Last Dance - 1

I scanned the dim lighted gymnasium before my band was about to step on stage. In a minute now, the final dance of the night was about to start but I haven't seen even Vaughn's shadow. Even his best friend, Zeus doesn't know where he is. I feel disappointed and worried at the same time. I wanted him to be my first dance since I can't join for the last dance but he was nowhere to be found.

"What a lame Valentine's day for us." Said Rei, my guitarist. Na halatang bitter na bitter dahil sa sobrang pihikan nya ay wala man lang syang nakasayaw maski isa.

"Kasi naman besh, sana ikaw na nag-aya kay Adriane na sumayaw! Pabebe ka din eh!" Pang-aasar ng vocalist kong si Kristine na sinagot lang nya ng matalim na irap.

"Choosy ka kasi, di ka naman yummy." Asar naman ng bahista kong si Jupiter na sa halip na maapektuhan sa tila patalim na tumatarak sa kanya ang tingin na binibigay ni Rei ay mas pinili nyang bigyang pansin ang mga babaeng halatang nanghihinayang na hindi nila nagawang ayain ang isa sa mga kilalang heartthrob pero playboy ng Academy.

"Shut your mouth, Ju. Palibhasa kasi ikaw kahit sino na lang pinapatulan mo. Duh! I have standards you know! Hindi naman ako gaya mo na feeling yummy kahit di naman talaga." Mataray na sagot naman ni Rei na ikinailing ko na lang.

I've been with them for almost two years now, kaya sanay na ako sa bangayan nila minu-minuto. Hindi talaga makukumpleto ang araw nilang dalawa na hindi sila nagsasagutan. No wonder people didn't know that they're really best of friends. Para sa amin na nakakakilala sa kanila, mas nakakatakot kapag hindi na sila nag-iimikan. If that happens, there is something wrong.

"Hindi ko pa yata nakita si Vaughn ngayong gabi. Wala ba syang sinabi sayo nung nagpunta ka sa kwarto nya kanina?" Tanong ng keyboardist kong half-Japanese and half-Filipino na si Shiro. He's quite famous not only because the current king of ADA is his brother but also, he's one of the most wanted boys in the Academy. Hindi kasi maikakailang magagandang lahi talaga ang mga Yuga, I saw his cousins and I admit, they are all damn good looking. Dagdag na lang sigurong rason na miyembro sya ng Elites.

"How did you know I went to his room? You were playing with your cat that time I sneaked out of our session room." Gulat na balik-tanong ko sa kanya. He just grinned at me in response.

Sa kanilang apat, si Shiro ang masasabi kong pinaka-weird. He rarely talks but whenever he did, you'll be surprised. Kung hindi lang kami magka-kurso ay baka inisip ko nang Psychology ang kursong kinukuha nya. He's very good in quietly observing people around him.

We're all came from the same college department but we're not classmates in all of our subjects with the three other members of Elites, in short, we all took different majors. Kristine and Jupiter are both majoring in Modeling, while Rei is majoring in photography. Shiro and I are really into music. Kaya naman napagusapan na namin ang tungkol sa pag-disband bago pa man nabuo ang Elites dahil alam namin na mahirap pumasok sa industriya ng musika.

Kristine and Jupiter are already modeling so they wouldn't have any problem if we disbanded after graduation. Rei is planning on travelling after we graduate to do her passion and as for Shiro and I, we both planned to stay in ADA to teach music.

"Cielle!" Automatic na lumingon ako sa pinanggalingan ng boses na tumawag sa pangalan ko. And before me is the man who's loved by everyone in this Academy.

Iisang tao lang naman ang tumatawag sakin ng Cielle na talagang palayaw ko at iyon ay walang iba kundi si Akihiro Yuga, ang hari ng ADA.

ADA is not a typical Academy or school like others. Kung sa iba siguro ay uso ang voting system sa pagpili ng Student council, sa amin ay hindi. It isn't decided by poll or anything related into voting. The Councils of the first alumni was decided by fate and cards. And the usually called Supreme Student Governance in other schools, is called Monarchy Student Governance in ADA. Meaning to say, the one who has the power to choose who'll sit next to their throne is none other than the one who's sitting on it. And that's how ADA is really different from any other schools I know. Hindi ko alam kung anong klaseng pag-iisip meron ang founders ng Academy pero isa lang ang sigurado ako, abnormal ang mga may-ari ng Academy na ito.

"I have good news for you." Hinihingal pang sabi ni Hiro ng tuluyan syang makalapit samin. He just nods to my mates and looked at me happily.

"Double Rule will be playing for us tonight. For our last dance." Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi nya. Double Rule is one of my favorite local bands. Actually it's because of them that Elites was formed. Pare-pareho kasi kaming fan ng nasabing banda.

"Oh my gahd! Really?! How come?!" Gulat na tanong ni Rei na halatang masayang-masaya sa narinig. Sa amin dalawa kasi ay mas fanatic sya ng nasabing banda. She went to all of DR's concert here in the Philippines and have all their merchandise. In fact, if she's mad at you, just give her anything related to DR, her hatred will vanish in an instant.

"Damn! Gusto ko syang maka-duet!" Kinikilig na sabi naman ni Kristine habang panay ang hampas kay Rei na tila hindi iniinda ang sakit dahil sa kilig.

"The front man, Ezrael Llanares is President Calix's friend. They agreed at the last minute. I think they're on their way now." Paliwanag ni Hiro ngunit sakin naman matamang nakatingin.

Hindi ko alam kung halata ba sa mukha ko ang pinaghalong saya at panghihinayang. Saya na makikita ko ang bandang naging inspirasyon ko. Panghihinayang dahil pinagbigyan nga ako ng tadhana ngunit hindi ng pagkakataon.

Pagkakataon na maisayaw ng lalaking nais kong pag-alayan ng aking huling sayaw sa gabing ito.

"Are you okay Cielle?" Nagaalalang tanong ni Hiro na sinagot ko na lang ng isang tipid na ngiti.

"Yeah. I'm okay. Magpapahangin lang ako sa labas sandali." Paalam ko sa kanila bago mabilis na tinahak ang pinaka-malapit na daan palabas kahit na narinig ko na ang ginawang pagtawag sa bandang iniidolo ko.

Ilang buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan ko upang pigilan ang luhang nais umalpas sa mga mata ko habang tinatahak ang daan papunta sa katabing hardin ng gymnasium. I can't seem to enjoy Ezrael Llanares' voice and his choice of song. Patunay lang na mas malalim ang paghanga ko kay Vaughn kesa sa iniidolong bokalista. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung sino ang aawayin ko sa mga nangyayari sakin ngayong gabi.

I wanna dance like no one's watching me

I wanna love like it's the only thing I know

I wanna laugh from the bottom of my heart

I wanna sing like every single note and word it's all for you...

Gusto kong awayin ang pagkakataon dahil tila nananadya sila ni tadhana na hindi kami pagtagpuin ni Vaughn. Gusto kong sisihin si Vaughn dahil hindi man lang nya ako ini-orient na wala pala syang balak magpunta sa party. At gusto kong murahin si Kupido dahil tanga sya umasinta. Hindi ko alam kung sa sobrang tagal na ba nyang pumapana ng tao eh lumabo na ang paningin nya kaya lahat ng palaso na ipinana nya ay sakin lang din lahat napunta.

Damn cupid! Mag resign ka na kaya?

Napangiti ako ng mapakla sa naisip. Ano pa nga bang magagawa ko kung hindi pa tugma ang panahon sa tamang pagkakataon? Gaya ng hindi ko magawang ipilit kay Vaughn ang nararamdaman ko, wala din akong kakayahan na isisi ang lahat kay kupido o kahit na sino pang Poncio Pilato ang mga nangyayari ngayon sa buhay ko. It's only Valentine's day.

"What a lame Valentine's day." Natatawang ulit ko sa sinabi kanina ni Rei.

"What makes you think that way?" Gulat na lumingon ako para lang mas lalong magulat ng makita ang hinihingal na si Vaughn.

Another song for you about your love

'cause you love the me that's full of faults

I wish you could see it from this view

'cause everything around you is a little bit brighter from your love...

"I picked up Double Rule that's why I'm late. And I've been looking for you when I came back but I can't find you anywhere so I asked Shiro since he's the only one available to your friends. I'm sorry to keep you waiting." He apologetically said and offer his hand to me.

"Let's go, shall we? It's the final hour of the night. Wag natin sayangin to." Nakangiti nyang sabi na halos pumugto sa hininga ko.

I wanna dance the night away with you

I wanna love because you taught me to

I wanna laugh all your tears away

I wanna sing 'cause every single note and word it's just for you...

I froze on my feet. My heart beats erratically. Is it real? This prince stood before me, is this real? Or just my imagination?

Hope it's enough?

I wanna tell you and this is the only way I know

and hope one day you'll learn the words and say

That you finally see, how I feel

Naiiling na ngumiti sya bago masuyo akong hinila palapit sa kanya.

"Magtitinginan na lang ba tayo? Sayang yung pag-decline ko sa mga babaeng gustong maging partner ako ngayong gabi kung hindi tayo sasayaw." Seryosong wika nya na hindi ko pa din makuhang sagutin agad dahil hindi ko malaman kung kaninong puso nga ba ang naririnig kong tumitibok ng napakalakas.

"I thought you don't want to be my partner?" Nakuha kong sabihin bago piniling bumitaw sa nakakapaso nyang pagkakahawak sakin.

"Oh right! Buti pinaalala mo." Nakangisi nyang sabi bago nya ako tinignan ng mataman.

"I always tell you not to be so aggressive. You're a fine woman so you should be treated right. That's why I want to ask you..." He offered me his hand again with a serious face. "Can I be your date tonight? May I have this last dance with you?"

Not a day goes by that I don't think

about you and the love you've given me

I wish you could see it from this view

'cause everything around you is a little bit brighter from your love

Life is just so much better from your love...

And that's the end of me. Maski sa hinagap ay hindi ko man lang naisip na sa mga simpleng salitang yun ay maghahatid ng libong boltahe ng iba't ibang emosyon sa puso ko. Na sa mga simpleng tanong na iyon ay tuluyan ko ng tatahakin ang sarili sa walang kasiguraduhang daan para lang umabot sa kanya ang damdamin kong pilit nyang hindi kinikilala.