Chapter 65
Sky's POV
Hillary went to the stage. Yes, she raised her hand. I didn't stop her. Why would I? I also want to hear her voice.
The vocalist handed her a microphone, "cómo te llamas?" he asked for her name.
"I'm sorry, but I can't understand Spanish," she apologized.
"It's fine, no worries, we can speak in English then," he said. Oh, that's nice. By the way, I think the singer's age is around '30s, but damn, he's so handsome. Wala yata akong nakitang Spaniard na hindi gwapo at maganda. "So, you're from the country of Finland?" he asked. Well, he based it on her hair and looks. Hillary really looks like a Finn, no joke, especially that she colored her hair into blonde.
"No, I'm from the Philippines."
"Oh, sorry, I thought you're from Northern Europe. But, seriously, there are so many Filipinos here."
Bahagya siyang nagulat na maraming naghiyawan. I think she didn't notice that there are so many Pinoys here.
"So, Young Lady, what is your name?"
"I'm Hillary."
"Hillary, what a nice name! So, what song do you want to sing?"
"All I Ask by Adele."
"Wait, why's that song?"
"Hmm. I just love it."
All I Ask. A song for those people who love someone they can't have.
Then, I ended up sighing.
"Alright, so shall we start?" Hillary nodded, then he gestured his bandmates to start playing the song.
"🎶I will leave my heart at the door
I won't say a word
They've all been said before you know
So why don't we just play pretend
Like we're not scared of what's coming next
Or scared of having nothing left. 🎶"
Napaayos ako ng upo while my eyes are glued on her and my ears are eagerly listening.
Damn, I didn't know she has a beautiful voice! Hillary got everything! Looks, brain, kindness, sporty, and talented! Wow!
"🎶Look, don't get me wrong
I know there is no tomorrow
All I ask is
If this is my last night with you
Hold me like I'm more than just a friend
Give me a memory I can use
Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do
It matters how this ends
'Cause what if I never love again?🎶"
I was caught off guard. She was looking at me when she sang the last sentence of the song.
What if she'll never love again? What does it mean? She'll get tired of loving me and she ends up loving no one again? Or, she will only love me and she'll never love another man?
What should I prefer then? The first or the second one?
Sh*t! I don't know!
"🎶Let this be our lesson in love
Let this be the way we remember us
I don't wanna be cruel or vicious
And I ain't asking for forgiveness
All I ask is
If this is my last night with you
Hold me like I'm more than just a friend
Give me a memory I can use
Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do
It matters how this ends
'Cause what if I never love again? 🎶"
She bowed and everyone applauded.
"What an angelic voice, you should continue singing, Hillary," the vocalist said and Hillary just smiled at him, then she went down.
Her smile faded as she's going through me, "how was it?" she tried to show me a real smile, but it's a failed.
"So nice," I replied, smiling. "Tara, let's go to Crystal Palace," she nodded and started walking through there.
"I think this is the main attraction of the retiro park," she uttered. "Ang galing, no, parang halos glass talaga lahat," she added and I just nod as an answer. "Bilisan natin, Sky, excited na akong pumasok!" she really is, no doubt.
By the way, Palacio de Cristal or Crystal Palace is made almost entirely of glass set in an iron framework on a brick base, which is decorated with ceramics. At, kahit nasa malayo pa lang kami ay talagang makikita mo na 'yong ganda niya.
"I'll tell you some trivia, Hillary. First, Dr. Jose Rizal frequently strolled here when he was still living in the Spanish capital," I muttered.
She gasped and replied, "seriously?" and I nodded right away.
"And the second one, this Palace is specially built for the Philippines," I uttered again.
"Hindi nga?" she hardly can believe it.
"Totoo. The Palacio de Cristal was built in 1887 to be the venue of the Exposición General de Filipinas, a major exhibition that showcased the floras and faunas from the Philippines."
"Wow!"
"There are several species of exotic plants and animals, like carabaos and phytons na galing sa Pinas at inimport dito sa Spain for the exhibition which was attended by the king and his courtiers."
"Ang galing!"
"Indeed! Do you know sabong?"
"Ha? Iyong pinag-aaway 'yong manok tapos may pustahan?"
"Yes. Sabong was also included in the program."
"Hala! Really?"
"Yeah. And, they also built a bahay-kubo," she gasped again, "didn't you notice that those boats in the lake are our traditional boats?" her brows knitted, "they made a lake in front of this Palace to display our traditional boats and to create a tropical atmosphere," I uttered.
She applauds, "ang galing mo, Sky, ha," she said.
"Let's go inside, you will surely get more surprise," I replied and grabbed her inside.
"Wow!! Rainbow! Ang ganda!" her eyes are now twinkling and she can't hide her smiles. Wala na rin siyang pakialam na napatingin sa kaniya 'yong ibang andito.
I stood beside her, "way back 2006, a Korean artist, named Kimsooja turned this whole Crystal Palace into an art installation para kapag pumapasok dito 'yong mga bisita pakiramdam nila nasa fairy tale sila," I whispered, enough for her to heard it.
"How did he do it?" she asked.
"Kimsooja put mirrors on the floor and covered the whole windows with a translucent filter that caused light diffraction to fill the whole palace with the surreal rainbows."
"Paano mo ba nalaman ang lahat ng 'to, Sky?"
"I love history, Hillary. Tapos no'ng nabasa ko 'yong tungkol sa Palasyo na 'to and its connection to our country, I then promised myself I'll go here someday. And so I fulfill my dream."
"I'm happy for you," sincerity can be seen on her smile.
"I'm happy that I'm with you in fulfilling one of my dreams," I uttered out of myself.