#war4wp
Chapter 8
Hollow
I place my chin on my palm as I watch Boaz smile while he continues talking about his family–which I surprisingly don't find boring. I keep watching him pursing his lips every time he pauses and continues talking.
I know I said I'm going to go home after I finish my drink but I ended up getting lost and entertained by his mannerisms. Hindi ko magawang umalis lalo na't ang dami niyang ikinukwento.
"Ikaw?" he asks me.
Who will believe me if I say Boaz talks this much to me when he acted cold to me before? I guess he came to the conclusion that I am just the way I am and I wasn't being serious when I made advances on him.
That's fine. I'll let him believe what he wants to believe for now and clear things up when he finally feels a lot more comfortable.
He'll realize I'm serious sooner or later.
"My dad used to paint before. But he hated my grandfather and dropped everything about painting then drowned himself in corporate work instead. He almost never come home," kaswal na kwento ko.
My father barely goes home–which is one of the main reasons why his already deteriorating relationship with my mother turned even colder. A marriage not bound by love tends to go that path anyway, so it was nothing out of what I expected.
"Because the house feels empty, most of the time, I sleep at my grandfather's house."
Tumango-tango si Boaz. I watch him sink what I said in.
Sinubukan kong tingnan kung makakaramdam ba siya ng awa para sa 'kin pero wala namang gano'n sa ekspresyon niya. He's taking it in like it's normal to have an almost broken family. No judgment. He's just listening.
And I like that.
He's not nosy or judging. He's comfortable and he makes me feel that I can trust him with anything.
Kaya siguro marami rin siyang kaibigan–although all are boys. Bigla ko tuloy naalala ang ikinwento ni Rolan tungkol sa masamang experience ni Boaz sa mga babae.
I wonder what experiences those are. Ex-girlfriends? But he said he hasn't been in a relationship yet. Niligawan, oo.
He got rejected.
"May naiisip ka na bang tema para sa susunod na shoot?" tanong ko.
Umiling si Boaz. "Marami nang nakalatag na idea pero hindi pa ako nakakapili."
"Why don't we shoot at my grandfather's house? I like his studio the most. It's my favorite place."
"Papayag ba ang lolo mo?"
"Of course." I shrug.
Lolo doesn't care about that room anymore. He lost interest in maintaining his studio, just like how he lost interest in painting.
I know he would love it too when he learns I have a newfound friend.
Tumango si Boaz. "Sige. Hindi ko na muna isasama sina Rolan at Bria. Nakakahiya sa lolo mo kung marami kaming makikigulo." Nahihiya niyang hinawakan ang batok.
I lean toward him and I smirk when he gets startled by it.
"Or you just want it to be just us two?" I tease.
His cheeks immediately turn red and he shakes his head.
He laughs. "Gusto mo talagang inaasar ako." Umiwas siya ng tingin at iniba kaagad ang usapan. "Kailan ka pwede? Ipapaalam mo na muna ba sa lolo mo?"
