Written On A Canvas

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"It's been so long! How are you?" Sheina's voice was so loud as she sat down beside me. I was forced to awkwardly face her and display a flat smile.

"I've been good..." I trailed off. "How about you?"

"Fantastic!" she answered in a hyper way.

Nakatayo lang ang mga kasama niya. Pinasadahan ko naman ng tingin ang mga ito.

Zibon was wearing long sleeves inserted in his pants and wore a black shoes while the other one was, for sure, a woman but in a boy cut wearing a grey shirt, specs, pants, and white shoes.

Nagtama ang mata namin ni Zibon at muli akong napareklamo sa utak ko.

Ang mundo naming dalawa ay paliit ng paliit! Hindi ko alam bakit kung nasaan ako, naroon rin siya. Pero what do I know? The world doesn't revolve around me din naman, e. Nakapagtataka lang talaga.

Bumalik ang tingin ko kay Sheina.

"What are you doing here sa Biliran? Are you back for good?" tanong niya.

I shook my head. "Nagfi-film kami rito kaya... dito lang muna ako for a couple of months."

Namilog ang bibig nito. "Oh em gee! So we're going to see each other more often?"

I don't think so.

"Maybe..." sagot ko nalang. That is if I won't be too busy and still have the time to roam around Biliran. Pero ang goal ko naman sa shooting time na 'to ay huwag masyadong i-overwork ang sarili. We'll have probably a one day break per week para hindi naman kami masyadong babad sa trabaho at nang makapag-explore kami sa isla.

Napapalakpak ito. "Nice!" aniya. Tumingin naman siya sa mga kasama niya. "By the way, I know hindi niyo pa siya kilala pero this is Rocks," pakilala niya at hinigit ang babae. "Short for Roxanne."

Rocks smiled at us. Jaime waved at her. Ako naman ay tinanguanla ng ito at ibinigay ang kamay sa kanya. "Isaiah."

"Nice to meet you, Director Lavidar," tanggap niya sa kamay ko at ishinake ito.

Bahagya naman akong nagulat. When she saw my reaction, she chuckled. "I've seen—I mean, we've seen In Each Hues," sabi niya at tinukoy si Sheina. "She said the director was her good friend from highschool. I was shook that may book version din pala siya."

"It was first a book before it became a movie. But thank you for sparing time for my film," I told her. "How was it?"

"10/10," sabi niya ng nakangisi. That made my forced smile a genuine one.

"It was so good! I was like watching the short film but better!" singit ni Sheina na malaki ang ngiti. Napawi ang nakaguhit sa labi ko nang marinig iyon. Ganoon rin siya kaya nagtaka siya kung may nasabi ba siyang mali o ano.

Zibon spoke. "Let's go, She. Nagkakaubusan na ng pwesto."

Sheina hesitantly stood up, still facing me. "It was so nice to see you again after how many years!" aniya. "Good luck sa film mo!"

I nodded at her. "Thank you," sabi ko lang.

Kumaway lang si Rocks sa akin. Hindi naman alam ni Zibon ang gagawin niya kaya umuna na siyang maglakad at sumunod lang ang dalawa sa kanya. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag nang makaalis na sila kaya naman humarap na ako ulit kay Jaime na naguluhan sa nangyari.

"I did not expect that," he said.

"Do I look like I do?" sambit ko naman. Napailing nalang ako at kumuha na ng mga lutong pagkain.

That indeed was one hell of an unexpected event.

Hindi na rin namin pinag-usapan ni Jaime ang nangyari pagkatapos 'non. Siguro ay alam niyang ayaw kong pag-usapan ang lalaki kanina. Kahit noon ay maingat siya kung magtanong tungkol sa taong iyon. Hindi ko rin naman bini-bring up dahil para saan? Hindi naman na siya importanteng parte sa buhay ko ngayon.