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Chapter 38 – Concert

“LEON! LEON! LEON!!!”

The mass of fans—mostly composed of teen girls—chanted accompanied by overwhelming cheers and screams of excitement. I swept my eyes around me and was overwhelmed by how jam-packed Staples Center had become. There was not one empty seat that the venue looked inadequate no matter how spacious it was.

Through the dark domed hall, strobes of colorful lights flashed everywhere from the high ceiling, making the cries even louder. From the seats up the left and right bleachers, I could see differently colored luminous bracelets waving in the air while plaque cards were raised above the countless thrilled bobbing heads.

One read: I love you Leon! Another said Marry me Leon and a lot of Leon’s name with hearts and kiss marks all over them.

Becky held my arm and leaned over to yell something to my ear.

“What… Leon… say… go?” was all I could make out through the rumbling uproar of anticipation. I didn’t need to ask twice because I already knew what she meant.

I interlaced my hands on my lap and stared at them for a while as Leon’s words resounded in my head.

“Don’t go backstage no matter what happens. Louella will arrange everything you’re going to need.” He said before leaving earlier. There was something about his eyes that left an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach. He was keeping something from me that Louella was aware of.

Speaking of Louella, she couldn’t be found anywhere after making sure that we were seated in the front row. Even she reiterated twice to do as Leon said.

When I told Becky, she just shook her head and threw me an apologetic look. I managed a small smile and closed my eyes sighing deeply, trying my best to ignore the deafening shouts and the commotion all around me.

From the front row where we were seated, the brightly lit stage dazzled my eyes. In the middle of the platform’s back panels, a colossal display screen flashed a presentation of Leon’s pictures, most of which were caught in action with a background music of his hit song Be Mine.

It struck me how different he appeared in those photos where his broad happy smiles didn’t quite touch his eyes.

At some point, I questioned whether I really knew him. I couldn’t help but think about his parsimonious smiles, how his crystal eyes widened and that habit of scratching his brow when he was caught in surprise.

Just then, the stage dimmed and the crowd started cheering and chanting his name. A soft piano melody filled the air, drowning the rumbling noise of the antsy spectators. The familiar melody picked up a mellow beat and after a few moments, Leon’s brilliant voice resounded against the four walls of the spacious dome.

Look at me before I forget how your eyes shimmer

You’re unreachable, incredible, despicable in my eyes

It was that song in the CD he gave me.

Invisible to You.

The display monitor in the very center of the stage was the only source of light in the auditorium and Leon was nowhere to be found.

 Leon Walden — Kismet

Those words—the concert title— flashed on the screen, rendering a dull expectant silence as his mellow voice sung through the second verse of the song.

Please smile at me; Glittery, like the ocean in summer

It’s irresistible, adorable, condemnable in my head

I squinted against the stage as a vague silhouette slowly materialized from the platform and slowly moving upward until a lone spotlight finally focused on the figure.

Uproars of cries and applause resounded through the hall when Leon became visible, wearing a coat and tie maroon and black uniform very much like the one he wore in the video. A sleek red electric guitar was slung on his back. There was a supercilious smile on his face as he stroked the wisps of his dirty blonde hair (Leon’s stage hair was supposed to be blonde) while his other hand gripped on the microphone stand.

Only then did I realize why the video seemed familiar to me. It was like me and him when we used to ignore each other because I accidentally threw putrid water all over his pants in Bio.

If that was the case, was it possible that he wrote the song for me? Was it possible that while he looked at ease at pretending I was invisible and seemed to enjoy ignoring me maybe, just maybe, he couldn’t help but think of me too?

There was a burn in my cheeks when I looked up at the stage again, a bit embarrassed of my thoughts. It was impossible.

During the chorus, Leon flung the guitar in front of him and started strumming as the drummer did a few fill-in rolls giving the song a slow rock beat.

I promised not to play in your cruel games, you know it’s true

That if I could I’d touch your face and feel your breathing

Hold you tight, look into your eyes because I’m dying

Close your eyes, come to me, hold me tight, just for tonight

I can’t stand being here just to be invisible to you

There was a weird fluttering in my chest as I gripped on the armrest of my seat. I tried to control the rhythm of my breathing through the loud beats of the base that made the floor quake slightly against my feet. His voice was light, velvety and alluring, as though I couldn’t hear the noise anymore.

            Hold my hand, so I won’t crumble when I hear you whisper

            I’m just terrified to try to work out this feeling

            Tell me now if I could just keep you all to myself

            In my pocket, in my arms, in my heart ‘cause you see

Leon sang the chorus again as a larger image of him was shown on the monitor; his fluid movements, the way his forehead crease with emotion, his wide smile and the way his eyebrows arched which gave him a somewhat ostentatious air; all of those weren’t like the Leon I knew.

It was as though it was an absolutely different person I was watching. Like it was just an illusion how I was so sure I understood him at all.

For a while, I gazed uncomprehendingly at the Leon Walden on stage, oblivious of the audience singing along with him. Every time I closed my eyes and simply listen and not scrutinize him, I recognized in his beautiful voice that he was still Leon; the Leon Walden I’ve come to know and love.

A burn slowly crept its way into my belly as though something bad was about to happen. Either I was merely being paranoid or completely insane.

            Why can’t I read what goes in your mind?

            So I could make you see that I’m going crazy

            Because in your eyes, I see the light

The song ended with a bang as a fountain of sparklers shot up from the edge of the stage, sending shimmering lights all around us.

After a roar of cries and applause that seemed to deafen me for a little while, Leon grabbed the microphone from the stand and treaded to the catwalk extending beyond the edge of the stage, just about a few meters away from where Becky and I were seated.

“Good evening, Los Angeles!” He waved and greeted with a well-rehearsed enthusiasm which was answered by a loud chorus of shrill hollers that resounded for a few moments. “First, I want to thank all of you for coming here. Are we having fun or what?!”

His question was answered by a rumbling chorus of shrill cheers. After this concert, people will have to deal with the worst case of sore throat ever!

 “You know, I’ve always believed in Kismet.” He said nodding with a story-telling tone that was foreign to me. I had to close my eyes again to hear that he was still my Leon but failed.

“Destiny… Fate… call it what you may but I know fairly well that everything happens for a reason. When two people meet each other…” His eyes swept all around through the blinding lights that were focused on him but I doubted he could make out anything with the glare.

Just subsequently, his eyes trailed on our direction and fixed on my face for a while, contorting infinitesimally into an unreadable expression which disappeared through his unwavering smile almost at once as it had come.

With an insignificant pause, he shook his head as if to repress whatever it was that seemed to bother him then continued in his foreword. “…they meet not by coincidence because there’s no such thing. Most of you would assume, love and you’re probably right.”

His reaction had me perplexed.

As though nothing happened, Leon continued on saying his lines but I listened intently on the way he said it rather than what he was actually trying to say. It was weird but I could appreciate the tiniest hint of British accent as he spoke.

I should know owing to all those long hours of watching Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings; perhaps too many times that I sometimes out of impulse use the accent.

Becky grinned widely. She was having the time of her life. I smiled back at her.

I shook my head. Maybe I was just overanalyzing things. As I had assumed before, it was either I was merely being paranoid or completely insane.

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Hi... It's been a while! at last! an update. There are tons of things to do so I didn't have time to write lately. But know that I appreciate every vote and comment from you. I mean really! They make me want to write more. And because I am so grateful to all of you, I'll make an update ASAP! XD Thanks so much! *Huge cyber hugs*