Art of Serendipity

31

Hindi raw pumunta si Alas sa graduation ng Legal Management students sabi ni Levi. Sayang, he got latin awards as what I have heard, but he did not come because he's busy. He deserves those awards. Hindi pa rin siya umuuwi hanggang ngayon so he's really busy, huh? Pa'no ang law school niya n'yan?

I just got that news from Levi. Actually, I'm with him again and as usual, summer na kaya tambay lang ako ngayon dito sa Gallery niya. Wala rin naman siyang gagawin kundi tapusin ang mga canvas niya. Palagi lang talaa kami magkasama.

"I will travel next week," I informed him when he walked towards me for his break.

Nagtaas siya ng kilay sa akin. "You really like travelling a lot, huh? Saan naman ang punta mo?"

"Paris..." I grinned. "Excited na ako."

He also grinned. "Uh-huh? How often are you travelling?"

"Kapag hindi ako busy, hindi ako mapirmi sa bahay but last year, I didn't travel a lot. Nakakapanghina kapag hindi nakakapag-out of the town."

"Sino kasama mo?" Umupo siya sa tabi ko at uminom ng tubig. Ito na naman yung hindi ko maintindihan na pagkabog ng puso ko.

"I will travel alone this time," I answered honestly.

Nanliit ang mga mata niya. "How about your aunt? The one your age? Hindi mo isasama?"

Humalakhak ako at umiling. "She's busy travelling, too. Mana ako roon, e."

"Why dont you travel with her, instead? Bakit mag-isa ka pa?" he asked curiously.

Ang dami namang tanong nito.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Kasama niya kasi sila Lola and they are up to business too. Magkaiba ang business namin kaya hindi ko rin mae-enjoy. I would rather travel alone, I am used to it."

"Sama ako."

Natigil ako sa pagkalikot ng mga paint nang marinig iyon. Napakurap-kurap ako habang nakatitig sa kaniya. Woah, this is the first time that I'm travelling with someone aside from Ate Noreen and Nanay Luz. Minsan sila ay kasama ko pero madalas ay ako lang mag-isa.

"Bakit?" I asked. Hindi naman sa ayaw ko siya isama pero nagtataka lang ako kung bakit.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I want to travel, too. Masama ba?"

There's no reason for me to refuse unless I really don't like being with him. E kaso, I have no choice because the moment I booked my ticket, ginaya niya ako. Maaga rin kaming pumunta sa airport dahil maaga niya akong sinundo sa Hotel noong araw na ng pag-alis namin. Mas excited pa ata sa 'kin 'tong lalaking 'to e.

He's sitting just beside me, ako sa tabi ng bintana. Tanaw na tanaw ko ang mga ulap. May isa pa kaming katabi sa gilid niya na lalaki. The one-way flight from Manila to Paris is thirteen hours or more. Maganda naman ang panahon so I guess we'll arrive there ahead of time. Wala pa kami sa kalahati ng flight hours ay nakatulog na ako sa balikat ni Levi. Pagkagising ko ay may mga naglalakad ng cabin crews. All smiles.

Namumungay ang mga mata kong sumilip sa bintana. Ngayon pa lang ata nagpapakita ang haring araw sa kanila. I guess, Philippines is seven hours ahead of time in France. So if umalis kami doon ng 8:00 am ngayong araw, ibig sabihin ay 1:00 Am pa lang doon nang umalis kami. In Paris' time, 2:00 Pm kami makakarating doon. Bukas na siguro kami maglilibot para makapg-pahinga pa.

"Are you dizzy?" Levi asked when he noticed that I'm now awake.

Tumingin ako sa kaniya at umiling. "No, are you?" I asked huskily since I just woke up.

Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa labas ng bintana. The sky is pink, even the clouds are corresponding to it. What a nice and majestic view. Ito talaga ang hinahanap-hanap ko tuwing magta-travel. Hindi ako magsasawang tignan ito.

"Pink sky, hmm..." Levi suddenly spoke beside me. Nilingon ko siyang muli. "They say pink skies in the morning mean that there will be bad weather ahead, and if there is pink sky at night, it will be the opposite weather tomorrow."

I smiled at that thought. So, it that is true, uulan mamaya? Hmm? Ano bang definition dapat ng bad weather? Is it just every time it rains? How about in sunny days? Hindi ba at minsan ay may hatid din itong masama?

That is the common knowledge. When we hear about bad weather, the first thing we will predict is the rainy days, well in fact, both rainy and sunny days can be bad weather. Bakit ang ulan na lang ang palaging masama? E hindi ba, kapag walang ulan, there will be water shortage everywhere?

Just like people judging someone just because of a single thing he or she did wrongly. This shows that people can say something to the person whether they did bad or good, negative or positive. Why do we just treat everything equally?

But then, I respect everyone's opinion. I chose to not judge the weather later instead. Besides, ibang bansa naman ito at hindi pa Paris, so how will I know?

Two flight attendants approached us while pulling a trolley. May lamang mga pagkain iyon. They are smiling from ear to ear.

"Do you need anything, Ma'am? Sir?" the beautiful flight attendant asked us. I stared at her in awe.

I don't know but for fun, I pictured myself wearing a flight attendant uniform. Nilagay ko ang sarili ko sa sitwasyon ng flight attendant na ito. Hmm, not bad. It suits me at some points. Plus, it will benefit me because I like travelling a lot but since I'm lack of confidence, hindi ata ako bagay maging Flight Attendant.

Nevermind. Bakit ba kasi iniisip ko pang maging F.A.? I don't need it by the way.

"What are you thinking?"

Natigil lang ang pag-iisip at paghihinayang ko nang itanong iyon ni Levi. Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa kaniya. Nagpabalik-balik rin ang tingin niya sa amin ng Flight Attendant.

I smiled. "Nothing."

We booked a separate hotel room as we got to the Paris. Agad kaming nagpahinga. We just ordered food and ipina-akyat na lang sa hotel room ko. I invited Levi to come over here. I still have jetlag so I'm really tired, what do I expect? That was a long-haul flight!. 'Di bale, bukas mawawala na rin 'to.

"Your sister is still in your house, right? Buti pumayag siya na sumama ka rito?" I asked. Naka-upo na ako sa couch habang siya ay nasa table, naka-dikwatro pa at nakahalumbaba.

"Yeah. She got some endorsements in the Philippines so she's busy too."

Tumango ako. "Why is she into modelling? Dream niya? I thought, she's good in arts too?"

"She used his talent in arts by modelling. You know, hindi lang about crafts, drawing, sculpting and painting ang arts. It's all about talents too like dancing, singing, whatever. That's her greatest dream, to be an international model," he explained. Sabagay, her sister has a lot of potential. Bagay nga sa kaniya maging model.

"Anong feeling ng nagagawa mo yung gusto mo... as a fulfillment to your dream?" I asked, curious.

He narrowed his eyes. "I don't know but I feel... of course, happy and satisfied. Ikaw?"

I laughed bitterly. "Malay ko. Kahit ano namang gawin ko, I'm still handling our business so I don't feel the excitement anymore. I just really feel glad when travelling."

He didn't spoke. He stared at me like I said something pitiful but before I could even point that out, it disapeared. May nakaka-awa ba sa sinabi ko?

"Hindi mo pinangarap na mag-handle ng business niyo?" seryosong tanong niya sa akin.

Matagal bago ako nakasagot. Nag-iisip ng mga tamang salita.

"Hindi ko pinangarap pero gusto ko. I don't know the difference between that two but I want to see my hardships in our business too. I want to handle our business because I also want a thrill. I find it challenging, entering the business world while talking like some noble woman and shaking hands with great business tycoons..." I sighed. "Pero hanggang gusto lang yung mga iyon e. Surely, I will work hard for that but I never dreamt of that actually."

Pangarap. Kapag naririnig ko 'to, unang pumapasok sa isip ko ay yung nakikita ko sa sarili ko five years from now. Something that set my goals in life pero ang pangarap kasi, maaaring magkatotoo, pwede ring hanggang pangarap lang depende sa tao.

Gusto. Something I really desire is something that I am focused to be wanted. I'm giving all my attention to it. Ginusto ko iyon dahil alam kong makukuha ko rin kalaunan, ganoon ako e. Hindi ako pala-gusto sa isang bagay kapag hindi ko kayang makuha.

Ang pangarap, pang-matagalan. Na kahit natupad mo na, mananatiling pangarap. The thought of achieving your dream is already a dream. Kahit matupad mo 'yan, papasok pa rin sa utak natin na minsan na nating pinangarap ito and that will stay forever. While in wants, a short-term goal. Kapag nakuha mo na ang gusto mo, wala na, makakalimutan na natin agad.

"What is your dream then?" si Levi.

Shoot!

Iniangat ko ang tingin sa kaniya habang bahagyang binabasa ang labi. You hit the wrong question, man!

Tumayo ako at lumapit sa kaniya. "Wala e. Kailangan ba ay mayroon?"

I sat near him. Pinaglaruan ko ang baso ng tubig habang siya ay nakatingin lang sa akin. I don't know where this conversation going. Ang tagal naman kasi ng pagkain namin.

He sighed. "Kinukulong mo kasi ang sarili mo. Try to explore more and you will find your dream."

My brows shot up. Humalumbaba ako and I looked mockingly to him.

"Sige nga. Kung ikaw ang papipiliin ko. What dream or job really suits me? Let's say, a fallback? Though, I don't need it but I want to hear it from you."

He smirked. "Bakit ako? Pangarap mo tapos ako pag-iisipin mo?"

"Gusto ko ikaw, e." I pouted. Gusto ko siya ang magsabi dahil wala talaga akong pangarap. Baka sakaling kapag siya ang nagsabi, mabuhayan ulit ako. I really feel motivated whenever I'm with him and with his words too.

"Hmm..." He looked up. "Model din? Or artista? Why don't you try that? Papasa ka bilang model."

I laughed mockingly at him. "Nagpapatawa ka ba? I'm not sexy, Levi. Matangkad ako but that doesn't make me a model and also, I hate attention that much. Alam mo 'yan."

Well, set aside the thought that my acting skills is good. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit hindi ako nauutal sa harap niya but hell, my hearbeat is racing! Masakit sa puso pero masarap sa pakiramdam na narito siya at nakikinig sa walang kwentang usapang ito.

I heard his laughed. "I'm just kidding and...I don't also want you to get people's attention and interests."

"Bakit ayaw mo?" I still asked.

"I get jealous easily," he joked.

I rolled my eyes but my heart pound so goddamn wild. Joke lang daw 'yon, Aya and besides, matampuhim naman talaga siya. Parang baby.

~~~