"Lori?"
"Hmm," I responded.
"How are you feeling?" Kamil murmured.
"I'm okay now." I beamed.
Nandito kami ngayon sa open field ng Academy. Napagdesiyunan ng nakatataas na magkaroon ng gathering dito sa open field they have decided to yield a concert for the students of Brookshire.
Kahit napaka seryoso nila sa battling, hindi sila nawawalan ng concern sa social life ng bawat students, and that's a good thing to know na kahit papaano hindi kami magiging buhay preso dito sa loob ng Academy.
Strict sila sa security kaya isang banda lang ang binigyan nila ng access para makapasok dito sa loob, bunga narin ng nangyari sa akin noong isang araw, mas mahigpit pa ang pag sasala nila ng mga taong pumapasok dito.
"The Soundtrack of Misery is here!"
"Omg! They are finally here!"
"I can't wait to meet Gio Smith!"
What the hell?!
Gio's here?!
The Soundtrack of Misery?!
"Sis! They're here!" masayang nagtata-talon si Lana ng makita ako. "Damn!" I cursed out of frustration. "Why damn?! Aren't you happy that your former band members are here?" she guessed. "I forgot something, kukunin ko lang." pagpapaalam ko.
Kapag nalaman ni Gio na nandito ako, iisipin niyang napakasinungaling kong tao, damn! I can't take that. Bakit ko ba kasi naisip iyong walang kwentang rason na yun, I told him na magma-migrate na ako sa New York for good that's why I left the band, and then makikita niya ako dito, not a good idea.
"Leaving so soon." rinig kong pagsasalita niya ng makasalubong ako. "It's none of your concern—business rather." I spouted, at akmang lalagpasan na siya.
"Let me go!" hinila niya ako, too familiar huh he's doing his signature move... again! "You shouldn't leave the field, this place is not safe at this moment so stop being so reckless and bear with them." he reprimanded.
I hate to admit but he had a point.
After receiving that freaking letter, my life is not safe anymore, someone out there was trying to end my life.
I just listened.
"Lori, where in the hell did you go?" my sister scolded me when she saw me walking towards their direction. I threw my head back but I saw no one, umalis na siya mas mabuti narin baka tuluyan lang akong lamunin ng guilt ko.
He did save me, but all I did was scold him. Err, Lori, masyado ka kasing mapanghusga, he was really an innocent one, he was just trying to save you, but you refused.
Damn it!
'do I have to apologize?'
Nope, pride nalang ang meron ka, wag mo ng isipin pang ibaba, not for him! Tch.
"Good evening awesome peeps! Woooh!" masayang bati naman ng isang magandang babae habang masayang humihiyaw sa mic na hawak nito. "Let's welcome... The Soundtrack of Misery!!! Woooh!" masayang umakyat sina Gio, Quin, and Tix.
After I left them, si Gio na ang naging lead guitar vocalist, hindi pa kami ganoon ka sikat noon dahil nagsisimula palang kami, bilang lang ang mga taong nakakaalam na I was with them, pero sa sandaling panahon na lumipas namayagpag na sila sa larangan ng musika they are good at making covers from the famous artists and also writing their own music which I really missed doing.
♪ The best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting
It couldn't be that we have been this way before
I know you don't think that I am trying
I know you're wearing thin down to the core ♪
Nagsimula ng tumugtog ang banda na kasalukuyang nasa stage, walang kupas parin si Gio, I missed singing with them, I missed the feeling of being alive, the vibration of music in my ears and the fulfillment feeling of being able to sing your heart out.
♪ But hold your breath ♪
♪ Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind ♪
I enjoyed the music, I met Gio's gaze. He doesn't seem surprised seeing me in front of him, it looks like he already expected that this would happen. He was just looking at my eyes sincerely. I feel like he wanted to make me feel something.
♪ Or I won't live to see another day
I swear its true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find
You're impossible to find ♪
I missed them, I missed music.
♪ This is not what I intended
I always swore to you I'd never fall apart
You always thought that I was stronger
I may have failed
But I have loved you from the start ♪
♪ Oh, but hold your breath ♪
"They're good, walang kupas!" masayang komento ni Lana sa gilid ko, kasama sila Filch, Ash, Zariah, Kamil, Lana and me, sama-sama kaming nag nageenjoy dito sa field.
♪ Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find
It's impossible to find ♪
"You seemed to like him, huh," Kamil said she was referring to Lana. "She's into him, Gio," I confessed out. "Whoa! Hindi ko alam na ang isang Griffin ay naiinlove," said Kamil, yep she knew the history of my family, wala sa nature ng mga Griffin ang umibig dahil kahinaan lang daw iyon.
♪ So breathe in so deep
Breathe me in
I'm yours to keep ♪
♪ And hold onto your words
'Cause talk is cheap
And remember me tonight when you're asleep ♪
"Shut up sis!" pag kontra nito, napangiti ito at tumingin nalang sa stage. "Hindi mo ba namiss kumanta?" she suddenly asked me, nakatingin parin siya sa stage. "Of course, who wouldn't miss music?" I replied.
♪ Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find ♪
"I don't know why Dad, doesn't allow you to do what you love, I feel bad noong nalaman kong gusto niyang mag-quit ka sa banda mo, he knew how much you love music," Lana said at lumingon sa akin. "Living Griffin's life includes sacrificing the things you love and then accepting the things they want you to be," I responded at huminga ng malalim.
♪ Tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find
You're impossible to find ♪
Nang matapos na silang kumanta, sinalubong sila ng babaeng host at pumunta katabi ng pwesto ni Gio. "Napaka hyper talaga ni Thalia, napakalayo sa kapatid niyang si Thrill." komento ni Filch sa gilid ko, he's talking to Ash na katabi niya rin.
So her name is Thalia, magkapatid sila?! Napakalayo, kung gaano ka-lively kumilos si Thalia ganoon naman ka seryoso at kawalang emosyon este kawalang kwenta ng emosyon ni Thrill.
"Yeah I know they are awesome! I am their biggest fan too. I'm about to give you an astounding announcement, dahil nandito ang isa rin sa hinahangaan ko, meet their former member, drum roll, please... Lori Griffin!"
'what?!'
"So ikaw pala si Misery." diretsong tugon sa akin ni Zariah. "Omg! Ikaw 'yong madalas idaldal sa amin ni Thalia na former member ng hinahangaan niyang banda." dagdag naman ni Kamil.
Hindi ko alam na may nakakaalala pa pala sa akin. When I was still in the band hindi naman iyon gaano kasikat pero ngayon may fan pala ako, nakakatawa.
"Come up here, Lori, gusto na kita ma-meet, pero syempre gusto ko medyo dramatic." pagsasalita nito sa mic, what is she doing? Maraming pares ng mata ang nakatingin sa direksyon ko at puno ng pagtataka.
"Go on, Lori, wala dito si Dad. Kahit ngayon lang pagbigyan mo naman ang sarili mo." masayang tugon sa akin ni Lana, because of what she said namalayan ko nalang ang sarili kong naglalakad papunta sa stage.
"Hi, Lori!" masayang bati sa akin ni Tix at kumaway naman sa akin si Quin I smiled at them. "Hi." niyakap naman ako ni, Thalia. Diretsong nakatingin lang sa akin si Gio, his eyes are full of emotions, I can't point out kung masaya ba siya o naiiyak o malungkot but all I can think is I'm happy to see them again.
"Can you sing a song for us?" gamit ang mic ay bri-nodcast ni Thalia ang request niya. Ang nakakapagtaka lang dahil ang kaninang gulat at puno ng tanong na mga tao ay humiyaw na nagpapakitang gusto nila ang suggestion ni Thalia.
"I missed singing with our Misery." at sa wakas ay nagsalita na si Gio, ngumiti ako sa kanya at masayang tinangap ang offer ni Thalia, I just found out myself holding the mic attached on the mic stand, si Gio naman ay nag strum ng guitar while Tix is with his drums and Quin with his keyboards.
♪ All day staring at the ceiling
Making friends with shadows on my wall
All night hearing voices telling me
That I should get some sleep
Because tomorrow might be good for something ♪
I started singing, all their attention are into us, most of them are mouthing the lyrics of the song, sinasabayan nila ako. Masayang pumapalakpak si Lana at nag thumbs-up pa sa akin. I missed this feeling, out of nowhere tumulo ang isang patak ng luha mula sa aking mata. Tears of joy.
♪ Hold on
Feeling like I'm headed for a breakdown
And I don't know why ♪
Sa hindi kalayuang pwesto nila Kamil.
I saw Thrill habang nakasandal sa isang lamp post, nakatingin lang siya ng diretso sa akin.
Hindi ba siya marunong mailang?
♪ But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired
I know right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be me ♪
Sinakto kong tignan rin siya habang kinakanta ko ang mga lyrics, he crossed his arms at nilalabanan ang tingin ko, I felt a weird feeling toward him.
♪ I'm talking to myself in public
Dodging glances on the train
And I know, I know they've all been talking about me
I can hear them whisper
And it makes me think there must be something wrong with me
Out of all the hours thinking
Somehow I've lost my mind ♪
Alam ko meron siyang pilit hindi ipinapakita, I can see it behind his cold blank gaze, hindi niya tinatangal ang tingin sa akin, ako nalang ang sumuko at saka ibinaling ang tingin ko sa mga taong nasa harapan ko.
♪ But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired
I know right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be ♪
Doing this with my former band feels like reminiscing the memories we have shared before, it takes me a full courage bago namin mabuo ang bandang ito.
I'm the one who made the band's name.
And Zariah's right... I am Misery.
♪ I've been talking in my sleep
Pretty soon they'll come to get me
Yeah, they're taking me away ♪
Matagal mula ng maka fully recovered ako sa ginawa kong pag quit sa banda, I love this but I can't contravene my father's plans for me.
♪ But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired
I know right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be ♪
Sometimes, I feel like I was controlled like a puppet—someone is pushing me to become somebody that I'm not, I feel so lost and empty, just like everything was already planned and all I can do is to follow. I want to make my own choices, run away from here to be able to feel something real.
♪ Hey, how I used to be
How I used to be
Well, I'm just a little unwell
How I used to be
How I used to be
I'm just a little unwell ♪
Natapos ko ang pag kanta, lahat ng tao ay nagpalak-pakan. I give them a slight bow.
"Walang kupas! Lori!" masayang tugon ni Tix at nakipag apir sa akin. "Thanks," I said. "You owe me an explanation." nakangiting tugon ni Gio sa akin. "Maybe a short walk can do," I said.
"Lori!" at niyakap niya muli ako.
"Hi, Thalia," I responded.
"Pwede na muna kayong magpahinga may iba ring magpi-perform na students naman ng Brookshire." sabi ni Thalia at pumunta na sa center's stage.
"I'm sorry, Gio," I said, nilakad namin ang hallway ng Academy, habang nagpaiwan naman sina Quin at Tix sa ibabang gilid ng stage. "I'm just kidding about the explanation thingy, I already knew your reason and I can say you don't have to make an alibi, kahit mahirap maiintindihan ka naman namin." kalmadong tugon nito.
He's still kind.
"Who told you?" I asked. "Lana," he replied. "Mula noong nag quit ka, nawala kana lang bigla, that's why, Lana filled every question we have in our mind," he added.
"And now, you both are here. The infamous Brookshire Academy, wherein you should learn how to deal with a lot of dangerous people, this is dangerous, Lori." he declared.
"I know, but do we have a choice? Griffin's are committed into this kind of field. We are bound to do this." I explained. "Can you do me a favor?" he asked, I waited for him to continue.
"Keep yourselves out of death." he was referring to me and Lana. "Of course." I agreed. "I think you should talk to my sister, she's the biggest fan of yours," I added, he just nodded at pumunta sa direksyon nila Lana.
I smiled.
The two has reunited.
Sana, ma-realize ni Gio, how lucky he was to have her, my sister loves him ever since I can say they are both lucky to have each other kapag nagkataong pwede na ang lahat.
Kung saan wala ng bawal.
"Griffin's are forbidden to fall in love."
Dad? Why do you have to be this hard?
~~~
Fall For You by Secondhand Serenade
Unwell by Matchbox Twenty