My Adamant Elara

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Smile

Pagdating ko ay dumeritso ako sa higaan ko. Felix's beautiful face plaster in my mind. Shit! Ang ganda niya talaga! Mas mukhang babae pa nga siya kaysa sa akin. I'd like to thank him for what he did last time. But unfortunately, I think he had a bad blood on me.

After I said his name earlier, he ignored me as if I'm not there. I felt hurt dahil sa ginawa niyang pag-ignore sa akin.

I shook my head to get it off my mind. I should be better going downstairs to eat and forget about it.

Next day...

Sabado ngayon kaya matagal akong gumising. 10 am na at ngayon pa ako nagising. Dumeritso ako sa bathroom para maligo.

My plan for today is to rest and maybe do  my hobby. Pagkatapos kong maligo, blowered my hair, nagbihis ako. I wear a white tie shoulder with ruched bust cami romper. I only did light make up with loose powder, lip gloss and blush kasi sa garden lang naman ako pupunta.  Lumabas ako dala ang mga gagamitin ko sa pagpinta.

Yes, mahilig akong magpinta. When I was young, whenever summertime, I went to Italy to enhance my skills and also to enjoy the beauty of the paitings in museum and ar gallery. I stop doing this when I was in Grade 10 because I got busy with my studies.

Let's see if I still have the  da Vinci's hand.

Habang naglalakad ako ay papuntang hagdanan ay may papaakyat sa hagdanan. I know that face. I paused while looking at him walking up here.

Pagdating niya sa floor na ito, hindi niya ako napansin dahil nasa cellphone nakatuon ang tingin niya. It's my first time seeing him in a casual attire, he looks a little manly that way. He wears a light green satin deep v-cut loose long sleeve shirt, black trousers, and he ties his hair.

He is otherworldy handsome!

When he raise his face to see the way, he saw me. Napahinto siya sa ginagawa niya. He look at me as if he's aking 'what?'

Ako ang unang nag basag ng katahimikan. I smile at him and said, "Hi Felix."

He nodded at ibinalik niya ang tingin niya sa cellphone niya.

This is my chance to talk to him!

I block his way, he take aback. Ngumiti ako sa kanya ng pagkatamis-tamis. "I forgot to thank you about last time. Thank you for what you did, hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko that time. Maraming salamat."

He only look at me blankly. "Yeah." Dinaanan niya lang ako.

Yeah? Yun lang?

I walk fast to keep on his pace. I maintain my smile. "Bakit ka nandito?"

"Group study." He answered without looking at me.

"Saan ka papunta?"

"Your sister's room."

"Bakit ang cold mo sa akin?"

"Because I see Tobias on you."

I paused on my footsteps. Hindi niya ako pinapansin dahil... dahil nakikita niya si kuya sa akin?

I think he realize what he said because he also stop. Nasa unahan ko siya kaya tumalikod siya upang makita ang reaksyon ko.

Lumapit siya sa akin at pinunasan ang luha ko. I felt his warm hands gently wipes off my tear. I didn't notice my tears slip.

He looks at me worriedly. "I--I di--" His hand stop in mid-air as I step away from him.

I wipe the remaining tears and I force myself to smile at him. "Oh sorry. Hahaha! I didn't know why my tears fall. You should better go, my sister is an impatient woman." Nagmamadali akong tumakbo papalayo sa kanya.

I don't want to see me like this again. I now know why he doesn't want to talk to me and now, he will never see me ever again. I understand his feelings, that is also what I feel whenever I see the things that remind me of those traitors.

I heard him saying 'wait' but I did not look back. What's there to say rin naman.

I composed myself so that nobpdy would've notice my sudden change of behavior.Pagbaba ko ay tinawag ko si manang Tessie na dalhin niya ang  almusal slash pananghalian ko sa garden. Dumeritso ako sa garden. I sit down on the trimmed grass under the Talisay tree.

Bakit ba kasi tumulo ang luha ko? This tears of mine is gonna kill me!

I calmed myself and look at the surrounding. Tumayo ako at naglakad-lakad sa garden.

Iniwan ko ang mga gamit ko ilalim ng puno. I am looking for a subject to paint. Our garden are full of different flowers.

Ang sabi sa akin ni Manang Milda, ang mga bulaklak na iyon ay galing sa mga bulaklak na binibigay ni papa kay mama. Sabi niya, kumukuha si mama ng tatlong stem ng bulaklak sa bouquet na binibigay ni papa at ibinigay ito sa hardenero para itanim. This flowers represents the love my parents have for each other.

Hindi ko natapos ang pag-ikot-ikot nang dumating si Manang Tessie dala ang pagkain ko. Kumain muna ako sa pavillion dahil may upuan at mesa rito. Manang Tessie sits infront of me, I eat while talking to her. Manang Tessie is a very talkative woman, hindi siya nauubusan ng kwento and I love her that way. After I eat, she took the dishes with her when she leave. Kinuha ko ang wooden easel and a plastic chair na nandito lang sa pavillion at dinala ito sa pinwestuhan ko kanina.

I started to arrange my things. What should I paint? I stare at a blank canva then I close my eyes. I usually paint the thing who first came up in my mind. And I see...

"Felix." I open my eyes only to see Felix in front of me. Wait, Felix?!

Humihingal siyang nakatingin sa akin na parang galing siya sa marathon. Why is he here?

"I-I'm... I'm sorry." He sincerely apologize. Why is he apologizing? "I'm sorry for being insensitive."

I gaze at him confused but I still smiled sweetly at him. "Why are you apologizing? Wala naman tayong pinag-awayan."

He looks at me worriedly. "Your smile, why is it so sad?"

For a second, my smile falter but I compose myself,  remained unmoved. Nobody,  notice my real feelings with my mask, my sweet smile. But he... he notice it instantly. How could he even differentiate my smile when my smile are all the same?

"What do you mean? There's nothing wrong with my smile." I convince him.

"Why are you still smiling? Eventhough you're not happy?" I was taken aback with his sentence.

Ano ba ang alam niya sa nararamdaman ko, he doesn't know everything!

"You should better be going. My sister might be looking for you." Hindi na ako tumingin sa kanya. Kinuha ko ang mixing tray palette ko at nilagay ang mga kulay na gagamitin ko.

Magpipinta na sana ako nang may biglang nagsalita sa gilid ko. "What are you gonna paint?" Napatingin ako sa gilid ko only to see Felix's face is dangerously closer to me. I almost kiss his cheek!

*Badump*

*Badump*

When he tilt his face to look at me, I immediately look at the blank canva. Bakit hindi siya  "I--It's none of your business. B--Baka hinahanap ka na nila." Bakit ako nauutal?

He stand up and leaves. I heave a sigh of relief. Finally, I can draw quietly.

I took a brush then rub it on a black acrylic paint on the palette as my background. When I supposed to brush the my blank canva with paint,  when I see him walking towards me holding a plastic chair. He put down the chair infront of me then sat down.

He lean on the backrest, crossed his legs and arms, then he playfully smile at me.

Sheyt! Bakit mas nagmumukha siyang lalaki sa mata ko?!

"Paint me."