Meet me in the golden scenery

09

Kian's pov:

I'm such a try hard trying to stiffen a smile as I stared at her in secrecy. Pano ba kase, itong si Kheanne, pilit na nagpipigil ng galit nang sinabihan siya ni tita na tulungan ko raw siya na ligpitin ang kalat sa kwarto niya.

She is pouting while tita is scolding her for being so harsh to me. I covered my mouth to hide my smile when I remember her trying to push me out of their house earlier. She was such a cry baby. Ganyan niya ba talaga ako ka hate?

"Don't worry, tita, sanay naman po ako sa ugali niyan." I tried to calm tita but it didn't work out when tita gave me a shock look on her face.

"Sanay? So that means na palaging ganto si Kheanne sayo?" Mas lalo pa siyang nagalit at tinignan si Kheanne nang masama.

I avoided Kheanne's eyes because she sure would give me death threats with her glares again.

"Okay fine! I'll let him help me clean my room." She threw her hands on the air. Halatang napipilitan.

***

"Alam mo, ang pasikat mo!" Lutong na sabi niya habang umaakyat kami sa hagdanan. I tried not to smile but I failed once again. She really didn't change, she was still the Kheanne I know back then in elementary.

"O ba't ka tumatawa? You think it's funny?" Muling sabi niya that forced me to erase my smile.

"Hindi ako magtatagal sa kwarto mo, I'll just have a look." I told her very calmly. If I'd add a hint of sassines in my tone then for sure Kheanne would burst into annoyance again. I know her, I know she would.

"Ba't ka pa kasi pumasok dito sa bahay?" Napa-pikit nalang ako sa muling sermon niya sa'kin.

"Do you want me to keep your bag then?" Tanong ko. Nakalimutan niya atang naiwan niya ang bag niya na binit-bit ko kanina kaya pumunta ako sa bahay nila para ibigay.

"You can just give it to me tomorrow in class!"

"Hindi mo nga ako pinapansin, e." I scoffed.

Sa wakas at nakarating na kami sa pintuan ng kwarto niya. Alam kong kwarto niya 'tong nasa harap namin. The door is full of different shades of greens. There's also a painting of veins and leaves across the borders of the door. I know she loves the color. I noticed it first when she got upset when her mom gave me her green bag back then. Nag tantrums pa siya dahil ba't daw binigay sa'kin iyon ni tita, e, favourite niya raw 'yung kulay. A cry baby indeed.

"Hoy, Zaffre, wag mo ngang pagtawanan ang pintuan ko." Tumingin siya sa'kin na nakatagpo ang kilay. I then cleared my throat when I noticed a giggle slipped off remembering her childish acts in the past.

"Buksan mo na nga," Ngumuso ako sa doorknob para mapunta ang pansin niya roon. Hoping she'd finally stop glaring at me. She's been glaring at me ever since we first met.

Binuksan niya na ang pintuan at nauna na rin siyang pumasok. My brows raised in amusement when I saw the condition of her room. Makalat nga, pero hindi madumi. What I'm trying to say is that her room is indeed messy, just what tita said, but what makes it messy is because her floor is flooded with paintbrushes, her walls are filled with different colors of paint, and there are newspapers every corner of her room. Napansin ko ring walang kama ang silid niya.

Pasimple kong tinignan ang silid, nahagip ng mata ko ang malaking canva na nakapatong sa isang kabalyete. Words can't seem to escape my mouth when my eyes laid on the painting. It was a painting of a roadbridge with a scene of a beautiful sunset.

"Did you do this?" Marahan kong sabi habang nakatitig sa canva sa may hindi kalayuan.

"Uhh..yeah.." She respond with awkwardness. "I forgot to clean this morning. Kaya medyo makalat-"

"No-" My head turned to look at her. "I wasn't talking about the mess, I meant this." Bumalik ang tingin ko sa painting.

"Ah! 'yan," She softly chuckled when she finally realized that I was referring to the painting. "oo, ako gumawa niyan. Sa bridge 'yan! I find peace in painting, that's why I paint the things I find peace."

Nang ibinalik ko ang tingin ko sa kaniya, nakita ko siyang nakangiti habang tinitignan din ang painting na iginawa niya. She looked at it with so much love in her eyes. And I cant help but also stare at her in admiration.

"It looks beautiful," A compliment escaped my lips.