The FX arrived at Jonathan's house in about an hour's time

The FX arrived at Jonathan's house after an hour's drive. As they were pulling up to the curb, Larry Fortuno saw something that made him break into a wry grin. "Hey, Jon—your number-one fan's waiting."

Jonathan peered out the window and spotted Louella "Ella" Moran sitting on the sidewalk in front of his house, idly smoking a cigarette. When she saw the FX, she stubbed it out with her boot.

"About time you got here!" she yelled as they got out of the FX.

"Hello, Ella," Jonathan greeted her. "Have you been waiting long?"

"Nah, just half an hour," Ella said. Then she noticed Charlie standing slightly behind Jonathan. "Well, now—who's this kid?" she asked.

"This is Charlie," Jonathan replied. "He's one of my students. He'll be jamming with Tecs and Larry today, I guess. If it's okay with them."

"Yeah?" She eyed Charlie from head to toe. "He's good-looking, Jon. More good-looking than you were at his age." She cackled loudly. Tecs and Larry laughed along with her.

"How would you know that?" Jonathan retorted. "We didn't know each other when I was that old. Besides, you always thought I was good-looking."

"Well, you still are, anyway," Ella said, putting an arm around his shoulders. "Now are we going to get jamming or not?"

Jonathan led them into his house. They all went directly to the studio where he often let his friends practice and started setting up their instruments. Larry checked out the drum kit and did a few practice rolls. "Good thing Chris kept his kit in good condition," he remarked. "No need to bring all of mine with me every time we practice here."

"He comes by to fix it up if it needs fixing," Jonathan said as he brought out a few microphone stands. "He can still play them well enough."

"Coach comes here to jam too?" Charlie asked.

Jonathan nodded. "Whenever he's got free time, he does." He handed Charlie a microphone. Ella took the other one. Tecs elevated the mike stand and put his mike on the clamp. "I guess you guys are all ready."

"Aren't you joining us?" Ella asked.

"Not today," Jonathan said. "I've got test papers to correct. If you need anything, I'll be in my study." Jonathan's study was connected to the studio by a soundproofed door. That way he could just step in whenever he felt like it, particularly during those days when teaching became a large-scale hassle for him. Thankfully, that hadn't happened in a while. "Charlie, you behave yourself or you can find another place to rehearse, got it?"

"Got it, sir," Charlie said.

Jonathan nodded and then left the studio. "Okay," Tecs said, "let's just see start out nice and easy, all right?" He began to pluck the opening chords to a song. Charlie recognized it as one of Wild Heart's early hits. He joined in on rhythm. Larry laid down a nice beat. Ella joined Tecs on the vocals and they were off and running.

Jonathan heard their music faintly through the gaps in the door. It almost made him want to get his guitar and join them. He shrugged and then entered his study. He turned on his radio, found a classical-music CD and stuck it into the player. Then he took out a sheaf of test papers from a folder and got to work.

About an hour and a half later, he heard the buzzer at the gate. He went to answer it and found Regino, Cielo, Shira, Gina, Kaye Caliwanagan, Talina Hadar, and Helen Subanon milling outside.

"How was the trip?" Jonathan asked as he let them inside.

"Traffic was a bit heavy," Regino replied. "Sorry if we're late, sir."

"Hey, it's your practice time," Jonathan said. "Anyway, you can take this entire space." He gestured towards the front yard and the driveway. "Did you bring your music?"

Helen took a handful of CD's out of her gym bag. "I brought some, sir. But could we borrow a stereo or something?"

"Sure. Wait here." He went back inside and ran into Ella on his way to his room.

"Hey, Jon—where are you going?" she asked.

"Up to my room," he replied. "I need to get something for my students."

"More company?"

"School talent show. They need a place to practice and the studio's not big enough for all of you." He went inside his room and grabbed his portable stereo. It was one of the first things he bought with the money he made form playing in his band. He was about to leave when he noticed Ella standing in the doorway with a smile on her face.

"What?" he asked.

"I seem to remember this place," Ella told him, her smile growing broader.

"Knock it off, Elle," Jonathan said, moving past her. "There are children present." But he had the beginnings of a smile on his face as he spoke.

"Children," Ella repeated. "I always wondered what that would be like."

"So get married or something. No shortage of guys who want to walk down the aisle with you."

"They want to get in my pants, Jon," she corrected him. "That's different."

"Don't tell me you haven't found the right guy yet," Jonathan cracked over his shoulder as he stepped outside the front door with his stereo.

Ella shrugged. "I did. Once. But he had other things on his mind."

With his guests taken care of, Jonathan returned to his study and began to make headway correcting the test papers in front of him.

He heard a knock on the door. He opened it and saw Cielo.

"What is it, freshman?" he asked. "Does your group need anything?"

"Not really, sir," Cielo replied. "They're okay. I was just wondering if I could do my homework here. I'm not doing anything out there anyway."

"Don't you want to watch them practice?"

"I'll do that after I finish my homework, sir."

Jonathan nodded. "You want that desk near the window or my table?"

"The desk will be fine, sir."

"Go right ahead then. If you need help, let me know."

Cielo nodded. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." She went over to the desk, took out her assignments from her bag, and began working on the first one. Jonathan watched her for a while and wondered, once again, if she was as good as Raquel. Then again, that's not my concern, is it? he told himself and returned to his own academic work.

Cielo finished ahead of him so he put her to work correcting the remainder of the test papers on his table while he graded the ones he was finished with. When they were done, he looked at the clock on the wall and was gratified to see that only about an hour had passed. He had plenty of time on his hands and, as expected, his attention turned to the studio.

"Hey, freshman," he said to Cielo, "do you want to watch somebody else practicing?"

"Who, sir?" Cielo wanted to know.

"Come on," he said, getting up from his chair. "Be quiet, though." They went into the small recording booth and Jonathan had her sit with him at the console. He turned on the audio so that they could hear the jam session in the studio. Tecs, Larry, Ella, and Charlie were doing what sounded like a gospel-rock version of "The River And The Sun".

"I know that song," Cielo remarked. "Ate Raquel listens to that almost all the time."

"Is that right?" Jonathan asked.

Cielo nodded. "It's Ate's theme song for herself and Kuya Nico."

"Oh." Jonathan watched his friends jamming and his eyes strayed towards the closet where he kept two guitars. One was his. The other was a guitar…somebody who needed money sold it to him.

"They're good," Cielo said.

"See those two guys?" Jonathan pointed to Tecs and Larry. "They're the band who made 'The River And The Sun'."

"Really?" Cielo's eyes went wide in wonder.

"Yup," Jonathan said. "They come here to practice from time to time." When the song ended, he flipped on the P.A. system and spoke into the console mike: "Nice going, guys. Very Elvis, really. I nearly had a tear in my eye." Ella flipped him the bird and he laughed. "Anyway, one of my guests liked it." He told her to come closer to the mike. "Tell them what you thought of the song, freshman."

"It was nice," Cielo said shyly. "I wish we could sing that in church."

"How about it, Tecs? What do you say, Larry?" Jonathan said. "Want to teach the freshman here how to sing it?"

"Can she sing?" Tecs asked.

"Want to find out?" Jonathan offered.

"Let her in," Ella said. "We'll see what we can do with her."

Jonathan shut off the mike. "Come on, freshman," he told Cielo. "Let's have a little fun with my friends."

"Oh, sir, I don't know," Cielo said. "I'm not a professional singer like they are."

"Neither's one of the guys jamming with them," Jonathan told them. "Come on—don't worry about it." Cielo followed him reluctantly into the studio. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Charlie sit up in surprise.

"And who might this be?" Ella asked. "Another student of yours?"

"Yeah." Jonathan introduced his friends: "Cielo, this is Ella Moran. The guy with the guitar is Tecs Tecson, and the drummer's Larry Fortuno." He turned towards Charlie: "This is Charlie. He's in the same school as you are." He put a hand on Cielo's shoulder. "Cielo here is a freshman so no swearing, no talk about getting drunk or getting high. And no talk about sex, either. Teach her that arrangement you just did. And if you think she can sing, then let her jam with you guys. Okay?"

"Right," Ella said. "Come here, honey. You can use this mike." Jonathan handed Ella a wireless mike. "Breathe first, honey. Do you know how to do vocal exercises?"

Cielo nodded. "Yes, ma'am." She demonstrated the exercises she'd learned during choir practice.

"You're in a church choir? So was I." Jonathan saw that Ella was actually happy to have another girl in the studio and one she could teach, at that. He remembered her remark about children. As she prepped Cielo to sing with her and the others, he quietly made his exit.

Once he was done with his work, he stepped outside to see how Regino and his group were doing. Helen Subanon was going over a few steps with Talina and Kaye. Shira and Gina were sitting on the veranda steps.

"How's practice?" Jonathan asked.

"Not so bad, sir," Regino replied. "Girls, Mr. Castillo wants to see what we've done so far."

"All right," Helen said. She told the other girls to get in formation. Regino played their music and the girls began to move. Helen took the lead; Shira, Gina, and the others followed.

Jonathan watched them, trying to get a sense of what they were doing. He thought back to Barbie's audition. Her group's number had Barbie's stamp all over it; it was superb in terms of technique and showmanship. This group, however…he felt that something was lacking. When they were done, they took a bow and waited for his reaction. Jonathan said nothing at first, trying to come up with an appropriate comment that wouldn't deflate their spirits so much. Finally, he said: "It was good."

Helen looked him in the eye and said: "What else, sir?"

Jonathan shrugged. "It was good. What else do you want me to say?"

"But not as good as Barbie's audition, right?" Helen asked.

Jonathan thought about sugarcoating his reply but realized that honesty was the better policy this time: "Hers was way better."

"How much better, sir?" Shira wanted to know.

"Let's just say that if you auditioned immediately after they did," Jonathan said, "you'd flunk." He stood up. "Hey, I don't know a thing about dancing so I could be wrong. But the way you guys are now, well, let's just say you have to do better. A lot better, to be precise."

The girls were silent for several long moments and then Helen spoke: "Then that's what we're going to do."

"You keep working on your number," Jonathan told them. "I'll call you when meryenda's ready." He went back inside and headed for the kitchen.

"All right, cut," Tecs said. He put his guitar down.

"What is it?" Ella asked.

"I'm getting hungry," Tecs said. "How about you guys?"

"Actually, so am I," Larry said. "I'm taking a bathroom break first, though." He got up and left the studio. Tecs followed him. Ella knew they would be sneaking a cigarette in the backyard since Jonathan forbade smoking inside the house or within his breathing range.

"I'll go find Jonathan and inform him that his guests are hungry," Ella said. "What about you two?"

"I'll just wait until you all come back," Charlie said.

"How about you, honey?" she asked Cielo.

"I'll just stay here, Ate," Cielo replied, "unless you want me to go with you."

"No need," Ella told her. "I can find Jon easy." With that she left the two schoolmates. Charlie put his guitar on the stand next to the mike; then he got up and stretched.

Cielo watched him, wondering if she should say anything. Finally, she simply complimented him: "You play guitar really well."

Charlie turned towards her. "Thanks," he said, smiling slightly. "You sing pretty well."

"Thanks," Cielo said. "You're a senior, aren't you?"

"Nope," Charlie replied, sitting back down and picking up his guitar. "Well, I was supposed to be in fourth year this year but…I kind of got held back. You get what I mean?"

"You failed more than one subject?" Cielo asked then added: "I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"Nah, it's okay." Charlie adjusted the strings on his guitar as he spoke. "I did fail more than two subjects. Actually, I nearly got kicked out."

"How come?" Cielo wanted to know.

"I got involved with some bad people," Charlie told her. "I was involved in one of the frats outside the school. Actually, it was more of a gang than a frat. I got arrested by the police after we were caught during a rumble."

"Oh, I see." Cielo knew from her Ate Raquel and Kuya Nico's stories that Holy Redeemer was once a trouble-prone area and many students were expelled for joining frats. She was a little surprised, however, to find out that Charlie had been a frat member. He didn't look like the type.

As if he read her mind, Charlie said: "I don't look like the kind of guy who'd get in fights, do I?" Apparently, she'd been looking at him—probably staring at him—and it nearly made Cielo blush in embarrassment. "Well, I was," he went on, "and I was one of the biggest troublemakers around. I got lucky because Coach Corpuz, and Mrs. Corpuz spoke up for me. And they got Mr. Castillo to look out for me. Now all I have to do is keep myself out of trouble and pass all my back subjects so that I can have a chance to enter fourth year next year."

"That's nice," Cielo remarked. "It's a good thing you have some good teachers helping you."

"Yeah, it is." He ran off a few chords. Then he said: "You're one of Mr. Castillo's students, right? You're in his first year class?"

"One of them," Cielo said. "How did you know?"

"I saw you and your friends in the canteen once," Charlie replied. "You were about to get into a fight with Barbie Viceral."

"Oh." Cielo had almost forgotten about that incident. "That's right. Good thing you and Mr. Castillo were there. Thanks for helping us."

Charlie shrugged. "I just didn't want any trouble in the canteen. I work there, you know."

"You do?"

"Yeah. It's part of the deal that Mr. Castillo and Coach Corpuz got for me so that I could stay in school. I have to work at the canteen between classes. Fortunately, Mrs. Ulan and I worked out a pretty good schedule."

Cielo nodded. "Good for you."

"Yeah." He went back to plucking at his guitar. Pretty soon, the studio was filled with music again. Cielo didn't recognize the tune, however, so she asked: "What song is that?"

"It's not a song," was Charlie's reply. "Or it's not a song yet."

"You're composing a song for the talent show?" Cielo asked.

"I don't know if it's going to be ready then but, yeah, I'm trying to write a song." His fingers gave the guitar one final strum.

"The melody is beautiful." There was honest admiration in Cielo's voice and it flattered Charlie. "Thanks," he said. "That's why I came here today. I was hoping that Mr. Castillo could help me finish it."

Cielo thought back to the pictures that she and her friends saw in their teacher's computer. She wondered if Charlie knew about them and considered asking him; after a moment, though, she thought better of it. Instead she asked: "Why are you asking Mr. Castillo to help you write a song?"

"Well, he is good at English," Charlie said, bearing in mind that he wasn't allowed to tell anyone about Jonathan's former occupation. "And the song's in English. For some reason, I'm thinking of it in English."

"Oh." Cielo smiled. "You picked the right person to help you with it."

"Yeah," Charlie agreed. "I hope we can get some of it written today."

Jonathan was taking something out of the oven when Ella found him. "Just in time," she remarked. "The boys are getting hungry." She went over to the dish on the counter. It held baked macaroni.

Jonathan handed her a couple of potholders and oven mitts. "Get the other dish, would you?" he asked as he took a pitcher of juice out of the refrigerator. Ella did as she was told. In that dish was what looked like bread pudding.

"Isn't this a bit too much carbs, Jon?" she asked as she set the dish alongside the baked macaroni.

"It's going to keep them from starving," Jonathan said. "So how did Cielo do?"

"She can sing very well, Jon," Ella replied. "Why do you ask?"

He didn't answer her right away. Instead he started slicing the bread pudding. When he was done, he asked: "Is the teachable?"

"Yeah," Ella said. "She got that gospel version of Tecs and Larry's song after only a few tries." She looked him in the eye. "What's on your mind, Jon?"

"I want you to teach her two songs," Jonathan said. "You know them both very well so it shouldn't be a problem. The only hitch is whether she can do rock and roll or not."

"I think she can," Ella said. "What songs do you want me to teach her?"

He picked up a CD from the kitchen table. "Tracks Seven and Nine are the ones I want you to teach her. Can you manage it before we eat?"

"I think so. What's this all about?" she wanted to know as he went back to the studio. They ran into Tecs and Larry along the way.

"Hey, man," Tecs said, "are we going to order in a pizza or what?"

"We've got food, don't worry," Jonathan said. "Right now, I want you guys to try something for me."

Larry caught his tone of voice right away. "Sure, man." When they entered the studio, Jonathan told Cielo to go to the booth with Ella. As they were leaving the rehearsal area, Jonathan, Tecs, and Larry started setting up another pair of amplifiers and microphones.

"What's going on?" Charlie asked as he was helping them.

Tecs watched Jonathan head for the booth to get some additional equipment. "I think you're about to get your wish, Charlie."

Helen and the other girls were resting on the veranda steps when Jonathan came outside. "Let me guess," he said, seeing the looks on their faces. "Nothing's working, huh?"

"Well, sir, we've got a new idea," Gina said. "We just need to fix it a bit."

"I've got an idea of my own," Jonathan said. "Come inside and see for yourself." He turned and went back into the house. His students followed him and were surprised when he led them past his study and into the studio. He told them to wait and then entered the booth. Cielo sat there with headphones. Ella was taking out the CD.

"Is she good to go?" Jonathan asked.

"As good as she can be at short notice," Ella said.

"All right. Take her back in there." Ella led Cielo back to the rehearsal space. Jonathan told his students to enter the studio. "Sorry about the lack of chairs," he said. "Just make yourselves as comfortable as possible and listen. All right?" They nodded. He opened a locker and took out two guitars. Once inside the studio, he handed one guitar—a red one—to Charlie.

"Hey, is this—?" he asked.

"It used to be," Jonathan replied. He plugged in his guitar and began tuning it. Charlie did the same.

"Isn't that the guy from the canteen?" Shira asked Gina.

Gina nodded. "Yeah. And Cielo's in there too. I wonder what's going on?"

When everything seemed satisfactory, Jonathan looked over at Cielo. "Try not to get nervous, freshman. That goes for you too, junior. Just follow my lead. Is everyone ready?" Tecs, Larry, and Ella replied in the affirmative.

"Cielo—are you ready?"

Ella smiled at Cielo and whispered: "Just follow my lead, honey. And, like your teacher said, don't get nervous. Keep your eyes on me. Okay?"

Cielo nodded. She gripped the mike tightly, feeling butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

"Headsets on," Jonathan said. Then he began a countdown. When he reached one, he began to strum the opening chords of "Hit Me With Your Best Shot". Tecs—now on bass—and Larry set the rhythm. Charlie followed. Exactly on cue, Ella and Cielo joined in on vocals. Ella adjusted her voice to let Cielo's be heard but after a while, the girl's voice was taking the lead. Ella was content to do backup. When it was time for the guitar solo, Jonathan's instincts took over as his fingers flew across the strings.

Charlie watched in awe. Even though he knew about Jonathan's background and saw a few of the concert videos of him and his band, seeing him play live was still something entirely different. Jonathan ended the song with a bit of an improvisational flourish and Charlie felt like clapping.

The students in the booth got the jump on him. Though the soundproof glass cut out the sound if it, they were applauding madly. Then they went into the studio. "That was great, sir!" Regino said.

"Thanks." Jonathan looked at Helen. "Were you watching?"

"Yes, sir," Helen said.

"Think you can make something out of that?" he asked her.

Helen thought about it. Already, the seed of an idea was germinating in her mind. "I might," she finally said.

"Good. Let's all get something to eat first and then we'll play another song." Jonathan placed his guitar on its stand. Charlie placed the other guitar beside it. Then they filed out of the studio and headed for the kitchen.

"You did very well, honey," Ella said, putting an arm around Cielo's shoulder.

"I did?" she asked.

"Sure you did," Charlie told her. "I was impressed. And it looks like Mr. Castillo was too."

"Thanks." Cielo smiled at him. He smiled back. Ella put an arm around him and said: "Come on, you two. You can flirt after we eat." She laughed out loud and Jonathan looked at her. She did seem much happier having Cielo as a protégé of sorts. And he was happy that Regino's group had a new option to look at for their audition. Part of him thought it was cheating to help them but he ignored it completely. Another part of him was rejoicing, glad that he'd finally picked up his guitar again. For now, Jonathan didn't bother to ignore that part of him either.