Photos And Canvases

14

3:55pm

'Ok. What's wrong?' he ask as she busy herself from arranging the paints in her living room.

'Ha?'  she answers back not looking at him.

'Kanina pang nakaalis yung parents mo. Kanina mo pa rin ako hindi kinikibo. Ano? May ginawa ba ako? May nasabi ba ako?'

'Wala!'

'Eto na naman tayo Ali--'

'Ok. Ok!! May sinabi ka. May sinabi kang hindi mo dapat sinabi.' she faced him. Her face shows anger and fear.

'Ano?'

'Kasal. Marriage. Whatever!! We don't talk about it Zach. Were not--'

'Were not going there??'

Hindi ko na naman sya maintindihan. God Ali!!

'Not--'

'Ali,i understand. Kung ayaw mo kong pakasalan in the future fine. Pero wag mo kong pigilan sabihin ang nararamdaman at gusto kong gawin. Because every fuc*in day I pray you'll end up with me. At hindi ako magso-sorry that I am being true to myself.'

'Zach naman e!'

'Ali. I remember we agreed gagawin mo ang gusto mo,gagawin ko ang gusto ko. It's just that this past few days naging sensitive tayo sa feelings ng isa't-isa. We care even more. Pero still no pressure and no demands pa rin tayo. So,kung pakiramdam ko ikaw na talaga ang para saken,ipagdadasal at ipagdadasal ko yun. Wag kang ma-pressure to feel it back. Naiintindihan ko. At kung dumating ang araw na talagang wala,maiintindihan ko Ali. Maiintindihan ko.'

'Tigas ng ulo!! Nakakainis.' binato sya nito ng paint brush. Mabilis na naitaas ni Zach ang braso nya,so dito ito tumama.

'Masakit yun ah.'

'Nakakainis ka!'

'Ang cute mo lalo pag ka ganyan ka. Haha. Come here baby.' he carried her back to the bedroom.

They were on the bed. Zach,snuggling against her hair.

'Baby?'

'Hmm?' her hands at his back inside his shirt.

'Ano oras ulit yung exhibit na pupuntahan natin?'

'8 pm.' she answers as she manages to take his shirt off.

'Good! We still have time.' he bites in her shoulder. His hands travelling down her thighs.

Ali helped him takes her clothing. He in return,turns to his side and takes off what he still has.

I'll never get used touching,holding and kissing you baby. Mine.

He lowered her kisses. Just as he about to savor her center,she moans with anticipation.

Ugh!! God Zach. Please.

Zach dove in inside her. Her nails rake at his backside as she matches his every move.

With heavy breath. Hands entwined. There body combust. And again they become one.

***

'Faye?'

'I just called to check on you. Ready ka na ba?'

Geezz! 5:00pm pa lang. Ready na ba ako?

'Oo. Ready na!'

Ready na ako kahit andito pa ako sa kama katabi ang gwapo at nakakainis na lalaking to.

'Ok. Medyo busy lang ako dito sa venue. Ill see you later.'

'See you!'

Ali,put her head against Zach's chest again.

'Hmm? Ok ka lang?'

Parang nakaka-kaba pa rin. Ang tagal ko din kasing hindi ginawa to. Ready na ba talaga ako?

'Oo. Pasensya na. Clingy lang talaga yung bestfriend ko.'

'Sya yung pinsan ng ex mo diba? Andun ba sya?'

Hindi kaya gusto lang akong isama ni Ali kasi andun yung ex nya?

'Wala. Sabi ni Faye nasa Newyork daw.'

'Bakit andun?'

'Aba malay ko dun!'

Testing lang baby kung alam mo.

He still doesn't know anything. He just knew they were going to attend an exhibit of Ali's friend.

Her parents on the other hand knew it. Nung ibinalita ni Ali dito ang mangyayari sobrang excited sila. Napasugod tuloy sila ng napaka-aga para makapanigurado. They even knew what is/who is with her paintings.

Huminga si Ali ng malalim.

Totoo ba talaga to? Am i doing an exhibit again? Last time I did an exhibit, I was still with Kaizer. Ang aking number one supporter next to my parents. Naaalala ko pa kung gano sya ka proud saken nun. I sold all my paintings ng walang kahirap-hirap. Nag deal pa kami nun na kapag maganda ang sales ng paintings ko,isasama namin sa honeymoon vacay namin ang pagpunta sa Japan. But after a month, sa halip ba lumipad kami for our honeymoon. I flew alone. Mukhang tanga akong nakikipag-honeymoon sa sarili ko.

'Baby?' ramdam na ramdam ni Zach ang panginginig ng katawan ni Ali. Niyakap nya ito ng mahigpit.

'Hmm?'

'You okay?' his hands travelled down in her arms.

'Oo naman. Medyo kinakabahan lang ako. Feeling ko first time ko ulit mag-exhibit. Haha.'

Sige lang Ali. Tawanan mo lang.

'Kaya mo yan.' bulong nya dito.

I don't know what to say. How can I comfort her?

'Zachary,na experience mo na ba na mag-break from photography? Tapos pag balik mo parang iba na? Parang hindi mo na alam kung pano gumalaw at gawin ang dati mong ginagawa?' Ali looks up at him,waiting for his answer.

'Oo. Nung namatay mommy ko.'

Shit! I didn't know wala na syang mother. Ang alam ko nasa States ang parents nya. His father's half American.

'What happened?'

'What happened nung mawala ako sa photography o what happened sa mommy ko?'

'Both!!'

'Car accident. Both my parents were involved. Mom ko lang namatay.'

Oh Zach!!

'Lumipad ako papuntang States nun,I stayed hanggang mailibing si mommy at maging stable si daddy. 6 months yun Ali. And when I came back I don't know how to go on.'

Ali reaches for his face and touched his cheeks. He leaned in to her soft and warm hands.

'Alam mo kung anong ginawa ko? Kinapalan ko mukha ko. Lumapit ako sa mga kaibigan kong photographers,kahit na medyo hindi magaganda ang mga kuha ko pinagtyagaan nila ako. Hanggang sa yun. Kapal ng mukha at tyaga lang baby. I remember my dad says,'if that's where you're meant to be you'll always fit in'.