Melodies and Ardency

Staring at my reflection on the mirror, unconsciously, I smiled. Inabot ko ang suklay at marahang sinuklay ang tuwid na buhok. Lagpas iyon sa aking dibdib. The natural brown color of my hair complimented my brown almond eyes and fair complexion. It didn't made me look like my mother, though. She's tanned and has black eyes. Ang sabi, nagmana ako kay Papa. Base sa mga nakita kong pictures niya noon, tingin ko totoo naman. My father has a british blood. He's fair and has brown eyes, too. Pagkatapos magsuklay, nilagyan ko ng light lipstick ang labi. With my sky blue off shoulder dress, I was satisfied with my look for the night. "Kaia, tapos ka na?" sigaw ni Brenda sa labas ng kuwarto ko. Sasabihin ko na sanang tapos na ako pero natigil ako nang walang pasabi siyang pumasok. Her lips formed a little 'o' after looking at me from head to toe. Napailing ako. "Ganda naman!" "Tigilan mo ako, Brenda," saway ko sa kanya sabay kuha sa flat sandals kong naroon sa lumang cabinet. "Mas malaki ang premyo ngayon dahil isa sa mga judge si Kapitan. Galingan mo, ha?" Tinapik pa niya ang balikat ko. Lumapad lalo ang ngiti niya. "Ang smooth naman ng skin! Inggit ako!" hagikhik niya. "Sana lang talaga manalo ako." "Ilang contest na ba ang naipanalo mo? Huwag ka na ngang kabahan, 'insan! Alam ko namang sobrang talented ka! Don't worry, ichi-cheer kita mamaya!" I smiled. Sabay na kaming lumabas. Sa salas ay nadatnan namin si Mama. Tapos na rin siyang magbihis. Palagi niya kasi akong sinasamahan tuwing may contest akong sinasalihan. She was smiling when she saw me. Her black curly hair contradicted mine. Ngumiti ako pabalik. "Tayo na," ani Mama. "Tara!" Brenda laughed. Hinila na niya ako palabas. Nagpatianod lang ako. Piyesta sa aming barangay ngayon. Nangunguna sa mga aktibidad na inilulunsad taon-taon para sa piyesta ay ang singing contest. Last year, hindi ako nakasali dahil inuubo ako noon at paos ang boses. Ngayon ay tsansa ko na para lumahok. Fortunately, I passed the elimination round that was held last week. Kabado ako dahil alam kong may ibubuga rin ang mga kalaban ko. Galing pa nga ang iba mula sa ibang barangay. Pagdating namin sa pagdadausan ng contest ay naroon na ang iba pang mga kalahok. Pumunta na ako roon sa linya. Marami ng tao at mukhang excited na ang lahat. Who wouldn't be? It's the barangay's biggest singing contest of the year. At forty five thousand ang first prize. That's already big. Habang naghihintay na simulan na ang contest ay nagbeep ang cellphone ko. Nang makita ang isang text mula kay Livius ay napangiti ako. Livius: Nagsimula na ba? Malapit na kami. Nagtipa ako ng reply. Ako: Malapit na. Asan ka na? Kumunot ang noo ko nang muling basahin ang text ni Livius. So he's not alone? Maybe with his friends? Kung sabagay, malapit na malapit siya roon sa mga kaibigan. I wouldn't be surprised if he brought some friends with him. It already happened a few times. I don't mind, though. Livius: I'll arrive soon :-) Ako: Ingat sa pagmamaneho. Livius is one of my childhood friends. I was six when I first met him. That's what I remembered. Naging malapit kami sa isa't isa dahil kasambahay si Mama sa mansyon nila noon. Madalas akong sinasama ni Mama roon. Tita Almira didn't mind since she's fond of me. Wala kasing anak na babae kaya sinasabi niya kay Mama na madalas akong dalhin. Livius is just two years older than me kaya agad kaming nagkasundo. He's also jolly as a child. He treated me more than a friend, more like a sister he never had. We bond together everytime I'm on their house. Malapit rin siya kay Mama dahil personal maid niya ito noong bata pa. He was the one who taught me how to play piano. Ngunit madalas, siya ang nagpa-piano habang ako ang kumakanta. His family did nothing but to be nice to me and my mother. At hanggang ngayon kahit hindi na nagtatrabaho si Mama sa kanila, bumibisita pa rin siya sa amin. He did nothing but to be good to me, to us. Maraming beses na rin niya kaming natulungan. I was thankful for that. More than thankful, actually. The crowd went wild when the first contestant was called. Smiling, a girl probably on my age went up on stage. She looked confident. Napalunok ako at tiningnan ang walo pang kalahok na magiging kalaban ko. They looked confident, too. Kahit ilang beses na akong sumabak sa contest ay hindi ko pa rin mapigilang kabahan. When it's already my turn, Brenda's loud cheer was dominant. Napangiti ako nang makita rin ang mga kakilala at kapitbahay namin na nakikisigaw sa pangalan ko. Si Mama ay nginitian lang ako. She was holding Brenda's arm while my cousin was busy shouting my name. With their warm support, my confidence boosted. I was determined to win this one. Malaki rin ang tulong sa amin ng pera kung sakaling manalo ako. I can also pay half of the amount I borrowed from Livius. Nanghiram kasi ako ng pera sa kanya nang ma-ospital si Mama noong nakaraang buwan. She was involved in a tricycle accident. Walang-wala kami noon kaya kinapalan ko na ang mukha kong manghiram ng perang pambayad. Livius offered to pay the bills. But I refused. He already helped us a lot of times. Sa huli, hinayaan na lang niya ako sa gustong mangyari. The music started. Iginala ko ang paningin sa mga manonood. Nasaan na si Livius? Akala ko ba malapit na sila? "Share my life, take me for what I am. 'Cause I'll never change all my colors for you..." The first lines of the song 'I Have Nothing' by the popular Whitney Houston made the crowd go wilder. "PINSAN KO 'YAN!" malakas na sigaw ni Brenda. I smiled. "Take my love, I'll never ask for too much. Just all that you are, and everything that you do..." Ever since I was a child, my passion was singing. I don't know where I got that talent, though. Si Mama ay hindi naman kumakanta. At ayon sa kanya, my father wasn't a good singer, too. "I don't really need to look, very much further... I don't wanna have to go where you don't follow I will hold it back again... This passion inside, can't run from myself... There's nowhere to hide..." Halos mabingi ako sa malakas na hiyawan ng mga tao. And the moment I started to utter the chorus part, I met a familiar dark eyes. "Don't make me close one more door... I don't wanna hurt anymore... Stay in my arms, if you dare... Or must I imagine you there..." Those eyes were cold, shouting in vigor and ruthlessness. I almost got choked when I realized who I was staring. He's one of Livius' friends. Sage Mongreco. I gulped. "Don't walk away from me... I have nothing, nothing, nothing, if I don't have you..." Bakit dumalas ata ang pagsama niya kay Livius? He wasn't like that before. Bukod doon, naiilang ako sa kanya. It's just, among them, he has this heavier and darker aura. Not that his friends seem nice and soft. Pero ewan ko ba at sa kanya ay sobra akong naiilang. I don't like him. That's for sure. Hindi kasi siya ang tipo kong lalaki. He's too serious and rough for my liking. Nagpatuloy ako sa pagkanta. From Sage, my eyes went to Livius. He's smiling while staring at me. Then he waved his hand. Kasabay no'n ay ang pagsigaw niya sa pangalan ko. Kasama rin nila si Jonas na nakisigaw rin. Dahil doon, may iilang manonood na lumingon sa kanila. The group of girls who saw them giggled. I only smiled a bit and continued singing. They can really attract girls' attention without even trying, huh? Mukhang dumiretso na sila rito galing sa eskwelahan. It was obvious on their college uniforms. Apat na oras rin kasi ang biyahe mula sa Maynila papunta rito sa Lucena. Livius didn't seem to mind the distance, though. Minsan nahihiya rin ako kapag bumibisita siya dito kasama ang mga kaibigan. Medyo malayo kasi. I did my best for that night. Ngunit sa kasawiang palad, hindi ko nakuha ang first prize. Although I got the second prize, it was only thirty thousand. Kahit ganoon, nagpapasalamat pa rin ako na may naiuwi akong premyo. I was only dismayed a a bit. Goal ko kasi ang manalo. Dahil nga, kailangan namin ni Mama ng pera. Better luck next time, I guess? "Ang galing mo, anak..." papuri ang inabot ko kay Mama pagbaba ng stage. I also receive praises from the people who knew me. May iilan ngang nagsabi na mas magaling daw ako doon sa na-first. Hindi na lang ako nagkomento pa. I respect the judges' decision. Isa pa, hindi naman sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay mananalo ako. "Ikaw kasi dapat ang nanalo, pinsan, e! Iyong Clarrisa na 'yon, anak kasi siya ng isang kaibigan ni Kapitan kaya malamang, pinaburan! Ikaw talaga ang deserving–" Bago pa niya matapos ang sasabihin ay tinampal ko na ang labi niya para matigil. "Huwag ka ngang magsalit ng ganyan. Mamaya pa't may makarinig sa 'yo, akalain pang naiingit tayo." Inirapan niya ako. Napangiti at napailing si Mama. I looked around. Mabilis kong natagpuan sina Livius na ngayon ay naglalakad na palapit sa amin. He was smiling. Jonas, too. Si Sage lang ang nanatiling seryoso. He seemed somewhat bored and uninterested. Kung ganoon, bakit pa siya sumama? Sumenyas ako kay Mama. Agad siyang tumingin sa gawi nila Livius. Ganoon din si Brenda. "Oh! Naku 'insan, kaya pala okay lang sa 'yo na masecond, ha! Nanalo ka na pala sa puso ni–" Natigil si Brenda nang kurutin ko siya sa gilid. She pouted like a kid. I glared at her. "Tumahimik ka," banta ko bago pa tuluyang makalapit sina Livius. "Congrats, Kaia! You did well!" Livius spread his arms for a hug. "Sorry kung medyo na-late kami..." Nang hindi ako kumilos ay siya na mismo ang humila sa kamay ko para yumakap. I managed to chuckle and hug him back even though my heart was pounding hard.