"Are you free on saturday?" 

Napatingin naman ako sa kanya, "Ha?" my brows forrowed.

"Ah, for the interview," sabi niya at iniwas yung tingin.

Nanlaki yung mata ko sa narinig ko. "OMG?! Its true ba? Halaaaa!" hindi ko na inisip yung thoughts ni Axel. Basta masyado akong nao-overwhelm nagtatalon-talon ako dito. 

I saw Axel naka-ngiti siyang umiiling-iling sa akin, "Thank you Axel! Bati na tayo right?! No bawian ah!" masigla kong sabi sa kanya. He smiled at me.

Bago ako lumabas ng office, "So see you?" I said.

He smiled, "See you."

Lumabas ako sa office na parang walang nangyari, marami kasing students. Gosh! My feels, kinikilig ako! 

"Gurll, Axel ask me if I'm free on saturday! Kinikilig ako!" masayang kwento ko kay Amber.

She look shocked, "Wow! Date agad? Ang speed naman no'n!" 

I laugh, "Baliw, for the interview kasi. Finally we're bati na, you know what? Kakaiba na yung aura niya hindi na siya masugit sa akin! He even smiled at me, it looks so bago right?" tuloy tuloy na sabi ko sa kanya.

Ayan na naman yung tingin niya, there's a meaning na naman. "Sana all," sabi niya. "Malay mo gurl, hindi lang pala ikaw yung may gusto. Siya rin," dagdag niya pa with matching taas-baba ng kilay.

Hanggang sa maka-uwi ako sa bahay iniisip ko yung sinabi ni Amber. There's a posibility ba talaga na magustuhan ako pabalik ni Axel? These past few days, masyado na akong nago-overthink. Nakakainis. Siguro I need to be thankful nalang, no need isipin masyado si Axel?

Isipin mo nalang Iarrah na nagiging mabait lang talaga sayo si Axel. No malisya, want mo siya maging friend right? Right.

Days had passed. Its friday na pero hindi ko parin alam kung saan ba kami magkikita ni Axel bukas.

Pumunta ako sa music room, its friday wala masyadong pumupunta dun kasi maaga silang nag-uuwian.

I look at the guitar, parang ang ganda tumugtog. Kinuha ko yung acoustic guitar at nilagay ko yung chord para ma-connect sa speaker.

I strum the guitar.

"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say "yes"
Romeo, save me, they're trying to tell me how to feel
This love is difficult, but it's real
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess
It's a love story baby just say "yes"
Oh, oh"

I played it in a slow-tempo. I miss this, ang tagal ko na ring hindi naka-tugtog ng gitara. Its nasira kasi.

Nagulat ako nang nagkaroon ng 'bigat' yung tunog. I saw Axel, he's playing bass. . . with me. Napatingin ako sa mga mata niya.

"I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around
My faith in you was fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said.."

I stopped, then he look at me. We're looking at each other right now. I strum again. . .

"Romeo save me I've been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring."

Nakikita kong isang 'pitik' lang yung ginagawa niya, bumabagay ang bawat bagsak ng tunog sa strumming ko.

He's singing, nakaka-gulat. Marunong pala siyang kumanta.

"And said "Marry me Juliet
You'll never have to be alone
I love you and that's all I really know
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress
It's a love story baby just say 'Yes'"

I smiled at him, feeling ko para sa akin talaga naka-dedicate yung kanta.

"Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Because we were both young when I first saw you. . ."

After that I smiled widely. I clapped my hands, "Omg! Natugtog ka? Halaa, you're voice is so great!" natutuwang sabi ko kay Axel.

Binalik ko sa lagayan yung acoustic guitar, then I fold the chord at binalik sa dating pwesto.

"Uy, 'yan ka na naman. You're  tahimik! I'm so nagulat ha! Biglang nagkaroon ng tunog ng bass, akala ko tuloy kung sino."

He chuckled, "Ikaw din, I didn't expect that you know on how to play guitar."

"I didn't expect din! 'Yun nalang yung natandaan kong kanta. Lovestory," he didn't response. "I feel like, we're singing our lovestory kanina," natatawang sabi ko.

His brows forrowed, "'To naman, you're so serious!" Hinampas ko siya. "But really, ang ganda ng voice mo. Sana all po!"

"I liked your voice too," sabi niya at umiwas ng tingin.

Napangiti ako, "So you like me?" pangangasar ko.

"Kinda."

What?

"Hey! Kinda? Do you like me talaga?" I'm so OA, but I'm really shocked!

He laugh at me but a little bit lang. Omg? Teka nga, bakit ang kakaiba ni Axel? What's going on here?

Umiling-iling siya, "Don't mind it. Bakit ka ba nandito?"

"Hello? I'm the one dapat na nagtatanong. Why are you here? Bigla ka nalang sumusulpot. Its so nakakagulat kaya!" depensa ko.

"Kanina pa ako dito. Then I heard that you're playing a guitar. Wala, bigla ko lang naisipan na sabayan ka."

I smiled at him. I feel so proud, he's talking too much na! But I don't wanna sita it, baka he will going to be so tahimik ulit.

"Aw, I disturb you pala hehe, sorry!" I smile at do the 'peace' sign. "Ay Axel, saan kita i-interviewhin bukas?"

He looked at his watch, "Do you want to do it now? Its still early."

"Hala! Oo naman, wait kukuha lang ako ng paper and pen."

I asked him some questions about school's improvements for the past months they have been on the student council. Ang galing niya sumagot, he talked a lot. May sense, buti nalang he's cooperating sa akin today. Hindi siya nagsu-sungit.

"Thank you Axel!" natutuwa kong sabi sa kanya. Hala, finally natapos na yung interview na 'to. I'm excited na tuloy!

"You look so happy."

"Ofcourse I am! Thank you talaga, you're not thay masungit naman pala. You're nahihiya lang sa akin," I smiled and tinaas-baba yung kilay ko.

"You look weird haha."

"Hmp, you look so weird din kaya! Tapos you're eyes is so malungkot pa. Sinong mas weird? Hmp!"

Hala, I'm so nadadala ng situation. Biglang nag-bago yung aura niya. There's something wrong. Ano bang meron? Totoo ba yung guess ko na may something behind those eyes?

"Hala, sorry! Malungkot ka ba talaga? Don't be sad, hayaan mo nalang yung problems mo. Go Axel!" I cheered him.

He just shrugged and say nothing.

Kung ano 'man ang reason niya, I hope he'll be okay.

Its sunday, hindi na kami nagkita kahapon ni Axel kasi tapos ko na rin siyang interviewhin. I'm just getting ready kasi magsi-simba kami. I notice na si Iannah hindi pa kumikilos.

"Iannah, why ka naka-higa pa? We're going to church," I said to her while combing my hair.

"Wala ako mood. Masama pakiramdam ko."

"Its church--"

She cut me off, "Masama pakiramdam ko," she said then look at her phone.

Bumalik nalang ako sa pwesto ko at kinuha yung pink ko na sling bag. I was wearing white dress, pair with pink sandals. Kinuha ko yung silver watch ko at sinuot ito.

Pumunta na kami ng church ng hindi kasama si Iannah. The mass has done, ang ganda ng God's word. Sayang hindi kami complete.

Nang makalabas ako ng church I saw a familiar guy. Dito rin siya nagsisimba? Hala, its so nakakagulat naman.

"Axel!"

Hinanap niya kung sino yung tumawag sa kanya. Nilapitan ko na siya, "Hi Axel! Dito ka pala nagsisimba?" I asked him.

"Ah yes? Second time," he said.

When I'm about to tell something tinawag akk ni Mom. Nakita ko si Dad sa peripheral vison ko, iba yung tungin kay Axel. Mygosh!

"Ahm, Mom, Dad. Si Axel friend ko," naka-ngiti kong pakilala kay Axel. He smiled at them.

"Friend?" ma-issue na tanong ni Mom.

"Yes Mom. Friend, just friend!"

Napatawa naman si Mom, "Okay, friend." Napalingon naman siya sa gawi ni Axel. "Hi Axel!" masiglang bati ni Mom.

Maayos naman silang nagkausap. Buti okay lang kay Axel, hindi siya mukhang naiilang. Grabe, sana all.

"May gagawin ka pa ba Axel?"

"Wala naman po-"

"Greatt!"

What? I'm shocked nang masyado yatang natuwa si Mom. Tiningnan ko yung reaction ni Dad, mukhang nagulat din.

"Let's have a lunch in our house. Oops, bawal humindi," nakangiting sabi ni Mom.

I saw Axel, he smiled at nahihiyang kumamot sa batok niya.

Mygosh, Mom!

---

A collaboration story with Keylalaly

Meet Iarrah Cervantes twin and know ther story!

Kindly check Keylalaly 's account to know Iannah's story!