Chapter 6

In the corner of book shelf. Ian is standing straight looking blankly on the books. Her friends looking at her with worried eyes. They want to ask her though they know asking her wont be the best at that time. They go near her and hug her.

Ian feel someone hugging her. She close her eyes and look whose hugging her. Her heart feel their warm gesture. She hug them back. She ask while they were hugging, “what’s with the hug?”

“dunno, we just feel you needed it,” Mau answer. Letting her go.

“yeah, so did it work?” Jhen ask.

Ian nod in agreement. Jhen and Jean hug her more before letting go. Ian chuckle on there gesture, but she stop because everyone is looking at her. She bite her lower lip remembering they were on the library. Took the books she need and sit to the empty table.

They were busy making there presentation and report until they heard a faint rumbling. They lift there head and look at each other. Jean is blushing while looking at them. She scratch her head and write something on a small piece of paper. ‘I’m sorry, its just I’m famished’. After reading it Mau look at her watch and her phone. She show them the time. Everyone gasp, and realize there hunger. Ian smile, “lets eat.”

Jean put her things inside her bag. Took the book she will need. Mau choose the book she will borrow. Jean notice that they will need more books. “girls, we need to divide the book. So we can borrow most of the books”.

“yeah, we only finish using half of each book.” Jhen said while browsing the books in the table.

Mau add more book in her arms. Jean did the same. Ian took the remaining books and proceed to the librarian. After the librarian encoding there books, they proceed to the cafeteria. The cafeteria still have many people inside. They look for the available table, they found the one in the corner where with few students around.

“Mau and I will order first”, Jhen said after they settle there things in the table.

“okey, after you come back we will order next”, Jean said.

Mau pointed her lips to Ian, who is currently starring blankly her phone. Jhen slap the shoulder of Mau. “ooouch”, Mau reacted while scrubbing her shoulder. Jhen drag Mau to the counter, ignoring Maureen complain. Jhen shake her head while pulling Mau away.

Jean look at them smile at there stunts. But the smile wash away seeing Ian whose submerge in her thought’s. Even though they become friends in short while she worry for her genuinely. Jean is looking at her, she clear her throat few times to get her attention but no use. She sigh and let her be.

‘why your ignoring my presence, but kind with everyone else. I smile at you but you act as if I was not there, is this the price’, Ian talking inside her head while looking at her phone. While looking at her phone, she remember what happen the other day, where Neil bring her with him. ‘It supposed to be the happiest day for her, but why does my heart is aching in pain’, talking to herself.

FLASHBACK:

From the outside she could here the band singing. She smile and feel so excited, her favorite band is playing. It was not a stadium, but a known bar and restaurant. She look at her cousin, she slap his shoulder few times, and giggle in excitement.

Neil chuckle in her reaction. Though he knew this will be her reaction, he still surprise her. “did you like it?” he ask.

“I don’t like it”, she paused and smile widely, “I love it” Ian exclaim.

He pat her head and enter the venue. Ian cling to Neil arms and whisper, “what did you do, I am not 18”, she ask.

“I ask permission from your brother and he pull some strings to let you in, though you are not allowed to drink anything, aside from can juice and soda,” Neil explain.

With pouted lips Ian didn’t speak. She let Neil guide her to there reserve table. She widen her eyes, look at Neil. They were sitting near to the stage. She look the band with dreamy eyes, while they were singing and whisper, “Parokya ni edgar”.

Kaya naman ako bilib sa iyo

Kasi parang napakatibay mo

Lahat ng iharang ay kaya mong daanan

Basta't mayro'ng bentang alak

Do'n sa may tindahan

Hoy hoy, Buloy

Naalala mo pa ba nu'ng araw na nadedo

Ang aso mong si Morlock?

Hoy hoy, Buloy

Naalala mo pa ba nu'ng ika'y tumawag sa 'min

At ika'y umiiyak?

Ian is singing with them. Not minding the people around her. She didn’t notice Neil friends coming. They were looking at her and hearing her sing.

Tapos, pagkatapos no'n, kay tagal mong nawala

Nagulat na lang ako nu'ng narinig ko ang balita

Akala ko pa naman na marunong kang magdala

Nalaman ko na lang na ika'y nagpakamatay na

Hoy Buloy, nasaan ka man

Siguradong kawawa ka, malamang walang alak d'yan

Hoy Buloy, nasaan ka man

Siguradong hindi ka namin malilimutan

Hoy Buloy, Buloy, Buloy

Hoy Buloy, Buloy, Buloy

Hoy hoy, Buloy

Para bang nalimot mo na

Ang iyong mga sinabi

Nu'ng ikaw ay buhay pa

Ian stop singing and look at Neil and hug him in joy. “thanks, Kram..you still remember”.

Neil caress her head gently in front of his friends. Archie and Darril clear there throat. Its only that time Ian realize that his friends came. She blush and look away.

“You never told us, that your cousin have a beautiful voice”, Darril said with the hint of praising her. He could see her cheek turn red, and he just chuckle.

“though she prefer boybands and rock bands”, Neil said to teas his cousin.

“that figure why you ask for them.” Pointing at the band in stage. “it kinda shock me” Archie continue.

“ouch”, Neil complain. He look at Ian whose glaring at him. He scratch his head.

Ian pout and drink her soda.

Seeing her act like that, Darril change there topic. No one notice of presence of Noah. Who is battle with himself if he will come near. He was busy deciding when he hear her singing with the band.

It took one look

And forever lay out in front of me

One smile, then I died

Only to be revived by you

There I was

Thought I had everything figured out

Goes to show just how much I know

'Bout the way life plays out

I take one step away

Then I find myself coming back to you

My one and only

One and only you

Ooh

Noah is too mesmerize that his body move on its own. He walk near them.

Now I know

That I know not a thing at all

Except the fact that I am yours

And that you are mine

Oh

They told me that this wouldn't be easy

And no

I'm not one to complain

I take one step away

Then I find myself coming back to you

My one and only

One and only

I take one step away

Then I find myself coming back to you

My one and only

One and only you

After the song is the only time they realize Noah is sitting beside them. They were shock even Ian. He panicked inside his head. He shock but he need an excuse. “I just came, and I see everyone is busy. I don’t want to bother”, he cross his finger inside his head hoping they will believe what he said.

“bro, you don’t have to be defensive”, Archie tease him. Noah arc his eyebrow. Archie and Darril chuckle, while Neil shake his head. “its true, you don’t have to be defensive about it”, Darril said while holding its laugh. “I’m not being defensive”, Noah said to them while looking at them seriously.

Darril laugh, and so as Archie. They look at Noah while wiggling there eyebrows. Though Noah look at them with poker face. In the corner of his eyes, Noah could see Ian looking at him. His heart skip its beat, and he saw her smile. His mind went blank, the place is noisy, the band performing was talking to the audience. But he could not hear anything as if its only her and him. His friends are talking to him but he don’t hear a thing he could only see is her smile.

Darril notice that Noah is no longer reacting to there teased. He look at him closely, his stare passing through them it is focus to her. He smile, and encircle his arms to Noah’s shoulder. He shake him a bit.

Noah feel someone is shaking him. It brought him back to reality. He look whose arms laying in his shoulder. He see Darril and he wink at him. He remove his hand and took a beer. ‘Just one smile and I’m losing my mind’ , he grip tighter in his beer as he talk inside his mind. He is trying to ignore her presence. But her smile is taking over his emotion.

Ian see Noah drinking she smile at him. But she got ignore. She let it slide. But when she see Noah is being polite and greet everyone. Ian feel sour. ‘No, I ignore this feeling and focus to your favorite band’, she encourage herself.