[CHAPTER SIXTEEN] Alone...

                                        

                                              
Chapter Sixteen
                              
Alone and without you
                              

                              

                              
Three months ago, he promised me his happiness. 
                              
            “You won five awards at the Asia Golden Music Awards and these are Best Music Video, People’s Choice Award for Best Band, Crowd’s Favorite, Artist of the Year, and the highlight of the AGMA, the Song of the Year for your song Quit Tomorrow. How do you feel having these recognitions, most especially when you were on the stage?”
                              
            “Jane, could you please make it louder?” I asked Jane who was beside me.
                              
            “Sure— I already did. Could you hear it clearly now?” she asked. I nodded and thanked her then watched the television again.
                              
            “We’re very happy and grateful. We were even star-struck as soon as we got on the stage because we saw all of Asia’s greatest artists. Our favorite bands were there, Versailles, The Gazette, Alice Nine, Lunafly, Ellegarden… there were many. And we are very proud; we really brought the Filipino pride on stage.”
                              
            “We are also very proud of you!” Everyone applauded. “The Filipino music is starting to be known all over Asia and surely, the world, because of you guys. Congratulations!” Everyone applauded again, I even heard Jane clapped her hands and cheered. “And another congratulations because you are nominated in the World Music Awards for… what? Is this true? Seven categories?”
                              
            “Ah, yeah. That’s right. Just being nominated is a big thing for a newbie band in the international market. So on behalf of the whole Kyela Marjorene family, I would like to thank all the fans and supporters out there who never get tired of voting, defending, cheering, and being with us in everything we do. Thank you very much!”
                              
            Everyone applauded again, of course also Jane. “Bess, they’re so great! Kyela Marjorene already reached this far,” she praised them. “And Maisen is so gorgeous, Midori! I want to stuck my nose on his shirt and smell him all day. He’s so hot!”
                              
            I laughed at his remark and asked, “What’s he wearing?”
                              
            “It’s just a simple grey and white long-sleeved shirt. His pants are fit, shiny in black, then there are those silver glittery shoes. Then he have this hunk rockstar hair. It’s just simple but it fits him perfectly. Could you imagine?” I did not answer. “Okay, just think of something simple that fit him perfectly but would look cheap on other guys.” I just laughed at Jane’s craziness. Of course I could imagine, anything about him, I could, and I would. “Let’s go home?” she asked.
                              
            “Let’s watch until his interview finishes,” I answered.
                              
            It had been three months since I last saw Maisen. Three months had past when I bid my goodbye to him. And that was the most painful goodbye I ever told anyone in my whole life. I had to pull a smile behind that mask just to convince myself that it did not hurt. But it did. I endured everything because that’s what’s best for the both us. I decided to just have my medications at home because I knew that Dr. Arc was Maisen’s father and they own that hospital where I stayed. We also moved to another house, somewhere less polluted and more serene. Avril’s restaurant at the city was managed by a business friend and he supervised the branch near us. A lot had changed. Maisen and his whole band became very popular and known. If there’s an issue about him, I would defend him to Jane or to my Mom. Sometimes, they would just laugh at me and they even told me to constitute my own Maisen fans club and I should elect myself as the President.