Art of Serendipity

26

Mabilisan akong umalis sa kwartong iyon. Pagkasarang-pagkasara ng kwartong hiram ko ay agad akong napahawak sa dibdib ko. I also breath heavily. Parang kanina pang pigil ang hininga ko sa harap niya. My heart is beating erratically but in rhythmic manner.

"What the f*ck?" I whispered.

Sa sobrang busy ko sa pagpapakalma ng puso ko ay napatalon pa ako sa gulat noong biglang tumunog ang tawag ko. Maingay pa akong bumuntong-hininga bago kinuha ang phone ko na nasa kama. It was Ate Noreen so I immeadiately answered it. Ngayon ko lang din pala makakausap itong babaeng ito dahil sa dami ng iniisip ko.

"Hello, sweetie!" maingay niyang bati sa akin.

"Hello, Ate..." I sounded like a defeated cat.

[Ay, what happened to you?] she asked when she noticed my voice.

"Marami. Where are you now?" I asked.

[I'm here in Singapore. You know what? I met someone arrogant here! Nakakainis siya! Imagine, I just asked something to him decent but he ignored me? Tama ba 'yon?] Inis na inis niyang saad sa akin.

I chuckled. Atleast, Ate Noreen diverted my attention. "Ano ba ang tinanong mo?"

[I asked for his name and number! Akala niya siguro interesado ako sa kaniya! Like I want to flirt with him! Duh, I just asked his name and number because Mom asks me to! Naging lawyer daw niya kasi yung Daddy no'ng lalaki but hell, napakayabang tignan! Hindi naman ganoon ka-gwapo! Well, I guess he's from Philipines too! Hindi ko na rin inalam yung pangalan at number niya! Nakakabwisit, e! Pinagalitan pa tuloy ako ni Mommy.]

"And you are annoyed because he ignored you? Baka busy yo'ng tao kaya hindi ka pinansin?"

[Whatever...] she muttered curses. [E ikaw, anong problema mo?]

My smile faded as she asked that. "I don't think it's a good idea to speak to you."

Knowing Ate Noreen. Baka kapag nalaman niya ang nangyari sa akin ay umuwi siya agad dito at sugurin si Tita Donna. Minsan nang muntik na mangyari iyon, buti na lang at napigilan ko agad si Ate. I don't want that to happen again. Ate Noreen can say mean words to her, and Ate Noreen, being her, hinding-hindi niya pagsisisihan kung makasakit siya, especially that Tita Donna deserves it.

[Tsk, 'yong stepmom mo na naman 'no? I knew it!] Wala pa man din akong sinasabi ay nahulaan na niya agad ang problema ko. Well, walang bago. Si Tita Donna pa rin naman ang nagpapasakit ng ulo ko, and she definetely know that.

"Don't bother yourself with my problems, Ate."

[No, you have to tell me. I'll throw that witch in the name of my sister.]

"Baka kasi umuwi ka rito bigla at sabunutan si Tita Donna!" pagbabanta ko sa kaniya.

[Oh sweetie, yes, gusto ko siyang sabunutan at tanggalan ng ulo, but I realized that my hands are too precious to lay on her] she said sarcastically. [I won't do that, okay? Now tell me.]

"Fine," I rolled my eyes because I know my Tita will force me. I told her what happened and her reaction is so damn priceless. She often muttered curses to my Tita Donna, even with Dad, even me!

[I am telling you, Ayannah. I will throw that witch out of your house!] she ranted, ramdam ko rin ang gigil niya.

"You can't do that. For now, hahayaan ko muna siya. Ako ang maga-adjust para sa kaniya-"

[What the hell are you saying?! You're always adjusting yourself for the other people. Bakit hindi siya ang mag-adjust para sa'yo?! Angas niya, ah! ] She frustrated.

Napamasahe ako sa sentido ko. Mas nakaka-stress pa pala mag-kwento kay Ate Noreen!

"I have plans, okay? Ilang taon na lang naman ay ga-graduate na ako. The business will be mine soon. Walang mapupunta sa kaniya at alam niya 'yon kaya ngayon ay todo waldas siya. I'm also positive that she is doing something that will make me ruin my name with my Dad so that she will get the assets but we all know na malaki pa rin ang makukuha ko because originally, It was my Mommy's money and that's already big even without Daddy's help." I lend my plans to her. "By that time, kaya kong tanggalin ang lahat sa kaniya, unless, Dad would do the work for me.

[Oh damn, my niece is so smart!]

"By that time, kaya kong tanggalin ang lahat sa kaniya, unless, Dad would do the work for me, but I bet not. Sobra ang tiwala ni Dad kay Tita Donna." I sighed heavily. "Hahayaan ko siya ngayon. Sulitin niya na ang pagiging mabait ko because if I will have the guts to do, I can be evil too."

I even heard my Aunt laugh evilly. Hindi ako makasabay dahil iniisip ko na ang mararamdaman ni Daddy if I will do that. Hanggang ngayon ay nagtataka pa rin ako kung bakit kini-keep pa rin ni Dad si Tita Donna. Does he truly love Tita Donna? Sa ganoong ugali? Yeah right. Love is blind and he proves it.

[So, where are you now?]

Natigil ako sa tanong niya. Hindi ko pa nga pala nasasabi kung nasaan ako, basta ang nasabi ko lang ay naglayas ako. I can't say that I'm in the hotel because I said earlier that I'll go there tomorrow. If I said I'm in Levi's condo, she would just tease me!

E, bakit ba ako natatakot na maasar? I'm not affected. I should not be.

Sige, Aya. Itanggi mo pang hindi ka apektado ngayong nag-uunahan na naman sa bilis ang t***k ng puso. I'm just fooling myself over and over.

"I'm in...Levi's condo-"

[What? Where? Oh, s**t! Really? What the hell?] Ate Noreen's vulgar mouth cut me off. Hindi pa man din ako natatapos ay may kumento na siya!

"Totoo nga, but don't get me wrong, Ate. He's my friend that is why he is very concerned-"

[Napaka-caring naman ng friend mo, sweetie. Baka sa sobrang caring n'yan, pakasalan ka niyan bigla, ha!]

Napangiwi naman ako sa sinabi ni Ate Noreen. As if he would do that. I mean, I'm not expecting for him to do that, hindi talaga dahil may gusto siya at magkaibigan lang kami.

So, sinasabi ko bang kung wala siyang nagugustuhan at hindi kami magkaibigan ay pwede niya na akong pakasalan? Hell, no! Baliw ka na, Vegas!

[Hala, siya! Natahimik! Ano? Gusto mo 'no?] puna sa akin ni Ate.

"Of course, not! You know what? F*ck you!" I hissed in a defensive tone.

[Sus, aminin mo na! You like him!]

"Hindi nga! Hindi ko nga siya gusto!" Irita kong saad, hindi para sa kaniya, kundi para sa sarili ko. I want to convince myself that I don't like him because I know, his effect to me is unfamiliar at kahit anong tanggi ko, tinatamaan talaga ako sa kaniya.

[Alam mo kasi, you guys are perfect for each other!]

I rolled my eyes. "No one's perfect."

I heard her hysterical laugh. [Okay, let's say, you two are like math. You are both imperfect which is negative di 'ba? Eh kaso, negative times negative equals positive, e 'di perfect for each other nga kayo!]

What the f**k is my Ate Noreen talking about? Math, seriously? Sa lahat ng pwedeng ipagkumpara, sa math pa talaga? Baliw ba siya? Kung hindi lang baliw 'tong si Ate Noreen, baka naniwala na ako sa kaniya ngayon.

"You know what, Ate? Late night na, antok lang 'yan."

[Okay, sabi mo, e.] Ate mocked.

"I'm not going to stay here anyway, sa hotel ako pupunta bukas at doon mamamalagi 'till everything is okay."

[Sure ka ayaw mo mag-stay d'yan?]

"Ate!"

[Fine! Fine! Fine! I am just kidding, sweetie. You sure, you okay, huh? Sasabihin ko 'to kay Mommy for them to know, 'kay?]

"H'wag na, Ate. Mag-aalala lang sila Lola. Ako na lang magsasabi if magaan na ang lahat," I boredly said, hindi ko na rin napigilan ang paghikab at napansin iyon ni Ate Noreen, she insisted to hang up the call and I immediately dozed off to sleep after that.

Kinabukasan ay maaga akong nagising upang mailabas na rin ang gamit ko. Hindi na rin umangal si Levi na aalis ako sa Condo niya, siya pa nga naghatid sa mga gamit ko sa kotse namin. We just had a lunch together at iyon na huling pagkikita namin noong araw na iyon.

So far, my life alone is not bad at all. I learned to be independent the way I wanted too, Nanay Luz is visiting me very often and everytime I'm having a free time, pinapasyal ko siya. Nakikielam na rin ako sa mga pinag-gagawa sa hotel. I also attended one meeting as my family's representative when my father failed to come because of other business errands too. Although, he didn't asked me to but I insisted. Atleast, I could still help.

I'm not making up things to him yet but I want to prove to him that I can live alone this way. Wala na rin akong balita kay Tita Donna if she still in the house or what. Surely, she's in the mansion, wasting money. Ayo 'ko ring makibalita kay Nanay Luz, as long she would't bother to tell me.

For my arrangement, nakakapagod din pala ang magpabalik-balik sa school at sa hotel. Totoong napakalayo noon kumpara sa layo ng pagitan ng school at bahay. I'm close to have a condo near the university as for my college days. Napaka-hassle din kasi. Kawawa na rin ang driver namin.

As for today, I'm here in Levi's gallery. It's been months since I last went here. Naging busy na rin kami because finals week na namin. Ngayon na lang ako nagkaroon ng time na bumisita and as usual, I'm still thinking about the theme for the exhibition. Isa't kalahating buwan na lang ang natitira sa oras namin para makaisip at wala pa rin kaming naiisip! Malapit na akong mag-give up sa pag-iisip dahil hanggang ngayon, wala pa rin akong reference sa kung anong iisipin ko! Paano ba kasi 'yong Art of Serendipity na 'yon!

Nakatayo sa harap ng isang canvas si Levi, still, painting. Nandito naman ako sa table niya roon at nagbabasa ng last lesson namin. Tapos na kaming mag-usap tungkol sa exhibition and I can really sense that he already up to something. Parang may naiisip na siya pero hindi niya pa sa sinasabi sa akin Hindi na ako nagtaka, he has more experience than me. I won't bother him to tell me, maybe he still finalizing that before letting me know. After all, siya pa rin naman ang gagawa. Support lang ang maitutulong ko.

Nang mapagod ang mata at utak ko sa pagbabasa ay tumayo ako at lumapit kay Levi. He's painting a not so large painting, tama lang. Sa tagal kong pagsama kay Levi sa tuwing nagpe-paint siya ay marami na akong nalalaman. He is patienly and willingly teaching me things about painting. Though, I haven't tried to make one because I'm afraid that I might ruin everything.

"Anong klaseng painting na naman 'yan? Realism again?" puna ko sa kaniya, I didn't even know if I pronounced it right. He's painting a man facing water, hindi ko pa sure kung anong buong structure dahil hindi pa tapos at mukhang ang hirap tapusin pero base sa nakikita ko, realism ata iyon. Kung saan napaka-3d ng painting niya. He taught me that.

"Kind of but nope..." He showed me a piece of photo. This time, the photo is clear. A man facing the stream while staring at his reflection in the calm of water, pero dahil sa hangin, bahagyang nakita ang mumunting alon dito at sumadya pa na nasa gitna nito ang repleksyon ng lalaki.

"Uh, you're trying to copy this, but in the form of painting?" I asked, still figuring what is this kind of painting style.

"More like, pinag-aaralan ko ang photograph na iyan. I'm trying to reproduce that image into something as real as that but in other medium. Tawag dito, photorealism, Aya," pagpapaintindi niya sa akin. May bahagya pa siyang itinuro sa pinakagilid nitong gallery and then there, I saw a almost realistic painting and a photo beside it.

Napa-awang ang bibig ko sa pagkamangha. This is why I find paintings and drawings more wonderful than photographs. Sa photographing kasi, if you're skillful enough, isang click mo lang, maganda na. Although, matrabaho ang pag-eedit at napagkakakitaan din.

Pero sa artworks like painting, sculpting, et cetera, masyadong matrabaho, maproseso at mabusisi. Pinaghihirapang mabuti. And what's more amazing is, artists can turn a photograph into an artwork or masterpiece, kahit mahirap, nagagawa nila. While photographers, yes, they can take a good photo of an artwork buy they can't surpass the fact that paintings is way more powerful than those photos.

Well, it's just for my own opinion. I'm not judging anyone by the way. I find both of that a brilliant work.

I smiled at him. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko. Tumingkayad ako at hinawakan ang mukha niya para kurutin ang magkabilang pisngi. Masungit niyang iniiwas ang mukha niya pero iniharap kong muli ito at pinang-gigilan. Natatawa na lang ako dahil kunot na kunot ang noo niya at halatang ayaw niyang ginagawa ko iyon sa kaniya.

"Bakit ba ang galing galing mo, huh? Meron ka pa bang hindi kayang gawin, Velez?" I chuckled.

His eyes narrowed. Nakatingkayad pa rin ako and to remain my balance, he snaked his arms around my waist, making me lean closer to him. Napawi ang ngiti ko at ang mga kamay kong nakahawak sa mukha niya ay naibaba ko na sa balikat niya dahil sa gulat at panghihina. My heart is palpitating like a wild animal in the forest. I held my breath while staring at his hawk-like eyes.

"Meron..." he answered my last question while licking his lips, staring mine. "Ang hindi mahulog sa sarili kong bitag."

~~~