AUTHOR’S NOTE: I wrote this story a few weeks ago. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I did when I was writing it. The song for this story is Enchanted by Taylor Swift. Some things may be new to you because the setting is Philippines, but you can Google them. I have an alternate ending for this story but I think the ending of this is much more realistic. Happy Reading! :)

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~Blissful Scenery~

It’s hard when you feel alone even though there are a lot of people surrounding you. There are times when you want to be happy but you can’t because some unseen force is forbidding you.

You stretch your lips into a smile when your friends are talking to you but it feels force. There’s hollowness eating you inside out.

Being a performer has its disadvantages, no matter how much you like playing musical instruments. Instead of being in the house doing school works and reading a good book, I’m required to stay here in this place and entertain people who are coming inside the building.

I have a choice. If I play, I’ll continue to get my scholarship. If not, well, you know what will happen then. What I don’t get is this: There are two bands for this event. The one besides us is Brass Band, which means they play loud music. They use those giant instruments like Trumpet, Trombone, Euphoniums, and a lot more which I can’t name. On the other hand, the band which I am a member uses Piano, Flutes, and Violins.

The Brass Band is on the first door, while we are on the second door; the main entrance. Of course, when they play, people will not be able to hear our music because they are playing so loud. Our instruments are so soft. I don’t get why they want us to be here, they already have musicians.

Our leader tells us to leave our instruments and take a rest. I leave my instrument and stand where my friends are. I play the piano. I like the feeling of the keys when I’m touching them. The stroke—

“Kyleigh,” my friend Melody says, breaking me from my reverie. “Arthur said that we have to go inside.”

Arthur is the leader of our band, even though he’s just a year older than us. We are all studying in one university and my band mates are all my friends.

I follow her and the others inside and sit on the table with our director, Mr. Patrick. He’s the one organizing our performances.

The table is oblong, with white table cloth drape on the top. Above it is another table cloth; this one is chocolate brown. There are ten chairs on our table which is just perfect because we are seven musicians, and then there's the choreographer, the director, and the assistant.

There are a lot of people in this place, and they are all wearing different clothes. I, for one, am wearing a light pink dress a few inches below the knee. Some are wearing Barong, Emperatriz, some are even wearing gowns. Others are wearing casual clothes. What kind of event is this?

The program starts but I don’t really watch it, much listen to it because I’m fascinated with the giant lanterns on the wall. One, two, three . . Whoa! There are seventeen all in all! I like watching them change lights and appearances. I’m trying to count how many are the faces of the lanterns but they changes lights very quickly.

 I find myself smiling in amusement as I watch them. I don’t even pretend to listen to the speaker on the stage. People give me odd stares because instead of looking to my left, which is where the stage is, I’m looking up to see the giant lanterns.

Models are walking around, guiding VIP’s to their table. They are all wearing the same dress, a light beige backless gown that falls down to their ankles. Some of them are really good looking.

After a few minutes, my friends decide to check on our instruments. I go with them hesitantly, glancing one last time at the giant lanterns.

“There’s a photo booth!” Diana says excitedly.

“Can you take a picture of us?” Marco asks the man operating the photo booth.

“Sure,” he says, but his eyes tell otherwise. He’d rather take a picture of a statue rather than a bunch of teenagers. “Go there,” he says, pointing to the green moss background.

We pose four times, changing places every shot. After a few seconds, the picture is already done. In the end, Arthur gets the only copy because he’s the leader.

We sit on the couches beside the photo booth and rest because we’re all tired. It’s such a long day! I woke up at four in the morning, and now it’s eight in the evening. My eyes are drooping in and closing slowly when I see him.

He’s wearing a dark suit with an intricate design with the color of fire on his left side. I can’t explain it, but the moment I see his face, time stops. Not because he’s very handsome (though he certainly is) but because he’s smiling at me.

A smile makes its way in my face without my permission. I feel warm all over my body. I want to stretch my arms beside me because I feel like flying in Cloud 9. I’m glowing inside and out because of him. Silly, I know.

Is he my schoolmate? Where does he study? The city is so big, and there are a lot of universities here. When this night ends, will I see him again?

My eyes travel beside him and I see a girl with her arms around him. She has curly brown hair and she’s wearing a tiara. What’s up with that?

Maybe she won a beauty pageant. But c’mon! Why wear it in this kind of event? Her gown is glitter gold which is well, perfect for her, especially for her super slim waist.

I shift my eyes to the guy, memorizing his features. He has black hair which perfectly matches his dark suit. His eyes are the color of ocean, they are—

“The guy will molten from your stare,” Melody says amusedly.

I can feel the blush starting to flood in my cheeks. I look at the place where I last seen the guy but he’s not there anymore.

A startle gasp escapes from my lips when I see him posing in the photo booth with the girl. I hope he hasn’t heard the words Melody utters a while ago.

The way the guy and the girl move is a sign that they’re not a couple. Before I know it, I’m grinning from ear to ear.

His voice is sweet and soft. It’s like he’s not capable of being angry. I just hear his voice, but I cannot make out the words he’s saying. On the third pose, the guy looks at me.

My heart skips a beat, I swear.  There’s a connection between us! I can feel it. I know that sounds fiction, but it’s true.

After the picture taking, two guys join them. Again, he turns to smile at me. His smile is contagious! I can’t help but smile with him.

Suddenly, I have this urge inside me. I want to know him, everything about him. I almost get up from my seat to introduce myself when five models join them. Of course, he talks to them as if they know each other. If I know, it’s just their first time to see each other, thanks to this event.

The guy with the dark suit steals glances my way and I have a feeling that he wants to talk to me. I don’t know why he’s familiar, like I’ve seen him before. Perhaps if it’s just the two of us, we can have a chat. But the situation is being hard on us.

After a few minutes, he walks outside on his own. The girl with the tiara goes inside with a guy.

A loud booming voice makes me jump in surprise. “Help me count to twenty,” the voice says, coming from the speakers.

“Come on,” says Richard. “Let’s go outside.”

“Why?” I ask, confused and startle at the same time.

He rolls his eyes and says in an obvious tone, “The fireworks display.”

As the speaker counts down to twenty, we run outside in the main entrance of the hall. We are all excited and eager to watch the fireworks display.

“Faster,” Christopher urges.

Finally, we arrive outside and make our way towards the front because a lot of people are at the back.

The stars aren’t visible tonight, but the moon is full, and is shining so bright.

“Three,” the people count. “Two, one.”

Boom!

“Whoa!” I exclaim. I can’t even put words to the view I am seeing. This is such a wonderful night. The full moon is perfect with the fireworks. There are different shapes like flowers, stars, hearts, and falls. The loud sound of every firework makes my heart beats fast.

There are Ooh’s and Aah’s coming from people’s mouth. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning.

Looking around me, I search for the guy in the dark suit but I can’t see him because there are a lot of people obscuring him from my view. It’s like finding a needle in a straw full of haystacks.

I feel disappointed because this kind of event which is something precious should be shared with someone special. Someone you like. I’m hopeless romantic, I know. Trying to be an optimist, I just continue to watch the fireworks with my friends. I don’t even want this to stop. If only the fireworks are unlimited, I think sadly. Unfortunately, nothing stays forever.

After ten minutes, the show ends. The sky is full of smoke, and the smell is well, I should just probably go inside.

The guests go home directly after the fireworks display. Only the performers, models, and the organizers are the only ones in the hall.

To my astonishment, I see the guy eating his dinner with his friends. At the sight of food, my stomach suddenly growls. I haven’t eaten anything yet since lunch so it’s normal to be hungry.

As I wait for the waiter to serve our food (performers eat after the guests leave), I look at the guy who’s sitting across from our table.

I’m taking picture in my mind so I can save it for a rainy day. I don’t want to forget him. This night, I feel happy because of him. I don’t get how someone I don’t know can make me feel this way.

It’s okay to be happy on your own, but when other people give you happiness, it’s not the same. Very different.

When I turn to the table where the guy is sitting, he’s gone, along with his friends.

After eating, we put our instruments to the car so that we can leave. What now? I think with a sigh.

I walk back hastily to the main entrance of the hall, hoping to see him. Turning around one last time, I scan the area quickly, but I don’t see the guy in the dark suit again.