Niki propped her phone on the vase of the counter. She checked the angle of the camera. Inayos niya ang sarili. She put on a little bit of makeup, but it was not captured on camera. Medyo simple ang dating niya. Natural. It was exactly what she wanted to achieve.
The lighting in the kitchen, though... It was atrocious. The yellowish light didn't do her skin any favor. Mas maganda sana kung natural light ang gagamitin niya, pero malayo ang bintana sa kusina.
Niki picked up her phone and tried to place it someplace else. Sa mas mataas na lugar, sa lalagyanan ng mga plato, sa itaas ng ref... As she was fixing the phone's position on top of the fridge, she saw Andy on the frame. Kunot noo itong lumapit sa camera.
"What are you doing?"
"Trying to find a good angle."
"Para...?"
She let out a sigh and took the phone from the top of the fridge. Hinarap niya ang kaibigan. "I'm starting a vlog."
Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ni Andy. "What?"
"Naisip ko kasi... since kumikita yung mga content creator sa vlogs and videos nila, susubukan ko ring gawin yun habang wala pa akong work. If it doesn't work out, then okay. Try lang naman. Kung makahanap ako agad ng work, then it's okay if it doesn't work out. If it does work out, I'd have more time to do other things while I earn money through my videos. It's a win-win-win situation."
Andy crossed his arms against his chest and raised his eyebrow. "And you think you're charming enough in front of the camera?"
"I am," sagot niya.
Andy laughed in her face. "You sure about that?"
Ngumuso siya. Sa kanilang dalawa, mas may charm si Andy. He is the extroverted golden retriever while she is the introverted black cat. Halos lahat ng naging mutual friends nila, recruit ni Andy. Nagustuhan naman siya ng mga ito nang tumagal, but they would never have the chance to like her if not for him.
Maybe she would get more views if she got Andy in front of the camera? Niki quickly shook the idea out of her head. Content channel niya iyon. Dapat siya ang nakaharap sa camera. She didn't even have to get in front of the camera, she just had to make a content. Marami naman siyang nakita online na puro kamay at pans lang ang kita sa video.
Speaking of which... she went back to the kitchen counter and looked underneath the overhead cupboards. Kalahati lang ng counter ang covered noon kaya kapag doon niya inilagay ang phone niya, kalahati lang din ng pan ang kita. And if she put the phone in front of the stove, baka masira pa iyon. Wala pa siyang pambili ng bago.
Niki grunted. She put the phone against the tissue holder again. Mukhang doon na nga ang pinakamaayos na anggulo na hindi niya kailangang ayusin maya't maya. She opened the camera and checked the angle again. Nakiusyoso uli si Andy.
"What are you even going to make?" he asked.
"Dunno," she replied with a shrug. "Maybe I'll finally learn how to cook."
–
Nakasandal lamang si Andy sa doorway ng kwarto niya habang pinanunuod si Niki na kausapin ang sarili nito sa harap ng camera. Between the two of them, si Niki ang awkward at medyo anti-social. He basically ushered her in every friend group he has. Noong high school, palagi itong narrator at siya ang main character. To put it simply, Niki has no main character energy.
She had been grunting and sighing constantly. Malapit nang maubos ang pasensya at hangin nito sa katawan.
"Maybe you should just take videos of Pon," he suggested. "Tutal puro pictures na rin naman ni Ponkan ang nasa cellphone mo."
BINABASA MO ANG
Niki and Andy
عاطفيةNiki and Andy have been friends since high school. Punong-puno ng kontrobersya ang pagkakaibigan nilang dalawa. Their other friends used to tease them a lot in high school, certain that they were just hiding their true feelings for each other throug...
