Art of Serendipity

04

Hmm. He knows how to reject a girl, huh? Bakit hindi niya tinaggihan ang halik g babae kanina? Nagustuhan niya rin, syempre? Sus. Alam ko na ang mga ganiyang tactics. Try harder.

"Your attitude is not nice too, 'no? Kawawa yung babae, grabe ka." I still laughed but when I caught him staring at me seriously, I stopped laughing immediately.

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay at sinimangutan.

"I don't even know her," he shook his head and finished his food.

"You can't remember your flings? How rude, Levi. What is that?" I rolled my eyes.

"Well..." he chuckled. "This is the first time I saw you laughing, huh? You should laugh more often."

I gulped upon hearing that. I'm always wearing my poker face in front of others. Ngayon nga lang ba talaga ako tumawa? Eh sa nakakatawa yung babae, e. Tsaka what if this is part of his tactics to get his girls? Oh, d*mn. I am not one of them.

"Don't get out of the topic. If I would be one of your flings, I'd probably have my biggest regret in life if that will happen."

He leaned forward and licked his lower lip. "Wanna try, though?"

Lalong sumama ang mukha ko dahil sa narinig. "No, f*cking, thanks! Wanna fight first?"

He giggled. Sumenyas siya sa waiter at my pina-order pa yata.

I just shrugged my shoulders and finished my food in silence. Why are we talking about this, anyway? Napaka-random.

After eating, akala ko ay lulubayan niya na ako pero sinundan niya talaga ako hanggang sa library. Tinanong ko pa kung bakit sinusundan niya ako pero ang sabi niya lang, magbabasa rin daw siya. Hinayaan ko na lang, though, kasama ko siya sa mesa and I couldn't concentrate because he keeps on glancing at me.

I sighed after finishing one of my tasks. I stretched my hands. After that, I messaged my head. This task should be by partner, but since no once wants to be partner among my blockmates, I chose to work with myself. I just needed a heads up from our professor.

Sometimes, it is better to work with yourself especially I your groupmates do not know how to cooperate. I can do the work better this way.

But anyway, nasa harap ko pa rin si Levi at mukhang seryoso nga siyang nagbabasa ng… Arts book? Yeah, that is what I read on the title page.

My phone vibrated so I checked it and saw our driver's message to me that he is ready to fetch me. I closed my laptop and check my wrist watch. Medyo late na pala.

"Uuwi na ako," pagpapaalam ko nang tumayo na ako kasama ang mga gamit ko.

Tumayo rin siya at binalik ang libro sa kung saan man niya kinuha iyon. Sinabayan akong maglakad. Magkaibigan talaga sila ni Alas, 'no? Sunod ng sunod sa akin e. I suddenly have my dogs.

"So how's your relationship with Alas?" he asked while we are walking.

Napakunot ang noo ko. "What relationship are you talking about?"

I am in a relationship with no one.

"Hmm…"

His gaze turned to me and then he mumbled something I can't fully understand. Tatanungin ko pa sana kung ano pero nakita ko na yung sundo ko pero nagtaka ako kung bakit Van ang dala. Palaging kotse ang dinadala kapag hatid-sundo sa akin dahil mag-isa lang naman ako.

"I'll go now, bye." I waved a bit to Levi. He glanced at our Van and smiled at me. Umatras siya habang nakapasok ang kamay sa bulsa. Umatras lang siya pero hindi siya umalis kaya tumalikod na ako. Uuwi na rin siguro siya maya-maya. Pagkabukas ko ng Van ay nanlaki agad ang mata ko sa nakita ko.

"Hi, sweetie. How are you?" Ate Noreen is now sitting pretty inside the Van. Oh my, God!

Pumasok na ako at sinarado ang Van, umandar na rin ang Van paalis. Kaya naman pala Van ang dala. Ate Noreen is my mother's little sister so originally, she's my Aunt. Miracle baby pa nga dahil nasa 40s na si Lola noong ipinanganak si Ate Noreen.

"Ate Noreen? How are you? Kailan ka pa dumating?" I asked after hugging her.

"Kaninang umaga lang. I didn't go to your mansion since I know that your evil stepmother is there." She rolled her eyes. "How about you?"

"I'm good, Ate. I'm used to Tita Donna's trashy attitude."

Her eyes suddenly narrowed. "You have a boyfriend now, huh?"

"What? No way. I don't have. Saan mo nakuha 'yan?" tanggi ko agad. Kung ano-ano na lang nasasagap niyang balita.

"Then who are you with earlier? He's good-looking and attractive, huh? D*mn, he looks hot too!" She held her chest. Namamantasya na naman.

"He's not my boyfriend, he's just my... Uhm..." I scratched the bridge of my nose. "Friend, he's my friend."

"Friend?!" She asked in hysterical. "You know the word 'impossible'?"

I rolled my eyes. Of course, hindi kapani-paniwala ang bagay na iyon. Kahit ako nga hindi naniniwala, e. I don't have friends and Ate Noreen knows that. Ngayon lang ako nagsabi ng ganoon, and worst, lalaki pa.

"Swear, Ate Noreen. He's just a friend. Nothing more."

"Ang mga ganoong kagandang lalaki ay hindi lang dapat kinakaibigan, Ayannah Miles! H'wag kang sayangera ng lahi!" Binatukan niya ako.

"Ewan ko sa 'yo, Ate. So where are you staying now?" I diverted the topic.

"Of course, In our hotel! It's free!"

Sabagay.

"How long are you going to stay?"

"I'm going to New York a week after week."

I groaned. "Hope all nagta-travel lang!"

Namana ko kay Mommy at Ate Noreen ang pagiging traveler. I'm actually counting the country that I had visited already. I like collecting photos from each country. Iyon na lang ang magagawa ko kahit wala si Mommy. I can travel alone too. Iyon lang ang luho ko.

"May pasok ka pa next week?" she asked.

"Wala na, semestrial break na namin."

Inihatid ko lang siya sa hotel na pagmamay-ari namin tsaka bumalik sa mansyon. Nagpaalam naman ako kay Daddy para hindi na nila ako hintayin sa dinner pero nakita ko pa rin sila sa Dining hall pagdating ko. Buti na lang mukhang patapos na sila.

"Aya, do you want to go with us next week for buying of paintings?" Daddy asked when I sat in front of them.

Wala naman akong gagawin next week kaya siguro sasama na lang ako. Tatambay lang naman ako rito sa bahay kaya mas magandang sumama na lang ako. "Sure po."

"How's your Tita Noreen?"

"She's fine, Dad. Although, she's already going out a week after next week."

I started eating. I didn't try to glance at my stepmother. Medyo good mood ako ngayon at ayaw kong masira araw ko dahil sa kaniya. Sana hindi na lang din niya ako pansinin at ayaw kong mag-away na naman kami sa harap ni Daddy.

"Do you have a boyfriend now, sweetie?"

Napaubo ako ng bahagya sa tanong ni Daddy. Bakit ba palagi na lang itinatanong sa akin iyan? Hell, bata pa naman ako ah!

"No po."

"Why? Is your standard that high, anak?" He laughed a bit.

"I don't know, Dad. Why are you asking po?"

He shook his head and smiled at me. "Nothing, sweetheart."

Iniwan na nila ako sa hapag nang mag-aya na umakyat si Tita Donna. Nagtataka ako kung bakit itinatanong niya iyon pero baka gusto lang din niya malaman.

"Nanay Luz. I can wash the dishes po." I suggested.

Hinayaan nga niya ako maghugas at hindi siya umalis sa tabi ko.

"Tignan mo, Ayannah. Pati tatay mo ay gusto ka nang magkaroon ng boyfriend. Bahala ka, kapag hindi ka nagkaroon, baka i-arrange marriage ka nila. Gusto mo ba 'yon?"

I sighed. "'Nay, bata pa po ako and I'm too busy with my studies too. It's just a waste of time. Bakit po ba mas iniintindi niyo 'yon?"

"Kasi alam mo? Simula noong mamatay si Ma'am Alyanna, hindi na kita nakitang masaya sa ibang tao maliban sa pagalis-alis mo sa bansa," puna niya pa.

"Masaya po kaya ako sa inyo, 'Nay." Tinapos ko na ang paghuhugas ng plato. Is happiness now means having a partner? I think not. Also, happiness isn't about getting all you want. Happiness is about enjoying all you have at sa ngayon, kuntento na ako. In addition, not all happiness will reflect on the appearance.

Hindi ko sinasabing masaya ako sa ngayon dahil una, wala si Mommy at malupit pa sa akin si Tita Donna.

Kinabukasan ay may pasok na pero hindi ko inagahan pumasok. Nagdilig muna ako ng mga halaman and flowers ni Mommy. My treasure with my Mom. Sobrang obsessed ni Mommy sa mga halaman, lalo na sa mga sunflowers kaya nakasanayan ko na rin itong alagaan.

Kalaunan ay pumasok na rin ako at mukhang sinasagad na nila ang gawain ngayong linggo dahil walang pasok next week. Yeah right, can I consider this week as hell week?

"Sorry, I'm busy e. You can eat without me naman," I said to Alastrid when I saw him in the open yard of the University. May meeting kasi kami ng org namin dito ngayon, nagkataong nandito naman siya at inaaya akong kumain.

"Oh it's okay, Aya. I'm busy too actually. Ganoon din ata si Levi but don't starve yourself that much, okay?" he said in worrying tone.

"Hmm." I nodded and he just smiled. Nagulat ako ng hawakan niya ang ulo ko at ginulo ang buhok ko bago umalis. Okay, what was that? Inayos ko pa tuloy yung buhok ko.

"Boyfriend?" tanong ng ka-org ko. She's our org leader.

"No," I answered in monotone. Immune na ata ako sa salitang 'boyfriend'.

She looks not pleased but our other orgmates interrupted her so that she can continue to her discussion. Natapos naman agad yung discussion na iyon kaya makakahinga na ako ng maluwag.

"Fries?"

Nagulat ako nang may nag-alok ng fries bigla sa harap ko. It was Levi. Nakatambay kasi ako dito sa open yard dahil pinauna kong umalis yung mga ka-org ko. Tumingin lang ako sa inaalok niya pero hindi ko kinuha. Bakit nandito 'to?

Binaba niya yung fries at umupo sa tabi ko. Hindi naman siya nagsalita kaya hinayaan ko na lang siya sa tabi ko. I don't want to start a conversation with him.

"Do you believe in parallel worlds?" he suddenly asked.

Napakunot ang noo ko at tumingin sa kaniya na puno ng pagtataka. "Huh?"

He shrugged his shoulders and stared at the wide yard in front of us. "Survey lang. Naghahanap kasi ako ng theme for my artwork."

At iyon ang naisip niyang theme? "No."

"Why?"

"Kasi bilog ang mundo?" I shrugged my shoulders and stared blankly in front of the yard too. "Hindi ako naniniwala sa parallel world or universe na 'yon... but if parallel universe really does exist. I hope my other 'me' is happy and free."

I really hope that I'm just like that.

~~~