Dreams into Reality

Chapter 6

Enchanted

I immediately went home to my condo unit after Daniel's performance. Umuwi na rin si Nica dahil gusto niya na raw matulog. Hindi na raw siya kasi nakakatulog sa sobrang daming requirements.

When I got inside my room, nilabas ko sa aking bulsa ang papel na pinabigay ni Daniel sa akin. Habang pauwi ako't nasa biyahe ay nakailang ulit na ako sa pagbasa nito.

Did he really write this song for me?

Inipit ko sa pagitan ng mga librong nakaayos sa bookshelf ang sinulat niya sa akin. Pagkatapos ay nagpalit na ako ng damit. I was in the middle of studying when my phone rang. Nica was calling me, and I immediately pressed the answer button.

"Hello?" 

"Hindi pala natin natapos ang performance ni Daniel, Scarlett!" pambungad niyang balita sa akin.

"Bakit?" kuryoso kong tanong. "May kasunod pa ba siyang kinanta? Akala ko isa lang ang ipe-perform niya."

"Meron! And it's a duet," she interestingly added.

"Duet?" Mas lalong napakunot ang aking noo. "Sino ka-duet niya? Si Kley?" I tried to joke.

"Of course not! Hindi naman marunong kumanta 'yong galunggong na 'yon," Nica said, she sounded so pissed off. "He sang with a girl. Major in Music si girl so she's not familiar with us. Ang balita ko pa nga, kasama niya kanina si Daniel para magpractice."

Iyon ba ang dahilan kung bakit nagmamadali si Daniel kanina noong break time dahil may kasama siyang babae na magpractice?

He sang a song for me tapos sunod naman ay may babae siyang kasamang kumanta?

"Oh! May nag-upload ng full video ng performance nila!" she suddenly said. "Wait. I'll mention you sa comments para mapanood mo."

"Okay. I'll hang up first," sabi ko na lang at binaba na ang tawag.

I opened the f*******: app in my phone at agad kong pinindot ang aking notifications. Nasa top ng list ng notification ko ang minention sa aking video ni Nica. Binuksan ko naman iyon at sinimulang panoorin.

A familiar strumming intro of the guitar enveloped my ears and a single spotlight spotted Daniel who was strumming his guitar while smiling. Beside him was the unfamiliar girl Nica was talking about.

"There I was again tonight. Forcing laughter, faking smiles. Same old tired lonely place," the unfamiliar girl began to sing.

I hated to admit it but she really had a nice voice. Her sweet voice made Daniel bite his lower lip when she started to sing while he was strumming his guitar.

"All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you..." She smiled and looked at Daniel.

Daniel closed his eyes before he started singing his line.

"Your eyes whispered 'have we met?' Across the room your silhouette starts to make its way to me," he sang.

I couldn't help but to watch Daniel's glances over that girl. The way he smiled at her.... I couldn't explain how I felt. That feeling seemed new to me.

He then again looked at the girl. The girl looked at him, too. They both smiled and Daniel sang his line.

"Oh, Cara, I was so enchanted to meet you too."

I bit my lower lip and decided to read the comments while the video was playing.

He even changed the lyrics of the song. I bet that girl's name is Cara. He changed Taylor's name in the lyrics to Cara.

Daniel was very bold in showing how he felt about me ngunit lahat ng taong nakakaalam ng nararamdaman ni Daniel para sa akin ay nawala bigla. The comments were all about how good they were. Bagay daw silang dalawa at may iba pang gumagawa ng OTP name ng dalawa. Wala man lang nagcomment na may ibang gusto si Daniel at hindi sila bagay ng babaeng 'yan. And I was right! That girl's name is Cara!

Cara Ortega.

"Please don't be in love with someone else. Please don't have somebody waiting on you," the girl sang my favorite line in that song.

"Please don't be in love with someone else. Please don't have somebody waiting on you," Daniel repeatedly sang the line.

After that part, I finished watching the video. Tinago ko sa ilalim ng aking unan ang aking cellphone.

It's funny how my heart's breaking just by understanding the meaning of the song they sang together. Enchanted.... They're both enchanted to meet each other for the first time.

"Focus, Scarlett!" I told myself. "You have a quiz tomorrow. Study. Just study and you'll forget this unknown feeling."

Huminga ako ng malalim at saka kinuha muli ang libro. I placed the book on my lap while holding the notes. I was reading both of it pero ni isa sa dalawa ay walang pumapasok sa utak ko.

"Okay fine!" sabi ko at padabog na binagsak ang libro at mga notes ko sa aking kama. "I'm jealous!" I surrendered to myself.

Bahagya kong ginulo ang aking buhok sa sobrang frustration. I shouldn't feel that way. I shouldn't be jealous over a video of Daniel and Cara singing together but I couldn't help it. Ang nakakainis pa'y sinasabi ng utak ko na totoo ang sinasabi ng mga tao sa comments. They looked good together. They are both good at singing while I'm only good at reciting poems because I couldn't find my own melody. I really wanted to sing but I'm not blessed with a voice who can grasp tone and melody.

I was about to convince myself to start studying again when I heard the doorbell ring.

Ang daming taong pumasok sa isipan ko na puwedeng bumisita sa condo ko ng ganitong oras. It could be dad or Rico, who might be checking me out; Nica who needs some help or finding a study buddy; and worst... it could be Daniel.

Hindi ko naman puwedeng hindi pansinin ang doorbell dahil paano kung si daddy nga iyon. Sa huli ay wala rin akong nagawa at inayos muna ang aking buhok bago dumiretso sa may pintuan ng aking unit upang buksan ito.

Kung sino pa ang pinaka-ayokong makita sa oras na 'yon ay siya pa ang bumungad sa akin sa pagbukas ko ng pinto.

"Hey...." he greeted me.

He looked so tired. He was still wearing our school uniform at nakasabit pa rin sa kanyang balikat ang gitara.

"You probably got the wrong unit," sabi ko. "Nandoon ang unit mo. Hindi ka pa ata umuuwi."

"I know." Pagod siyang tumango. "I just want to see you before I head home."

I was slightly speechless but I immediately recovered.

"Nakita mo na ako. Puwede ka ng umuwi," sabi ko na lang at isasara na sana ang pintuan nang pigilan niya ito.

"You went home early," he said. "Have you eaten? Gusto mo bang kumain sa labas? My treat."

"Thank you but I already ate," sabi ko. "Maaga akong umalis dahil nakakaantok yung program." I lied.

Maaga akong umalis pagkatapos niyang kumanto dahil pakiramdam ko'y sasabog na ang puso ko sa sobrang kilig at sayang nararamdaman nang kantahan niya ako kanina. Pero ngayon ay sasabog naman ang puso ko sa selos na nararamdaman at kasama na rin doon ang pahabol na kirot.

"Oh..." His smile slightly disappeared. "But you heard my song, right? I wrote it down for a few weeks. It was the first song I wrote. At first, I couldn't put the right melody but... everytime I hear you laugh, bigla na lang lumalabas ‘yong magandang tono."

He smiled again and he cutely scratched his nape.

"So uhm... Did you like it? The song I made for you?" he asked me, stuttering.

I opened my mouth and was about to answer 'yes' ngunit nang maalala ko si Cara ay nagbago ang desisyon ko.

"No," sagot ko na tuluyang nagpawala ng ngiti sa kanyang mga labi. "I'm sorry but no… That's not the type of genre I like but thank you, though."

"Oh... Okay, then..." Tumango-tango siya't nagsumikap na ngitian ako. "So, uhm, here's your rose for tonight."

He got the rose from his back pocket and handed it to me.

"Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow," sabi niya't tinalukaran na ako upang makapunta na sa kanyang unit.

I stared at the rose in my hands for a few seconds before I went inside my unit.

Kagaya ng nakagawian ay inipit ko ang rosas sa librong aking pinag-iipitan at saka humiga sa aking kama.

I took a deep sigh at saka kinapa ang aking cellphone sa ilalim ng unan. Inunlock ko ‘yon at sakto namang nag pop-out ang notification banner na nag-update sa i********: si Daniel. And like I was already expecting that, I quickly checked his post. It was a black and white image of his guitar with a pencil above it.

danielramirez:

You may not like the song but I'm already happy and thankful that you came and heard me sing the song I made for you. Guess, I'll try again next time. Hopefully, you'll like it the second time around.

I was not mentioned nor tagged on his post but I knew that the caption was for me.

Bahagya akong nakaramdam ng kirot sa aking puso nang dahil sa mensaheng 'yon. Masyado ata ang naging pakikitungo ko sa kanya kanina. Pakiramdam ko'y natapakan ko siya nang dahil sa sinabi ko.

Nag-effort pa rin siya sa paggawa ng kanta para sa akin and to think that it was the first song he ever made. I thanked him but I knew that it wasn't enough to mend his heart that I broke a few minutes ago.

Napatayo naman ako sa aking kama't mabilis na kinuha ang rosas na binigay niya sa akin nakakaipit ko lang sa libro.

I took a picture of it with my bookshelf as the background. I put some effects to make the photo presentable at saka pinost sa aking i********: account.

scarlettespino:

I appreciated it. Thank you so much.

I didn't bother to put a long message as my caption, instead those simple words will surely be enough to make him smile.

Ganoon lang naman si Daniel. He would take everything that comes from me wholeheartedly. It might not be enough pero alam kong napasaya ko siya kahit paano. Gusto ko lang naman malaman niya na naa-appreciate ko ang mga ginagawa't binibigay niya sa akin.

Hindi ko na rin siya tinag or minention dahil alam kong once na mabasa niya 'yon ay alam niyang para sa kanya 'yon.

Someday, susuklian ko ang lahat, Daniel.... Hindi nga lang ngayon. Sana naghihintay ka pa rin kapag dumating na ang oras na 'yon.

Like the lyrics of the song he sang with Cara, I was enchanted to meet him too.