All Over Again

CHAPTER 26: Should've Been A Model 

Jerwin's POV

Sigh.

This is great.

Just astoundingly great.

-___-

I watch as Mr. Gordon stalks back and forth in front of me. He's yelling at his phone na parang wala na siyang chance magalit pa bukas. We're 15 minutes behind schedule. If I knew this was gonna happen, Venice and I would have stayed a bit longer dun sa bahay nina Manong Ben.

It was a fifteen-minute jeepney ride from the small, unknown town to the other little town where I left my truck. Tapos, about 5 minutes pabalik ng villa. The photoshoot was gonna start in 10 minutes. I quickly parked the truck, ran upstairs, and jumped in the shower.

Paglabas ko ng villa, all fresh and ready to be prepped up, nag-aabang na si Mr. Gordon para sa'kin. The crewmembers were carrying the photoshoot equipments papunta sa beach. Mr. Gordon didn't say anything naman kasi somehow, I'm still on time.

If there's one thing na kinasikatan ni Mr. Gordon, besides sa amazing ability nya sa mga advertising photography nya, ayun eh ung pagiging extremely punctual niya. If he said the shoot will start at this time, the shoot should definitely start at that time.

Kung wala pa yung model, malamang manghahaltak na lang sya ng kung sinong kapicture-picture dyan sa tabi-tabi. That's what he's probably gonna do now. We're supposed to shoot a Guess Swimsuit ad with two models pero missing one pa kami -- yung important one pa.

"Yo! Jerwin!"

I turned around and saw Venice walking towards my special chair -- the one with "Jerwin Santos" taped on the back. It looks like she just got out of the shower and siguro, tulog pa rin sina Anthony at Sheena kasi hindi pa umaaligid ung dalawa sa kanya.

She's wearing a black see-through tunic over a red one-piece swimsuit. Her hair is still damp, and she's treading barefoot on the sand.

Venice: I thought you'd be starting the shoot by now. What's going on?

Ako: Uhmm.. Seems like my partner won't make it.

Venice: Eh?

Ako: May appointment daw kasi kanina, na-late yata ng labas.. Ahyan, paalis pa lang ng Manila..

Venice: Ahhhh..

I glanced at her and noticed na nakatitig pala sya sa'kin.. Yung titig pa na parang nag-iisip ng malalim. Bakit? Dahil ba ngayon niya lang ako nakita na naka swimming trunks?

Ako: What are you looking at?

Venice: Lam mo, Sunshine.. Nakaka-distract sana ang mga biceps-triceps- abs mo dyan.. Kaya lang--

She ran a finger on my arm, tapos hinarap sa'kin yung daliri nya..

Venice: --Dinaig mo pa ang hito sa sobrang dulas mo.

Ako: It's oil. It's supposed to make me look good on pictures.

Venice: Magmumukha kang maganda sa picture kung parang kang hito?

Ako: Why are you here? -__-

Venice: *smiles* Manonood sana ako ng shooting niyo, pero parang wala naman nangyayare.. Sooo--

She briskly turned around, may pa-sway-sway pa ng hips niya..

Venice: I'll just come back pag may kung anong compromise na kayo.. Maglalandi muna ako somewhere, ok dah-ling?

Papaka-catwalk pa sya kung maglakad, feeling may runway dun sa buhangin -- tapos biglang natalisod.

WAHAHAHAHA XD

Venice: Aray ko!

Wahahahaha

Compromise....

Ako: Hey, Venice! Hold on!

She stopped and turned to face me -- namumula -- probably because she knows I saw her trip..

Venice: I'm ok! Wala kang nakita!

Ako: Ok, I saw nothing.

I jumped up from my seat, and strode to where she was standing.

She's a perfect height..

She's got a good body frame..

*grins*

I grabbed her hand and pulled her papunta dun sa sumisigaw na Mr. Gordon.

Binabaan nya na yung kausap nyang model, wag na raw mag-bother na pumunta dito.

Venice: *bulong* Anong ginagawa natin? O_O

I paused and then umikot para tumingin sa kanya. I grabbed her by the shoulders para hindi mag-wander ung mga mata nya kung saan-saan.

Ako: Venice.. Do you trust me?

Venice: Eh?!?

Ako: Well? Do you trust me?

Venice: *gulp* I do.. but you don't look very trustworthy right now. O_O

Ako: Oh well.. as long as you generally trust me... Now, just follow me and don't say a word.

I wanted to laugh so hard nung nanlaki ung mata nya -- pure terror. Pero, I'm kinda short on time, so I gotta do this first. Hinila ko sya papunta kay Mr. Gordon na nag-uutos na dun sa mga staff kung pano papaganahin yung concept using just one model--which is just impossible kung ako lang ang model or maghanap na sila ng ma-bbribe nilang mag-model right here, right now. Nanlalamig yung kamay ni Venice na hawak ko.

Ako: Sir?

Mr. Gordon: We'll be done in a minute, Jerwin.

Ako: Uh, yea.. May I suggest something?

They all stopped and looked at me. Sa ganitong mga pangyayari, they're open to ideas -- any kind of idea. Nanigas na ung hawak kong kamay.

Ako: I think Venice can take over the female model's place.

Venice: An--?!?

Pinisil ko ung kamay ni Venice.

Ako: What do you think?

Mr. Gordon: Nag-mmodel ba sya?

Ako: She'll be a natural.

Venice: Eh?!? O__O

Ako: Just tell her what you want her to do.

Venice: WHAT?! O_O

Mr. Gordon finally turned his full attention sa'min, tinitignan si Venice from head to foot. Inikutan nya pa si Venice, parang ineexamine thoroughly.

Mr. Gordon: She has a proportioned body. Tamang-tama naman ung height nya.. Maganda ang kutis.. Ngumiti ka nga, iha.

Venice smiled. Medyo pilit, pero okay na rin.

Mr. Gordon: Okay, she'll do! Bea! Nasan ka na ba?! Bea! Ihanap mo ng swimsuit size si Venice dun sa mga kahon sa villa! Paayusan mo na rin! I want something natural and yet sexy. Bilisan nyo! Go Go GO!!

Bago tangayin si Venice nung mga assistants, pinisil pa nya ng isang bone-cracking na pisil ung kamay ko. O_O

Venice: Make sure to remind to kill you after all this.

Ako: Ah.. ha.. ha.. ha.. Yes, darling.

One little Two little Three little Indians..

Four little Five little Six little--

"Hallloooo!!!!"

Napatigil ako sa pagbibilang ko ng mga Indians in the form of big fluffy clouds sa sky nang may dalawang tumalon sa tabi nung artist chair ko.. And lo and behold, gising na si Tweedledee at si Tweedledum, also known as Sheena and Anthony.

Ako: Good morning, guys.

Sheena: San kayo galing kagabi ni Venice~?

Ako: Dyan lang.. Nothing happened, don't worry.

Sheena: Ay, walang nangyari? Ano ba naman yun? Ang boring naman.

She wanted something to happen? -__-

Anthony: San si Venice?

I filled them in with what's happening.. Naaliw sila sa mga sinasabi ko..

Just then, dumating na -- SA WAKAS -- yung dalawang assistants, may mga bitbit na high heeled shoes and sa likod nila.....

O.O

Venice is all suit up for the shoot..

O_O

They put her in a halter bikini with leopard prints and black and gold accents. Gold dangling earrings hang from her ears. Her hair is in natural waves, and she's trying to walk in the black high-heeled shoes they made her wear. She looks like a model.

Sheena: Ay, best friend! Ang landi~ May cleavage ka!

Venice: I know! *turo sa chest niya* Parang lumaki ang future ko!

-___-

Ako: Uh, ahem.

Venice: What?! You've never seen a cleavage before?!

Oh where was the Venice from earlier na papatayin ako dahil pinasok ko sya dito? -__-

Ako: I think you're bipolar

Venice: Ano?!?

Mr. Gordon: Kids! Kids! Kids! Mamaya na kayo maglambingan! Let's get going! We're already behind schedule! And you look wonderful, Venice.

Sheena: Oh, more like, fab-u-lous! ah-mazing! sexay~

I walked in front of the camera -- finally, magsisimula na rin kami, with all the oil na pinahid sa katawan ko, na-pprito na yata ako sa ilalim nung araw kakahintay. Venice stood next to me habang ina-adjust nung mga tao ung lighting, ung camera, at kung anu-ano pa.

Venice: You know... Now that I'm standing here...

Ako: Yeah?

Venice: Sunshine, I don't think I can do this. T^T

Napatingin ako sa kanya. Oh, so that's why her eyes look different. Makapal na nga ung eyeliner, pinuruhan pa ng mascara ung eyelashes niya.

It looks pretty though.. just different.

Ako: You know, you're the one who's really the "star" of this ad.

Venice: Eh?

Ako: Well, more girls shop in Guess, guys rarely go in unless they're with a girlfriend. So, dito sa ad na toh.. I'm just here because I'm hot and I'm famous.

Venice: In other words, props ka lang. -__-

Ako: You can put it that way, though I like my terminology better.. Anyway, all the focus is going to be on you and how you model the swimwear. Look good, and you make the swimwear look good.

Venice: Great. Now I'm even more scared.

Ako: You can do this. Just pretend this is a scene in a play... Mr. Gordon is the director, the camera is the audience..

Venice: And the whole world is a stage..

Ako: Exactly.

She let out a huge sigh. Eto naman, ilang tao lang ba ang makikita nila ang sarili nila na nag-mmodel out of nowhere para sa isang ad na ipapaskil sa mga billboard kung saan-saan? Tapos sya, kulang na lang eh tumakbo pasakay ng bus at umuwi na ng Manila.

Ako: Venice, look at me.

Tumingin naman sya.

Ako: I know you can do this.. Just... Believe me.

She looked straight into my eyes. I tried to look as confident as I can, because I really think she can do this. And if not, they can always reject the photo and just do another shoot. I was gonna tell her this, but then, Venice smile and nodded.

Venice: I believe you.

Ako: Good.

Venice: But really, how can you stand this oil-thing on your body? It feels icky. -__-

Ako: Well, isipin mo na lang, pareho na tayong hito ngayon.

After that, the photoshoot started. It was hard work coz, let's face it, Venice is an amateur. But her pictures turned out better than most amateurs I've worked with.

She listened to directions, she suggested things that might make the photos better, she would try to do whatever it is that Mr. Gordon asked of her: seductive, fun, flirty, aggressive, spaced out...

She would constantly ask me for my opinion on her pose or her expression. She was surprisingly very professional.. kahit na alam kong she'd rather be on the water than doing all this..

She actually did pretty well...

In the end, Mr. Gordon was happy with the results.

Mr. Gordon: We might actually have the perfect picture in this pile. And with the two of you in the ad! This will be huge! People will love this! Have you ever thought of modeling, Venice?

Venice: Eh? -__- Hindi po.. After this, I don't think I ever will..

Bagsak na siya dun sa chair na reserved para sa'kin. Low batt na yata.

Mr. Gordon: That's a shame. Jerwin is right. You're a natural.

Venice: Thank you po.

I think, nasa autopilot na sya ngayon..

She already has her eyes closed as she fans herself..

Pagod na talaga..

Mr. Gordon smiled at me nung na-realize nyang out there na ung brain ni Venice. He turned to the staff to tell them to wrap up. We're finally done.

Ako: Wanna go back to the villa?

Venice: Yeah. But these heels are killing me. I don't think I can walk anymore... -__-

Ako: You want a piggyback ride?

Venice: Ano ba yan? Ang cheap naman. Di ba pwedeng carry me in your arms na lang?? Paka-prince charming effect man lang.

Ako: Hey, it's easier to carry things on my back. Buti nga di kita kinaladkad eh. I'm tired too.

Venice: You do this all the time. You should be used to it by now. Damot.

-___-

I turned around and knelt down so she can put herself on my back. She wrapped her arms loosely around my neck, and I supported her legs so she won't fall off.

"Jerwin! Venice! Smile!"

I felt Venice perk up, and I looked at the photographer, who took a candid shot of Venice and me.

"Great shot!"

After that, Venice rested her head on my shoulder. She's drained. I started walking back to the villa.

Ako: You did a good job.

Venice: Really?

Ako: Yep.

Venice: I'm glad. I tried my best para di ka naman mapahiya.

Ako: *smiles* Thanks.

We quietly went back to the villa, and I gently put Venice on our bed. She held up her leg, and smiled. Di ko alam kung pagod ba o tamad, pero sige na...

Tinanggal ko na ung sapatos niya..

She went under the blankets. I turned the airconditioner a little bit higher and I went to bed as well.