Pursued by Apollo

04

Chapter Four

In which she heard his voice.

-

[Vien Tzuyu.]

People are staring again.

I did my best not to react, as I know that they would appreciate that. Then again, itd did made me wonder if they don’t have their own life to focus on. Most of them seemed heavily fixated on watching over mine. They were whispering quite loudly while I was walking in the corridor; they didn’t even make it subtle that they talked about me. All of these used to be something that I hardly notice but now—these people were pointing idly at me as if I was an art in a museum that they could judge or critique.

Everyone was so busy with how I was living my life that they must have forgotten that they were running one.

“I don’t understand as to why you needed to pass these papers today. Looking at this makes me question if we are even attending the same school. Not even our teachers have this many papers in their desks,” Mxen commented, looking at the stack of paper she was helping me hold. “How did you even manage to finish this after your long hours of schedule?”

My mouth did not bother to reply, not willing to alarm her about my nasty sleeping habits. While she had done her best to make sure that I am comfortable in her own home, it does make things harder for me to accept everything so easily. Mxen lived a lavish life, enough that I still have trouble remembering that I could open any forms of electricity inside the room assigned to me.

“You even manage to learn the topics for next week,” Mxen mumbled out, reading through the paper.

I frowned, hands slowly grabbing her to the side before she could bump to a wall. “I am glad you are reading through the words, but please pay attention where you are walking.”

“Thanks, Vien.” Mxen grinned, eyes snapping back to my papers.

Mxen would press some question here and there. It made me feel grateful to have someone like her in my life. I know that she does her best to be there for me through everything, enough that she was doing something she does not have to. Having her as a friend always made things brighter for me.

“Hey, Vien, what do you think about—ow!” She winced as she was roughly shoved.

I have to help her catch her balance, losing the hold that I have on my papers. My priority was making sure that she wouldn’t get injured. Mxen simply stumbled, managing to grab her balance as soon as I caught her.

“Oh no, your papers,” she whispered, leaning down to help me catch some of the papers that slipped from the folder. “Why would you let them go? You worked hard for this!”

My eyes followed the girls who had shoved her. Not even hearing a single word of apology were heard from the girls, even a half-ass one would have been fine, but they flatly just bumped her. Instead of buttering their apologies, they continued to run towards where they were headed.

What’s wrong with these people?

I know that the school is prestigious, and most of the students studying here were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, but they should focus on getting decency. It’s one thing that any human should have. They lack manners and spend all their lives judging others.

What a miserable life they all have.

“There you ago,” Mxen muttered, handing me the folders. Instead of worrying about herself and thinking in the same way that I do, I caught her looking at the retreating back of the girls before muttered a dumb. “I wonder where they are headed?”

“Seriously?” I grumbled, frowning at her idiocy. Her face followed mine, clearly informing me that she was serious with the look on her face. “That’s the first thought that struck you? Are you dumb? You almost fall, Mxen.”

“I’m fine, mom.” Mxen teased, letting out a laugh.

Walking to the office made us spot another array of girls running in the same direction as the others, letting me see how Mxen seemed invested in figuring out what was happening. She had always been a curious one, and the only thing that is keeping her from not running with them is the task that we have before us.

“You’re coming with me,” Mxen announced as we knocked on the door.

I nodded my head. “Of course, I would.”

Mxen did not wait a single second to drag me towards the direction where everyone was running to. The second that the professor held through my files, we were out from where and into wherever Mxen had set her eyes on.

“The auditorium?” She asked, pulling me closer. “I wonder what is going on.”

When we reached the place, it was already packed. My lips automatically formed a slight frown, not liking the way that people were brushing up my sides as if we were canned sardines flopping through each other. Mxen caught on this, as she easily grabbed me towards the second floor, where there was an available space where we could see the stage.

“Thanks, Max,” I whispered, finally having the chance to breathe.

She winked, holding me close. “Of course! After all, you agreed to come with me!”

People started to get more aggressive with their screaming as soon as the soft strumming of the guitar was heard all over the place. It took a lot of willpower and a significant rise of the brow from Mxen for me to not cover my ears. I struggled hard not to follow suit, but she had some threatening gaze at my things. They were loud!

Arg!

My eyes looked at these people, wondering why girls would gush around some band that would play on this place. Cameras continued to flash towards the stage, but my eyes weren’t even on the playing round.

Then I stilled.

A voice so beautiful had rung through the room, making my heart still by the comfort that it was offering me. It was at that moment did my eyes fixed on the stage. Instead of seeing a band that usually plays inside the school, I see a man standing in the middle. He had stood there with a guitar strapped on his shoulders, singing under the blinding light.

Despite not having a chance to see his face, I rarely cared.

What caught me was his voice. It was smooth as Mxen’s pillows.

Unfazed by the screams he was causing, the man continued to let out his amazing voice. Emotions were laced by every word, enough to let me feel emotions that wasn’t even mine. His voice could move the mountains, and I stand by that. The usual fret that I needed to leave the place had been off the windows from the second that his voice had me transfixed.

My attention alone was fixed on him, as he was shining on that spotlight.

He would look at the audience from time to time, but he didn’t lose the time to check on his hands focused on the guitar. That makes people professional, and I adore him for doing something so beautiful. Someone’s passion could shine whenever they would put everything in it. It makes it look like you were a part of his performance, making you rooted in your spot—or, in these girls' cases, scream their hearts out.

I am a busy girl who was always on her toes to finish tasks, but I couldn’t stop myself from watching his performance. Something about his soft voice and his alluring expressions drew you into him. A small smile escaped my lips, feeling like it had been years since I had ever been involved in music in this sense. While I do enjoy writing and humming for quite some time now, I had never put myself to listen to anyone.

Knowing that something so beautiful had blessed my ears, my mind is at peace.

“Now you’re all mesmerized.” Mxen gushed, making me see that her eyes were solely fixed on me.

I frowned at her words, but I couldn’t pull my eyes out of this man. “What do you mean?”

“You... don’t know him?”

“No?” I answered back, confused by the question.

She chuckled, holding her mouth as she did not want to seem like she was laughing at the performing person. I was looking at her with the uttermost confusion, my ears were still blessed with the beautiful sound, but I was bewildered about what was going on through this woman’s brain.

“What?” I questioned.

“I’m just saying.” Her voice was close to mine, making me aware that she was whispering. “You have been ignoring that man for months, my dear best friend. Now, you are glued to his performance.”

That made me look at her; shock formed into my face. The—huh!? My eyes snapped back to the stage, squinting my eyes past the blinding light that was shining through the man. The second that I did that, I almost paused.

It was Chasen Aclen.

Mxen seemed to realize my internal struggle as she struggled to keep a straight face. When people noticed us, she took that liberty to drag us out of the auditorium. Indeed, people would be talking when they saw me, and I would hate not to hear his voice, but this was needed.

People will talk upon seeing me there, especially knowing where I stand in that guy’s life. As soon as we were far from that place, Mxen let out the laugh that she was suppressing as I looked back at the horror of my realization.

“That was him!?” I asked as soon as I woke up from reality, flabbergasted. “Are you telling me that the same man who had been making my life hard was singing in that place?”

Mxen laughed loudly, shaking her head. “Do you not know that the man you have been rejecting is a rising singer?”

I was just not interested in gossip, and even if I love music with a passion, I keep myself away from any music-related news or new songs. They would bring some bad memories, and I do not want to give myself some hard times to make me remember what everyone wanted me to. But it was surprising that his voice was the first that I had heard for years, and it did not spark sadness in me.

Instead, it had given me hope.

“That’s him?”

“Oh my heavens, it took you this long to figure out who you’ve been ignoring!”

“He seems different on stage.”

“You just have a thing for a man who sings.” Mxen softly teased me in a singing tone.

My smile flashed on my lips, knowing the truth that settled in her words. I have a thing for people with such a voice, as it was the favorite thing that I adore in my father. He would always sing me the most memorable songs with his incredible voice as she brought me to sleep.

We didn’t have much, but whenever he would sing at me, I felt like the world was in my palms.

Mxen seemed to notice my sudden thinking as she offered me a small smile. My lips mimic hers, slowly snapping back at the reality I was on. My father was gone; that was now out of the windows by this time.

I need to move on.