All Over Again

Chapter 9: If You Can Dream

Venice's POV

It's been two days since all the hype started.. At tulad ng sinabi ni Jerwin, the media (lalo na ung mga tabloids!!!) just throws random things out there!

Nag-rrange na ang profession ko from mail-order bride, to a bar hostess, to a golddigger, at ang pinaka-favorite ko, to a prostitute.. Oh di bah?!?!

Alam kong malandi ako, pero hinde pa naman ako ganun ka-landi noh! At porket graduating college student ako, akala ba nila ganun na ko ka-desperada makakuha ng pang-tuition!?!?

Mga ass-u-mers sila!

At ang pinaka-widespread na rumor na kumakalat, kaya lang ako papakasalan eh dahil sa pregnant ako.. eh mga adik ba sila?!? Ayun na lang ba ang malaki ang tyan ko!? Alam kong may bilbil ako, pero hindi naman sya condensed sa harap noh!

Oo, nakaka-high blood talaga. Buti na lang at nag-truce na kami ni Jerwin. Hatid-sundo nya na ko from school dahil baka masagasaan ako ng mga taong may galit o may kung anong amusement sa existence ko. And at least, kahit anong kalokahan ang nangyayari pag lumalabas man ako mag-isa o with my friendships, kahit anong rant and rave ko, nakikinig sya..

But he'll never be able to calm me down like you did.

I sat on the freshly cut grass, just in front of the gravestone..

Matagal-tagal na rin since nakadaan ako dito.. Kasi naman, ang hirap lumabas noh! Tignan mo, tulad ngayon, kaya lang ako nakalabas dahil tulog na ang halos lahat ng tao sa Pilipinas! 11:00 na ng gabi.

Ako: But I'm here now and if you're watching me from wherever you are, you should know how crazy my life is right now.. Imagine, halos buong bayan yata ang nag-ttry na mang-istalk sa'kin! Abah! Na-bbuild up na ang muscles ko kakatakbo noh!

I ran a finger on the cold stone bearing Gerard's name.. his name.. and the date of his death..

Two years na ang nakakalipas, and I still can't get over the feeling na ang unfair that he never told me basta na lang sya nag-poof out of my life..

Ako: Bubwit ka talaga, G.. If you were here, none of this would have happened. You would've taken care of me. If you were here..

The next day, masakit man sa puso at sa ulo kong gumising ng maaga, anoh pang choice ko? Eh tinawagan ako ni Mr. Santos at on the way na raw ung driver nila para sunduin ako.. -___-

Sabado.. Sabado ngayon.. it's the only day of the week na pwede akong matulog hanggang hapon....

Why are they taking this away from me?!

WHYYY?!?

"Ma'am? Ok lang po ba kayo?"

Eh? -___-

Ako: Ok lang naman po, Mang Ponce.. Bakit po?

Mang Ponce: Mukha ho kasi kayong pagod na pagod.. May sakit po ba kayo?

Ako: Naku, wala po late lang nakatulog kagabi. San po ba tayo pupunta?

Mang Ponce: Ay, sabi po ni sir, dalhin ko raw kayo dun sa venue nung concert ni Sir Jerwin.

Ako: Eh?? Bakit naman?

Mang Ponce: Hindi ko po alam eh.

Mga bubwit na Santos yan...

Hindi dahil mga morning person sila, kailangan na nila gimbalain ang pagiging night owl ko noh! Haaayyy..

After getting through a horrible traffic jam, nakarating na rin kami sa wakas dun sa music arena.. Binaba ako ni Manong Ponce sa front entrance..

After he drove off to park the family van, nilabas ko kagad ung compact mirror ko..

Abah! Syempre, dapat maganda ako for my fiancé.....

Yak! Wahahahaha

Well.. Di ko naman kasalanan na may eyebags ako at mukhang bloodshot ung mata ko.. Haaayyy.. Binalik ko ung salamin ko sa bag ko, then walked papasok sa loob..

Seems like nag-ssoundcheck ang mga people.. I saw Jerwin on stage, nakikinig dun sa isang manong na siguro eh part ng sound crew or production crew, kung ano mang crew yan!

"Venice!"

Oh my golay! I completely forgot this girl works here!

Biglang nagising lahat ng cells ng katawan ko nang tinapon ni Ate Marian ung katawan nya sa'kin --- her way of saying hello..

Ako: Ate! Hello!

Ate Marian: Uyy, binibisita mo boylet mo?

Ako: Updated ka rin sa chikka? -__-

Ate Marian: Duh.. Besides sa almost every entertainment news, subukan mong maging kapatid si Anthony, tignan ko lang kung hinde ka ma-shock sa mga tsismis na nalalaman nun.. So, visit the boyprend ba ito?

Pinapunta ako dito! Bakit ko naman bibisitahin yan?!? Kabisi-bisita ba yan?!? Anoh yan, preso!?

"Venice, iha!"

Eto pa ang isang hinde kabisi-bisita..

I slowly plastered a smile on my face as the elder Santos waved me over dun sa kinatatayuan nya sa harap nung stage.. Kinuha kagad ni Ate Marian ung braso ko, and parang the all-loyal employee, brought me sa harap ni Mr. Santos..

Tito Ray: Magkakilala kayo ni Marian?

Ako: Ah, opo.. We went to the same college together. Mas matanda nga lang po sya ng one... two?.. years..

Tito Ray: Well, what a small world! Anyway..

Nag-turn si Tito Ray towards dun sa taas nung stage and called Jerwin na busy-busyhan naman sa pagkaka-popstar nya.. Upon seeing me, Jerwin's face lit up -- feel na feel talaga mag-act na"happy boyfriend seeing pretty girlfriend" May sinabi lang sya dun sa kausap nya, then he finally jumped off the stage papunta sa'min..

Upon reaching me, akbay kagad si kuya sa balikat ko and then flashed me his toothpaste-commercial smile.. -__- All-out performance talaga si kuya, tapod dinagdagan pa ng:

Jerwin: Hi, honey..

"Honey"?!?!? "HONEY"?!?! Kakilabot!!!

Ako: Hello.. -__-

Napatingin ako kay Ate Marian na for some reason, eh abot kilay ang ngiti sa'kin. Naniwala naman ang loka sa mga kalokohan nitong si Jerwin... -___-

Tito Ray: Well, now that you're here.. We can talk about the announcement..

Ako: Announcement?

Jerwin: Dad thinks it's about time to tell the public about me and you.

I should have known.. -__-

Di na dapat ako gumising nang araw na toh..

Tito Ray: Yes, you see.. I think this concert will be a perfect event.. We're just trying to figure out how to squeeze in your appearance for a more dramatic effect.

Ako: Appearance?!?

Tito Ray: Don't you think it's a good idea?

Ate Marian: (thoughtfully) A duet would be nice...

Napatingin ako kay Ate Marian.. teka! teka! Bakit siya kumakampi sa kalaban?!?!?

Tito Ray: A duet? Venice can sing?

Ate Marian: Oh yes, sir! I attest to her talent. One of the most captivating voices I've ever heard.

O.O

Anong ginagawa nya?!? Alam nya ba ang ginagawa nya?!?

Tito Ray: I see... I'll trust you on that.. (napaisip) A duet would be good. Perhaps right before the final number.. We wouldn't need too much choreography or things like that. Just a simple ballad, maybe?

Ate Marian: Ay opo! I'll personally take care of the transition!

Ako: W-wa---

Jerwin: That's it then.

O_O

Kuya, pati ba naman ikaw?!?

Ako: But--

Before I can speak any further, biglang kinuha ni Jerwin ung arm ko, and led me away from the discussion, papunta dun sa small table with drinks and snacks..

Ako: What are you doing?!? O__O

Jerwin: What? I'm thirsty.

I looked back at Mr. Santos and Ate Marian, and they're walking towards the production manager.. Gagawin talaga nila!!! Tama ba naman un!??!

I grabbed Jerwin's arm, and slightly, firmly, desperately shook him.. wa care na ko kung umiinom sya at lalong wa care ako nung nag-choke sya sa tubig..

Jerwin: What?! What?!?

Ako: Stop them!!! OoO

Jerwin: Geez, Venice.. Don't kill me over something like that..

Ako: Sira! Hindi ka pa mamamatay sa tubig!

Jerwin: People die from choking you know?

Ako: You're missing the point here!

Jerwin: Eh? I am?

Ako: Hello?!? They are making me sing on stage with you! on a major concert!

Jerwin: Uh-huh?

Ako: Me! On that stage!

Inubos ni Jerwin ung tubig nya and threw away the bottle, and finally, he looked at me.. To my surprise, he's smiling..

He gently put his hand on top of me head, and nilapit ung mukha nya sa'kin.. O_O It took all of me not to smack him right then and there.

Jerwin: Yes, I know. But, isn't it your dream to perform "on that stage"?

Nag-flash sa mind ko ung first time I met him.. Nung pinasilip ni Ate Marian ung current project nila, which coincidentally was actually the stage for Jerwin's concert.. It was just a few minutes of short conversation.. and I didn't even recognize him..

But he... O_O He remembered?

Jerwin: If you dared to dream about something like that, then I'm sure, you have what it takes to perform there, on that stage.

Tumalikod sya sa'kin and started to walk pabalik dun sa stage to finish whatever they were doing when I came in..

Jerwin: I'll be done in a little bit.. Then we'll pick out a song for tomorrow, okay? Just relax.. I got you.

Well.. I guess I won't smack him after all..

Venice's POV

It's been two days since all the hype started.. At tulad ng sinabi ni Jerwin, the media (lalo na ung mga tabloids!!!) just throws random things out there!

Nag-rrange na ang profession ko from mail-order bride, to a bar hostess, to a golddigger, at ang pinaka-favorite ko, to a prostitute.. Oh di bah?!?!

Alam kong malandi ako, pero hinde pa naman ako ganun ka-landi noh! At porket graduating college student ako, akala ba nila ganun na ko ka-desperada makakuha ng pang-tuition!?!?

Mga ass-u-mers sila!

At ang pinaka-widespread na rumor na kumakalat, kaya lang ako papakasalan eh dahil sa pregnant ako.. eh mga adik ba sila?!? Ayun na lang ba ang malaki ang tyan ko!? Alam kong may bilbil ako, pero hindi naman sya condensed sa harap noh!

Oo, nakaka-high blood talaga. Buti na lang at nag-truce na kami ni Jerwin. Hatid-sundo nya na ko from school dahil baka masagasaan ako ng mga taong may galit o may kung anong amusement sa existence ko. And at least, kahit anong kalokahan ang nangyayari pag lumalabas man ako mag-isa o with my friendships, kahit anong rant and rave ko, nakikinig sya..

But he'll never be able to calm me down like you did.

I sat on the freshly cut grass, just in front of the gravestone..

Matagal-tagal na rin since nakadaan ako dito.. Kasi naman, ang hirap lumabas noh! Tignan mo, tulad ngayon, kaya lang ako nakalabas dahil tulog na ang halos lahat ng tao sa Pilipinas! 11:00 na ng gabi.

Ako: But I'm here now and if you're watching me from wherever you are, you should know how crazy my life is right now.. Imagine, halos buong bayan yata ang nag-ttry na mang-istalk sa'kin! Abah! Na-bbuild up na ang muscles ko kakatakbo noh!

I ran a finger on the cold stone bearing Gerard's name.. his name.. and the date of his death..

Two years na ang nakakalipas, and I still can't get over the feeling na ang unfair that he never told me basta na lang sya nag-poof out of my life..

Ako: Bubwit ka talaga, G.. If you were here, none of this would have happened. You would've taken care of me. If you were here..

The next day, masakit man sa puso at sa ulo kong gumising ng maaga, anoh pang choice ko? Eh tinawagan ako ni Mr. Santos at on the way na raw ung driver nila para sunduin ako.. -___-

Sabado.. Sabado ngayon.. it's the only day of the week na pwede akong matulog hanggang hapon....

Why are they taking this away from me?!

WHYYY?!?

"Ma'am? Ok lang po ba kayo?"

Eh? -___-

Ako: Ok lang naman po, Mang Ponce.. Bakit po?

Mang Ponce: Mukha ho kasi kayong pagod na pagod.. May sakit po ba kayo?

Ako: Naku, wala po late lang nakatulog kagabi. San po ba tayo pupunta?

Mang Ponce: Ay, sabi po ni sir, dalhin ko raw kayo dun sa venue nung concert ni Sir Jerwin.

Ako: Eh?? Bakit naman?

Mang Ponce: Hindi ko po alam eh.

Mga bubwit na Santos yan...

Hindi dahil mga morning person sila, kailangan na nila gimbalain ang pagiging night owl ko noh! Haaayyy..

After getting through a horrible traffic jam, nakarating na rin kami sa wakas dun sa music arena.. Binaba ako ni Manong Ponce sa front entrance..

After he drove off to park the family van, nilabas ko kagad ung compact mirror ko..

Abah! Syempre, dapat maganda ako for my fiancé.....

Yak! Wahahahaha

Well.. Di ko naman kasalanan na may eyebags ako at mukhang bloodshot ung mata ko.. Haaayyy.. Binalik ko ung salamin ko sa bag ko, then walked papasok sa loob..

Seems like nag-ssoundcheck ang mga people.. I saw Jerwin on stage, nakikinig dun sa isang manong na siguro eh part ng sound crew or production crew, kung ano mang crew yan!

"Venice!"

Oh my golay! I completely forgot this girl works here!

Biglang nagising lahat ng cells ng katawan ko nang tinapon ni Ate Marian ung katawan nya sa'kin --- her way of saying hello..

Ako: Ate! Hello!

Ate Marian: Uyy, binibisita mo boylet mo?

Ako: Updated ka rin sa chikka? -__-

Ate Marian: Duh.. Besides sa almost every entertainment news, subukan mong maging kapatid si Anthony, tignan ko lang kung hinde ka ma-shock sa mga tsismis na nalalaman nun.. So, visit the boyprend ba ito?

Pinapunta ako dito! Bakit ko naman bibisitahin yan?!? Kabisi-bisita ba yan?!? Anoh yan, preso!?

"Venice, iha!"

Eto pa ang isang hinde kabisi-bisita..

I slowly plastered a smile on my face as the elder Santos waved me over dun sa kinatatayuan nya sa harap nung stage.. Kinuha kagad ni Ate Marian ung braso ko, and parang the all-loyal employee, brought me sa harap ni Mr. Santos..

Tito Ray: Magkakilala kayo ni Marian?

Ako: Ah, opo.. We went to the same college together. Mas matanda nga lang po sya ng one... two?.. years..

Tito Ray: Well, what a small world! Anyway..

Nag-turn si Tito Ray towards dun sa taas nung stage and called Jerwin na busy-busyhan naman sa pagkaka-popstar nya.. Upon seeing me, Jerwin's face lit up -- feel na feel talaga mag-act na"happy boyfriend seeing pretty girlfriend" May sinabi lang sya dun sa kausap nya, then he finally jumped off the stage papunta sa'min..

Upon reaching me, akbay kagad si kuya sa balikat ko and then flashed me his toothpaste-commercial smile.. -__- All-out performance talaga si kuya, tapod dinagdagan pa ng:

Jerwin: Hi, honey..

"Honey"?!?!? "HONEY"?!?! Kakilabot!!!

Ako: Hello.. -__-

Napatingin ako kay Ate Marian na for some reason, eh abot kilay ang ngiti sa'kin. Naniwala naman ang loka sa mga kalokohan nitong si Jerwin... -___-

Tito Ray: Well, now that you're here.. We can talk about the announcement..

Ako: Announcement?

Jerwin: Dad thinks it's about time to tell the public about me and you.

I should have known.. -__-

Di na dapat ako gumising nang araw na toh..

Tito Ray: Yes, you see.. I think this concert will be a perfect event.. We're just trying to figure out how to squeeze in your appearance for a more dramatic effect.

Ako: Appearance?!?

Tito Ray: Don't you think it's a good idea?

Ate Marian: (thoughtfully) A duet would be nice...

Napatingin ako kay Ate Marian.. teka! teka! Bakit siya kumakampi sa kalaban?!?!?

Tito Ray: A duet? Venice can sing?

Ate Marian: Oh yes, sir! I attest to her talent. One of the most captivating voices I've ever heard.

O.O

Anong ginagawa nya?!? Alam nya ba ang ginagawa nya?!?

Tito Ray: I see... I'll trust you on that.. (napaisip) A duet would be good. Perhaps right before the final number.. We wouldn't need too much choreography or things like that. Just a simple ballad, maybe?

Ate Marian: Ay opo! I'll personally take care of the transition!

Ako: W-wa---

Jerwin: That's it then.

O_O

Kuya, pati ba naman ikaw?!?

Ako: But--

Before I can speak any further, biglang kinuha ni Jerwin ung arm ko, and led me away from the discussion, papunta dun sa small table with drinks and snacks..

Ako: What are you doing?!? O__O

Jerwin: What? I'm thirsty.

I looked back at Mr. Santos and Ate Marian, and they're walking towards the production manager.. Gagawin talaga nila!!! Tama ba naman un!??!

I grabbed Jerwin's arm, and slightly, firmly, desperately shook him.. wa care na ko kung umiinom sya at lalong wa care ako nung nag-choke sya sa tubig..

Jerwin: What?! What?!?

Ako: Stop them!!! OoO

Jerwin: Geez, Venice.. Don't kill me over something like that..

Ako: Sira! Hindi ka pa mamamatay sa tubig!

Jerwin: People die from choking you know?

Ako: You're missing the point here!

Jerwin: Eh? I am?

Ako: Hello?!? They are making me sing on stage with you! on a major concert!

Jerwin: Uh-huh?

Ako: Me! On that stage!

Inubos ni Jerwin ung tubig nya and threw away the bottle, and finally, he looked at me.. To my surprise, he's smiling..

He gently put his hand on top of me head, and nilapit ung mukha nya sa'kin.. O_O It took all of me not to smack him right then and there.

Jerwin: Yes, I know. But, isn't it your dream to perform "on that stage"?

Nag-flash sa mind ko ung first time I met him.. Nung pinasilip ni Ate Marian ung current project nila, which coincidentally was actually the stage for Jerwin's concert.. It was just a few minutes of short conversation.. and I didn't even recognize him..

But he... O_O He remembered?

Jerwin: If you dared to dream about something like that, then I'm sure, you have what it takes to perform there, on that stage.

Tumalikod sya sa'kin and started to walk pabalik dun sa stage to finish whatever they were doing when I came in..

Jerwin: I'll be done in a little bit.. Then we'll pick out a song for tomorrow, okay? Just relax.. I got you.

Well.. I guess I won't smack him after all..