Summer will always be my favorite season. There is always a comfort that I can feel every time summer comes.

Ngayon ay kasama ko ang kaibigan ko na manood ng battle of the bands daw. Nadamay na naman ako sa mga gala niya.

“Matagal pa bang magsisimula ‘to?” Naiinip na tanong ko.

She knew how I hate crowds. Not literally hate, but gatherings like this aren't really my forte. I love watching things like this since I love music as well. I know how to determine a beautiful beat and melody in a song, and a song that was well performed.
But once my social battery will not cooperate, that's the time that my moods become different. Things become less exciting.

Ngayong naiinip ako, tila gustong-gusto ko nang umuwi. Ngunit alam kong hindi ako papayagan ng babaeng ito.

“Malapit na, 7:30 daw start, eh. 7:15 na rin naman,” sagot niya sa tanong ko.

“Make sure na hindi maging filipino time ito, dahil kung magsisimula ito nang hindi 7:30, uuwi talaga ako, Nads,” seryosong sambit ko.

Nads place her elbows around my shoulder and whispered on my ears, “hindi talaga magiging filipino time ito, promise, Dawn.”

I just nod and silence envelopes us for a moment. We waited for how many minutes before the battle of the band started.

There were a lot of contestants, and mostly teenagers like me. The emcee started announcing that not in a minute the first band will perform.

***

Marami nang banda ang nag perform ngunit hindi pa raw nakapag perform ang hinihintay ni Nads. Uwing-uwi na ako dahil baka hinahanap na ako sa'min. Though nakapagpaalam naman ako ng maayos, baka lang kasi mag-alala sila.

They're strict but not that strict, iyong tipong papayagan ko gumala pero dapat sa ganoong oras makakauwi ka na.

Naintindihan ko rin naman sila kung bakit sila gano'n. I'm still minor and they have rights to be strict to me.

“Let's give a round of applause to our next performers tonight, the One Night Band!” The emcee stated.

Biglang tinulak-tulak ni Nadelienne ang braso ko.

For a band, they've this kind of weird name huh.

Nagsimulang mag intro ang pianist nila. He's using synth. They will perform “Fallen” by Lola Amour.

What if I told you that I've fallen
And I like the way you say my name

As someone who's into music as well . . . he has a beautiful voice. Sobrang nakakakalma ang boses niya.

My heart skips a beat when I hear you calling
And I like that it won't go away

I didn't thought that I was listening to their song, I was vibing with them. Hindi ko alam kung bakit sa lahat ng nag perform sila ang nakakuha nang atensyon ko.

Their performance was smooth. So smooth that I even heard the way their bassist played.

Nakuha niya ang atensyon ko.

Seryoso ang mukha nito habang tumutugtog. Sobrang linis nang pagtugtog niya. Iyong tipong alam niya kung saan siya dapat papasok at saan niya dapat itotodo ang pagtugtog niya.

When they finished their performance, the crowds went wild and cheered for them. I am not being bias here but halos sa kanila ang may pinaka maraming nag cheer.

I caught a glimpse of their bassist once more, and I saw him look into my direction or perhaps not. Baka iyong nasa likuran namin ang tinignan niya.

May mga sumunod pa na nag perform sa kanila ngunit biglang nanikip ang dibdib ko sa sobrang init kaya naisipan kong lumabas muna. Kinalabit ko si Nadelienne at nagpaalam.

“Nads, labas muna ako, bibili lang ako ng tubig,” sambit ko.

Tumango lamang siya sa'kin saglit at nag focus na sa panood.

I tried escaping from the crowd. I almost got stampede dahil sa sobrang hype nilang manood.

Para akong nabunutan ng tinik nang makalabas ako sa kumpulan ng napakaraming tao. Agad kong kinuha ang phone ko sa aking bag upang tignan kung may text ba o tawag galing kina si mama at papa.

I curse when I see how many messages and missed calls I have.

“Shit,” I muttered.

250 unread messages
78 missed calls.

Mas lalong nanikip ang dibdib ko nang makita na napaka rami no'n. Nakapag paalam naman ako nang maayos, ngunit bakit ang dami ata nilang missed calls at text ngayon?

Agad kong binuksan ang cellphone ko upang tignan ang message nila, ngunit sa kasamaang palad may bumangga pa sa ‘kin na naging dahilan kung bakit nalaglag ito.

Akmang pupulutin ko na sana ang cellphone ko nang walang sabi-sabi dahil nakakatamad na rin naman makipagtalo ngunit naunahan ako nitong kunin ang cellphone ko at binigay niya sa ‘kin.

“Hala, sorry, Miss. Nagmamadali kasi ako, my friend needs a water. I deeply apologize for being careless,” he said and giving my phone back to me.

I looked at the man who just bumped on me, and to my surprise, it was the guy from that band—one night.

Their bassist.

“Are you okay, Miss? You look like you are not in yourself. Hinahangos ka rin, here oh, tubig.” Inabot niya sa'kin ang isang tubig na dala niya.

Dahil sa gulat ay kinuha ko ang phone ko na nasa kamay niya.

“A-ayos lang ako, sorry rin, naabala ata kita,” paghingi ko rin ng paumanhin sa kanya.

Umiling lamang ang lalaki at ngumiti sa'kin. “No, you are not an abala. I should be the one apologizing, I'm at fault.”

Teka lang ah, kanina ko pa ito napapansin, eh, masyado siyang conyo.

I don't have a problem with that, but I find it unique for a man who speaks conyo.

Ang dalang kasi.

“No worries po, ayos lang talaga,” I assured him.

He just nods.

“But are you really okay? You look so exhausted,” he worriedly uttered.

Sinong hindi mapapagod, eh, panay jam ako sainyo kanina.

“Oo, ayos na ako, I just need some fresh air. Ang dami kasing tao roon, hindi na ako halos makahinga.”

He opened the water bottle in his hands and handed it to me.

I was stunned when he did that. Hindi niya naman ako kilala para gawin iyon.

“Sa kaibigan mo iyan, ‘di ba?” Nahihiyang tanong ko.

“I can buy another one, mas kailangan mo, eh.” Mas lalo akong nagulat sa sinabi niya.

He's really something, the moment I laid my eyes on him lately.

This man has been raised well by his parents.

“Maraming salamat.” I smiled at him and got the water bottle that is in hands.

“Walang anuman, Miss ma'am. I'm Hayes by the way,” he told me his name.

“Dawn,” I introduced myself. “Good luck po, sana manalo kayo, galing niyo, eh.”

“Sana nga, salamat sa good luck mo.”

I didn't know that after that summer I'd meet him once more.

It was the most beautiful summer I ever had.

Parallel Pulsations
By DeeYanny
Plagiarism is a crime

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