“So, any thoughts after the festival?” Zee asks while packing her things. Time check, it’s three in the morning and one hour to go before the going to their meeting place. “Hmm, after festival? I want to tour the town or lay down in the bed, snoring.” Kim replied and smiled at her. “Sounds like a plan. But first, we’ll eat breakfast so you can take medicine and head out there. Okay?” Zee says and zips the bag.

“I’m fine Zee. I just feel cold that’s all.” Kim answers and wear her wristwatch. “Cold or not. Take medicine. Don’t act like kid.” She said with a grin. “Beer sounds great,” she gag. Zee shakes her finger NO. The last time Kim got sick, she bought beers and got drunk. And the next morning, she was okay like nothing happened. After breakfast, they were sitting in the car when Beam arrive. “Good morning!” she greeted them, she kissed Zee on the lips while Kim in the cheeks. “You look pale Kim, are you okay?” Kim nods at her and takes her bag on the back of the car. “Love sick.” Zee whispered and opened the front door. Beam taps her shoulder, “Crazy! We need to buy medicines and stuff before heading at the meeting place.” Beam said and gets in the car.  

Kim braces herself and hurries to get in the car. As Kim closes the door, Zee starts the engine when she peeps at Beam and saw her that she was staring Kim from the mirror and then look at each other. “Are we going or are you both starting the sparkling love right now?” Kim said. Beam throws a tissue to her, “Crazy!”

Students are already in the meeting place but the bus is still not yet there. The staffs try to contact the personnel in-charge of the bus. Pie spreads her legs while stretching and yawning at the same time. “I’m still sleepy.” Pie says. Jane and Pei were leaning to each other beside her, “How can you sleep if you roll over your bed last night like a dog. I can even hear you giggling.” Jane replies while her eyes are closed. She didn’t sleep because of her, the whole night she was rolling, giggling, or whatever she was doing that make some noise even dead man can hear it.

Pei’s one eyebrow rising at her, “Did something happened Pie?” he asked. She shakes her head, “Nothing happened.” She answered but can’t help smiling. Jane pokes her and Pie hit her back, “Liar, I’ve called her twice. She’s with Kimhan last night. And when she came back, she smile like there’s no tomorrow.” Jane said. “Is there something wrong about smiling these days?” Pie asks and checks her phone. “No,” Jane replies. “Not unless something happened.” Pei inserted. Few seconds, Jane and Pei look at each other and then they look at Pie. They scoot closely to her, “So? Something happened between you two?” Pei asked. Jane looks around, the other students are busy talking to each other, some sleeps, some drinking coffee. “Nothing happened.” Pie answers.

“My God Pie, we’re your friends. You’re keeping secrets now?” Jane says. Pie felt guilty but felt shy about it. Pei and Jane turn their backs at her, they have to do acting to force Pie to say something. She sighed, “Stop doing that,” Pie said. Pie taps their shoulder they won’t face her, “Urgh! Fine! We,” the she sighs, “kissed” she whispered to their ears.

The two giggled after Pie told it. They jumped all over, dance like crazies and students notice them. Pie jumps over them and try to cover their mouths. “Shhh! Shut up!” Pie whispered. “So, is it a hot…sizzling…kiss?” Pei teased. “How am I supposed to know? We just kissed!” Pie retorts. Minutes later, the bus bleeps then stops in front of them. The door opens and one of the staff steps in, she’s a middle aged woman standing next to much younger bus driver. “The seats are not enough to accommodate all of us,” she told the driver. The other staff steps in and counts the seats and look to her list. “I’ll call our band.” The woman said.

“Hello, Miss Ces? Is there something wrong?” Beam asks. One block away from the meeting place, “No, we don’t have enough seats. Zee has a car right. Can you use it? I’m afraid that we can’t accommodate here.” Miss Ces replied. “We have it now, we’re almost there.” Beam hung up.

Beam automatically steps out from the car when they arrived. She approaches to the staffs to talk to them about the seats problem. “We have to settle the students first, the excess will be in your car, is that okay?” Miss Ces said.

“No problem at all,” Zee said.

Students start to enter the bus when Zee grabs Pie’s arm. “You and the company in the car. Now.” She said. “But-” Pie says, “No buts! Tiger needs you.” Beam says and walks towards the 2014 Buick Enclave, the luxury SUV. Yam’s eyes trail Pie walking towards the car. She was pissed. She thought that the band will be in the bus with them but sad to say, the band is always ready.

Zee opens the second door, Kim was sleeping side curling like snail. “Kim,” Pie said. She went inside immediately to check her. She touches her forehead and neck, “She has a fever. Do you have blankets?” Pie asked. Zee opens the compartment and search for blankets.

“Here,” Zee says. She covers Kim with blanket and sits beside her, “Okay. We just need to follow the bus.” Beam says and sits in front. Pei and Jane sit beside Pie, the SUV can accommodate eight persons. The other band members are in the bus with their instruments. “Are you letting Kim to perform today?” Pei asked.

“Kim will decide,” Beam replies and took out a fever patch. “Put this to her,” Pie takes and put it on Kim’s forehead. “What if her fever didn’t go down? Would you still let her?” Pie asked.

“I still perform.” Kim answered.

Pie turns to her, “Good morning again Tiger,” Zee gazes to the mirror while driving. “Don’t take your eyes off the road.” Kim replied. Pie checks her temperature, she’s still hot, pale face, dry lips, but she’s already sweating. “You want something?” Pie asks. Pei and Jane makes face at each other.

“I’m just thirsty.” Kim answered. Pie immediately look for water, Jane offers bottle of water. “Here,” Jane says. She helps Kim with the water, “We have one stop. We have to eat lunch there so we could directly do our jobs when we get in town.” Beam said. She was reading her messages.

“I want you to listen to your list Kim while resting, and you there driver. Better play your guitar well.” Beam continues and connects her phone using USB cord to the car stereo. They enjoy the ride while listening to their songs. Pie was hugging Kim while she was sleeping, checks her time to time, or wipes her sweats.

Listening to the beat, Pie can feel the strum of each string in her chest. They were out of breath from yelling, but they don’t care. The students roam around the town to give the medicines, and conduct free health checkups. The local bands starts to sing for the audiences. Kim's band will perform tonight. 

Pie was assisting the doctor while Kim and Zee plays with the kids in front of their tent. Kim is doing fine, her color went back to normal, but still there’s slight fever. Beam is busy organizing the mini-concert to give the community a little bit of fun. Out of nowhere, Yam approach Kim and gives her a towel and water.

“Looks like Yam is flirting your Kim.” Jane said. She was handing over some medicines when she saw Yam and Kim. Pie’s eyes are like sharp blades, in her mind she killed Yam hundred times. She was jealous. She can’t deny it. Then suddenly, Pei gives her a syringe. “You want to use this? I loaded it Snake’s poison.” Pei says. She just smiles at him, “No worries. She’s just a friend.” Pie replied.

Three consecutive claps caught their attention. “Okay girls and ‘boy’, we have to make food for them!” Miss Ces yelled. Pei was the only boy in the tent. “Please consider me as a girl Miss Ces!” Pei yelled back. Then they laugh at him, he walks like a girl in front of them. He just wants to make them laugh. He’s a natural comedian, he talk nonsense but sounds funny. They went to large dirty kitchen to prepare foods.

“Pie!” Kim called. She waved her hand to Yam and left her there surrounded by kids. “Turn around,” Pie says. She frowned but obeys Pie, “What?” Kim asks. Pies check her back, “Geez, you need to change your shirt Kim.” Pie says. Kim grabs her hand and goes to the parking lot. While Kim looks for her shirt, Pie sits down at the back of the car beside the luggage. She was looking down, unhappy, and not talking to Kim.

“Light up cutie,” Kim says while looking for shirt but Pie didn’t say anything. “What’s wrong?” she stops and stands in front of Pie. “Nothing, maybe I’m just tired.” Pie muttered. Kim lifts her chin and smiles at her, “You have something to tell, aren’t you?” Kim was confident. She was sure of everything she says. Every time that she looks at Kim, all the weary fade out. “I have nothing to say.” Pie replied.

“I’m going to kiss you here if you don’t spit it out.” Kim dared. Pie did laugh and think she was bluffing, she shook her head and throws the towel on Kim’s face. “Stop joking around Kim. Change your clothes now.” She replied. Kim laughs at her, then group of girls’ passes by and smiling at Kim. “She’s cute!” a girl said. “I heard she’s the lead singer of the band.” Another girl said.

When Kim about to turn to face the girls, “Kim!” Pie snapped then Kim stood still without making any moves. Pie was staring at her straight in the eyes with no blinking. “Relax Pie.” Kim says, she tries to touch but Pie walks away. Immediately, Kim closes the compartment of the car, locks it and chase Pie. “Pie,” she called.

“Get away from me.” She replied.

“Why are you so moody? Are you jealous?” Pie stops, Kim walks in front of her and hold her hand. “Can you just tell me what’s wrong?” Kim said. “Nothing. Let me go. Miss Ces is absolutely looking for me right now.” She answered.

“Pie, I won’t let go of you until you say something.” She said calmly.

“I said nothing. Okay? Is that hard to understand?” Pie raises her voice. There was the silence again, Kim slowly slips Pie’s hands on hers. “You can go, I’ll catch up.” Kim said and moves away from her. Pie felt guilty, it’s her intention to raise her voice at Kim. She was so jealous and everything and she can’t control her emotions.

Kim walked away to find a comfort room to change her clothes. Pie was behind her standing, when Pie turns she saw Kim walking with head down. At first, she hesitant to move but the more Kim take steps away from her the more Pie wants to be with her. “Fine! I’m jealous!” Pie shouts. Kim stop for a moment but she didn’t turn her head instead, she take another step. Pretending to ignore what she just had said.

“Take another step and I’ll tell everyone that I love you!” she told herself. The parking lot is not crowded and people don’t recognize them. Kim continue to walk when Pie yells again, someone played Christian Bautista ft. Sitti Captured.

I was captured the moment we met, carried away with every word you said

It’s a mystery how you got to me, I fell in the spell of your charms with your siren’s smile

You caught me off guard…

“I hate how much I LOVE YOU KIM!”

. Kim didn’t move, “I hate how much I LOVE YOU KIM!” echoes in her mind. She heard it undoubtedly. Pie just said she loves her. She was blinking couple of times, her heart is beating fast, her hands are sweating, and Pie turned the table right now. She’s the unpredictable one.

Just one glance take away my breath

And you drew me in with your tenderness

You captivate my soul, I’m enraptured

You knocked me out, and you locked me up

You stole my heart like a thief at love

Keep me here in you’re happy ever after

I’m captured

It was the chorus part when Pie runs to hug her. Pie throws her arms around her, “You hate me but you love me?” Kim whispered. She was swaying her in circular motion while hugging her. Pie buries her face to Kim’s chest, “I hate you because you’re so unpredictable,” she tightens her arms around her. “Full of surprises, I can’t, I can’t even think straight…I hate the feeling of…of being captured by…you.” Pie says softly. She could sense Kim was smiling, Pie peeks at her but then again Kim makes a move that’s unpredictable.

She kissed her. “You are my dream come true.” Kim whispers. She broke the kiss, she was staring at her, caressing her cheeks, the beautiful girl in her life just confessed her love to her. Pie looks down at Kim’s lips, she was nervous. “I-” Pie stopped. The words won’t come out. Kim smiles at her, stands straight, “I wouldn’t stop you,” Kim said, and slides her hands around her waist.

I’m brave enough to love you Kim. I’ll take the risk with you

Pie thought. She closed her eyes, opened and reached out for Kim’s. With her other hand, she runs her finger through Kim’s hair. Like in movies, it was all happening in slow motion. Where girl kisses the man in her dreams but Pie’s man of her dream is a girl named Kim. Kim caressing her head, pulling Pie close to her. Pie’s lips were so soft and Kim was so warm. It was slightly torrid kiss. Kim had to break it.

“Kim?” her shaky voice said. She has to say it. “Can I be your girlfriend?”

Kim stood frozen then shook her head slowly, “Is it a no?” Pie asked. “I was supposed to ask that question.” Kim teased. Pie felt shy, “But I want you to know. IT’S A BIG YES!” Kim says. She hugged her again. Jumping around while embracing each other, they didn’t know Beam and Zee were taking pictures of them.

“I told you Pie will ask that question.” Beam whispers. They were hiding between cars, “No kiss for three days” Beam continued. Zee was upset because she was confident that Kim will be the one to ask. She loses to Beam.

You’re my life Pie and I will do everything in my power to protect you