3 months later...

KALUMBAYAN is UP NOW!!! STREAM IT via SPOTIFY, APPLE PLAY, AMAZON, and YOUTUBE

"Condolence po kay mr. Theo Sariaya" all of the staffs and my manager sends their deepest condolence kay lolo.

Tumango ako. I still can't accept that fact, walang araw na lumilipas na gumagawa ako ng kanta na para sa kanya.

Nagpahinga muna ako sa politika. Mainit pa rin ang issue and if I make a single move, ang mga matang nakatitig ay magsisimulang gumawa ng panibagong chismis.

They're still finding and tracking the killer.
I bite my nails habang nasa upuan sa loob ng mall. My manager, Anna, asked me.

"Is there something bothering you?" tanong niya sa akin. I stopped biting it nang magsalita siya.

"You thought I don't know that gesture of yours?" tinaas niya ang mga kilay nila.

"Alam ko takbo ng isip mo Thraia Rose Sariaya, you're blinded by fame, I never thought that one day you'll be like this"

That words carved onto my mind as I heard her sarcastic voice in my brain.

Damn you Maria, damn you and your whole family!

"Wala" pagsisinungaling ko sa manager. I stopped biting my nails at tumayo na ako para pumasok sa isang fine dining restaurant.

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

"

Ito na 'yung scallops na pinapa-order mo sa akin at pata, kain na tayo" aniya at inilapag niya sa mesa ang mga in-order naming pagkain.

Kumuha ako ng scallop at ilang parts ng pagkain at kumain na.

The crowd is still noisy, I didn't mind it though since it's normal in this rising part of the Philippines, Manila.

"Well, about your music... Everyone loved it, some people used this for their loved one like their boyfriends or girlfriends, some use it as their theme song of their stories, and some sends their condolences to your grandfather" remark ni Anna habang inaalis ang laman ng scallops sa shell nito.

Tumango lang ako at pinilit ang sarili na ngumiti.

"Is the killer still on loose?" tanong ko. Aside of being my manager, she's also a detective.

She works under my family. She finds all of her conclusions correctly, making her one of the smartest detective alive.

"No information from my investigators, however they conduct a private interview from the rich families in your province, but none of them told that they killed him or leave any suspicious hints about your grandfather's demise"

"All of the old money noble families?" I said. Tumango siya.

"The investigators arranged the private questions on every family based on their riches"

"None of the maids, staffs, even the duchess of the Ackerman Manor tell that no one did touch or having a communication with Theo Sariaya before his death" paliwanag niya.

Even though she said that even Maria never admitted the crime, I don't believe her.
She used of snarling every day, and has an evil demeanour. Do I think she'll never do that?

Bitch.

"The same goes of each and every family, so, I conclude that this is assassination" she concluded at sumubo ng crispy pata.
The crunch though.

I almost get another part of garlic chicken nang magsalita si Anna.

"Don't eat too much, tataba ka"
Ah.

Di bale nang mataba siya dulot ng paghahain niya ng marami basta ako hindi.

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

U

muwi na ako sa condo ko rito. It is a high rise condominium unit. Binili ito ni lolo para sa akin nang malaman ko na gusto kong tuparin ang pagiging artista and singer ko.

I remember the days where lolo visits me every month para kumustahin ako. I always tell him that I am okay.

The scent of his Saint Lawrence perfume still reeks in the whole room.

I looked at the picture frame na naglalaman ng picture frame naming limang magkakaibigan na sina Hinata, Kathleen, Ellen, at Maria.

Kasama si lolo.

Nagkandawatak watak ang lahat nang may nagsabi sa akin sa mansion that Maria was betraying us.

At first I didn't believe it, they're just commoners who wants to destroy our friendship. Until Maria admitted that she's using me for her personal gain.

The others went shocked.

And because of that, everyone became on vain, leading to our friendship becoming torn up.

When someone confessed that Maria was using me that it was a hoax. My mind is closed at that time.

I yelled at him and never believed that shit.
And now, I think of her now as a villain who wants the protagonist to surrender until the storyline ends.

Binasag ko ang frame at nagsumigaw. That memory starts to burst in my brain again.

Just don't fucking remember it!

I cleaned the mess, get the scissors, and remove Maria Letizia on the picture.

There, there.

I didn't eat anything tonight. I spend myself being on a bathroom purging those foods that I ate earlier and snacks I ate after cleaning the mess.

I breathed then starts to puke again. And finally I'm done with it.

Nag toothbrush ako at nagpalit ako ng damit. Binuksan ko ang laptop ko at ang laman ng twitter ko ay puno ng tungkol sa aking nilikhang kanta.

A notification popped up on my messenger. It was dad, Martin Alfredo Sariaya.

"Rose, since the election is now coming, I need you to composed a song para sa campaign ko"

I sighed and also rolled my eyes. He always spend his time comparing me to other politician's children tapos may kapal para utusan ako para sa pangangampanya niya.
I replied.

"I'll write the song immediately after all of my schedules are now done"

Delivered.

Seen.

"Make sure the song fits well, ayokong mapahiya sa mga kaaway ko" dad may not be here pero naririnig ko ang malamig niyang boses.

I pressed thumbs up at pinatay ang cellphone.

Lolo, whenever you are, please guide me.