Chapter 3- Failure

“Wow Anri you look beautiful on yoursweater!”

Anri Blushed as Jack compliments her...

“Umm Thank you, its pretty cold up here inthe Bible Conference... and look at you, youlook nice too, formal clothes suite you

well...”

“I'm still not used to these clothes... by the way this is my first time here...in.... what you call this event again?”

“Its the Metro Manila Fundamental Bible Conference”

As the two were talking, a good looking smiling young man came by them

“Hey Anri...”

As the guy went closer Jacked talked to himself in his mind: “Oh no this Guy is better looking than I am, he'll steal Anri from me this is bad!!!”

“Oh hi Archie how are you?... this is Jack my church-mate.” said Anri

“Hi there I'm Archivald Stone Wall.” said Archie as he reach out his hand to shake hands with Jack

Jack turned his head away fromArchie and shook his hand,looking annoyed he said“I'm Jack, say what do they callyou Archie or Baldly?” saidJack sarcastically [Jealouslylooks ugly turns grown men tochild-minded adults]

“I... Don't know how to respondto that... by the way Anri are you enrolling this semester?”

“Yes I'm looking forward taking Advance Piano Lessons.”

“Ehhh?! You guys are classmates!!” said Jack while looking confounded.

“Oh no, Archie is a year higher than me... Where both studying conservatory of music at UP”

as they were talking the piano prelude just started...

“Oh its starting lets talk later... we better take seat.” said Archie

As they find there seat in the large congregation Jack sat beside Anri he began to blush and said in his mind...

“Anri and I are getting pretty close to each other lately before the conference ends I want to get her cell number.... yeah...”

“Psst Jack...” whispered Pastor Terry who was besides Jack the whole time

“Ehh! Since when were you hear pastor I didn’t notice you!”

“Jack, your the next song leader in the second half of the program after the break... do your best out there..”

“Yes... Pastor...”

First preaching just ended and its already time for the 10 minute brake that comes after every preaching, Jack grabbed a song book there were only two song books in that place one for the song leader one for the pianist, since the conference was using the power point for the songs. Jack picked out a song and started practising with Anriin the corner of the stage.

As they were practising jack suddenly stops and looked down

“Say Anri you really think I could do this?”

“Of course, you know at times like these its OK not to have any confidence in yourself because the moment you started to to have confidence on yourself its just being arrogant 'cause your not depending on God anymore.”

“Thanks Anri I...I'll try my best”

As they were practising the congregation started to enter back into the auditorium, Archie saw them practising and spitefully stared at Jack and went back to his seat.The Piano Interlude started playing as the congregation settles down

when each has finally finds its place to sit the interlude ended one of the pastor's went up the stage to give a few announcement... after that Jack was called to lead the song..

Jack was shaking he never been in front of a crowd this large, he gathered up all his courage rapidly closed and open his fist. (to stop the shaking) and went up to the stage.“G-good evening let turn over to song number 346”

most laugh and smirk others just smiled then he realized they were using the power point for the songs despite that embarrassing displayJack proceeded with the song.

As the usual Jack was not as good in song leading he was out of tuneand his hand wasn’t following the tempo as much and the hand pattern was all wrong

But despite that he still proceed, but as he was song leading some one from the crowed stood up, it was Archie, he was looking down to the point that the shadow covered his eyes he was clenching his fist as it was shaking in irritation...

“Get down from there!!!!” shouted Archie in irritation

“Oi Archie sit down...” whispered Archie’s father trying to calm down his son.

“G-Get down from there you sorry excuse for a song leader! You arean insult to all musicians and to music itself.. get down you disrespectful...”Jack stopped and looked down and said

“Tssk! I'm outta' here!”

Jacked stormed out of the auditorium, Anri and Pastor Terry tried to chase him but he was just too fast they couldn’t catch up, Jack took the bus and went home, and when he reached his house he went inside his room and laid with his face facing the ceiling he reached for his pillow and covered his face with it...

“Tssk.. should have not agreed to this at the first place... I'm just not cut out for it...”

he laid there for five minutes or so until he heard his phone ring, reluctantly he picked up his phone and it was a text message from some random number, the text message reads:

“Hey Jack probably you wanna quit song leading I'm not gonna stopyou, but I believe that God put you there for a reason. I never really expected you could be a song leader but when you are up there I could see that you try your best so that the people would worship so I not giving up on you neither is Ptr. Terry. Would you come back tomorrow? Oh yeah this is Anri.”

“Anri....Anri?!”

Surprised, Jack sits upright in his bed and sets asides his phone as hepauses for awhile, and as he sits there his eyes began to widen as he began to realize something, he then grabs his phone and sent a text message to Anri.

“Hey Anri, you still up?”

“yeah... why?”

“can you come with me for coffee tomorrow?”

“Why? Do you want to talk or something?”

“No, I gonna get some help for tomorrow night, we'll be meeting a guy I know... and how did you get my number?”

“I asked Ptr. Terry for it... figured I might need to contact you ;)”

“great! lets just meet at the church 9:00's good?”

“Sure see you tomorrow!! :D”

“Oh and Anri Thanks....”

the next morning, Anri and jack met each other and went there way to the coffee shop and as they enter in there was a young man with greyish or silver coloured hair wearing some kind of varsity jacket standing in the shop...

“well here he is, the lead guitarist of the Praise and worship team Day by Day...”

“Rei Armstrong..” said Anri as she could not believe what she is seeing

“Yo, long time no see Jack, Anri...”