If I See You Again

Chapter 33 Kasal

Lance' Pov

I found myself standing and staring at a painting that captivated my attention years ago and still does to today. And yes, nandito ako ngayon sa painting exhibit ng isang taong pinangungulilaan ko sa mahabang panahon. Hindi kasi ako maka hindi noong pinakiusapan ako ni Dad na pumunta on his behalf. Dad knew what had happened between Channel and I but I'm glad he's not hateful towards her and her family. Tito Rod and him remained good friends. It took me much just to convince him to understand at nagpapasalamat ako ng lubos that he took it positively. And to show him that wala na talaga sa akin ang nangyari sa amin ni Channel, pumayag ako sa hiling niya.

So I am here once again staring at her work of art. Hinding-hindi ko makakalimutan ang piece na ito na una kong nakita sa condo niya noon. Naalala ko pa ang gulat sa mukha niya nang sabihin kong naiintindihan ko ang nais niyang iparating sa painting na ito. Though I didn't give her the details of my understanding but the look on her face back then was more than enough to convince me that I was right kahit hindi ko man narinig ang confirmation galing sa kanya and I guess I would never hear it.

"Deep isn't it?" Napalingon ako sa lalaking nakapamulsa na tumabi sa akin habang ang mga mata ay nakatuon sa painting sa harapan.

"Yes it is." Maikli kong sagot sa kalmadong boses. Kahit pa nasa tabi ko ang taong naging dahilan ng kabiguan ay nanatili akong kalmado. I don't want to cause a scene. At lalong lalo na sa event na ito pa talaga na involve si Channel. Atsaka napakarami ring press people sa paligid kaya. I am holding my horses as much as I can.

His shoulders moved a bit, tanda ng mahina niyang pagtawa. Why is he even doing that? Is he mocking me?

"You can punch me in the face if you like but I know you wouldn't. Dahil alam mong ikasisira iyon ng event na ito. So save it for later when you have a better chance."

At mangyayari iyon in no time. I so wanted to add to his remarks. Buti nalang at tama naman siya.

"Ganoong klase rin ng reaction mong naabutan ko kanina ang naging reaction ko nang una kong masilayan ang painting na ito maraming taon na ang nakaraan. You see, we were just in our pre-teens age back then when she started painting this." Hinawakan niya ang piece na nasa harapan namin and he stroked his hand on the lone girl on the painting.

"The Red Moon depicts so much about Isa." So he calls her Isa. Here I thought ako lang ang may kakaibang tawag sa kanya but I was proven wrong this time.

"But in so much irony though. Kasi ang painting na ito speaks so much of loneliness that it makes my heart ache. Why is she trying to convey loneliness when she isn't? Not as I observed of course. Kasi naman, did she forget who she is? Naisip ko. Tsaka the world is under her feet or on her hand. She practically has almost everything this world could offer kaya nga nasa mga paa niya lang ang mundo kasi kayang-kaya niyang tumuntong saang parte man ng mundo at kayang-kaya niyang hawakan ang mga bagay that this world has. She's the only heiress of the hotel magnets na mag-asawang Ramirez that I'm sure you know of. But then when we left her here in the Philippines many, many years ago. Alone in this composed of thousand islands country, I realized what she mean by the Red Moon. Actually it's really not a moon that the girl on the painting is looking at, it's a sun. A setting sun that's why the surroundings is somewhat colored red." Mahaba niyang kwento. Well the moon being a sun is not a surprise to me. Kasi alam ko na iyon dati pa. Ngunit kung bakit Red Moon iyon ang hindi ko magets noon kaya tinanong ko kay Channel iyon nga lang hindi niya sinagot at siguro hinding-hindi na niya masasagot pa.

"Oh how Isa loves watching the setting sun." The man beside me continued. "Naalala ko pa nga isang araw ng Sabado noon she was bugging me since the day begun to accompany her to a mountain peak later in the afternoon to watch the sun sets. Eh ako naman noon ay may nakaplano nang gala kasama ang barkada. And dati kung nagkaroon man ng chance na meron siyang naikwento sa'yo, I was so pissed of having her always hovering around buong araw sa school noon that I can't wait for Saturdays to come. Because Saturdays meant I can be in anywhere I want but to a place na nandoon siya. So why would I even thought of accompanying her on a mountain peak to watch the sunset? So she ended up going alone. And that did not only happened once but many, many times. All the while inakala naming lahat na mga mahal niya sa buhay that this painting was just really a product of her young imagination. We even cheered for her and urged her to pursue fine arts paglaki namin. Kasi talagang ang gaganda ng mga pieces niya lalong-lalo na itong Red Moon. Ang hindi namin alam ay may nais pala siyang iparating sa bawat kwadrong likha niya. Hindi namin akalaing ang puso niya ay nalulumbay pala." Malungkot niyang pagpapatuloy.