The Real Score

Chapter 1: I Gotta Feeling

2009

"Good morning, Metro Manila! Ushering in The Rush Hours with some BEP."

I exhaled loudly, stepping out into the thankfully cool Friday in my blue summer dress and low-cut Converse sneakers. I faced the sun, momentarily basking in its warmth before I lowered my head, checking if my earphones were plugged well in my ears. The Rush Hours on the radio was playing Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta Feeling, and I took that as a good sign for my Friday.

The DJs, Ian and Rae, excitedly came back in after the song ended, screaming, "We've got a surprise for you guys!"

I frowned, wondering if it's another raffle I couldn't win—I was too lazy to join anyway—as I hailed a cab.

"Ortigas, manong!" I said, and the driver only agreed after asking me for fifty bucks on top of the metered fare because there was heavy traffic. On another day, I would have snapped at him, told him that the heavy traffic wasn't my fault and that it was a normal occurrence in Manila, but I was having a good start to my day that I didn't want to ruin the juju.

"As you all know, the world's biggest boy band is finally here in Manila," Rae continued.

I grinned at the enthusiasm in her voice. The phrase "world's biggest boy band" was equated to Gezellig, which I used to always read as it was spelled but apparently was pronounced as heh-sell-ick, with the stress on the second syllable. I knew Rae was a fan of Gezellig, as she made it a point to play one of their songs every hour during their three-hour show. To me, however, they were just another one of those boy bands—and I've had enough in this lifetime, having gone through *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Click Five, Blue, Westlife, and A1. I think they were the third boy band to break out worldwide this year, and frankly, it was getting a bit tiring.

Sugar sweet, bubblegum pop songs laced with innuendoes weren't my kind of thing anymore.

I mean I would have gone for it—if I was sixteen.

"And in five minutes we're having Gezellig's Marcus Wayans live via phone patch!" Rae said, followed by a string of ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod.

"And while my partner here is trying to keep her fangirl down, I'm giving you Gezellig's latest hit, Roll with Me," Ian cut in, and a familiar beat came on in the background. "We'll be right back with Marcus only on The Rush Hours with Ian and Rae!"

I closed my eyes as the cab slowed down, joining the long line of cars trudging along EDSA.

Oh girl, just roll with me, roll with me...I got your back, no judgin'. Roll with me, roll with me, today until forever.

I winced, because I didn't actually just listen to that—I sang it in my head. Was it quite possible that Gezellig's earworm of a song had embedded itself in my brain?

And who writes these, anyway? Good grief.

"He's here, he's on the line!" I could hear Rae squeal as the commercial gap finished. I chuckled, because I was the same type of fangirl when it came to the sports teams-go Barangay Ginebra Kings!-and bands I supported-could The Fray, Augustana, and Stars come here please?

Once upon a time, I was this gaga over *NSYNC, too.

There was static, and then Ian came on. "Okay, guys. Let's all welcome...Marcus Wayans of Gezellig!"

"Hello?" said a voice, warm, rusty, but cool at the same time. Soulful, even. His hello came out as hullo, his British accent a bit sexy.

"Hiiiii!" Rae greeted back.