Academy Stripper

VIII

DARK POV

I was astounded when I saw her in here. I didn't know she's studying in our school. I still remember that day I first saw her. The fear in her is still visible.

"Pare, okay ka lang?" tanong ni Bleau ng lumapit ito sa akin. Hindi ko siya sinagot at nakapokus lamang ang titig sa babaeng paalis hanggang sa maglaho siya sa paningin ko.

"Hoy! Okay ka lang ba?" tanong niya ulit sabay yugyog sa balikat ko at napatingin din sa direksyon na tinitignan ko.

"Wh-what?" nauutal na tanong ko at medyo lutang ako.

"Watawat!" pamimilosopo ni Bleau saka ako binatukan. Tinignan ko siya ng masama. "Kanina pa kita tinatanong, tulala ka na naman. Okay ka lang ba? At saka sino 'yon?" wika at tanong nito sa akin.

"A-ah oo naman...mukha ba akong hindi okay?" palusot ko.

"Oo, tanga!" sarkastikong saad nito. "Sino ba kasi 'yon? Ang ganda niya ah," dagdag pa nito.

"Hindi mo na kailangan malaman kong sino 'yon. Masyado siyang mahiwaga para kilalanin mo," sabi ko saka ngumisi at naglakad papunta kila Grae, Red at Cyan.

"Dark, you know that girl?" nagtatakang tanong ni Grae at nakakunot noo pa ito.

"Yeah, I know her. I already met her before," I responded.

"Seriously!? She's a prostitute!" My mood changed when Grae said those words.

"Stop calling her like that, you know nothing," mahinahong wika ko. I just kept myself calm, I don't want to start an argument with Grae.

"That girl slap--" Naputol ang sasabihin nito ng mapansin niyang umalis si Ivory. Grae was obsessively in love with her. He did everything to bring her back but he always failed. Yet, he still fight despite of the unending rejections. That's how in love he is with her.

Actually, naawa na rin kami minsan sa kaibigan naming ito. He was blinded by one sided love. Siya na lang itong nagmamahal ng mag-isa. Siya na lang itong kumakapit pero hindi pa rin siya sumusuko.

"Ivory!" sigaw nito pero hindi ito pinansin ni Ivory.

Lumapit si Red sa kanya. He tapped Grae's shoulder to comfort him.

"Come on, bro. Let's go." Grae looked at him hopelessly.

"Ang lakas talaga ng tama mo sa kanya, ano?" Cyan interrupted.

"I already told you love is painful. Sa una lang talaga ang saya, sa huli it will just consumed you until it turn to misery. I've already warned you...love is addicted," wika ni Red. Among us, Red is always the one who give us advice when it comes to love. Hindi namin alam kung saan siya humugot, sa pagkakaalam naman namin wala siyang naging girlfriend before. Well, we always have that one friend.

Hindi umimik si Grae, tanging lungkot lang ang makikita mo rito. Simula no'ng nagbreak sila ni Ivory 'di na namin siya nakikitang ngumiti kahit pa anong biro namin hindi tumatalab. His once colorful well-being lost its color because of loving too much.

"Ito na naman tayo e'! Ayan kasi hindi nakikinig kay Master Red," pabirong sambit ni Bleau.

"Basta ako 'di ako nagkulang ng paalala sa inyo," Red warned. Hinalikan ni Bleau at Cyan si Red sa ulo ng sabay.

"Marry me, Master Red!"

"Akin siya! Lumayo ka!"

Biruan ng dalawa kaya natawa na lang kami ni Red sa kalokohan ng dalawang ito. Sa lahat kami, silang dalawa ang literal na abnormal.

"Tara na nga!" Pag-aya ni Bleau sa amin. Inakbayan ko si Grae. We know what he's been through right now, even though he's silent with his pain, as his best friends we can feel it. We won't let him feel that he's alone.

GRAE'S POV

Narito kami ngayon sa office ng Org. Since wala naman gagawin ngayong first day, dito na muna kami tumambay. Lahat ng estudyante may kanya-kanyang ginagawa, inienjoy ang araw na ito.

I'm just observing Dark, stroking a paint brush on a canvas. He made a painting of a woman with flowers all over its body. All of us take up Fine Arts. Aside from being fond into arts, we want to paint someone's life with meaningful stories through our works. As an artist we always believe that art is the only magic that exists.

My eyes were glued on it but my mind is still thinking about Ivory. I still can't believe that we turn out like this. We slowly became one of those couples who turns stranger with memories.

"Bleau tignan mo 'tong gawa ko." Nabaling ang tingin ko kay Bleau at Cyan. Ipinakita ni Bleau ang canvas niya kay Cyan.

"Ang angas naman nyan bro!" They exchange hands. Pinakita rin niya ito sa amin. It was a Gouache eye painting.

"Pero walang wala 'yan sa gawa ko," pagmamayabang na saad ni Bleau.

Napuno ng halakhakan ang office nang ipakita niya ito.

"Gago ka talaga!" mura ni Cyan sa kanya saka winisikan ng pintura ang mukha nito.

"Bleau, lakas ng sira mo!" sambit ni Red.

"Change that before someone might see us," saad naman ni Dark.

"Ayoko!" nagtatawang saad nito.

Sa 'di ko inaasahang pagkakataon namuo ang mga ngiti sa labi dahil kalokohan niya. Paano ba naman kasi nagpintura lang naman siya ng t*te. Medyo realistic pa.

Nagsimula silang apat na magsabuyan ng pintura sa mukha.

"Guys, nakangiti na ulit si Grae!" Cyan shouted happily. Naging seryoso naman muli ang mukha ko

"Binyagan na 'yan!"  Nilapitan nila ako para lagyan ng pintura sa mukha ngunit bago pa sila makapunta sa pwesto ko ay naiwasan ko sila. Naghabulan kami rito sa loob.

Well it doesn't matter if this room ended up a mess. It was our Org's property. It was an old room before and is already abandoned kaya kinuha na namin, sayang naman.

Habang naghahabulan kami ay bigla na lamang bumukas ang pinto kaya napahinto kaming lahat at sabay na napatingin sa pumasok.

Tila huminto ang oras at nanlaki ang mga mata nito habang nakatitig sa isang direksyon. Napatingin din kami sa direksyon na tinitignan niya.

She was looking at  Bleau's right hand while holding a canvas with a painting of a d*ck. Our eyes also widened when we realize that the woman who saw it is the Owner of the Academy.