Steal Your Heart

Chapter 27.2: Idiot

AXEL

"Oh my gosh! Kuya Leon, is that really Ate Addie!?" hindi pa rin makapaniwalang tanong ni Kailyn. Sabay naming sinundan ng tingin sina Ethos at Addie nang bumaba sila sa stage para makisalamuha sa mga guests.

"Well, your eyes are not betraying you. It's really her," rinig kong sagot ni Kuya Leon. Sabay silang napatingin sa akin nang mabasag ang champagne flute sa kamay ko.

"Kuya Axel!"

Napasinghap ang bunso kong kapatid at agad siyang lumapit sa akin para daluhan ang sugat ko. May lumapit pang isang waiter sa amin para maglinis at apologetic naman akong tumingin sa kanya pati na rin sa ibang guests.

"Axel!" tawag sa akin ni Mommy nang lumapit sila ni Daddy. Halatang pareho silang nag-a-alala pero umiling lang ako.

"I'm okay," I assured them. Muling lumapit ang isang waiter na may dalang first aid pero agad akong tumanggi. Itinaas ko ang kanang kamay kong may balot ng puting panyo na kakatapos lang ayusin ni Kailyn. "This is okay. Thank you."

"I'll just check out the photographs and art pieces," paalam ko.

Naglakad ako palayo sa crowd at sumunod sa akin sina Julian, Dane, Stefan at Kevin. Pansamantala silang nagpaalam kina Zia, Mary, Rheigne at Michelle kahit na ipinagtutulakan ko na sila pabalik sa pwesto namin.

"I'm fine. Leave me alone and go back to your dates," utos ko pero inakbayan lang ako ni Dane.

"Dude, kaibigan ka namin. We care about you," sabi niya pa habang tinatapik-tapik ang balikat ko. "We care about you and the pieces that you might destroy tonight."

"Gago. That was an accident. Firm grip," depensa ko at sabay-sabay silang tumawa. Assholes.

"Firm grip my ass," nakatawang sabi naman ni Stefan. "You're shaken, aren't you? You did not expect the turn of events."

"Well, it's their life. I don't care," sagot ko at muli akong kumuha ng champagne sa tray na dala ng waiter.

"Well, your wounded hand is telling us otherwise," seryosong sabi ni Julian habang nakatingin sa isang picture sa harap namin. It was taken by Ethos, of course. "This is her, right? Her eyes look sad," dagdag niya habang binabasa ko ang gold-plated na caption sa gilid ng picture.

Struggling a smile despite your brokenness is not a sign of weakness.
It is what makes one beautiful.
photography by Ethos Sandoval

"I thought he only takes pictures? When did that guy become a freakin' poet?" natatawang sabi ni Stefan habang nasa kabilang picture siya at binabasa ang caption.

"It's called A Series of Addie," sabi naman ni Julian habang pinagmamasdan namin ang dalawa pang kasunod na pictures. "Oh, it was taken every year in the same location. Her eyes are finally smiling here in the last picture. It was taken last month."

"Three years na silang magkakilala?" kunot-noong tanong ni Kevin habang nakahinto kami sa harap ng huling picture sa series. There were only three pictures in the series and there is also an explanation provided in the last picture.

'A Series of Addie'
photography by Ethos Sandoval

I would always ask my clients to smile for the camera. Yet, with you, it felt different. The urgency subsides, teaching me when and how to be patient. And when I saw your smile, I finally understood why beautiful things take time.

"He made her smile again," bulong ko sa sarili ko. "What a lucky son of a bitch."

"Yo, yo! Easy!" saway sa akin ni Dane at hinawakan niya ang kamao kong nakakuyom. "This is gonna be a long night for you, man. Calm down."