Siobhán’s Wrath

Showtime

I planned my upcoming performance evaluation very well. We get to pick whatever we want as a theme and create our own lines. As planned, I chose the rebellious girl thing. School uniform outfit ang pinili ko tapos nagpa-makeup ako ng mga pasa sa mukha. Sa gilid ng labi ko, sa cheekbone, sa pisngi, at nagpalagay ako ng bandaid malapit sa mata. Sinadya ko na loose ang necktie ko, polo shirt na unbutton ang first button, at pleated mini skirt. Hinayaan ko lang na nakalugay ang buhok ko, pina wavy ko 'yon ng kaunti, mid length ang buhok ko kaya sakto lang.

What I like in this evaluation is we all get to experience the main character. Tulungan lang, I might be the main character in my performance but I have to help others by not being a main character in their performance and it's okay. Give and take.

"Ready na ba ang alaga ko?" Pumasok si Mick sa dressing room ko.

"Yes, mem." Kindat ko sa kanya.

"Omg, I'm so excited!" Mickey hugged me. "Good luck!"

I composed myself. Itinatak ko sa utak ko na hindi ako si Siobhán, ako si Freya. The rebellious girl. Sa auditorium ulit ang evaluation performance at open 'yon sa lahat ng mga trainee.

Sumilip ako mula sa backstage. I should imagine na ako lang ang naroon sa stage mamaya, na walang audience. It's not like I am not used to having audience, I used to- sa Korea. Pero iba naman kasi 'yon.

I went up on stage when my name was called.

"Everyone, Siobhán as Freya!" Anunsyo ng emcee.

Pumunta ako sa gitna ng stage. Ang set up non ay nasa principal's office ako, naghihintay na dumating ang parents ko.

"You sure have your own ways to make things hard for me, huh." I raised my eyebrows as I faced the person who played the role of my father.

"Oh, I am...dad?" I said as I smirked. Pero inismiran niya lang ako.

"Mr. Almarado, have a seat," utas ng principal.

"Principal Alcantara, I'm afraid I don't have the time to have a seat. May I know what this kid," itinuro niya ako, "did this time?"

"As you can see, Mr. Almarado. Freya got herself into a fight again but this time physically. I hope you can do something about that as this school isn't for someone who uses violence." Agad akong sinamaan ng tingin ng tatay tatayan ko.

Then we moved on to another set up na nasa hallway ng school.

"Since when did you learn to use violence as a retort?!" My so-called father in this play yelled.

I shrugged, "since now?" I smiled sheepishly.

"FREYA!" Hinilot niya ang sentido niya. "Do this one more time, I'll make sure you'll regret it." Pagbabanta niya.

"Oh, dad. I'm shivering in fear," I mockingly said.

"Try me, Freya. Try me."

"What you gonna do? Lock me up like mom?" Hilaw akong ngumiti at tiningnan siya ng madilim. Itinuro niya ako bago niya ako talikuran.

"You sure have your own way to anger your father, eh?" Another character from this play named Tristan said. He is also wearing a school uniform similar to mine.

"Of course, I'm Freya the great." Sumandal ako sa pader as I crossed my arms.

I heard him chuckle, "you don't know what your father is capable of, Freya." Umiling siya.

"You do not know what I am capable of too, Tristan." Seryoso akong tumingin sa kanya. Tristan is a step brother of Freya.

"Like father like daughter, I guess then?" He looked at me from head to toe.

Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kanya. Pinantayan ko ang mga tingin niya. "I guess...like mother like son then?" Panunuya ko.

That's the end of our play, both of us are darkly looking at each other. May time limit kaya ganon lang kaiksi, hindi lang naman kasi ako ang magpeperform.

"Omg! Very good ka talaga, Vawn!" Sinalubong ako ng yakap ni Mickey sa dressing room.

"Did I do well?" Because I gave my all.

"Very well! You're totally wholesome on the stage!" Napangiti ako.

"Thank you, mem."

May isa pa akong role, sa play ni Damon. The guy who played as Tristan kanina sa akin. I have to return the favor.

My role is a girl who doesn't believe in love while Damon's role is very particular to love. In his play, I wear a peach dress na medyo puff ang sleeve tapos fit sa bewang then puffy ulit pababa, above the knee ang dress na 'to. Then I tied my hair into one bun. Leaving some strand of my hair sa magkabilang gilid ng mukha ko.

"Stella," Damon called my character's name. Damon is wearing a white dress shirt tapos black slacks, ang coat niya ay bitbit niya. Parang galing siya ng OJT ang set up namin pero ang background namin ngayon ay nasa University.

"Hmm?" I hummed without looking at him. Nag-aayos ng gamit ang eksena ko. Nasa study area ang scene ng university.

"Can you at least look at me when I am calling your name?" Ikinunot ko ang noo ko at tiningnan siya.

"Now, what?" I sighed.

But he just stared at me as if he was memorizing my face. Sabay umiling siya.

"You're crazy," ibinalik ko ang atensyon ko sa gamit ko.

"Yeah, guess I am." Tamad siyang sumandal sa upuan.

"Seriously, what's your deal?" I looked at him coldly.

He licked his lips, "why? Are you gonna comply with my...deal?"

Umirap lang ako.

"Of course you won't. Pusong bato ka e," he put his tongue inside his cheeks.

"Here we go again," I sighed. Sa play kasi na ito ay aware si Stella sa feelings ng guy para sa kanya.

"What? I am not forcing myself to you." Depensa ng character ni Damon.

"Cut it off, Noah," saad ko. Patukoy sa karakter ni Damon.

"Just why? I know I am not a perfect man. But I'm trying...why can't you accept my feelings?" He looked frustrated. In fairness, may ibubuga sa aktingan talaga itong si Damon.

"In the movies, a couple should have the same feelings. But I don't feel the same way to you, Noah." Walang emosyon kong sabi sa kanya. Tumayo ako at tumalikod, a cue for him to grab my hand.

"Now, what again Noah?" Iritado ko siyang hinarap. Medyo nagulat pa ako dahil ang lapit pala namin sa isa't-isa pero agad kong isinawalang bahala iyon. I'm tall, around 5'7 ang height ko but Damon is just really taller than me kaya bahagya akong nakatingala sa kanya.

"That's why we have the word courting, Stella." Palipat-lipat ang tingin niya sa buong mukha ko.

"What if you only like the chase, Noah?" Bahagyang tumaas ang isang kilay ko.

"What do you know about my feelings for you?" Inis niyang sabi.

"I may not know about your feelings for me but I'm very well aware about my feelings for you. I don't like you, Noah." At doon ko na siya tinalikuran ng tuluyan.

And because of that play. Inaasar ako ngayon ni Valentina.

"Pwede kayong maging love team!" Kinikilig niyang sabi. "You see, around 6 feet tall si Damon tapos 5'7 ka. Perfect! Hindi kayo mukhang magkuya tingnan!" Napabuntong hininga ulit ako.

"What if mag focus ka nalang sa training mo? Malapit na ulit ang evaluation niyo." Pagpapaalala ko sa kanya.

"Ngayon nga lang ako nagpapahinga e. I've been working so hard kaya! Ikaw na nga pinanood ko ikaw pa 'tong ganyan, hmp!" Valentina is kind of childish. Though she's 18, one year ang tanda ko sa kanya.

"Whatever." Pabirong irap ko.

"Vawn," narinig ko ang boses ni Damon kaya napalingon ako sa kanya. "Salamat," saglit siyang ngumiti.

"Thanks too," nginitian ko rin siya.

"Oh, picture! Picture!" Biglang sumulpot si Mickey.

Parang mga bata kami na nag tabi ni Damon habang si Mickey ay tinuturuan kami ng posing.

"Tama na," pagsuko ko. Mukhang ayaw pa tumigil e.

"Ms. Siobhán," si sir Fred. Lumapit siya at nag-thumbs up kaya napangiti ako.

Kung si sir Fred ay maganda ang mood, kabaliktaran naman ang sa anak niya dahil madilim ang pagmumukha ngayon ni Dwayne. Ayaw kong mahawa sa kadiliman ng mukha niya kaya pinili kong huwag siyang pansinin.

Pero joke lang dahil kailangan ko pala s'yang batiin nang naipatawag kami ni Mickey sa opisina ni sir Fred. Naroon siya kaya nang batiin siya ni Mickey ay ginaya ko rin. Hindi man lang bumati pabalik! I should remind myself not to greet him next time.

"Hindi na ako magpaligoy-ligoy pa. Magre-release na ng first song niya si Calleb. I want Siobhán in his song's MV. Based on Siobhán's performance she can pull it off with Damon."

Bahagyang umawang ang bibig ko sa gulat. Naramdaman ko naman ang kurot ni Mickey sa kamay ko sa ilalim ng table.

"Well, kung papayag ka Ms. Siobhán?" Binalingan ako ni sir Fred.

"Of course, my pleasure sir!" I smiled.

Yay! Sa wakas umuusad na ako. Kaya naman masaya akong naglakad papuntang elevator pababa ng basement 2 kung saan ako nag-park. Pero medyo minalas pa ako dahil kasabay ko sa elevator si Dwayne.

"You did well, grats." He said I did well, kaya ang grats ay siguro congrats?

"Thanks," tipid kong sagot. Congrats pero mukhang hindi naman bukal sa kalooban niya.

For the following week, nagwo-workshop ako at nagpi-prepare para sa MV na gagawin namin ni Damon kaya medyo nakakapagod na week talaga.

I watched Valentina's group evaluation again. And coincidentally, katabi ko nanaman ang mag-ama. Valentina is a good dancer, kaso nagkaka-bulilyaso lang talaga ang grupo nila dahil nagsasapawan nga. Ganon pa rin kagaya last week kaya medyo napailing ako.

"You got something to say, Ms. Siobhán?" Si sir Fred. Kung noon ay napagigitnaan namin si Dwayne. Ngayon ay napagigitnaan naman ako nilang mag-ama.

"Nothing, sir." Sagot ko.

"I would appreciate it if you let me hear your thoughts about the performance?"

"I'm afraid I'm not in the position to do that, sir." Dahil may mga coach naman.

"I still want to hear your thoughts,"

"Uh," bahagya akong napaisip. "They are all talented sir. But their group performance was off as if something was not right,"

"Agreed," singit niya.

"I think it was because-nagsasapawan sila. Pilit nilang inu-overpower ang isa't-isa which is not good in a group performance because they should sync. May kanya-kanya silang time to shine on the stage, they should give each other a chance to do so." Maingat kong sabi.

"Y-your thoughts are on point!" Manghang napatingin sa akin si sir Free. I just smiled awkwardly.

"How'd you figure that out." Muli ko nanamang nakasabay sa elevator si Dwayne. Magkatabi pa kami ng parking sa basement 2.

"Observation," sagot ko. Which is true, or maybe because I have been through hell training before that's why I was quick to notice what's off.

"How?" He asked.

Kasasabi ko nga lang na observation e. Bingi ba siya?

"I mean, I've been observing but I didn't figure it out." Nagsalita siyang muli na para bang narinig niya kung ano ang nasa utak ko.

"You don't have to know those things since you will be running the company. May mga trainer naman na gagawa non for you." I told him. Totoo naman, he will run the whole company. Hindi siya maghahandle ng artists.

"I want to understand the field too, you know. It's our first time entering show business. And this is really different from our other businesses." He let me walk out of the elevator first.

"What's your family's main business then? Why do you think it's different? It's just the same, running a business." I shrugged.

"Our main business is manpower, next hotel. And then, this- showbiz. And it's different, I'm telling you. I'm surprised you didn't know our businesses aside from TalentFuse,"

Anong nakakasorpresa roon?

"Don't get me wrong. Hindi naman sa pagmamayabang, pero known ang pamilya namin sa manpower at hotel expertise." Sumandal siya sa sports car niya. Ipinasok ko naman ang gamit ko sa kotse ko.

"Really," kumento ko.

"Ikaw na ba si Vawn o si Stella pa rin? Nonchalant mo ah." Did he just call me Vawn? "Your name is a bit long, so I preferred Vawn," depensa niya na para bang naririnig niya ulit ang nasa utak ko.

When I got home, I searched about Dwayne's family business. Oo nga, hawak nila ang manpower ng Shangri-La at iba pang high end hotels at condos. Tapos may sarili rin silang hotels at kalat na ang branch sa buong Pilipinas, halos ka-level na ng Shangri-La ang hotel din nila. I also found out that he's an only child, and he's 25 years old.