Regret 2 (What are They Up To?)

Reign

We welcomed 2 new members, Neil Alcantara and Kyle Arden Scott. And up until today, they are the only recent members.

We stopped recruiting. And nobody left after Jason. Those things happened after we decided that we are gonna keep the band to ourselves. We brought the band outside the school premises. So, we now manage the band by our own.

I have successfully transferred my responsibilities to Neil just before I graduated. Years already passed, and now everyone has graduated. All of us are focused to the band's activities though we also have other things to do in life. That's how we love D-Band.

We are siblings by heart. It's just that between me and Neil, there is this a little bit awkwardness, since every other member of D-Band knows I am attracted to Neil.

Worse, Neil knows. I know for a fact that sometimes, I make it obvious since I care so much about him. And I don't know if I should consider it a good or a bad thing that he plays everything cool, even though everybody in the band knows that he knows.

I freely talk about these feelings with all our other bandmates when he's not around. Luckily, they respect everyone's secrets and feelings, so if it's not necessary, they won't butt in and tell unnecessary confessions.

They love me so much. I can feel it. That is why I also love them so much.

Let's stop rewinding, let me focus on what is happening by now.

It's already late at night of Wednesday. We are done practicing the 3 songs we are gonna sing at the Battle of the Bands in the City, a famous competition that we never expected we'd be invited to.

I'm the only girl in the group, and unfortunately also the only one who doesn't have a wheel or whatever mode of transportation to own. Luckily, Kyle who eventually became my bestfriend has his motorcycle, and always offers to fetch and send me home.

Tonight's the second to the last practice for the upcoming competition since we agreed to rest for the next 2 days.

The competition will be held on Sunday. So, we are going to take our final rehearsal on Saturday.

Everybody's excited, and at the same time nervous.

"What are you gonna do tomorrow?" Kyle break the silence.

We're on his motorcycle, heading to my residence.

"I feel like I'm bound to just eat and sleep", I honestly reply.

This is the first ever competition that we are participating to. So, we were giving all our efforts preparing for the competion these past few days. So, I'm going to enjoy the upcoming 2 days.

It's not that I was not enjoying during these past few days' practices and all. It's just that I feel like I had not given myself a break from all our our band's gigs.

"Not so you", Kyle comments.

I laugh. He knows me so well. I'm the kind of person who doesn't want to relax before an important event.

"I'm confident we'll do well", I'm being honest again.

"You're pressuring me", he laughs.

We both laugh.

Kyle plays the keyboard. He sometimes sings when we need male second voice. He's very talented. But what I like the most in him is his personality, especially towards me. He's the one who most spoils me in the band. He's 1 year younger than me, but he acts as my older brother.

I love him as my bestfriend. Because of him, I tend to be comfortable with guys. I now prefer to be friends with guys than girls. I find my friendship with guys more genuine than my friendship with girls.

As I get off his motorcycle, we kiss each other goodbye. No malice. That's us.

I turn around to open our gate. All the lights in the house are already off. The only light that's still on is the one in our terrace. I close the gate and hear Kyle's engine sound disappearing as he drives away.

Just as I rummage my bag for my keys, I notice I don't have my phone inside it.

"Oh, common!" I exclaim.

Have I left it at Neil's condo, or have I dropped it while we're on the drive? That's what I asked myself.

Me being indecisive, I sit on one of our chairs in the terrace for few minutes, thinking what to do. While trying to remember when and where I last had it, I hear footsteps of someone inside the house coming near me, and the lights in our living room are turned on. Next thing I knew, my mother is already standing next to me.

"OhGodyouscaredme!" I have almost shouted those supposed to be phrases but came as one word. I feel my heart as it jumps out my chest.

"That's my line", she unbelievably replies. "You don't have to shout", she adds.

"Well, that's not yet a shout for me", I laugh.

"Here, Neil's on the other line", she says while handing her phone to me. That's the time I notice she has her phone on her hand while she's holding her chest upon the shock.

Hearing Neil's name from my mother's mouth makes my heart jump for the second time around this late evening. Plus he might have heard what happened between my mother and me. Crazy, right?

I guess he's calling about my phone. I really might have left it on his condo.

I'm biting my lips as I reach my hands out for the phone.

"Hi", I don't even know how to talk to him while my mother's near.

"Reign?" I think he's confirming I'm the one on the line now.

"Yes", so I confirm.

"You left your phone", as usual, he's saving his words.

"Oh, yeah.. Sorry, I just remember it a little while ago. Too late, Kyle already left", I explain.

"So?" he asks.

I'm not sure what he is thinking. I have the ability to get what other people are thinking by looking at their faces and/or listening to them. But when it comes to Neil, I find it hard applying that ability. He's unreadable. All I'm sure of is he's too cool. That's my nice term of unfriendly and impassive.

"I'll just come by tomorrow", I pause as a realization strikes me.

Is he or will he think that I intentionally left it to visit him there tomorrow? No way! I close my eyes as I thought about it.

"Still there?" he asks with a little bit impatience in his tone.

"I'm sorry. Uhmm.. I-I'll g-get it tomorrow", now I'm stammering.

I don't want him to think that way.

"I'll be with Leila tomorrow. I don't know her plans yet. So, I'll just bring it with me. I'll tell you when and where you can get it", finally I got more lines from him.

And by that, though I have not responded yet, the call was ended.

That's Neil.. specially to me.

I turn to get my mother's reaction, but it turns out she's giving me a how-did-it-go look. And that's great! She doesn't have to know Neil's true nature towards me.

Morning comes and I feel it weird not having my phone on my hands early in the morning. But when I think that it's on Neil's, a smile is automatically drawn on my face.

I am supposed to wait for him to give me the go signal to get my phone. He could ring our telephone number, or contact anyone of my family members since he has all of their contact numbers. Well, everybody in the band has it, and so do I have their emergency contact person details.

While waiting, I decide to make myself busy by going back to writing. I write my say about life such as family, friendship, school/learning, career, love, failure, success, and many more. I am doing this for fun since high school. With this old netbook I have, I have written a lot. And if I'm going to publish this as a physical book, I guess I'll have a few like those encyclopedias in a typical library. I'm that kind of a writer, especially during pre D-Band era.

It's already noon when I notice the time. I was so hooked up into writing again that I forgot to check for it. I already expected this to happen, but atleast on my expectation, I included Neil to give me update. But none so far.

Mama and Papa, as what I call my parents, are both teachers. They are at school today. So, that leaves me and my elder brother at home. Neil should have known that. If he is going to give me update, ringing the home phone or my brother's phone is his best thing to do.

What is he up to? I think to myself. Then I remember.. What are they up to? should be my question.

Cause today is one of the Neil-and-Leila days that all of us in the band respect. That's how we became supportive for Neil's happiness, setting aside mine cause that's what I want the rest to do.

And just as I walk to the living room to relax, the doorbell rings. Nobody else is in here since my brother is upstairs. So I open the door.

And there they are.. Neil and Leila.