Nang matapos ang lahat ng mga kalahok sa pag-kanta ay mataman kaming naghihintay ngayon sa backstage para hintayin ang resulta. Narito na din ang grupo nina Crissa para makiusyoso kung ano ang nangyari.

"You ruined my performance for the second time." Namumula na ito dahil sa galit habang nakakuyom pa ang mga kamao nito.

"For the second time? What are you talking about Klarisse? When is the first?" I asked her acting like I don't have any idea what she's talking about.

Kung tutuusin, hindi performance ang nasira kundi ang pagkatao niya at sa pagkakatanda ko, siya ang sumira non. Napakalakas lang din talaga ng loob niya para sisihin ako sa mga nangyayari pero ang totoo, naghahanap lang siya ng masisisi dahil hindi niya kayang tanggapin na siya lang din ang may kagagawan kung bakit siya napapahiya.

"Look how desperate you are, you act all righteous but you've been the one who likes to ruin someone all along. You are a boyfriend stealer and now, you want to steal someone else's spotlight too? Come on Samantha, how can you stoop so low?"

I scoffed as I heard Crissa's remarks. She doesn't even know anything, she's completely acting like Klarisse's pawn. I thought she's smarter than Dorothy but I guess I am wrong, she's the worst.

"You know what Crissa, you're too naive to believe Klarisse's lies. I thought that you will realize eventually that Klarisse is just using you for power but you turned out to be her pawn instead. Why do you think Klarisse and I knew each other? That's because we have an awful past. Let's just say, she's using you to support her twisted stories."

Crissa looked at Klarisse for a moment but when she saw Klarisse crying non-stop, she glared at me. I can't believe that she's easily swayed by plasticity but not a genuine tears. She just proved to me how naive she is.

"I know what you're doing, you are trying to make us against each other so you'll easily ruin us both. Sorry but that won't be easy for you." Napailing na lamang ako dahil sa mga narinig.

"Tsk tsk tsk. You knew a lot, have you done it before? I just want you to know that we are not alike. If you've done it before, keep it to yourself. Do you think I have a twisted mind like you?"

Gusto pa sana nitong magsalita pero nakabalik na ang coordinator kaya kahit gusto ako nitong bungangaan, hindi na nito nagawa dahil pinalabas na kami sa backstage para pakinggan ang resulta ng mga lumahok.

"This is the moment you are waiting for. Here are the three winners of Golden Voice 59th Edition." Matamang nakikinig ang mga tao sa stadium, samantalang ang iba naman ay todo sigaw ng mga pangalan ng sinusuportahan nila habang itinataas ang mga banner na ginawa nila para sa mga ito.

Wala nang imik si Klarisse na naghihintay ng mga resulta, isang senyales na nawalan na ito ng pakialam. Masyado nitong dinibdib ang nangyari kanina dahil maraming mga music producer ang nanonood dito ngayon.

Ramdam ko na nanghihinayang siya na hindi niya man lang naipakita ang kaniyang sariling abilidad. Nanghihinayang siya dahil minsan lamang ang ganitong oportunidad dahil makakatanggap ang sino mang manalo ng oportunidad para maging isang sikat ng singer ano man ang place mo sa tatlo.

Gusto kong maawa sa kaniya dahil nag-effort siya para mahasa ang kaniyang boses pero sa mga masasamang ginagawa niya, hindi lang sa akin kundi sa lahat ng mga taong mas mahina sa kaniya, marapat lamang na matanggap niya ang kaparusahang nababagay sa kaniya.

"For the first place. They're no other than, Ms. Samantha Marquez and Ms. Klarisse Bartolome." We are about to move forward but a judge stopped us from doing so.

"Unfortunately, only one of you can take the prize. Since you are the only one who dueted, the whole board of judges decided that we should just pick one of you as it would be unfair to other contestants if we picked you both. But to be fair to the both of you, you two can decide on who will accept the prize. The one who did the high note earlier, the one who's wearing glasses, what is your opinion about this? Would you take it or let your partner get it."

Bumuntong hininga ako nang iabot sa akin ang mikropono, hindi naman ako ganon kasama para angkinin ko ang pangarap na matagal na pinaghirapan ni Klarisse pero hindi din ako ganun kabait para palagpasin ang mga ginawa niya sa akin.

"Kung ako po ang tatanungin niyo, mas gusto ko pong ibigay na lang ito sa kasama kong si Klarisse." Saad ko na ikinabigla naman ng mga sumuporta sa akin sa pagkanta ko kanina, hindi ko man sila kilala lahat pero ramdam ko kung gaano nila ako sinuportahan pero hindi ito ang panahon para intindihin ang mga nararamdaman nila.

"You see, Klarisse and I have an unforgettable and unpleasant past. We worked in the same bar three years ago and I used to be her ghost singer. She wanted to be famous badly so she lipsynced while I am singing backstage. But one day, while we are performing together, I am on the backstage while she is in front, my hands accidentally slipped causing the mic to fall. I went out to apologize for my mistake but the audience are already throwing things at her. She pursued her dreams to sing by taking vocal lessons until she got better at singing, she's no longer the tone deaf that I used to know. That's why I think she deserve this award for all the hardships that she had faced."

Nagpalakpakan ang mga tao dahil sa narinig, napabungisngis na lamang ako dahil alam ko kung ano ang iniisip nila. Maybe they're thinking that I am doing it for her touching story but I am actually exposing her.

"Do you really have to do that? Do you really have to tell them all about it? Fine! I've done a horrible thing to you and I am still doing it until now. I made my ex-boyfriend to date you so I can make you as my ghost singer. Happy now?"

The audiences gasp to what they heard. All of the people in the stadium is now looking at Klarisse with contempt while she regretted that she didn't control herself and acted rashly. Just like that, she revealed her true colors.

She's too surprised that she don't know what to do anymore. To end this, I grabbed the trophy and the golden medal from the host. I slowly went to Klarisse direction and gave her the trophy and the medal.

"Congratulations Klarisse, you successfully humiliated yourself again." I playfully said as I left after giving her the rewards. I don't know if I am satisfied for what I did but at least I gave her what she deserved. She humiliated me with a lie then I have to humiliate her with the truth.

Palabas na ako ng auditorium nang sundan ako nina Martha at Jayson. "Hanga na talaga ako sa'yo Sam, may nilampaso ka nanamang bruha, siguro naman titigilan ka na nila ngayon." Saad ni Martha, wala akong maramdaman sa mga oras na yon, nagawa ko na ang gusto kong gawin pero pakiramdam ko ay hindi ako nasatisfy sa ginawa ko.

"Sa tingin ko maysado kang naging harsh kay Klarisse. Kung totoo man na ang mga sinabi mo kanina, siguro naman meron siyang dahilan kaya niya ginawa yon." Kontra naman ni Jayson. Mali nga ba ang ginawa ko?

"Ano ka ba naman Jayson, tama lang sa kaniya yon. Kahit sinong tao na makaranas ng pang-aapi, may karapatan para gumanti, ibinabalik lang ni Sam ang pabor sa pang-aapi ni Klarisse sa kaniya kaya huwag mo nang kampihan si Klarisse."

Hindi ko na alam kung sino sa kanila ang pakikinggan ko. May punto si Jayson pero ganoon din si Martha. Hindi na ako kagaya nang dati, may kakayahan na ako para ipagtanggol ang sarili ko, hindi ko na kailangan na magpaapi.

Kung may problema sila sa akin, sila ang dapat mag adjust kasi wala naman akong ginagawang masama sa kanila. Kung meron man, yun ay dahil ipinagtatanggol ko lang ang sarili ko.