Written On A Canvas

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"M-Mr. Velasquez! Hi!" I could feel my world spinning but I still forced myself to greet the man in front of me. Siguro kung hindi ako tinamaan ng mga ininom ay baka hindi ko na nilingon ang tumawag sa akin pero heto ako ngayon, inaayos ang pagkakatayo sa harap niya.

Kumunot ang noo niya at bahagyang humakbang ng isang beses, handang suportahan ako. "Are you okay? Kaya mo pa bang bumalik doon?" Concern was etched in his voice.

"Nah... I'm good." I was damn sure I'm lazily looking at him because my head was spinning. I sloppily gestured my hands as no.

"Are you sure?" paninigurado niya. "Baka ano pa mangyari sayo. Let me help you."

"No, really—"

"Isaiah!"

Napalingon ako sa tumawag. It was Ogie and he was running towards us. Mabilis niya akong dinaluhan. He cupped my face to see if there's anything wrong with me. He found out that I was just drunk. I saw him face the man in front of us and apologetically smiled.

"Mr. Velasquez," banggit niya sa tonong naabala niya pa ang kaharap. Binitawan niya na rin ako para harapin ng maayos ang lalaki.

But wait... Did I hear him right? Kilala niya siya?

"Engr. de Luna," rinig kong sambit naman ng lalaki sa harap.

Is my head fucking playing with me? Ba't niya kilala ang boyfriend ko? Lasing na ba ako ng sobra na umabot na sa puntong kung anu-ano nalang ang naririnig ko? Fuck. I must have really drank a lot.

"I was just asking him if he was fine," I heard Zibon say. "He was swaying. I thought he's gonna drop at any moment."

"Oh," untag ni Ogie. "I should have just accompanied him. Sabi niya kasi kaya niya na raw, e. Thank you, though, Mr. Velasquez."

"No problem."

"I'm really sorry for inconveniencing you, Mr. Velasquez. It's my fault. I should have gone with my boyfriend."

Dahil sa sobrang pagtataka, tinuro-turo ko silang dalawa. That made the men puzzled as well.

"How did you know each other?" I asked.

"I was one of the engineers of his art gallery," simpleng sagot ni Ogie. Bahagyang kumunot ang noo niya. "Why? Do you know him, love?" tanong niya.

Hindi agad ako nakasagot. Buti nalang at napigilan ko pa ang bibig ko sa kabila ng pagkakalasing. Napatingin ako kay Zibon kasabay ng pagbagsak ng hintuturo ko. Nakaawang ang kanyang bibig, handang sumagot pero naga-alinlangan kung dapat ba siyang magsalita.

"He's..." I trailed off. What should I say? Ogie doesn't know that he's the ex-suitor I told him about. Hindi naman kasi siya nagtanong dahil hindi na raw 'yon nagma-matter. Matagal naman na raw. But news flash, he's in front of us.

Biglang nagsalita si Zibon. "His team is using my gallery as a film location."

Ogie displayed a surprised yet amused expression. "Really?" hindi makapaniwalang turan niya.

"W-Wait," singit ko. Napalingon silang dalawa sa akin ngunit si Ogie lang ang kinausap ko. "How come I didn't know about you being a part of his gallery?"

Nalukot ang noo nito. "I thought I told you about it already? It must have slipped your mind," sabi niya at natawa saglit. "And oo nga pala. May gallery nga palang location. Hindi mo lang sinabi 'yong pangalan kaya hindi ko alam. Nakalimutan mo siguro. I'm glad it was Mr. Velasquez', though. Small world."

Small world, indeed.

"I'm sorry if you're hearing this conversation of ours, Mr. Velasquez. There's just really some things that we fail to tell each other that isn't really that big of a deal. Nasaksihan mo tuloy ang ganoong moment namin," pagpapaumanhin ni Ogie.