Art of Serendipity

15

"Hell! No!" tanggi niya agad sa akin. Ibinalik niya ng padarag sa mesa ang envelope at umiling sa akin.

"Hell, yes! Please, Lev! Please... Please..." Pinagsalikop ko pa ang dalawang kamay ko to please him more.

I have never been this desperate to please anyone before but I really want him to join the exhibit. I am so excited to make him show what he really got. He has overall potential. He is a complete package to join this exhibit, besides, hindi naman ito contest so he does not need to be competitive. Tsaka, even if he is not competitive, his artworks are still out of this world!

I pouted. Namungay na rin ang mga mata ko. Sana gumana ang ganitong charm ko sa kaniya. Gumagana kasi ito kay Nanay Luz, e. Hell, hindi ako cute pero try lang naman. Just for this once!

He looked at me, nawawalan ng pag-asa ang mga mata. Kapag tumitingin siya, ilang sigundo lang ay iniiwas niya na agad ang tingin niya. His lips are twitching. Parang hirap na hirap siya magdesisyon. Parang tinitimbang niya ang sitwasyon. Sa huli, huminga lang siya ng malalim.

"Fine-"

"Yes, effective!" I cut him off because of excitement.

"Tsk, don't do that again." He rolled his eyes. "I can't resist you. You know that."

"Hmm? You can't resist me? Really? I did not know that." Parang nagdiriwang ang puso ko.

His jaw moved aggressively. Iniiwas niya ang tingin sa akin at kinuha muli ang envelope.

"I already agreed." He answered, instead of answering my last question.

"Tell me what you are going to do. I can help you! I will do my best to help you! Even if I do not paint, I will still help you! Kailan ba 'to?" I pointed to the envelope, all smiles.

"Two months after next month, there is no exact date, but they are already preparing. Make sure you will help me, hmm?"

Tumango ako ng mabilis. Tutulungan ko siya kahit wala talaga akong maitutulong dahil ano namang alam ko sa . Bahala na kung ano magawa ko basta masamahan ko siya. Ako ang nagpasok sa kaniya nito.

In the following days, I became busy because of school. Malapit na ang mag-start ang next sem and I am pretty sure that professors are very hands-on by this time. Sa sobrang hands-on, tinatambak na ang gawain para sa isang linggo.

Ngayong araw na lang ako makakapagpahinga kaya namalagi na lang ako rito sa bahay. Tatlong beses pa lang kami nagkakasabay kumain ni Levi because we are both very busy. Mukhang magsisimula na rin ang last sem nila.

Pagkababa ko ay agad na nag-init ang ulo ko sa nakita ko. Bunch of paper bags that obviously, belong to my evil stepmother. Kailan ba siya titigil sa pagbili ng kung ano-ano na hindi? Hindi naman niya nagagamit lahat sa isang araw lang. Bakit ba ang hilig niyang gumastos ng mga bagay na hindi naman dapat paggastusan? Gastador lang talaga siya.

Akala ko sa fairytales lang mayroong evil stepmother. Damn, pati pala rito.

Nasaktuhan pa na wala si Nanay Luz dahil day-off niya ngayon. Gusto ko sana sumama kaso it's her time for her family naman. Ayaw kong isipin ng pamilya niya na kapag sumama ako ay trabaho pa rin ang dala at inaatupag ni Nanay Luz. Although, I believe that they will not that way because they are the kindest persons I have ever meeto as well. Iba pa rin syempre ang solo time nil kay Nanay Luz.

Nagpunta ako sa kusina, only to hear my Stepmother chuckling with whoever she's talking to in her phone. Whatever or whoever it is, I did not come here to eavesdrop. I came here to grab my breakfast because I just woke up pero nag-ugat ako sa kinatatayuan ko nang marinig ko ang pinag-uusapan nila Tita Donna at kung sinong kausap niya sa phone.

"Oh, babe, of course. My husband will not know about our relationship. I will make sure of you that... No, I do not love that old man. Ni hindi ko nga makuha ang loob ng demonyo niyang anak!" she said in disgust.

Demonyo? Damn her! Siya ang demonyo! She is clearly cheating! Niloloko niya si Daddy! Ang kapal naman ng mukha niya! Dito pa talaga sa loob ng pamamahay namin niya ito ginagawa.

Humakbang ako pero hindi niya ako nakikita dahil nakatalikod siya akin. I gritted my teeth because of anger, my breath became rapid.

"Don't worry. Nakukuha ko naman ang gusto ko out of their money...Yes, babe. I love you. Let me hang up the call first and I will meet you later. Michael is not in our house." The call then ended. Nakangiti siyang humarap sa gawi ko pero agad ding nawala nang makita niya ako. Damn you! User!

My sight is burning from anger. I crossed my arm as my hands turn into fists. I want to curse her so bad. I know my face now is as red as those roses with fury, but it's because of my extreme anger.

"Oh, hi dear Miles. I-I thought you are still asleep." Her eyesight became unsteady.

"You thought that I'm still asleep so that you can talk to your affair? So discussing..." I asked coldly. Nawalan na ng reaksyon ang mukha ko dahil kulob na lahat sa loob ko ang galit.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "And so what? Your Dad isn't here naman-"

"So, what if my Dad isn't here right now? That will never be an invitation for you to bring your pungent behavior and deception here inside our house." I'm a bit shaking while clenching my fist. "I will tell this behavior of yours to my daddy. Bukas na bukas din, mawawala ka na sa pamamahay na 'to, Tita Donna." Nakakagalit dahil parang proud pa siya, she's proud that she is cheating?! Even her conscience had already taken over her.

She smiled sweetly. "And are you sure that he will believe you? He knows that you're mad at me that you can say anything bad para masira ako sa kaniya but dear, naunahan na kita. Sira ka na sa kaniya at wala ng maniniwala pa sa'yo-Oh well, mayroon naman, yung nanay-nanayan mong hilaw? Stupid b*tch."

That was the breaking point of my patience. I stepped back while shaking my head dissapointingly at her, I will tell Daddy this. I don't want to argue with her anymore. That's nonsense. A waste of time and effort, indeed. She is deaf for what is good. She only hear herself. She only love herself. Saksakan siya ng selfish.

Tumakbo ako papunta sa kwarto ko at ini-lock agad ito. Tinawagan ko si Daddy and after my fifth try, tsaka niya lang sinagot.

"Dad-"

"Ayannah, I am so busy right now. Next time na tayo mag-usap at talagang mag-uusap tayo." His voice is deep, parang galit siya but I still continued, kung hindi ngayon ay kailan ko pa sasabihin?!

"Daddy, listen to me first, this is urgent. About Tita Donna-"

"Donna told me your failing grades., Ayannah Miles. Hindi mo raw inaayos ang pag-aaral mo at nagdadala ka pa ng lalaki r'yan sa bahay. What is happening to you? You are becoming a rebel now!" his voice thundered this time. Galit na galit at kahit hindi ko nakikita, namumula na pamigurado ang buong mukha ni Daddy. I know, because I'm also like that.

My jaw drop because of I have heard. Not wanting to talk anymore, not even a single word. Failing grades? My grades are not yet released, paanong nakuha agad ni Tita Donna iyon? At lalaki? Si Levi lang naman-Oh well! Levi is a man! But why the hell is that a big deal? Kaibigan ko yung tao! Ano ba naman iyan!

"Ayannah, let's talk when I'm free and you have to explain things to me." After that, he hang up.

Hinang-hina kong ibinaba ang phone ko. Anong i-e-explain ko kay Daddy? Wala akong dapat ipaliwanag dahil wala naman akong ginagawang masama. Sinira nga talaga ako ni Tita Donna kay Daddy. She's a good liar. If that is really her talent, she must join a contest, baka manalo pa siya.

I hugged my knees. I feel like the my own dad is against me. HIndi ako makapaniwala na mas naniniwala pa siya ky Tita Donna kaysa sa akin. Sa akin? Sa akin na anak niya? What the hell? Who would be happy for that?

Dad is the only hope that I can rely on to this time, but what happened? Ang galing ni Tita Donna na lumason ng utak ng sariling tatay. Si Daddy naman, naniniwala agad sa kaniya. Gusto ko lang naman na paniwalaan ako ni Dad dahil hindi naman talaga dapat na nandito si TIta Donna.

She will never ever replace my mom in this house. Siguro, kung hindi talaga siya magbabago, habang buhay akong magtatanim ng galit sa kaniya.

Hindi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa isipan ko at tinawagan ko si Levi. Wala si Nanay Luz. Levi is the only person I know that I can lean on this time. When I am with him, I can breathe freely. He will never judge my feelings towards this issue.

[Wow, you called] Levi greeted.

"Are you free today?" tanong ko agad. Hindi na ako nagpaligoy-ligoy pa.

[I told you, I'm quite expensive so I'm not free...] he chuckled but I cannot synchronize it. Hindi ko kayang masabayan ang joke ngayon na nanggagalaiti ako sa galit. [ I am just kidding but I'm available right now. Why? You wanna come in the gallery again?]

"No, let's grab some drink," I said directly. I'm not alcoholic but damn! I want to be drunk just for today! Gusto ko iinom lahat ng galit tutal ay wala rin namang nakikinig sa akin dito sa pamamahay na ito maliban na lang kung narito si Nanay Luz.

I heard him laughed again. Saya niya, huh? [That's new, huh? But game!]

Ibinaba ko ang tawag nang marinig yon.

So, I guess, this is the time where I have to forget things.

~~~