⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙⁺˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧͙

✦✧✦✧GEMINI: GABRIEL XANDER RODRIGUEZ✦✧✦✧

════*.·:·.✧ THE ZODIAC CLUB ✧.·:·.*════

"CEDYBABY!" Tawag ko at tumakbo palapit sa kanya habang nakawagayway ang folder na hawak ko.

"What, Xander?" Halatang madilim ang mukha nito. Ayaw kasi niyan na tinatwag siyang 'baby' pero 'di iyon makakapigil sa pang aasar ko.

"Ay, bad mood ka, babe?" nakangising tanong ko.

"Shut it. What do you want?" asik niya at lalong sumalubong iyong kilay niya.

Binigay ko sa kanya iyong folder at matiim niyang binabasa.

Di naman siguro halatang excited ako. Grade 8 na kasi kami dito sa Far Lakeside University and we are now allowed to register for our own club. This school is not only known for having elite students but for its clubs. Here, we can do anything we want as long as it abides by the rules.

I've been planning this since elementary. Sa tulong ni Cedrick, naging maayos ang proseso, iyon nga lang iyong mga membro ngayon ang pinoproblema ko. Ang hirap kasi maghanap ng mga lalaki na tumutugtog at ang pangalan any nagsisimula kung ano man iyong horoscope nila.

Tulad ko, I'm born on June 30 kaya Gemini ako and my full name is Gabriel Xander pero mas kilala ako sa pangalang Xander tapos si Cedrick naman yung Capricorn. Wala naman talagang akong balak na ganyan. Si Cedrick lahat nag-isip nito.

All I wanted is a band that can perform different genres pero nga dahil marami ng banda dito ayon kay Cedrick kailangan naming maging unique and that's how we came with the Zodiac Club. A band exclusive for thirteen guys that can play a variety of music.

"So how was it?" tanong ko.

Ced looked up with his stern face. "Did they agree?"

Umiwas ako ng tingin at nagkibit balikat.

"You put them here as your members yet you didn't ask for their agreement?" angil niya.

"Well... Nandiyan ka na man para tulungan ako. Sino bang kayang tumanggi kay Cedrick Jay Cuevas? Elementary pa lang tayo kinukuha ka na ng Student League, paborito ng mga teachers at kaibigan ng lahat! Swerte ko talaga sa iyo, Cedy!" tugon ko pero binatakuan niya lang ako at bumuntong hininga.

"Inuto mo pa ako. We need to talk to them first," suhestiyon niya.

"Huwag na kay Calum. Praise him and he'll simply say yes. Dali talaga mauto nun."

Si Calum kasi iyong Cancer. Parang sakit lang pero nga parang may sakit talaga ito dahil sa pagiging ggss niya.

"Same goes for you. But still, we need to talk to him. Don't you know we needed his sign?"

"Don't worry. Alam ko lahat ng perma nila."

Kinabisa ko talaga mga perma nila. Madali lang naman iyon dahil pamilya ko ang may-ari ng buong school na 'to. I can have access to all the files I want.

"Seriously. Why are you using your brain in useless things only?" sabi niya at hinapmas sa ulo ko iyong folder.

"Sakit nun ha!"

"Hello, mga babes!"

Sigaw iyon ni Calum at hindi nga ako nagkamali. Umakybay siya kaagad kay Ced at lalong kumunot iyong mukha ng isa.

"Tangina niyo. We will be mistaken as gays if you keep acting like that."

Nasa park kami ngayon at ito ang paborito naming tambayan. Malapit iyon sa main entrance ng university kaya from elementary to college ay makikita dito.

"Chill, Cedy. No homo tayo."

Natatawang sabi ko. Kaya siya naming inaasar kasi siya lang iyong nacoconscious.

"Okay lang naman sakin. Masisi ko ba kung mafall ka sa kagwapuhan ko?" sabi ni Calum.

"Stop it, Alfonso."

"Shit ka, Cedrick! Ang gwapo ko tas tatawagin mo kong 'Alfonso'. Ang pangit talaga, tangina!"

Biglang kinwelyuhan ni Calum si Ced kaya nahulog tuloy iyong folder.

Napansin na man kaagad nila iyon kaya humiwalay sila at isa-isa naming pinulot iyon.

"Uy, ako to ah," sabi ni Calum sabay turo sa papel.

"Sabi ko di ba gagawa ako ng club so welcome to the club, babes," sabi ko at niyakap pa siya.

"I didn't choose yet."

"Barkada tayo, siyempre uunahin mo ako. Saka mga gwapo lang dito."

"You should've said it in the first place and sasali kaagad ako. Ikaw pa tuloy nagsulat sa form. Saan ako pipirma?"

"Don't worry. Nakapirma ka na."

"Weh? Kailan?"

"He forged it," singit ni Ced.

Tinignan uli ni Calum iyong application form.

"Ayos ah! Parang akin talaga. Next time pag absent ako, ikaw na bahala sa akin, Xander!"

"Mga gago talaga kayo. You should've stopped him," sabi ni Ced.

"Hay, Cedy. I thought you know already. The more you say no, the more I will do it."

"Kaya nga. Wag ka ng mastress Ced, parang di ka pa nasanay. Gwapo ko pa na man pero syemepre mas gwapo ako sa iyo. Uy, teka, si Lara iyon ah! Alis muna ako. Punta lang ako sa no.1 babe ko. See you mga side hoes!"

Natatawang tumingin ako sa palayong Calum. Siguradong kawawa na naman mamaya ang kaklase naming si Lara.

"Anyway, lika na, babes, wala na iyong sagabal," sabi ko at umakbay pa.

Lumayo na man si Ced kaagad at sumeryoso. "Let's meet them first."

"Sige na nga."

★｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★

Una kaming dumiretso sa floor ng Grade 11. Nandoon kasi ang pinsan ko. Alam ko namang papayag iyon, kung hindi susumbong ko siya kay Auntie. Tapos iyong ibang Grade 10 na nilista ko go with the flow naman.

Ewan ko ba kay Cedrick, kung sana dumiretso na kami sa Student League, hindi na kami magsasayang ng oras. Alam ko namang sira na naman iyong schedule niya dahil sakin.

"Sven!" tawag ko samay bintana.

Malayo pa lang makilala kaagad ito dahil sa dilaw na dilaw niyang buhok. Tumayo na man kaagad ito.

"What's up, bro?" bati niya.

"Sali ka. Gumawa ako ng club. Nilista na kita pero etong si Ced gusto kumpirmahin harap-harapan."

"What? Slow down, bro."

Half-half pala tong pinsan ko kaya hindi masyadong nakakaintindi ng tagalog. Last year lang siya nagtransfer rito at siguradong mga mura lang ang alam nito. Siyempre turo ko iyon. Mahirap na baka may uminsulto sa kanya,

"I made a club and I need you to join," sabi ko at binigay iyong form niya.

"A music club but the name's Zodiac Club? Won't it be confusing?"

"Sumali ka na lang. Huwag ng daming tanong."

"The club would only be comprised of thirteen members at most and it's more like a band name rather than a club's," si Ced na iyong nag-explain.

"Oh, got it. But wait, this has my sign already."

"He copied it," sabi ni Ced.

"All's good, then?"

Napabuntong hininga na lang si Ced dahil walang pakialam iyong pinsan ko.

"Oh saan nga pala sina Philip at Onyx?"

"Philip's absent and Onyx went somewhere. I'll guess he'll be back in a minute."

"Sige, hintayin lang namin siya rito."

"Sure. I'll see you later," sabi ni Sven at bumalik na sa classroom nila.

Habang naghihintay tinawagan ko si Philip. Pumwesto ako sa bintana habang nag cecellphone si Ced sa tabi ko. Medyo maingay ngayon dahil opening kasi. One week na walang regular na pasok pero pumupunta pa rin dito for attendance at dahil na rin sa mga events.

Medyo matagal bago sumagot si Philip. Halatang busy nga ito.

"Anong kailangan mo, Gabrielle Xander?"

Bungad kaagad nito.

"Grabe siya. Pag tumawag may kailangan agad?"

"Pag ikaw, oo. Ano iyon? Bilisan mo, ilang minuto lang break ko."

"Sali ka ng club ko. Napilitan ka lang naman sa Literature Club, as if naman nagbabasa ka eh hinahabol mo lang naman si F---"

"Oo na! Sasali na. Blackmailer na, user pa, gago."

"Uy, ang image baka masira."

Natatawang sabi ko. Nagmomodelo kasi ito and medyo kilala na siya kaya bantay sarado na iyong galaw niya.

"Diba kailangan ng form? Paano iyon? Hindi pa ako makabalik this week."

"Ako ng bahala basta pumayag ka. Bye, babes! Pasalubong ko ha!"

"Ulol!"

Binaba ko ang phone at pagtingin ko kausap na ni Ced si Onyx.

Pumunta ako sa kanila at kumanta.

"I want to be the very best, like no one ever was. To catch them is my real test, to train them is my cause!"

"Ganda ng boses, walang kwenta naman iyong kinakanta," nakangising saad ni Onyx.

"Inggit ka lang. So, ano pumayag ka rin ba?"

Tumango ito. "Galing ng pirma natin eh. Mas maganda pa ata iyong pagpirma mo kaysa sakin."

"Ako pa ba. Sa iyo yata iyong pinakamadali."

"Anyway, I heard you're looking for rooms on the second and third floors. Mayroon yatang iaauction na rooms both floors. Although may vacant rin naman from fifth to seventh."

"Yeah, I know. Kaya nga minamadali ko para makaregister kami at makasali," sabi ko.

"Sige, alis muna uli ako. See ya!"

Lumipat iyong tingin ko kay Ced. Inaayos niya iyong mga papel sa folder at napakunot noo ako.

Ngayon ko lang napansin na hindi niya hawak iyong planner niya. Madalas kasing dala nito iyon. Kaya lagi itong galit dahil nadudumihan iyong notebook niya dahil sa mga on-the-spot ideas ko.

"Wala kang gagawing buong araw?"

"I cleared my day. I know it will take us that much to finalize the registration."

Yayakapin ko sana siya pero umiwas siya at dumiretso sa basurahan. Kitang-kita ko iyong papel na pinunit niya at tinapon.

"Ba't mo tinapon!?"

Siguradong napatingin sila dahil sa lakas ng sigaw ko. Bigla bigla ba naman kasing tinapon iyong pinaghirapan ko. Ang hirap kayang gumaya ng pirma.

"We already met the requirements. We don't need it anymore."

"Eh akala ko 13 tayo bakit biglang 6 lang?"

"Vince Uriel Salvador is too out of reach and both he and Tyrone Yap, are already graduating so they would be too busy anyway. Liam Buenaflor, I don't like him. Ariston Lopez is good but I don't think he'll join since he's a star player. Montez is good too but I am not too sure if he wanted to join. And are you really going to recruit Lysander?"

"Of course! He's the best cello player here!"

"But he is quite troublesome. Anyway, it's better to have little member first. After this quarter, we could recruit some first years and it is much better."

"Fine. May magagawa pa ba ako."

Nagmumukmok kong sabi at umalis na kami papuntang Activity Building.

★｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★

Medyo marami-raming tao ngayon sa Lounge. Iyong iba kasi siguradong pumipila para magparegister ng clubs habang halos lahat rito ay nagpaparenew. Required kasi every year or else ididisband kayo.

At lalong binbigyang importansya iyong mga clubs dahil sa mga perks nito. Through the clubs, we could make our own profit or do our expertise. We could also use the school's resources through this which could benefit both sides. It was like our on-the-job experience and helps us decide what we really want to be.

Pumasok kami ng High School Committee Room at pinapunta kaagad sa office ng conference room.

Renzo, the president of the Student League welcomed us with a smile.

"Good afternoon," sabay naming bati ni Ced.

"Good afternoon. I've seen your profile and it was a unique idea indeed and I might say the members were all remarkable."

Tahimik lang kami at nagpatuloy siya.

"But a music club? Currently, there are five clubs under the Music Organization and even each of them has several groups."

"Yes, President, but our goal was not just to focus on a single genre but to explore and make our own quality music," sagot ko.

"Then why is your name like this? You could be mistaken as part of the astrology or astronomy-related club."

"It is the same concept with the Winter Club where they travel to places during the winter season for documentaries. Our club represents the zodiac so it would be easier for them to remember us."

"But you are only six right now. How are you sure you could find a person who will join you that are musically inclined and matched the name with their zodiac?"

Eto iyong sabi ni Cedrick eh. Making a club was like doing a title defense raw.

"That is why we made a rule that it was fine even if it was a first name or second name. Currently, we already have several candidates in mind, and persuading them would be easy but for now, we wanted to grow our club first before recruiting more members."

Gustong-gusto kong palakpakan si Ced. Mabuti na lang talaga nandito siya.

"Okay then."

Kinuha iya iyong stamo at pinirmahan iyong papers namin.

Sa wakas! My dream club is here! Inabot niya iyong folder sakin

"Congrats, see you at the auction."

★｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★

Laters <3