DANCING WITH THE VILLAIN

XV | Sinclaire Grande

Adriene Constance

Sinclaire Grande

The night was still young. Nakaschedule siyang pumunta sa Grande ng alas diyes ng gabi. She didnt go to the Grande today—well except for that time where she waited for Rhysand in front of it.

She heaved a deep breath habang nakaupo siya sa kanyang kama kaharap ang salamin. Kanina pa siya handa. Because of what happened earlier that day at the restaurant, agad siyang umuwi at inilaan nalang ang atensyon niya sa pagbibihis. Simple lang ang damit niya but she has learned to style it and put on some make up on her face. Kaya naman presentable siuang tingnan.

Ngunit nang matapos s siya ay saka niya ulit naalala ang nangyari kanina. Rhysand Marfori is sharp and he waa doubting her why she came all the way from Springvale kung may ibang mga lugar na mas malapit sa kanya. But then she figured explaining things too much would be quite suspicious. She made a good decision leaving that place and leaving him wondering.

Kinuha niya ang kanyang teleponi ngunit wala pa rin siyang natatanggap na tawag mula kay Ariela. Agad naman niya itong inilagay sa kanyang drawer at tumayo sa harapan ng salamin. Kakanta siya ngayon gabi sa Grande. Hindi niya alam kung may tao doon o kung may makikinig man sa kanya.

Kaya niya namang kumanta but she is not confident enough to show it to people. But this is a different case. Wala siyang choice kundi ang gawin iyon. Hindi niya rin alam kung anong mas maganda: ang walang makikinig sa kanya o kung maay makikinig sa kanya. Gusto niya lang maglaho na parang bula.

When the clock struck nine, agad suyang naglakad papalabas. Nakasalubong pa niya ang babaenf nakausap niya noong nakaraan. Pinasadahan siya nito ng tingin at saka tinanguan.

Agad naman siyang naglakad papunta sa Grande kung saan siya kakanta ngayong gabi. Kinakabahan siya. Hindi pa siya kailanman nakakakanta sa entablado. She never got the chance. Abala siya sa pagbuhay sa kanyang pamilya kaya namam hindi na niya nabigyang pansin ang iba niyang kayang gawin.

One can't do one thing without sacrificing another. In her case, she sacrificed her dreams.

Shw straightened her dress as she stood in front of the Grande. Rinig na rinig na niya ang mga tawanan at kantahan ng mga tao sa loob. Agad naman siyang kinabahan. Somehow, what happened the last time with that drunk man made a mark on her. Natrauma siya doon. Hindi siya siguradk kung magiging payapa ba amg gabi niya ngayon.

And she doubts if she would be safe tonight. Not after what she and Rhysand talked about. The man doubts her and he doesnt look like someone who would apologize first. Although he doesnt need to apologize dahil tama naman ang hinala nito. Sa tingin niya lang ay mataas ang pride ng lalaki para suyuin siya na isang hamak lang na empleyado.

Adriene let out a sigh before she entered the Grande. The smell of booze and smoke were the first things that greeted her. Marami nang tao sa loob at agad siyang nagsisi kung bakit nagpunta siya nang maaga because the moment she entered, all of the people's eyes are on her. Perhaps iyon ang ikalawang pagkakataon na nakita siyang wala sa likod ng counter. And with what trouble she had days ago, it must have been still fresh in their minds.

Nang makita niya si Fred ay agad niya itong nilapitan. She couldn't risk being alone tonight. Lalo pa't ramdam na ramdam niya ang mga matatalim na tingin nito sa gawi niya.

"These men learned their lesson and won't be touching you again," saad naman ni Fred. Napansin siguro nito ang mga tingin niya sa mga tao sa paligid.

"I would be more surprised if they would still not leave me alone after what one of the Marfori's did," sagot naman niya at tumingin kay Fred. Umiiling lang ito habang gumagawa ng inumin para sa mga taong naroon. Hindi na nagsalita ang lalaki at perhaps he was giving her some time to think. Or perhaps he had noticed her silence and that she was agitated with her performance.

Adriene tried to think of something else ngunit bumabalik ang isip niya sa nangyari kanina sa restaurant. Rhysand is already doubting if she really did come from Springvale. Hindi naman kasinungalingan lahat ng iyon. The point is, he is already doubting. And one doubt leads to another. Kailangan niyang patunayan sa lalaki na totoo ang sinasabi niya or rather, kailangan niyang patunayan na hindi siya kaaway ng lalaki.

She doesn't want to find out how she's going to deal with it should Rhysand knows that truth. Rhysand would kill her. And she knows it wouldn't be a quick death. Rhysand would take his time making her suffer. Habang iniisip niya iyon ay nanayo ang balahibo niya. It's one of those times that she suddenly has the urge to throw rants to Ariela and the Crown. Wala na silang binigay na choice sa kanya. It was do or die and she definitely don't want to die. Not when her family would be included.

"Heard you were singing tonight."

Muntikan na siyang mapatalon sa kinatatayuan niya nang may biglang magsalita sa kanyang likuran. Nang lumingon siya ay ang nakakalokong ngiti ni Sid Marfori ang bumungad sa kanya.

Napahinga naman siya nang maluwag

nang malamang hindi iyon si Rhysand.

She gave him a small smile nang tumabi ito sa kanyang umupo sa bar stool. Agad naman itong binigyan ni Fred ng inumin.

"Yep," she said. "Iyon ang dahila kung bakit mo ako pinapasok, hindi ba?"

Tiningnan niya ang lalaki at napangiti naman ito habang umiinom sa baso.

"I wish I could have heard you sing first before I hired you," said Sid.

She furrowed her brows. "Oh, I can sing pretty well, kung iyon ang ikinababahala mo."

Narinig naman niyang tumawa ang lalaki at saka tumingin sa kanya. "Hindi 'yan ang dahilan," saad ng lalaki. Tiningnan niya itong mabuti at doon niya napagtanto ang nais nitong sabihin.

She chuckled lightly and said, "You can hear me sing tonight, Mr. Marfori."

"No special performances for certain people, then?"

"I was hired to sing for the Grande, not for certain people."

"I thought I told you to call me Sid?"

"I was under the impression that it would only apply if I'm not at work. You're my boss. It would be weird to call you directly with your name."

Tinuro naman nito si Fred na nasa gilid. "Fred calls me Sid."

Napatingin naman siya kay Fred na tumango naman sa kanya as if confirming what Sid said. She looked at Sid na ngayon ay nakangisi na sa gawi niya.

"So feel comfortable calling me by my name next time," saad ng lalaki sa kanya.

Hindi nalang siya sumagot but her lips curved into a smile. Nagulat naman siya nang bigyan siya ni Sid ng baso ng alak. She looked at the man questioningly.

"I heard you drank juice that time you first came here."

She rolled her eyes. "Kalahating tapat 'yon. It isnt exactly a tome for me to drink whiskey."

Ngunit nagkibit balikat lang ang lalaki habang nakatingin sa kanya. And then he jerked his chin towards the glass, urging her to take it.

"Hindi na tanghali ngayon. Pwede mo nang inumin 'yan."

The truth is that she was never someone who lasts long with alcohol. Kaya naman iniiwasan niya ito hangga't maaari.

"Come on," Sid said. "I heard you smacked that man with a bag that day ypu drank juice. Isipin mo ano pa magagawa mo kung iinom ka niyan. You could make the Grande your concert hall."

She closed her eyes firmly habang tumatawa. And she couldn't believe she's exchanging laughs with the man who's supposed to be one of his enemies. And she wasn't laughing because she needs to. She was laughing because she genuinely finds it worth laughing. Ni hindi niya kailangang magpanggap.

Nang tingnan niya ulit si Sid ay nakatingin din ito sa kanya, waiting for her to drink the glass.

She sighed and picked it up bago niya nilagok ang laman niyon. She heard Sid clapping his hands habang pinupunasan niya ang kanyang labi gamit ang likuran ng kanyang kamay.

"Doesn't taste so bad, does it?" Sid grinned.

It tasted bad.

Alam niyang nakikita iyon ng lalaki sa mukha niya kaya naman ganoon nalang ito kung makatawa. The taste lingered in her mouth and she doesn't know if she could take another one without throwing up.

Hindi niya itinago ang pagkadisgusto sa kanyang mukha nang tumingin siya sa lalaki. He just grinned and poured another one on the glass at ibinigay ulit iyon sa kanya. Ngunit bago pa man siya makatanggi ay nasa harapan na niya ang baso.

"Sid—"

"Is giving you a drink," dugtong ng lalaki at ngumisi sa kanya. "You might need that for your stage later."

Tiningnan niya ang baso at si Sid sa tabi niya na nakangiti. Realizing that she didn't have much of a choice and the fact that she believed she might really need a drink or two later for her stage, kinuha niya ang baso at saka inubos ang laman niyon. Sid hooted and she grimaced at the taste of it on her mouth.

"You'll get used to that," saad ng lalaki sa kanya.

Tiningnan naman niya ito at sinabing, "Wala akong planong masanay--"

"Oh, you will, darling. You will." Sid grinned in her direction and poured anotherone on her glass.

"Oh no. No, Sid. I don't think I would be able to stand up later for the stage," saad niya habang nakatingin sa basong unti-unting napupuno ng alak.

Ngunit ngumiti lang si Sid sa gawi niya. "Trust me, love. You'll get the hang of it."

She groaned inwardly as she saw the glass moving towards her. She looked at Sid and he was tilting his head, waiting for her to pick it up. The whiskey was strong. And for someone like her who isn't used to drinking, malakas ang naging tama ng alak sa kanya. She could already feel her head spinning and for some reason, she finds everything funny.

The next thing she knew, she was laughing about something Sid said about octopuses. A few more glasses later, she had the sudden urge to dance. Ngunit pinigilan niya ang sarili niya. She was already drunk but she still is mindful of her surroundings. Or perhaps she wasn't too drunk at all. Perhaps she has higher alcohol tolerance than she thinks.

Sid was handling a glass when she felt someone tap her shoulder. Nang lingunin niya ito ay nakatingin na sa kanya si Fred. Itinuro ng lalaki ang entablado and she knew it's time. She looked at Sid and the man just nodded at her as if that was his way of giving encouragement. Dahan-dahan siyang tumayo, bracing her hands on the counter for support.

Doon naman niya namalayan na tahimik na ang lugar. The rowdy singing and dancing have stopped and all of the people are now sitting in their respective seats. Some were standing while talking to others and some were looking at the stage, curious about what's about to happen.

When Adriene felt she could stand, binitiwan niiya ang pagkakahawak niya sa counter and then she slowly walked to the stage. Tanging tunog ng kanyang sapatos ang naririnig sa loob. Even the whispers died as soon as she stood in the center of the stage. She trie looking at the people in front of her ngunit wala siyang makita dahil sa ilaw. Itinaas niya ang kanyang kamay.

"Can we please turn on the spotlight, please?" she said. Her voice echoing inside the quiet room. Agad namang namatay ang ilaw and that's when she saw the people in front of her. They were sitting down holding their liquor and watching her, waiting for what she was going to do.

Alam niyang kilala siya ng mga ito. After the fight, naging kilala siya ng mga ito. At lam niya rin that somee of them were tempted to throw something to her but couldn't because Sid was there. She sighed. Wala na siyang magagawa kung ayaw sa kanya ng tao. She's here for a job and not to please people. Kaya naman hinawakan niya ang mikropono at tiningnan ang kanyang mga audience sa mata.

"I don't know if you know my name and I don't know if you care about it but I am going to say it anyway," she started. "My name is Adriene and will be singing you a song tonight."

The room was silent. Nobody clapped. There was no noise. Except when Sid started clapping his hands and then Fred followed. When the others saw it, pumalakpak na lang din ang mga ito.

She sighed. There was no music. It would only be her and her own voice, which was more nerve-wracking. Her deep breath echoed inside the room and then she opened her mouth, singing the first line of the song.

Her voice was trembling. And despite the alcohol she had earlier, she was still nervous. Kayalang naman niya ininom ang mga alak na binigay sa kanya ni Sid ay para mawala ang kaba niya. Ngunit mas lalo yata siyang kinakabahan.

She sang the next line.

The room was still silent and she doesn't know if it was because she was singing so badly or not. But then she was drunk and she doesn't care anymore.

Her voice echoed across the room and it was the only thing she could hear amid the silence.

It was the song her father used to sing when she was still a kid. Iyon lang ang natirang alaala niya sa kanyang ama. He didn't sing it to her. Naalala lang niyang kinakanta ito ng kanyang ama.

She once asked her mother what the song was about. Ngunit masyado pa siyang bata para maintindihan iyon. Hindi na niya maalala ang sinagot ng kanyang ina and she regretted it. It would have been something beautiful.

But as she grew older, she realized what the song was all about.

Unrequited love. It was all about unrequited love. And it is sad to think that her father thought of the song as his favorite. It was the biggest mystery she had: did her father loved someone else except her mother? Or did her father loved her mother too much and she doesn't love him back?

She was too afraid to ask her mother. Hindi niya alam kung magugustuhan ba niya ang sagot. Until they received news that her father had died on a mission. And she never got the chance to ask.

Her eyes found the audience and they were looking at her. She was expecting them to be talking and not paying attention ngunit labis nalang ang gulat niya nang bigla nalang itong nagsitayuan at nagpalakpakan. The Grande roared. She could hear the people cheering and hooting for her. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa nakikita.

Huling pagkakaalala niya kanina ay nanginginig ang boses niya. But as the song progresses, hindi naniya pinansin ang mga tingin ng iba and just thought of hte song and the memories that came with it.

Nang tumingin siya sa counter ay nakikita niya sina Sid at Fred na nakangiti sa kanya dahilan para mapangiti na rin siya.

But the cheers were short-lived as they died down when the door suddenly burst open. She doesn't know the newcomers but when the Skulls suddenly took their weapons, she knew it was bad. And when the newcomers took their too, she knew a fight was about to break out.

"Gulliver Woods says hello," said the man in the middle and then they all started pointing their guns at each other.

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