...
"James!!!"
Naku. Palakpakan at tawanan ang lahat.
"Sa wakas! Ikaw na talaga, dude!" sabi ni Miko, kababata namin ni Kharla na nakasama. Kantiyawan ang lahat. Makadalawang beses na kasing nakaeskapo si James na ma-timing sa paghinto ng bottle.
"Naku, pustahan tayo, allergic din ito sa truth!" sigaw ni Kuya Sean na tawa nang tawa. Kung anu-ano na kasi ang nagawa ng karamihan dahil sa mga piniling consequences. Some of us have been buried in the sand in an unnoticeable way na madaanan ng ibang mga tao sa resort, manglimos ng barya for a total of 100.00, kumanta sa harap ng bar ng resort at dapat palakpakan ng lahat ng mga nandoon, makipagkilala sa ibang ibang taga-resort at magdedicate ng song sa videoke at kailangan maka-100 points, at kung anu-ano pang mga kakulitan at kalokohan na slightly time-consuming pero nakakaaliw din naman. "Oy Lyka, maghanda ka na ng another wagas na trip dyan para sa consequence ni James!" sabi pa ni Kuya Sean kay Ate Lyka na pinsan namin at kabarkada din nya.
"Pambihira, mauubusan na ako nito!" sagot ni Ate Lyka kamot pa ang ulo. "Mag-Truth ka na lang kasi!"
"May last pa naman ah, i-balato nyo na lang sa akin ang pang-huling consequence," sabi ni James sa boses na nagmamakaawa pero nakangiti pa rin. Titig na titig ako sa kanya nung mga panahong yun. Ang cute niya talaga habang nakangiti.
At kung anong hangin naman kaya ang umihip kay Kharla nang bigla siyang nagsalita. "Aah ako na! Ako na! Ako na nga ang magbigigay ng ipagagawa kay James!" sabay ngisi na nakakaloka sa akin.
Naku po, nahuli yata akong nakatingin. Kinindatan pa ako ni Kharla. Pinandilatan ko siya, ilalaglag pa yata ako nito eh. Kinabahan ako.
"Aaaah pinagtitripan nyo talaga ako eh. Hindi lang naman ako ang natitirang hindi pa naisalang sa hot seat ah!" pagmamaktol ni James.
"Oo nga! Kayo na lang dalawa ni Janna ang hindi pa taya!" si Mikee, brother ni Ate Lyka.
"At dahil kayo na lang ang natitira, may espesyal akong ipagagawa!" parang magdideklara ng kung anong SONA si Ate Lyka.
"Onga, something new naman. Puro kulitan lang tayo dito eh. Wala bang medyo serious dyan?" humirit si Kristoff.
"Yeaaah! Matatapos na din naman tayo eh!" sigaw ng iba.
"O diba kaya, pa-sampol-in na lang natin tong si James! Eto yung special guest natin sa family vacation eh!" si Kuya Sean. Sumigaw naman ang karamihan ng "Sampol! Sampol!"
Tinitigan ko si James. Namumula na medyo nahihiyang nakangiti. Mas lalo tuloy siyang cute tingnan. Nakakatunaw naman kasi mangantiyaw ang mga barkada namin.
"O eto na mga kasama! Ladies and gentlemen...." pag-a-announce ni Kharla, "ang kakanta ng isang special song..." hiyawan na ang lahat "...na aawitin niya para sa kanyang special someone..." Teka. Bakit dinugtungan? Something fishy na tuloy. Tiningnan ko si James, mas lalo siyang nag-blush.
"Oy ano ba yan..." pabulong na maktol ni James pero as if may choice pa nga siya diba?
"Sige na kuya....diba may pinag-aralan ka na song? That sweet song you've told me that someday you'll sing as harana for your special girl?" pang-uudyok pa ni Katie.
Patay! Parang nababasa ko sa mukha ni James. Napakamot na lang sa batok at nahihiyang ngumiti. Todo kantiyawan na talaga ang lahat. Nanatili lamang akong nag-aantay kung ano ang magiging response ni James.
"He needs a guitar!" biglang sigaw ni Katie. Medyo nasurprise pa ako. Inabot naman niya ang hawak-hawak ni Kuya Jude na gitara. "Pahiram, Kuya Jude, nahihiya kasi si kuya na mag-a capella eh.." Binigay naman ng kuya ko ang instrumento niya na tinanggap naman ni James. As if he had a choice eh? Lol.
Tiningnan ko siyang maigi. Marunong siyang humawak ng gitara, in fairness. Ngayon ko lang nalaman na mahilig pala siyang tumugtog at kumanta. Hindi kasi niya na-i-share na mahilig siya sa music.
Walang nagawa si James at nangingiting naiiling sa kapatid niyang si Katie habang sinimulang i-pluck ang strings. Parang tini-testing niya at nakikibagay pa. Ang gwapo niyang pagmasdan habang nakaganoon at nakahawak sa gitara. Pakiramdam ko naman ay parang lulundag ang puso ko habang inaantay kung ano ang tutugtugin at kakantahin niya. Everybody's was getting more silent waiting for his turn. Parang excited na nakakakaba.
Then he started plucking.. "Ahm... I-I'd...I..would just play this song na lang..." sabi pa niya habang nag-i-intro. He smiled boyishly and looked at Katie. Katie smiled back. Kahit anong kanta ng kuya niya, proud pa rin siya nito. "Uh hmm."
Binasag ni Mikee ang pagku-concentrate ng lahat. "Woohooo! Palakpakan muna natin!"
"Adeeek ka Mikee, seryoso na nga tayo eh, kaw talaga!" binatukan pa ni Ate Lyka si Mikee.
"Aray ko naman! Eh nakakatense eh..parang kakanta ang Boyce Avenue sa intro pa lang ni James!"
"Sshh! Sssshhhh! Ano ba! Makikinig na!" si Kuya Sean. Tahimik na talaga ang lahat.
Ngumiti na lang si James. "Uh hmm!" And he started plucking again. I was observing him and how his fingers hit the strings.
Take time.. to realize...
Everyone became very quiet. He slightly closed his eyes and....
That your warmth is...crashing down on in.
His voice...
Take time to realize.. that I am on your side...
..is just..
Didn't I, didn't I tell you....
..so breathtaking! Napatitig ako sa mukha ng boses na yun.
But I can't spell it out for you,
No it's never gonna be that simple
No I can't spell it out for you.
He was just calmly playing the melody in an effortless manner. Nakatingin siya sa may fingerboard ng gitara while his left fingers were moving across it. He soulfully strummed the chorus part:
If you just realize what I just realized,
Then we'd be perfect for each other
and will never find another..
Just realize what I just realized
We'd never have to wonder if
we missed out on each other now.
Take time to realize
Ooh oh I'm on your side
Didn't I, didn't I tell you
Take time to realize
This all can pass you by
He was just so comfortable there crooning effortlessly. And while I was gazing at his face, he looked at me...smiling.
But I can't spell it out for you,
No it's never gonna be that simple
No I can't spell it out for you.
Is he singing to me? Shocks, I can feel his emotions speaking through his gaze... that kind of emotion...
If you just realize what I just realized,
Then we'd be perfect for each other
and will never find another..
Just realize what I just realized
We'd never have to wonder if
we missed out on each other but...
..that disturbing emotion I always choose to refuse to. Do I have to take time to realize it? Would I stop myself to recognize that.. familiar feeling? Or... should I just ignore it?
It's not the same
No it's never the same
If you don't feel it too..
I don't know. I'm not sure... if I would choose to feel it, then what?
If you meet me halfway
If you would meet me halfway
It could be the same for you.
Could it really be for me?
If you just realize what I just realized,
Then we'd be perfect for each other
and will never find another.
Just realize what I just realized
We'd never have to wonder
Just realize what I just realized..
I felt the soft cool wind that seems to respond to my thoughts. It blew my hair through my face. And at the same time, the owner of the voice closed his eyes..
Ohh
Missed out on each other now.
Missed out on each other now..
Should I have the courage to face that? Or should I turn my back against it. But behind the song, I could feel that his voice is begging for it... Should I?
My thoughts gradually came back to reality when I saw James grinned at his sister, Katie. And everybody seem to hum with his concluding part..singing with it.
Realize...
Realize...
Realize..
Oh oohh..
"Yyyeeeaaaaahhhhhh!! Woopwoooohhh!!" nagpalakpakan ang lahat. Parang namangha at nahimasmasan dahil sa isang madamdaming awitin.
"Ang gaaaling mo, James!! Grabeeh..ikaw ba yan? May tinatago ka pala talaga eh.." ang Kuya Sean at Ate Lyka bilib na bilib kay James.
"Feel na feel ko yung kanta graaabeeh!" -si Kharla. At kinamayan pa ni Kristoff si James pagkatapos. Si Miko at Kuya Jude tinap pa si James sa likod.
"A star who slept was born and awake!" Tawanan ang lahat dahil kay Mikee. Syempre nakitawa at nakipalakpak din ako. Deep inside bumilib talaga ako kay James.
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