, kung makapandiri ah! Pawis mo lang din naman yan, chura mo!" sabay itinapal ko sa mukha niya yung panyo kong pinagpunasan ng pawis niya. Saka naglakad na ko palayo. Alangan gamitin ko pa yun. Panay pawis na niya yun ee.

"sandali!" she hurriedly follow me. sabay na kami naglakad papasok.

Halos iisang building lang naman yung class namin kaya minsan nasasabay na din siyang mag lakad papasok ng klase.

Habang naglalakad kami sa school grounds ay may mga naririnig na kong usap usapan ng mga chismosa dahil syempre obviously she is a Green Class tapos sumasabay sakin na tiga Brown Class.

Yeah! Fudge discrimination.

Habang papalapit na kami sa building ay agad itong nagtanong. "Ano nagbago na ba isip mo? Huh! Ethang?" She opened up that topic again.

Ni hindi ko na nga naiisip yun ee pinaalala pa. Mas iniisip ko ngayon na baka ipadampot ako ng mga blue collar students dahil sa nagawa kong trespassing sa club nila.

"No. Isa pa diba nga may nakakita sakin na ginagamit ko yung piano without permission" Nabanggit ko kasi sa kanya about the thing na ginawa ko at alam niyo lang sinabi niya that night?

She laughed at me at sinabihan pa kong 'lakas ng tama mo'. Ang galing. Napaka bestfriend thing niya talaga diba.

"Hay.. nako sinabi ko naman saiyo nakilala ka ba niya? Alam ba niya yung color ng collar mo?" Di ko alam kung pinapagaan niya yung loob ko o may iniisip to ee..

"Kilala mo ba yung nakakita saiyo? Hindi natin sure diba?!.." dagdag pa niya.

"...Malay mo member lang siya dun or bagong recruit diba? tapos di siya juror sa may Music Hall mamayang hapon diba. Kaya sige na sumali kana!" Segway niya sabay tulak tulak pa..

Galing sumegway ah!..

"edi ikaw nalang yung sumali. Basta hindi mo ko mapapasali jan" Basta buo na yung desisyon ko.

Oo hindi ko siya kilala but still baka member parin siya ng club tas isinumbong ako edi pano na, Tsaka last sign up na nung friday kaya kahit umuoo ako ngayon di na ko makakasali.

Bigla namang tumunog ang school bell nung pumatak nang 7:30 a.m, naghiwalay na din kami ng destinasyon ni Freya. Sa kabilang wing kasi siya at lahat ng green collars.

Pumasok na ko sa classroom at sakto ding pumasok na din si Mam Aira. Our science teacher.

"Good morning Class" and we stood up then greet.

"alright! Seat down everybody. Last meeting we talk about..." and the Science class starts. Di parin mawala sa isip ko yung nangyare last friday dahil may nakakita sakin, Pero nagtataka ako dahil wala pang dumadating na utos kung saan ipapadeny na yung tuition ko or worst...

"Hindi maaari! Ayaw ko!" Unconscious kong nasabi yung nasa isip ko.

Fudge!!...

Nasigaw ko yung nasa isip ko!. Nakatingin naman silang lahat sakin dahil sa nagawa ko.

"Mr. Gonzales!" Ok! what now?! "What are you talking about? Anong hindi maaari ang sinasabi mo?" Mam Aira asked me.

I looked really fudge up.. Lord ano bang nangyayare sakin!..

Bigla namang tumunog yung bell.. luckily..

Yes! Saved by the bell..

"Ok class see you tomorrow. Mr. Gonzales detention" utos ni Maam Aira. Okay na to kesa mas lalong malubog sa kahihiyan.

Halos lahat ng kaklase ko nakalabas na at naiwan na naman ako. Nakaharap kay mam Aira.

"Mr. Gonzales before anything else ano bang nangyare saiyo kanina? What are you talking about?" she confront me. Umiling nalang ako. But she gave me a high eyebrow.

Mas maloloko ako kakaisip pag sinabi ko sa kanya..

"If nangyari pa ulit to tandaan mo dadalhin kita sa principal's office. Alam mo naman ang rules dito sa school and you have to follow lalo na't Brown Collar Class ka. Understood?" I just Nod and got out at pumunta na sa susunod na class which is Math.

Hours passed by at hindi ko padin maalis sa isip ko kung bakit di pa ko pinapatawag or what. But is this blessing in disguise? Hayy... ewan mapufrustrate lang ako kakaisip.

Ashley POV

"Alright! Class dismissed" The class packed their things to take their breaks.

"Ash are you going to the cafeteria?" Milly ask me. I curtly dissent nod and smile. "Ok. Una na kami" at umalis na sila. I also packed my things and got out. The hallway seems so lively dahil sa mga nakatambay sa bawat pillars of the corridors. Agad akong nagtungo sa susunod na classroom which is the History Class.

As always Im least person you will see in this room. 10 minutes pa kasi before this class starts.

Kaya naman maaga din akong dinapuan ng kaboringan. Minabuti ko muna na ilabas ko mula sa bag ko yung Brass Flute ko. Medyo matagal tagal na din akong di nakakapag wind instrument baka rusty na ko.

I clean it first then I warm up breath before practicing my play.

As I start my beat sa tap ng kaliwang paa ko. The music seems fromas I close my eyes and feel the rhythm of the sound playing through my head. My reflexes start to put the instrument in sounds.

I've been hearin' symphonies

Before, all I heard was silence

A rhapsody for you and me

And every melody is timeless

Life was stringin' me along

Then you came and you cut me loose

Was solo, singin' on my own

Now I can't find the key without you

As it gentles music flows in my ears, I feel the melody that strums my head

And now your song is on repeat

And I'm dancin' on to your heartbeat

And when you're gone, i feel incomplete

So, if you want the truth

Music hugs me like it was the moment of the centuries

I just wanna be part of your symphony

Will you hold me tight and not let go?

Symphony

Like a love song on the radio

Will you hold me tight and not let go?

Im sorry if it's all too much

Everyday you're here, im healin'

And I was runnin' outta luck

I never thought I'd find this feelin'

Cause I've been hearin' symphonies

Before all I heard was silence

A rhpsody for you and me

And every melody is timeless

As I open my eyes, maraming ang biglang nag palakpakan sa paligid ko.

Hala! Bat biglang daming tao dito? I feel my face turn into tomato. Kakahiya.

"Galing talaga niya no!"

"grabe! What more pa kaya sa specialty niyang instrument na piano"

"Kaya sobra talaga akong humahanga sa kanya"

Words coming out from their mouth. Habang nagpapalakpakan sila. I only smiled as a token of appreciation sa kanila. Eto lang kasi kaya kong gawin for them. Unti unti namang naglaho yung mga palakpakan nila as Sir Michael enters.

"What are you all doing here? The show has already ended" paalis ni sir sa mga Scarlet at Blue collar Class na pumasok. "Ms. Vallencourt this is not the Music Class to perform your excellent talent" He said sarcastically to me after students left the room. Naiintindihan ko naman yung point ni sir and I curtly bowed at him. Expressing my apology.

Minutes later, isa isa na ding pumasok yung mga kaklase ko and I kept my flute. As I put it back in its case a sound of a tapped key I heard.

May susi akong dala? Oh! I forgot the key that the guy left. Kinuha ko at sinukbit sa leeg ko. Baka kasi makalimutan ko ulit na nasa bag ko mawala ko pa. Isasauli ko sa kanya to pag nakita ko siya at irerecruit ko siya.

I need his talent..

Although hindi pa ganun kapulido yung skills niya but I see potentials in him. Great potentials.