"Gising pa siya?" I asked when I see the lights are still on, in his room. I shrugged off my question and go back from my comfortable position.
I plugged the earphones on my phone, then into my ears. I went first to my Spotify application and clicked my Playlist named Hale. I copied the link to the playlist and went to my Discord.
I can't afford a premium account on Spotify. To solve this, I made an account on Discord to have unlimited skips and shuffles.
I went to a server and started a voice call. Since The Jockie Music was already invited on my server. It's easy for me to play anything here.
I typed, m!play and insert the link of my playlist then send it.
The music from my playlist started to play on Discord. This is life. A cup of hot coffee, a book, and a piece of music from my playlist.
I was busy doing my thing when I feel someone was looking at me. I look at my left side.
There he was leaning forward on the terrace while both of his hands are on it and his head above his cross arms. He doesn't flinch or even change his reaction when I caught him looking at me.
Kunot nuo ko siyang tinignan bago nagsalita.
"What?" I asked. Pero wala akong nakuhang sagot. Nakatitig pa rin siya, parang may iniisip. Nagtitigina lang kami, hanggang sa-
"Nothing," he responds after a couple of minutes.
"Night Owl ka pala," I stated while closing the book and not cutting my gaze at him.
"Yes. I'm very productive at night," he answered while following my movement. I move towards him and lean on the terrace.
"Kagigising mo lang?" He asked.
"Yep. Wanted to go back to sleep, but I can't."
"Ano ba ang na sa panaginip mo, at bigla kang nagising?" He slowly stands up from his seat.
"Nothing," panggagaya ko sa sinabi niya. Para asarin siya. He smirked, it works.
"Hindi ka nanaginip?"
"Hindi."
"Baka hindi mo lang maalala ang mga napanaginipan mo," he said as if he was sure about it.
"Hindi ko alam. Siguro," I raised bit my shoulders as a gesture.
Napansin ko siyang humikab sandali. Tapos biglang pumungay ang mga mata nito. Inaantok na ang mukong.
"Ako kasi, matutulog pa lang," halata nga, humikab ka eh. Tapos halata rin sa mga mata mo ang puyat at sa mukha mo naman ang pagod.
"Bakit ba hindi ka makatulog tuwing gabi?" I asked and he looked at me intently in the eyes.
"Hindi ko rin alam."
"Siguro may iniisip ka?" Inosente kong tanong.
"Wala."
"Weh? Imposible naman na hindi ka makatulog kasi wala kang iniisip?" Pangungulit ko rito.
"Wala nga kasi. Basta nahihirapan ako matulog sa gabi. Kaya may ginagawa ako para antukin," dahilan nito.
"Kagaya nang?"
"Gumagawa ako ng musika. Pampalipas oras at para mapagod," nabuhay ang diwa ko sa narinig.
"Gumagawa ka ng music?" Tumango ito bilang tugon.
Gusto ko sana marinig ang mga ginagawa niya, kaso naalala ko ang sinabi ni Lola sa akin. Nalungkot ako bigla, hindi na ako makapupunta sa kanilang bahay.
"Good morning Lauv," he said. Kaya napatingin ako sa langit. Unti-unti nang sumisilip si haring araw.
"Mayong Aga," I smiled at him.
"I have to sleep. Bye."
"Wait!" He was about to turn his back when I stopped him.
"Parinig ako ng mga gawa mo ah," I said shyly.
"Sure," then he nods.
"Ash," I called out his name. He stopped without turning his back.
"Sleep well," I added.
"See you in my dreams."
I go back to my seat and finished my coffee, although it's already cold. Then I continued reading my book.
"Anong chapter na nga ba ako?" I was busy searching for the bookmark in the book.
"Tama na sa chapter six na pala ako," I pulled out the bookmark and put it at the last part of the book.
"Si Abo kasi eh, disturbo," reklamo ko sa sarili.
"Ang dal-dal ko naman kasi," dag-dag ko rito.
I went downstairs at nakita ko si tita Nabel. Nagsasaing ito ng kanin. I washed my mug and put it in the proper place.
"Ikaw po ba ang nagsabi kay Lola na nagpunta ako sa bahay nila Ashton?" I asked her.
"Oo, bakit?" Mukhag tama nga ang hinala ko.
"Sana po hindi niyo 'yon sinabi kay Lola. Wala naman po akong balak magsinungaling," she busies herself.
"Ayaw ko lang po kasi na pinangunhan niyo ako," malungkot kong sabi.
Umakyat ako ng hagdan at nagkasalubong kami ni Lola.
"Natulog ka ba Labender? Ang aga mo yatang nagising?"
"Nakatulog po ako La, nagising lang," sagot ko rito.
Nakita kong bumaba na ito habang bit-bit ang mga labahan. Kaya umakyat agad ako, para ayusin ang pinaghigaan namin.
"Pag sumakit 'yang ulo at mata mo, huwag na huwag kang magrereklamo sa akin," sermon nito.
Pagpasok ko ng kwarto ay agad akong lumapit sa kama para humilata. Charot, para ayusin ang unan, bedsheet at kumot. Tapos nagwalis na rin ako.
Ano kaya ang magandang pakinggang kanta mamaya sa speaker?
Nagpapatugtog kasi ako ng kanta sa buong kwarto tuwing umaalis si Lola. Ang sarap talaga kapag may background music habang may ginagawa ka.
I turn on the speaker and open the Bluetooth on my phone. I waited for some seconds and my phone was already connected to the speaker.
I played my playlist on Spotify in the shuffle. The first song played is THE SHADE by Rex and Orange County.
I enjoyed the music while cleaning the books and my shelves. Ang daming alikabok.
"Argh! Allergies!" Reklamo ko nang maramdaman ang kati sa palad at ang init sa buong dalawang tainga ko. Dali-dali akong bumaba ng kwarto at naghugas ng kamay.
I pour a glass of water from the pitcher and went upstairs. I open my medicine organizer and pick cetirizine to slow down the allergy.
May allergy ako sa alikabok. At dahil walang puwedeng maglinis o gumalaw sa mga libro ko kundi ako lang, kaya nagtitiis ako.
Agad tumunog ang sunod na kanta. Magandang kanta 'to pang prom night. Title pa lang kasi, pasok na.
I want you to know
I'm a mirrorball
I'll show you every version of yourself tonight
I'll get you out on the floor
Shimmering beautiful
And when I break it's in a million pieces
Tumayo ako mula sa pagkakaupo. Umupo kasi ako habang iniinom ang gamot ko. Tapos pumikit ako.
Hush
When no one is around, my dear
You'll find me on my tallest tiptoes
Spinning in my highest heels, love
Shining just for you
Hush
I know they said the end is near
But I'm still on my tallest tiptoes
Spinning in my highest heels, love
Shining just for you
I want you to know
I'm a mirrorball
I can change everything about me to fit in
You are not like the regulars
The masquerade revelers
Drunk as they watch my shattered edges glisten
Hush
When no one is around, my dear
You'll find me on my tallest tiptoes
Spinning in my highest heels, love
Shining just for you
Hush
I know they said the end is near
But I'm still on my tallest tiptoes
Spinning in my highest heels, love
Shining just for you
Nagsimula akong humakbang at unti-unting sumayaw. Sumayaw ako sa musika na naririnig ko. Nagsayaw ako na walang mga matang nakatingin. Sasayawa ako habang may kumakanta.
And they called off the circus
Burned the disco down
When they sent home the horses
And the rodeo clowns
I'm still on that tightrope
I'm still trying everything to get you laughing at me
I'm still a believer but I don't know why
I've never been a natural
All I do is try, try, try
I'm still on that trapeze
I'm still trying everything
To keep you looking at me
I imagined him dancing with me. While I'm wearing a stunning gown. That he will keep on looking at me.
Because I'm a mirrorball
I'm a mirrorball
I'll show you every version of yourself
Tonight
I smiled to myself as the music ends. Daydreaming and fantasizing was my thing. I enjoyed a lot of things from my imagination.
"Swiftie?" Marahas kong minulat ang mga mata ko nang marining ang tanong na iyon. Napunta na pala ako sa terrace nang hindi namalayan habang sumsayaw. Nakapikit kasi ako, feel na feel 'yong kanta.
"Ha?" Alam ko sa sarili na namumula ako kanina, dahil sa allergic reaction. Pero parang mas lumala ngayon.
"Hindi naman," he tilts his head, on the right.
"Bakit napapasayaw ka sa kanta niya kanina?" He sharpens his eyes.
"The music suits my fantasizing. That's it," I said defensively.
"What did you fantasize about?"
"I was fantasizing that someone was dancing with me," hindi ka na nahiya Lauv.
"Who is it?" Walang interest nitong tanong.
"Cliff!" I exclaimed, then blush.
"Lagi na lang si Cliff," he murmured.
"Anong sabi mo?" I asked.
"Nothing," then he leaves me alone, at the terrace.