TRACK 13: Preparation pt. 2

[Sisqo]

"Dahil sa ginawang yun ng grupo ni Sisqo, magkakaron sila ng penalty," I heard my uncle say to Kyle.

"Anong klaseng penalty naman?" Kyle asked.

"His group'll be demoted," my dad... Ama, followed up. "Your cousin is such a negligent leader. Who's going to carelessly let one of his team members punch an innocent woman in the face?"

Hearing that made me nervous. Dru Hill, demoted? I scoffed. I won't let anything like that happen to my dragons, my members. Gagawan ko ng paraan yan. Tutal—

"Insan uwi na pala ako," paalam ni Kyle sakin.

"Agad?" I raised an eyebrow.

He nodded, adding, "May tatapusin lang ako." Sana dito na lang niya ginawa, kung ano man yun. At sana sinabihan din niya ako! Kainis ka naman, insan...

"Don't you want to stay here? I'll make coffee," I suggested. I'm tired of ordering coffee. Saktong nagiipon na ako for the next two weeks.

"May coffee din naman si Tatay." The door swung open, then I saw tito Babyface and my dad talking to the Castros. May mga dalang gym bag ang magkapatid. Probably, they're going to the hospital. I heard what happened to K-Ci because Devante seems to be fine...

...at hindi pa bayad sa'kin nang buo ang kumag hanggang ngayon! My ears rang at the thought.

"Bye, insan!" paalam ni Kyle.

I waved back at him. Magiingat sya sana sa daan niya because the road will get slippery. I'm worried about that kid.

Namaalam muna ako kay Tito Babyface, he asked me to be kind. Bago pa ako makapagpaalam sa Ama ko, he stayed for a while. Observing me with his stern eyes and grumpy lips.

"Sa susunod na may makarinig akong ganyan sa 'yo at sa grupo mo, sisiguraduhin kong hindi ka na makakabalik sa dati ninyong pwesto Understand?"

Madiin. That's the way my dad says all those words. I couldn't negotiate. Everything is final. Unless... I do something about it?

Bumalik ako sa paborito kong coffee table that's between the TV and my rose gold sofa. I picked up my phone to contact a close friend.

"Hello? Sisqo here."

But who picked up the call was a familiar voice and not that person.

"Finally, I knew who you are. Tama nga pala ang hinala ko sa'yo! I've been wanting to find out your real name..."

Who are they talking about?

"You got the wrong person, I'm not them, I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry, Sisqo, my friend! Also, I'm pretty sure you've got another dirty secret right here, don't worry, though..."

I dropped the call as my chest began to pound bago pa ituloy ang sasabihin niya. I need to hide right now! Mahirap na to, hindi pa nila pwedeng malaman kung sino talaga ako.

I contacted my group chat, which consists of some of my Dru Hill members and some from the business. I want to discuss with them this backup plan with them. 

Let the ambush begin!

~

[JoJo]

Muntik pa akong hindi makapasok sa ospital na to, tinanong kasi ako ng guard sa podium kung may appointment ba ako... mukha ba akong may sakit, guys?! Well, tinuro niya ako sa concierge at tinanong sa kanila ang kwarto ni K-Ci. Pinuntahan ko iyon. Pero inabutan ko mga nurse na nagbabantay sa kanya, telling me that he was asleep. I waited in the hallway, asungot talaga!

"Magisa ka lang dito, kuya?" tanong nung babae sakin.

Tiningnan ko ang itsura niya. Wavy ang mahabang buhok niyang may bangs, mataba ang pisngi, mapula ang labi niyang nakakalokang ngumingiti... nope. I'm not interested in her, baka magalit si Babala (Tiny). Kakatitig ko sa kanya, she traveled her deep brown irises to where my crotch is. What the hell? A pervert!? Tiningnan ko sya nang masama.

"Mukha bang may iba akong kasama? Ano ba sa tingin mo?" masungit kong tanong. I know, I was told masungit ako. Umatras siya sa kinatatayuan niya. She looked away from my pants. Mabuti nga!

"Kanina pa ako nandito, hindi ko kasi mahanap kwarto ng butterscotch ko eh!" she whined, looking away from me.

I wanted to laugh at the moniker that she gave.

"Nandito boyfriend mo??" I asked, holding a laugh. She looked confused.

"Uhm... oo." She bowed her head, frowning.

Maybe I shouldn't have reacted that way. Sumeryoso ang mukha ko.

"What happened to him?"

Before she could answer, narinig kong may tumawag sa kanyang mga matatanda. Her parents, maybe?

"Tito Zander! Tita Sonia!" She ran to them and hugged both elders.

"Yeora! Kanina ka pa namin hinahanap."

"Nasaan po ba kwarto ni Zanji?"

And they went out of my sight. Parents pala nung Zanji. Not that nakikiusyoso ako sa babaeng yun... kay Yeora, but she stays with them by the looks of it.

Then the nurse asked me to come inside now. My brother has woken up. Now is the time to tell him how I feel.

"JoJo..." he mumbled.

Kanina ko pa pinipigilang hindi umiyak sa harap niya, pero putang inang mga luha ito, ayaw tumigil! What I'm about to tell him is so heavy that it would take an entire career to sacrifice. People would tell us not to quit, but what's going on right now would convince me to do so.

"We've been doing music since the time na kumakanta tayo sa church, 'di ba, kuya?" I reminded him.

He chuckled. "Of course! What's to cry about, boy? Namimiss mo na ba?"

I suddenly remembered the born-again church and the songs we sang together as a family... throwing this dream away never crossed my mind... not until now.

"I think... I think this needs to stop."

"What needs to stop, JoJo?" asked Dalvin. Tumalikod ako at nakita ko syang kasama si Dev, Ninong Babyface at ang tatay ni Sisqo.

There's no taking back what I just said. Shit!

I could see him about to cry. What the hell have I done? I ran out of K-Ci's room. Hinanap ko ang fire exit. Doon ako umiyak ng tuluyan. When I calmed down, narinig ko iyong boses nung babae kanina... si Yeora.

"Ikaw ang naghiwa nitong prutas?" tanong nung lalake sa kanya... si Zanji.

I'd watch them for a while. Hindi sa nangingialam ako sa kanila, but the guy, Zanji, reminded me of somebody I know because of his face... ayoko na lang siyang isipin!

"Of course! Hindi ako papayag na magutom nang ganun ang fanboy ko!"

"Sus! Gusto mo lang makita Adam's Apple kong tumalon? Byuntae."

"Baka nakakalimutan mong, ikaw ang pervert sa'tin dalawa?" Yeora's cheeks turned red as she giggled. Lalong namula ang mukha niya noong hinalikan sya ng lalake. I grimaced to myself... syempre di ko yun pinakita sa kanila!

"Why you..." sabi ni Yeora pero tinawanan lang siya ni Zanji kahit pa paluin niya ito sa mukha. That was when I looked away.

Enough of this! Ayoko talagang makiusyoso sa relasyon ng ibang tao. Besides, I have a girlfriend now. Papalapit na naman si Dalvin sa pwesto ko.

At bumibigat na naman ang pakiramdam ko. What is he gonna say to me once he finds out I'm just gonna throw away my lifelong dream of becoming a musician? Should I tell him?

Nagbabadya na naman ang mga luha sa mata ko.

"Dal... hindi ko na kaya ito!" I exclaimed, sobbing.

I made sure I took us to a place where no one would hear us both. Dalvin tapped my left shoulder several times for me to calm down. I can't stop crying, I was disappointed. Hindi ko aakalain na mapupunta ako sa point na susuko na lang ako sa mga pangarap ko sa buhay, na pakiramdam ko bibigo na ako.

"Tama na, Jo. It's better if we talk about it when we get home. Nakapagbayad na rito si Tito Babyface."

"No," I refused, shaking my head. "Dito na lang tayo magusap, Dal."

"Okay," Dalvin sighed.

"Let's keep our voices down."

~

I've hit a wall... there's no way to go for me. It's a dead end. At least, that's what Dalvin had told me, bukod sa pagiging preoccupied ko sa mga ganap several days ago at sa nangyari kay K-Ci. I would have taken the former literally kung pinagkait man ako ng talino... mabuti na lang at context matters. For now, magpapahinga na muna ako at si Devante na muna ang in charge sa songwriting, I truly respect that decision.

Nagsalang ako ng panibagong Stevie Wonder vinyl sa turntable ni Dalvin noong may kumatok sa pintuan. Istorbo talaga! Gusto ko lang kumanta for a while.

"Pasok."

Pumasok si Kyle na may dalang dalawang tasa ng kape. Inilagay nya sa table na nasa tabi ng kama ni Dalvin at saka sya umupo. Sumenyales syang umupo ako sa tabi niya... AYOKO NGA!

Syempre, biro lang. Kumuha ako ng isang tasa at muntik ko nang bugahin. Ang pait! Hindi ito ang Kopiko Brown na nakasanayan ko.

"Kyle ano 'tong tinimpla mo?"

"Whoa, Jo. Hindi yan instant, brewed coffee yan."

"Eh di sana yung Kopiko Brown ko na lang ang tinimpla mo!" I complained.

"H'wag ka kasi masanay na yun ang iniinom ninyo palagi," Kyle informed.

I just put down my mug and looked at him. Sinamaan ko ng tingin pabalik. How dare he look at me as if we're friends!? Buti na lang at may kumatok sa pinto ni Dalvin, baka nagka-black eye ang gwapo niyang mukha (I had to admit, mas may itsura pa siya kaysa kay Sisqo) dahil sa flying kick ko!

"Tawag ka ni K-Ci sa sala," sabi sa'kin ni Dalvin.

Pinuntahan ko ang kuya kong asungot and asked him what he called me for... aba't papakantahin lang pala ako! 

"But I'm tired! My vocal cords are tired," I complained.

"Bahala ka diyan," he answered, shrugging. I shivered mentally na tipong may naiwang nakabukas ag kwartong may aircon!

"Inom-inom din kasi ng tubig pag may time, Jo!" Devante exclaimed, typing on his laptop.

What if ibalik ko kayong dalawa sa ospital? Gusto kong sabihin.

"Or try mong magmumog ng mainit na tubig na may asin?" Dalvin recommended, habang iniinom niya yung salabt niya. I was told, may ubo siya kahapon pa at kaming dalawa'y hindi makakadalo sa gig nila sa dating ULTRA dahil sa kundisyon namin.

"Thanks, guys, but I'm fine! Don't worry about me."

Lahat sila nagtinginan before they gave me worried looks.

"Basta practice-in mo yung kanta, JoJo," pag-aalala ni Dev at nag-type pa rin sya sa laptop niya.

"Paano ba kasi tono nyan!?"

"Come," K-Ci ordered. Sinunod ko naman, pumunta ako sa pwesto niya at binasa ang lyrics. What the heck!? Agad agad? We're gonna have kids already? Eh wala pa tayong 1 year of being in music! Isang refrain ang daw yun and he said that he'll sing the whole thing. . Ako na lang daw sa huli.

Hay nako! Naalala ko tuloy yung drawing na nasa table ni K-Ci, yung may apat na lalaki sa desert, nagiiyakan sila duon. It meant something, I know!

I want to show it to him and laugh at it. Just kidding! Itatanong ko na lang sa kanya kung ano ibig sabihin nuon.

Now isn't the right time, though.

"Pupunta pala tayong Fort Boni ngayong week!" said Kyle.

"Guest na naman?!" Dalvin asked, naiirita na. I had to complain, too, na ang tagal na naming tinatawag ng mga eskwelahan para mag-perform... so ipapalaganap namin ang tawag ng mga laman namin sa kabataan na siyang pag-asa ng bayan? That's crazy!

"Kailan nga ba tayo magkakaroon ng totoong gig? Hubad na hubad ang utol mo, Jo!" sambit sa'kin ni Dev.

"Eh 'di maghubad sya sa school kung gusto niya, kako," bulong ko pabalik kay Dev.

"Alam ko hindi ito ang ine-expect natin ngayon." Kyle breathed deeply. "...but look at this a different way: opportunity nyo ito! Why not grab it instead of letting it slip away from your hands? Habang maaga pa."

Tama siya, I mean once in a lifetime lang naman ito. Also, this may be a way for us to get Jodeci into the public eye.

I'm glad that Kyle is here to help us, to manage us four. I'm grateful that he's here, kahit ayoko sa kanya...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~