Fierce

Chapter 8

Passes

Zendaya and I were in an awkward silence after my scandalous interaction with Darlene. I was too confused to talk while she was hesitating to open up a conversation. In my first impression of her, she seemed like a meek girl so I wasn’t really surprised to see her quiet.

"Uhm..." She finally made a sound. "I don't want to sound like a chismosa pero... it was the second time I saw you had a row with Darlene.” I looked at her but she was just looking at her hands, playing with her fingers. "The frappe incident..." she continued. "Na-tweet din 'yon sa for fun account ng school natin sa Twitter."

"I have my own reasons," sabi ko na lang at inalis na ang tingin sa kanya.

"I know..." she said. "Honestly, at first, I was scared to approach you noong nalaman kong magpartner tayo. But when you smiled at me, nakita kong hindi ka naman pala nakakatakot."

Napangisi naman ako. "Do I look like a monster to you or what?"

"No! No! No!" agaran niyang pagsagot at muli ko siyang nilingon. She was even shaking her head. "You're pretty, Blair. Sa katunayan nga, madaming nagkakagusto sa 'yo."

"Okay na ‘yong sabihin mong maganda ako. Huwag mo nang dagdagan ng joke,” biro ko upang mas gumaang ang usapan namin.

"But it's true,” she insisted. "I've heard guys talking about you but they just don't have the guts to approach you..."

"Then, they're cowards. I hate cowardly boys," I simply said and heaved a sigh. "Anyway, should we talk about our case digest?" I flawlessly changed our topic to something more important.

We spent ten minutes talking about our case digest. We evenly distributed the parts we needed to do separately in order to be fair. I would do the facts and analyze the issues, while she’d be responsible with the rulings.

Pagkatapos naman naming mag-usap ay napagdesisyunan kong puntahan si Ida bago tuluyang umuwi. But before I went to their house, I bought her favorite cinnamon danish and strawberry cream frappe with extra whipped cream at Starbucks.

"What an unexpected guest!" masayang bungad ni Tita nang binuksan niya ang kanilang pintuan. "Come in, Blair."

"Sorry for coming po nang hindi nagsasabi," paghingi ko ng paumanhin nang pumasok sa kanilang bahay. "Ida told me she's feeling sick kaya po pumunta ako rito. I brought her favorites with me to cheer her up."

"It’s fine! You know you’re always welcome in our home,” Tita reassured me with a smile. “ANd I’m sure she’ll love it, Blair! Umakyat ka na. She's been staying inside her room for the whole day."

"Sige po." I smiled at Tita before I went upstairs to Ida's room.

I was about to enter her room when I heard a door closing beside Ida's. Kilala ko kung kaninong kuwarto ang nasa kabila kaya naman agad humampas ang aking puso sa dibdib nang malakas dahil sa hindi maintindihang kaba.

"Blair?" Isaiah carefully called my name.

I removed my grip from the doorknob and turned to see him who was walking towards me.

He was wearing black tight jeans, plain black tee and a black ball cap. The strap of his guitar case was hanging on his shoulders, so I guessed he was going out for a practice even at night. Siguro ay talagang ganoon ka-hectic ang schedule nila lalo na at napapalapit na ang encore concert.

"Hey." I casually greeted him and smiled.

He smiled widely. "Didn't know you were going to visit. Walang sinabi sa akin si Ida."

"I didn't tell her so..." I shrugged. "I'm just going to give this to her since she's not feeling well."

His eyes moved to the brown paper bag I was holding. It was hard because I was supporting the paper bag using only one hand. Kinakabahan ako dahil baka lumusot ang frappe. Naramdaman ko na ang pagkabasa ng ilalim ng paper bag. Dapat talaga ay pinalagay ko na lang doon sa pinaglalagyan nila ng beverages kapag take-out. Stupid me.

Nang makitang nahihirapan ako ay agad siyang mas lumapit pa sa akin. I held my breath when he stopped just right in front of me and got the paper bag from my hand.

"The bottom of the bag's dripping wet,” puna niya. “Ako na maghahawak. Open the door."

Wala sa sarili akong tinalikuran siya at sinunod na lang ang kanyang sinabi. I opened the door and saw Ida covered with a comforter while holding her phone. Her eyes widened and she quickly removed her earphones when she saw me enter the room.

"Blair!" She looked excited until her eyes found Isaiah behind me. "Kuya?"

"It's not what you think," mabilis kong sabi at lumapit sa kanya. "We just met outside your room."

Napabuntong hininga naman siya nang sabihin ko 'yon. "I thought you two were already taking the risk and dating outside the house," sabi ni Ida. "Sabi ko naman sa 'yo, kuya, dito na lang kayo sa bahay para safe."

"Ida!" pagsuway ko sa kanya at nadinig ko ang pagtawa ni Isaiah.

Nilingon ko siyang iilalapag ang paper bag na dala ko sa may side bed table ni Ida.

"Thanks for the help, Isaiah,” I bid with a smile and he just smiled back.

"Kuya, I thought pupunta ka ngayon kila Ike for the private band practice?" biglang tanong ni Ida sa kanya.

So he’s really going for a band practice tonight...

Nang maisip ang banda ay naisip ko tuloy ang wallpaper ni Zendaya. I knew that she was just a fan. Madami ring fans si Isaiah ang gumagawa no’n pero siya pa lang ang nakita kong kakilala na ginawa siyang wallpaper.

Sometimes jealousy can give us a feeling that's so irrational. Basta kapag naramdaman mo, mararamdaman mo talaga at maaapektuhan ka.

"How can I go if Blair's here in our house?" he simply said.

It seemed like he was serious with his answer. He even put down his guitar on the floor and sat on Ida's bed to prove a point.

"You're making me cringe, kuya,” sabi ni Ida at umakto pang para siyang kinikilabutan. “Stop it.”

"May practice ka pala ngayon. Pumunta ka na," I convinced him to attend their band practice.

"It's not an official band practice kaya puwedeng hindi ako pumunta," sabi niya at ngumiti sa akin.

"Official or not, that's still a practice that can improve your performance sa encore concert ninyo," I pointed out.

Unti-unti namang naglaho ang kanyang ngiti at napahinga nang malalim. "Please don't make me leave, Blair. Alam mo namang susundin kita kapag pinaalis mo ako pero, please, don't make me leave. Isang beses pa lang kitang nakikita mula noong umuwi kami galing kami sa European tour. This is my second time seeing you tapos papaalisin mo pa ako."

Pursing my lips, I tried to hide a smile. I didn't know why but I found him cute, pouting like a cute boy.

"I seriously can't take seeing you two do lovey-dovey talks in front of me," Ida butt in, still disgusted with the kind of affection her brother was giving me.

"We're not doing that," I told her. "Anyway, binilhan kita ng paborito mo. Puwedeng pakiabot, Isaiah?"

"Finally! Kanina ko pa 'yan tinitingnan. Akala ko hindi mo na maiisipang ibigay sa akin," sabi ni Ida at sobrang laki ng kanyang ngiti lalo na nang naiabot na iyon ni Isaiah sa kanya. "You're the best, best friend ever, Blair," she said and even gave me a thumbs up before she took a sip of her frappuccino.

"Bumili rin ako ng dalawang cinnamon danish—one for you and one for me," sabi ko at kinuha sa kanya ang paper bag bago nilingon si Isaiah. "Hati na lang tayo sa akin."

"Does that mean that I can stay and eat with you?" he asked with high hopes and I almost forgot that he had to go to his band practice.

"Wrong move, brother." Ida shook her head while munching on her danish.

"Oo nga pala! Baka hinihintay ka na ng mga bandmates mo," sabi ko. "Bring this danish with you para may pagkain ka roon, just in case..."

"You really want me to leave, huh?" He sounded hurt, and guilt started to creep inside me.

Most of the people around me said that I was such a strong person. Pero sabi nga rin nila, lahat ng malalakas na tao ay may kahinaan. Just like Superman, no matter how strong he is, even if he can spin the world backwards to turn back time, he still has his own weakness—his kryptonite.

In my case, my family, Ida and Isaiah's were my kryptonite. Kapag pagdating na sa kanila ay lumabas na ang kahinaan ko. They were my weakness.

"How about I'll suggest something that will benefit the both of you?" Pagtaas ni Ida ng kamay at sabay naman namin siyang nilingon ni Isaiah. "Kuya, go to your practice—"

"What? No!" mabilis na pag-angal ni Isaiah.

"I'm not yet finish! Don't cut me out," inis na sabi ni Ida. Umirap siya sa kapatid bago humalukipkip. "Go to your practice and bring Blair with you."

"Me?" I pointed at myself, suddenly wondering why Isaiah needed to bring me to their band practice.

"Yes," she simply replied. "Nang dahil gusto mong umattend si kuya sa band practice nila at dahil rin gusto ni kuya na makasama ka pa nang mas matagal, mas magandang kayong dalawa na lang ang pumunta sa band practice. Oh, ‘di ba? Ang galing ko talagang mag-isip!"

"Well, that's a good suggestion." Isaiah seemed to agree with Ida's suggestion.

"That's a dangerous suggestion," I disagreed. "Baka may makakita sa amin ni Isaiah."

"Syempre meron! At iyong mga taong makakakita sa inyo ay ang members ng New Classic," Ida sarcastically said. "Plus, Ike lives in a village with high-security kaya I doubt na may mga nakakapasok na paparazzi roon."

"Ida's right but how did you know that Ike lives in that kind of village?" Isaiah’s curiosity made deep lines appear on his forehead.

"We're friends, kuya," she answered. "At saka pinapabantayan kita sa kanya. Baka mamaya niloloko mo na ang best friend ko."

"I would never do that to Blair, Ida," mariin at seryosong sabi ni Isaiah.

"Okay. Whatever you say.” Ida sweetly smiled at me. “Basta umalis na kayong dalawa. I'll be fine here with these treats from my sweet best friend."

With a sigh, I turned to Isaiah with a defeated smile. Guess I have to go with Isaiah if it's the only way not to interrupt and delay their practice. And so, I stood up from sitting on Ida's bed and looked at Isaiah.

"Let's go," pag-aya ko na sa kanya nang maging buo na ang aking desisyon.

His eyes lit up. "You'll go with me?"

"May magagawa pa ba ako?"

"Uhm, I guess none," he answered, then held my hand. "We better go before you change your mind."

He swiftly lifted up his guitar bag while still holding my hand. Sa pagmamadali niyang makaalis kaming dalawa ay hindi na ako nakapagpaalam pa kay Ida na tumatawa habang pinapanood kami ni Isaiah palabas ng kuwarto niya.

"Wait a minute." He suddenly stopped when we were already in the garage in front of his car.

Isaiah removed his ball cap and fixed the strands of my hair, tucking it at the back of my ears. Pagkatapos no’n ay maingat niyang isinuot sa akin ang sumbrero. Hindi ko mapigilang mapangiti habang tinitingnan siyang malapit sa akin.

"There…” he trailed and smiled back at me. “So we can be safe."

Matapos isuot sa akin ni Isaiah ang kanyang sumbrero ay sumakay na kami sa kanyang sasakyan. Wala kaming inaksayang oras. Agad binuhay ni Isaiah ang sasakyang at tinapakan ang gas.

"Ike's village is just near ours," he told me while his eyes were fixed on the road. "We'll be there in ten."

Tumango na lamang ako habang abala sa pagte-text kay Ida dahil hindi ako nakapagpaalam nang maayos. Bahagyang napataas ang aking kilay nang makita ko sa gilid ng aking mga mata ang pagsilip ni Isaiah sa aking cellphone.

"It's Ida,” I told him. “You don't have to peek."

"I'm not peeking,” he denied right away.

"Really?” Nilingon ko siya habang nakataas ang kilay. 

He just laughed and shook his head. "It's really hard to please you," he said. "But I guess I'm lucky because I can spend time with you, huh?"

"Very lucky.”

"Pero mas ma-suwerte ka,” bawi niya.

I raised my eyebrow. "And why is that?"

“I got a very high talent fee, Blair, but you’re lucky that you can be with me for free,” he told me with a smug smile on his lips. "I have no complaints though. I'm willing to give you all my time for free."

"You and your cheesy lines again,” sabi ko na lang upang itago ang kilig na nararamdaman.

Natawa naman siya. "I really like it whenever we're alone together," pag-amin niya. "Kapag may nakapaligid kasi sa atin, kahit ang kapatid ko pa ‘yon, lagi ka pa ring tahimik. But if we're alone like this, it’s like you’re being your true self."

"Kilala mo ko, Isaiah…” paalala ko sa kanya. “I'm not really used to that.”

"I know." He nodded and licked his lower lip before he decided to change our topic. "Anyway, the tickets for the encore concert will be released tomorrow. They're expecting that it will be sold-out in one day. But don’t worry, I already asked my manager to reserve some tickets and also backstage passes for mom, dad, Ida and you."

"Isn't that kinda odd? I mean, pamilya mo sila kaya walang kaso kung bigyan mo sila ng backstage passes pero ako..." nag-aalangan kong sabi. "Baka may mga maghina lang staffs ninyo."

"No, they won't." Umiling siya. "May mga mapipili rin sa VIP section, around 25 fans para ma-meet kami sa backstage, so I think it'll be fine."

I smiled and nodded while I could already feel the excitement. The last time I saw him play in a big dome was during their first concert ever. But their last concert in the country before they went on their European tour, I couldn’t come because I was sick that time. Hindi na rin ako pinilit ni Isaiah no’n dahil gusto niya akong magpahinga.

This time, I'll attend his concert and scream my heart out because that's the only time where I can also give him full attention and show affection. No one will notice because they'll think that I'm just a die-hard fan.