Art of Love

Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

The Shopping Spree

Dressed up in an old faded skinny denim jeans with a few shredded holes in front, an old round neck loose cream cashmere jumpers, and an old white canvas rubber shoes, she just looked very simple yet very sexy. Her hair was on a slightly loose ponytail. She was with her canvas pouch with artistic smears of paints.

He was also dressed up casually. A designer white collared short sleeved three-buttoned front shirt, khaki cargo shorts and brown leather sandals. He also wore a pair of designer black sunglasses.

They rode the speedboat and reached Folli Yacht Club by lunch time. They ate lunch just the two of them.

When Manolo and Tatay Solomon went back, they rode a black town car. Tatay Solomon handed him a brown designer sunglasses with white frame and cash amounting to two thousand pesos. He gave it to her.

"The cash is for your school fees and the pair of sunglasses is when we hit Victoria Mall. I don't want people to recognize me or us. I hope you understand," he said.

"I perfectly understand," she replied.

She had let her hair fall freely and put on the sunglasses at the top of her head.

He liked the change. She had looked like a super model in casual clothes.

They stopped first by her campus. She paid the fees. It only took her thirty minutes to finish the task. She went back to the car which was opened for her by Manolo who was outside surveying the surroundings.

They went next to Victoria Mall – Angelo City. He already knew the floor plan of the mall. It was also sent to him that morning.

As they were about to enter the front entrance of the mall, he saw a tarpaulin of a local play to be shown in Angelo Cultural Center that night. It was a fund-raising activity for the natives of the province. It was usually being attended by rich people.

He gave some instructions to Tatay Solomon. Manolo then put the black leather mail carrier bag on his left shoulder. Manolo usually carried a small hand gun for security purposes but that time he had to leave it at the car.  

Pia had already entered the mall, she was wearing the sunglasses on her eyes already. She was surprised when Jed grabbed her left hand by his right hand. They went first to the art store.

She took the liberty of choosing the materials she needed for the painting as he released her hand when they entered the shop. Jed also looked around.

She was about to proceed to the cashier when  he stopped her.

Jed asked her, "That's all?"

She replied, "Yes."

Manolo approached them with a push cart.

Jed ordered her, "Buy water colors and oil-based colors too and some other stuff you'll need in drawing, painting and photography. Sure you need new sets of paint brushes, supplies of sketchbooks and a lot more."

She refused "But..."

But he looked at her with authority. She could see his eyes even with his sunglasses covering his eyes. "Make the most out of it while it last, Pia. It's not every day that you got to meet me. Take all the possible things you'll need for your last semester. I don't want any refusal. Got it?"

She just agreed, "Okay."

Just as she was getting some supplies, he was quadrupling all of them.