Chapter 10

Nakaupo si Apollo sa living room ng bahay nina Chloe, hinihintay ang pagbaba ng dalawa. Ngayon ang araw ng premiere night ng pelikula nila at labis nila itong pinaghandaan dahil may “red carpet” para sa mga taong bumuo ng mga obrang itatanghal sa big screen ng unibersidad.

“Mayari! Bilisan mo na r’yan!” sigaw ni Chloe na nagmamadaling bumaba sa hagdan.

Sa pagkakataong ‘to ay naiisip na ni Apollo ang mga susunod na eksena… kahalintulad sa pelikula, kung paano bababa ang babaeng bida at mahuhumaling naman ang leading man. Pamilyar siya sa ganitong mga pangyayari, madaming beses na niya itong napanood subalit sa oras na iyon ay pakiramdam niya tatalon ang puso niya mula sa kanyang dibdib.

“Eto na pababa na!” sigaw ni Mayari mula sa taas at dali daling lumabas ng kwarto papunta sa hagdan.

Mayari’s entrance was far from what he expected. She was running barefoot down the stairs, her blue stilettos are tangled on her left arm while she’s putting her earrings on.

Apollo chuckled “She still looks perfect… disastrously perfect,” he thought.

She’s wearing a blue knee-length backless, fitted enough to hug her curves. Her hair is done in an updo hairstyle and her necklace gives emphasis to her collar bone. She looks elegant and lovely.

“Wow, looking good, kid,” Mayari said and stood in front of Apollo

She stared at him from head to toe, “Finally, Apollo looks like someone you could imagine when you hear the name Apollo,” she thought.

His hair is nicely done with its new quiff haircut, unlike his everyday look with his hair obscured his forehead like a sheepdog. You can now see his brushy eyebrows clearly and his long thick eyelashes. He was wearing an ice blue polo with three undone buttons under his navy blue tuxedo, matching Mayari’s outfit for tonight.

“You’ll make such beautiful kids,” singit ni Chloe habang nakatingin sa dalawa

“We’re late,” Mayari said and rolled her eyes.

Sinalubong sila ng madaming tao nang makarating sila sa theater place ng unibersidad kung saan gaganapin ang premire night. Sakto ring magsisimula na ang red carpet kaya’t pumila na sila kasama ang iba pang mga director sa entrance ng theater room.

“Kinakabahan ka?” Apollo asked her, he can see the tension on her shoulder and she’s starting to bite her nails again.

Apollo grabbed her hands and holds them.

“I’m here,” he said then smiled

“Relax your shoulders, kitang kita na nattense ka,” he said then chuckled

“You can win this, I prepared a beer for tonight’s event,” he added and looked at her with reassuring eyes.

“Pa’no kung hindi ako manalo?” she asked and worriedly looked at Apollo.

“You’ll make it. If not, then… there’s a beer for losers, cheer up,” he said and chuckled

“Thank you, for being here,” she sincerely said and squeeze his hands.

“Anytime, Mayari,”

The event organizer called them and said that it’s their time to walk on the red carpet. Mayari took a deep breath and looked at Apollo.

They entered the room and walked into the carpet, there are cameras, probably for the University’s newspaper, and the camera’s from the productions stuff of their films. The lights from the camera flash in their eyes, it’s blinding. They can’t even see the faces behind those. But Apollo saw someone familiar.

“Hey, uhm, I just need to go to the bathroom,” paalam niya kay Mayari nang makapasok na sila sa theater room. Tumango lamang si Mayari at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad papunta sa kanilang upuan kung saan naghihintay ang kaibigan niyang si Chloe.

Madaling lumabas si Apollo at muling bumalik sa kung saan naka-set up ang red carpet, katatapos lamang nito at nagsisimula nang magpasukan ang mga tao sa loob ng kwarto. Isa isa niya itong tinitignan na animo’y may inaasahang makita.

“Looking for someone?” tanong ng isang babae mula sa likod niya.

“Heather,” bungad niya rito

“You don’t seem happy to see me,” tugon ni Heather at malungkot na ngumiti kay Apollo

Sa kabilang banda ay nagsisimula nang ipalabas ang mga pelikulang kalahok sa taunang patimpalak. Halos mabali ang leeg ni Mayari kakatingin sa paligid kung bumalik na ba si Apollo.

“He sure knows where to sit, bakit wala pa siya?” alalang saad niya

“Baka naman madami lang tao, wag kang clingy sis babalik ‘yon,” pang-aasar ni Chloe.

Hindi na lamang niya ito pinansin at akmang tatayo na para sundan si Apollo nang matanaw niya itong papalapit sa kanya.

“I told you,” bulong ni Chloe.

“Sa’n ka galling?” tanong ni Mayari sa kauupo lang na si Apollo.

“Ah, medyo madami kasing tao sa cr and I bumped into someone I know, we had a little conversation kaya medyo napatagal, nagstart na ba?” pagpapaliwanag nito.

“Yeah, kakastart lang,” tugon ni Mayari at itinuon ang atensyon sa screen. Hindi niya rin malaman subalit may kakaiba siyang nararamdaman patungkol dito subalit binalewala niya na lamang ito at nag-focus sa mga pelikula.

Huling ipinalabas ang pelikula nina Mayari, nakuha nito ang atensyon ng manonood. Magmula sa cinematography, flow ng istorya, dialogue at plot twist.

She’s overwhelmed by the reactions of the audience, all of the tensions and doubts that she felt all day just started fading. She’s happy to know that her viewers are satisfied.

She can feel her chest pumping than its normal beat, in the end of the movie while their names and the song “Wonderwall” are playing on the big screen, she held Apollo’s chin and stare at his face. In just a split second, her lips collide with his. The aroma of popcorn starts to smell like pink, the sound of murmurs, the cold ambiance of the room gives chills running through their nerves to their stomach, it feels romantic. She doesn’t want to let this go.

She broke the kiss as the lights start turning on, she looked at Chloe and talked to her as if nothing happened while Apollo was stunned in his seat.

“Apollo, okay ka lang?” tanong ni Chloe

“Y-Yeah, nilalamig na kasi ako,” he said then smiled.

He looked at Mayari but she’s still not looking at him, hindi niya rin alam kung anong pumasok sa isip niya. She did not regret it, anyway, she loves how Apollo can make her feel but she doesn’t know how to face him after what happened. They’re both surprised at what Mayari did but liked it at the same time.

The movies have been presented and the results of the contest are out. Mayari’s chest is about to burst now, there’s too much pressure she put on her shoulders tonight.

“Hey, it’s gonna be fine,” Apollo smiled at her and held her hand

They already won the best picture, best actor, original screenplay, and cinematography. They are now waiting for the top 3 best films that the first will be included in Regional’s film festival. The crowd is silent as the host already stated the top two and three movies. Ang huling tatawagin ay ang panalo, hinihintay ni Mayari na tawagin ang pelikula niya.

“And finally, the overall best film award goes to… In the eyes of a Thief!” anunsyo ng host, napabuntong hininga si Mayari sa tinawag nitong pelikula… hindi iyon ang gawa niya.

Napuno ng sigawan at palakpakan ang kwarto nang umakyat sa entablado ang team na bumuo ng nanalong pelikula, ang director nito ay nagmula sa ibang block at hindi pamilyar kay Mayari subalit nasubaybayan niya ang pelikula. Karapat dapat lamang itong manalo subalit sa isang banda, hiling niyang siya ang may hawak ng tropeyo sa mga oras na ‘yon.

“You did well,” saad ni Apollo at binigyan siya ng isang mahigpit na yakap.

Pansamantala silang nanatili sa gano’ng posisyon, sa pagitan ng ingay ay rinig ni Mayari ang marahang pagtibok ng puso ni Apollo. Amoy niya rin ang pabango nito at ramdam niya ang paghinga ng binata sa kanyang ulo.

“You want to go somewhere? Get some air?” bulong niya, bahagya lamang tumango si Mayari kaya’t sinenyasan ni Apollo si Chloe na mauuna na sila at hindi na makikigulo pa sa after party ng event. Tumango lamang ang huli dahil alam niyang labis na nalulungkot si Mayari sa naging resulta ng unang patimpalak na nilahukan niya bilang isang director.

Tahimik na nagmaneho si Apollo papunta sa isang lugar na alam niyang mapapayapa ang loob ni Mayari.

“Here,” Iniabot ni Apollo ang isang lata ng beer kay Mayari, kasalukuyan silang nasa rooftop ng abandonadong bahay malapit sa kanilang paaralan.

“Beers for losers,” Mayari said

“Yeah, beers for losers,” tugon ni Apollo at itinaas pa ang lata ng kaniyang beer

“Apollo,” pagtawag ni Mayari sa kanya, tinignan niya lamang ito

“’Yong tungkol sa kanina,” saad niya

“It’s okay,” sagot ni Apollo na tila ba alam na niya ang sasabihin ng dalaga

“I’m not going to say sorry because I don’t feel sorry,” Napalingon si Apollo sa tinuran niya

“Yeah, I did that kasi na-overwhelm na ‘ko at nagpadala ‘ko sa nararamdaman ko but I don’t think I have to say sorry for that because Apollo…” she stopped and looked at him “I mean it,” she added.

“I like you, I think I’m in love with you,” pag-amin ni Mayari.

Pansamantalang sinakop ng katahimikan ang kinalalagyan ng dalawa. Hindi umimik si Apollo, iniisip niya ang bawat salitang bibitawan sa oras na ‘to. Alam niyang hindi pwede.

“There’s just so many things I want to say to you,” he said then sighed

“Say it, eto na ‘yon oh. Moment of truth,” Mayari said and chuckled.

“I have a lot of things in the back of my hands, waiting for their turn to slip. Just not now, Mayari,” he said and look at her “You hold a special place in my heart, I know,” he added then kissed her forehead.

Mayari felt the chills once more, the one she felt on the theater earlier. Hindi siya sigurado sa kung anong ibig sabihin ni Apollo pero alam niya, may isang bagay na mangyayari na makakaapekto sa kanilang dalawa,

“Mananatili ako sayo,” she heard that same voice from her dream once again, but this time, it was Apollo saying it.

“Anong sabi mo?” paulit niya rito

“I’m gonna stay with you, no matter what happens. I’ll stay with you, that’s all I can promise right now,” he said and hugged her.

“Nakauwi na ‘ko sa’yo, mahal,” she saw an image of a guy as she closed her eyes, he was calling her. Asking her to come closer, and she can feel her feet moving closer. Habang papalapit siya nang papalapit ay nararamdaman niyang papalayo ang lalaki.

“Hahanapin kita, Diana,” sambit ng lalaki mula sa kanyang isip.

Nanatili silang magkayakap ni Apollo habang paulit ulit na nangyayari sa isip niya ang pagtawag sa kanya ng lalaki. Tanda niya ang bawat detalye ng pangyayari, pati ang pakiramdam ay animo’y siya ang nagmamay-ari.

Tila isang alaala.