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"Do you see him? Is he there na?"

George was having a mini mental breakdown. The audition was about to start and Dos is still nowhere to be seen. She had long given up on Luke kasi hindi na ito macontact. Wala din sa mga kakilala nila ang nakakita dito.

She's a bit worried kasi baka may nangyari dito. But judging by how he deliberately left his guitar at home meant he actually had no intention of doing the audition. Feeling niya ay any minute ay iiyak na siya dahil sa samu't-saring emosyon na nararamdaman.

"Wala pa G eh," Lia answered. Maging ito ay nagsisimula na rin maging anxious. Buti pa si Kendall super relaxed lang sa kinauupuan nito while munching on her biscuit. "Do you want to try and perform with the minus one? Wala na rin tayong magagawa eh. I'm sure the panel wouldn't mind since almost all performers ay ganon din ang gamit."

She heaved a heavy sigh. What other choice does she have?

"Do you have the copy in your phone ba, Lia?" she asked with her voice starting to break kaya't napatikhim siya. Kitang-kita niya ang panlalambot ng mga mata ng kaibigan while looking at her.

"G..." mahinang sambit nito. Napapikit siya saglit—a way to prevent her tears to start from falling, bago pinilit ang sariling ngumiti to ease the pressure surrounding them. Lia then suddenly pouted. "Babalatan ko talaga ng buhay 'yan si Luke kapag nakita ko. I'm really sorry, G. Ako pa naman nag-recommend sa'yo sa walang kwenta kong pinsan. I feel so bad right now—"

"I-It's okay, Lia. Baka may emergency lang siya kaya ga'non," mahina niyang sambit while forcing herself not to cry. Napahigpit tuloy yung hawak niya sa dalang sheet music causing it to crumple. "T-Tara na. We should give the minus one sa sound tech—"

"Georgina."

Sabay silang napatingin ni Lia sa tumawag sa kanila. It was Dos. He was rusprinting towards them at may nakasabit na guitar bag sa balikat nito.

"Dos. Anong... is that a guitar?" Hindi makapaniwalang sambit ni Lia. "You... play?"

"Kinda," tipid nitong sagot habang nilalabas ang isang acoustic guitar from the case. Lia's face brightened and she even clapped her hands to celebrate. Pero siya, she stood there frozen and her gaze was glued on to him.

Dos' hair was a bit disheveled and his shirt was a bit magulo. He looked like he just ran a mile or something.

Did he leave to get his guitar? Was it his? Did he go home to get it for her? Did he go through all that just to help her? But why? Why would he do that for her?

"Let's run the song before you perform," anito as he propped his leg up to support the guitar. Napansin ata nito na hindi siya umiimik kaya muli itong bumaling sa kanya. "Georgina. Wala nang oras. Sing."

She blinked twice. He felt her hear beat faster again. And her tummy kept churning. Dahil ba she's nervous? No. She can handle the stage and the crowd. So why? Was it... was it because of Dos? Is she... is she starting to grow feelings for him?

She shook her head violently. No. Impossible. Kasi he's her bully. From day one pa lang ay inaasar na siya nito. Teasing her non-stop. He said she was a spoiled brat and that she had no substance. He said she was a nobody. Someone unimportant.

But why was he showing her something else? Like he's suddenly showing her that he cares? From the thing with Ate Claudette. When she passed out sa hallway. And now, this. Why? Gusto nang sumabog ng head niya from all these questions na bumabagsak sa kanya all at once.

"B-Bakit?" That was the only word she managed to squeeze out making Dos' brows furrow.

"Hndi ako pwedeng basta-basta na lang tumugtog nang hindi nakakapag-ensayo, Georgina. I don't want to fuck your audition up," seryoso nitong sagot.

"H-Hindi 'yon," she cleared out. "I meant, why are you doing this? Don't you hate me?"

"Hate?" His one eyebrow raised. "Pa'no mo naman nasabi 'yan?"

"'Coz you keep bullying on me!" She blurted out. Nagulat lahat ng mga kasamahan nila sa backstage. Doon na rin nagsimula ang mga bulong-bulungan. "Tell me, why, Dos. Bakit o 'to ginagawa to me?"

"Isn't that Dos? Mag-aaudition din ba siya?"

"Baka susuportahan lang si Georgina..."

"So the rumors are true? Mag-jowa sila?"

"Ano pa ba sa tingin mo dahilan niya kaya siya andito? Mag-soundtrip?"

She ignored the murmurs and whispers around her and just fixed her attention on Dos. She needed answers kasi, gulong-gulo na siya sa mga pinapakita nito. One day he's rude and arrogant tapos the next he's sweet and caring. He's confusing her!

"Do you really want me to answer that?"     ganting tanong nito.

"Stop answering my questions with a question!" Hindi niya na talaga matiis. She wanted answers and she wants it now. Her heart just couldn't take all these mixed signals.

"G," ani naman ni Lia sa tabi niya. "Now's not the time. We have to rehearse kasi tatlong participants na lang eh tayo na ang sasalang. Mamaya na lang kayo mag-Q and A."

But she didn't budge. Gusto niyang masagot ang tanong niya. "Answer me."

Dos heaved a sigh before looking straight at her. Napaka-seryoso ng itsura nito.

"I'll tell you when you pass this audition."

She waited for his teasing smirk to show up. Ganon kasi lagi ito. But it seems like today was different. Hindi lumabas ang ngisi that she hated so much.

She didn't respond. Hindi niya kasi alam kung ano pa ba ang dapat sabihin. So they rehearsed. Nagulat actually siya dahil magaling palang tumugtog si Dos. And the guitar... was it his? Her eyes were glued on him the whole rehearsal. It's like her brain just short circuited or something.

"Georgina Gray."

She took a deep breath as she walked towards the center of the stage. She's the only one allowed on the stage to perform kaya Dos, Lia and Kendall stood sa baba ng stage. Well, Dos sat sa isang stool while Lia and Ken stood.

Even if she was on the stage, it wasn't hard for her to hear the chatters and whispers of those present in the audience. Wait. Why are there so many ba? Usually ay mga music enthusiasts lang ang nananonood ng PA Club auditions.

"Gosh. I didn't know Dos was a performer. OMG! He's really perfect!"

Napatingin siya kay Dos. Right. He's here kaya his fangirls are here too. She should've guessed that malalaman agad ng mga ito that Dos will be playing for her. Hindi niya tuloy maiwasang mapasimangot.

"I know right! Matalino, mabait, talented. What else can he not do?"

"Ang swerte ni Miss America. Even after pulling that stunt sa cafeteria..."

"Hindi naman sila bagay like, hello? Ang bratty niya. Hindi niya deserve si Dos."

"True 'yan sis."

She clenched her fists as she heard what those girls said. Bakit, sino ba sila to say that she didn't deserve Dos? Siya ba eh deserve ni Dos? She's one of a kind kaya! She's a brat, yes but the thing that happened in the cafeteria was Dos' fault. And he was teasing her non-stop. They know nothing. Do they even think na sila ang bagay kay Dos? As if. Dos won't even look at them twice. They badmouth people as if they know the whole story. Ugh.

Bakit ba kasi he is so popular with the girls? Ugh. How annoying. Siya pa tuloy 'tong napagdidiskitahan.

"Miss Gray?" Miss Bautista—the PA Club adviser called. She immediately perked up and forced a smile. "You may start."

She nodded and turned to Dos to signal him whether ready na ba siya or hindi. She took a deep breath and her grip on the microphone tightened. Kinabahan siya bigla. Kanina not much because she was pissed pero when she realized they only practiced the song once na si Dos ang tutugtog, her nerves are starting to eat her up.

Dos gave her a small nod then tapped on the guitar and strummed. Nagsimula na siyang kumanta. [Click the multimedia attached at the top for the song. Imagine that's George and backing vocals as Lia and Kendall]

"If there's a prize for rotten judgement," she started. "I guess I've already won that..."

Dos strummed again and she could hear tons of screams from the girls. Napatingin tuloy si Miss Bautista sa audience with her brows furrowed. She couldn't help but rolled her eyes and stopped herself from telling those fangirls to 'Hold on to your dignities' or something. Ugh. They're so annoying.

"No man is worth the aggravation," she continued. "That's ancient history, been there, done that."

"Who d'you think you're kidding, he's the Earth and heaven to you..." Lia and Kendall sang the part of the muses amazingly. Lia even threw her a teasing smirk. Did she just see her roll her eyes? "Try to keep it hidden, honey we can see right through you..."

Lia's grin grew wider and at her and then glanced over to Dos na para bang she's telling her something. Her eyes grew wide when she realized na Lia's teasing her with the song kay Dos!

"Girl you can't conceal it, we know how you're feeling..." Lia even raised her eyebrows up and down making her eyes grow wide. "Who you thinking of..."

"No chance! No way! I won't say it, no no." She even gestured her hands earning yet a wider smirk from her friend.

"You swoon, you sigh. Why deny it? Oh oh."

Again she rolled her eyes. "It's too cliche. I won't say I'm in love."

Pakiramdam niya tuloy ay para siyang naging si Megeara sa movie na Hercules. And Lia was the muses. Teasing her and trying to convince her that she's fallen for Hercules. Like duh, hindi niya gusto si Dos, 'no! Annoying.

"I thought my heart had learned its lesson. It feels so good when you start out..."

Unconsciously, her gaze went to Dos who was playing the guitar expertly. The buttons of his polo shirt was open revealing a black undershirt. Was that even allowed? Shouldn't it be white? But black suited him so well. Litaw na litaw yung milky white skin niya. He looked so gwapo...

"My head is screaming, 'Get a grip, girl'," she snapped her head back towards the audience and also pulled herself out of that trance. No. Dos is the enemy. Her enemy. "Unless you're dying to cry your heart out."

"Girl you can't deny it, who you are is how you're feeling. Baby we're not buying, hon we saw you hit the ceiling..."

Like how Megeara was in the movie, she ignored what the muses kept saying and wondered around the stage as they sang. She rolled her eyes at Lia a couple of times too. Ginagamit talaga nito yung song just to tease her with Dos. Was this all part of her plan or something? Baka nga the whole Luke this was also her doing.

You're so dead after this, Aaliyah...

"Face it like a grown up. When you gonna own up that you got got got it bad..."

Own up to what? Her? In love? With Dos?

"No chance, no way! I won't say it, no no."

Her gaze fell on Dos again and to her surprise, he was looking at her. He had this proud smile on his face kaya hindi niya rin napigilan tuloy mapangiti.

"Give up, Give in, check the grin you're in love..."

She immediately snapped out as soon as she realized that she was smiling like a lunatic.

"This scene won't play. I won't say I'm in love..." She even turned away from the audience—particularly at Dos, as she felt a small blush forming on her cheeks. Bakit kasi ganon siya makatingin? She's already have a small mental breakdown on stage. Gindi niya kailangang dumagdag pa 'don.

"We'll do it until you admit you're in love..." Lia teasingly sang. It was so obvious judging by the tone of her voice.

"You're way off base, I won't say it—" She snapped her head towards Lia and glared at her. "Get off, my case. I won't say it—"

"Girl don't be proud, it's okay. You're in love..."

Slowly, she turned to Dos again. His attention was at the guitar but hers was on him. Her heart started beating so fast and loudly. She sighed. Itatanggi pa rin ba niya?

"At least, out loud..." Then, nagkataong tumingin sa kanya si Dos. She smiled. "I won't say I'm in... love."

Lia and Kendall ended the song with the muses' part and everyone applauded. Even Miss Bautista was standing up and clapping.

But right that moment, hindi niya na iyon gaanong napansin. Her eyes were fixated on particular person.

Oh fudge. She is in love.

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