The Artist's Vixen

TAV~Seventeen

The Artist's Vixen

17-Courage

Nagsuot ako ng ripped black jeans, red checkered longsleeves covering three-fourths of my arm, sa ilalim noon ay itim na sleveless shirt. Ilang beses ko pang pinalitan ang mga isusuot ko sa araw na ito dahil hindi ko alam kung anong susuotin ko.

Nilagyan ko ng black eyeliner ang eyelid ko. Kaunting blush lang at natural toned powder lang ang nilagay ko. Napakanatural ng make-up ko, hindi katulad noong sobrang kapal.

Kinuha ko na ang sling bag ko at sinuot na ang sapatos ko. Bago pa ako lumabas ay tiningnan ko ulit ang ayos ko. Napangiti ako at tuluyan ng lumabas.

Nasa living room na si Xenon ng makalabas ako. Nakaupo siya sa sofa at nakayuko. Mabigat ang paghinga niya, may problema ba?

"Xenon?" Tawag ko sa kanya.

He gave me a tired smile when he saw me, after that nawala rin iyon. Lumapit ako sa kanya at naupo sa armrest ng sofang inuupuan niya.

"May problema ba?" I asked him, my hand on his back.

He sighed then leaned his back. "Lin's mother wants to file a case."

Well, I agree. Yun naman talaga ang dapat ang gawin nila dahil may nasaktan sa ginawa ng babaeng iyon. She should have some decency. I shrugged. "What's wrong with that? Hindi ba't ganoon naman dapat ang gawin nila?"

Tiningnan ako ni Xenon. It was a worried look. Ano ang inaalala niya?

"Why are you even worried, Xenon?" I asked.

He sighed again and stood up. Inabot niya ang kamay ko at ngumiti. "Nothing. I was just awed by how you think. Come on."

Imbes na mabahala ay kinilig ako sa sinabi niya. It was official. We have a label. That night when he told me about the confession, I can't help but to fall for him harder.

It was a spur of the moment and it even got me out of the topic about him asking how was my life. Nagpapasalamat ako doon, I think its better to keep it shut because I know he'll end up hating me for running away and leaving my Dad for marrying my godmother.

Pumunta kami sa mall at naisipang manood ng sine. Bumili siya ng ticket habang ako ay bumili ng popcorn na kakainin namin.

Nagkita kami sa entrance ng movieworld. I was grinning like a cheshire as I approached him. Nakapamulsa siya at kinuha niya iyon ng makita ako. Ngumisi siya at pinakita sa akin ang ticket.

"Is it okay if we watch this?" He asked me.
Strong Woman was the title of the movie. Ngumiti ako. The title looks interesting kaya tumango ako at pumasok na kami sa loob.

The movie was all about a young and rebellious girl who ended up falling for a soldier. Kung paano siya iturn down ng sundalong iyon at kung paano naging matatag ang loob niya para bigyang pansin siya nito. In the middle of the movie, nagkagusto na rin ang sundalo sa kanya but in the twisted turn of events, the soldier has a war to fight on and needs to leave the girl. It was tough. She needs to tame herself to be considerate because she fell inlove with a man whose heart is entirely for the country he's serving. In the end, the soldier died and the girl was left heartbroken.

"Well that was a cliche kind of movie." Xenon commented.

"Cliche? Paano mo naman nasabi iyon?" I asked him.

"Well, the girl should know that the man he fell for was not an ordinary one. Iiwan at iiwan pa rin siya ng lalaki. She should accept death right after the guy said he has a war to fight on." He explained.

"Wait, wait." I chuckled. "So you're saying that she can't hope for the soldier to survive?" Pag-uulit ko sa sinabi niya.

"Yes. Whether she likes it or not, the soldier has his duties as one and he needs to follow orders or else he won't die for the country he is serving instead he'll die for not following such orders." He sternly said.

I scowled at him. "You don't know how girls think, Xenon."

"How could I, am I one? No. So tell me, if I was a soldier would you love and wait for me? Hmm?" He challenged.

My lips twitched. I looked at him and smiled. "Yes. Because that is what love is. Its patient and considerate. It always give hope to everyone. When you love a person, you'll ended up hoping for him to come back."

"Like you did for me?" He trailed and raised his brow. He was acting all cutesy as he smile.

I love this side of Xenon. I know that its the true side of him. Nang makita ko ang litrato nila ng mga magulang niya sa kwarto niya ay nahumaling ako sa ngiting bigay niya doon. It gave me an ease feeling that time that Xenon can smile purely with happy thoughts.

"Don't flatter yourself too much, Xenon." I faked a scowl.

Humalakhak lang siya.

Kumain kami ng dinner sa isang japanese restaurant. I didn't argue since he said he was paying. Libre naman kaya go nalang ako. Next time, ako nanaman ulit.

When I ran away from home I started loving free stuffs. Yung mga ililibre ako at mga libreng mga bagay ay ikinatutuwa ko na iyon. Before I used to be the one giving the free stuffs. I guess, the sense of living changes a person.

Nag-order si Xenon ng dalawang set course. Pagkatapos noon ay umalis na ang waiter para asikasuhin ang inorder namin.
I was about to open a topic when my phone pinged. Pinindot ko ang un/lock button para mabuksan ang cellphone ko. It took ne five minutes to unlock it since, mahirap naman talagang buksan ito dahilan nga na matagal ko na itong ginagamit.

Nanotice kong nakatingin sa akin si Xenon. I nervously laughed. Nakakahiya!

Tiningnan ko ang nagtxt at si Celine iyon. Its been a long time since she last texted me and that was the week after I stayed at Xenon's place, pagkatapos noon ay wala na akong balita sa kanya. Last news, I heard from her is that was that she was dating a rich and old man.

Celine:

Veena, tulong!

Kumunot ang noo ko. Normally, if Celine needs help or if she's in an emergency tatawag siya hindi magtetext.

Maybe she's doing pranks again just like before. She does it for fun and I hate it. Kaya imbes na tumipa ng reply sa kanya ay nilagay ko ang phone sa bag ko.

"Who was that?" Tanong niya.

Umiling ako. "Kaibigan ko lang. Nangangamusta." I lied and I didn't even know why I did.

He just shrugged.

Dumating na ang pagkain namin at nagsimula na kaming kumain. It took us an hour to finish our food. Sobrang dami at busog na busog ako. I love spicy food, I adore it.

Pagkatapos naming maghapunan ay pumunta kami sa isang park na may dancing fountain. It was colorful because of the lights corporating the water's movements.

Umupo kami sa isang bench at pinagmasdan lang ang palabas ng fountain. I can't stop smiling. This day is my first date. Wala akong naging boyfriend eversince. Hindi ako ganoon ka atat magkaboyfriend noong high school. Infatuated masyado kay Xenon kaya Xenon would be my first boyfriend.

"You know, I asked this a million times but you seem to have your way of getting it out of our topic." He started.

Napalunok ako. I know what he meant. Can I say it? Can I tell him how I turned into a disgraceful daughter? Napayuko ako.

"I'll be waiting for it until you have the courage to say it to me intentionally." Napatingin ako sa kanya. His eyes caught my stare. It locked. Something inside my stomach was fluttering and it tickled.

I smiled back and gave him a kiss on his lips.

God. I love this man.