Aphrodite's Magic

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Sumunod ako sa kanya. Nasa likod lang niya ako habang paakyat kami sa hagdanan.

Mga lumang picture frames at paintings na nakasabit sa dingding ang una kong nakita nang makarating kami sa taas. Sa tapat ng hagdanan ay may malaking sliding capiz window na nakabukas. Pumapasok ang preskong hangin sa loob ng bahay.

Hindi ko napigilang lapitan ang tatlong magagandang painting na magkakatabi. The first painting was a portrait by a fine young man riding a horse. The painter was able to catch all the edges and features of this person, it was perfect. The second was the young man with a girl. They were seating under a tree. She was looking up while the man was staring at her lovingly. And the third painting, I couldn't stop myself from staring at it. It looks so familiar. My forehead creased as I tried so hard to think where I saw this painting and then realization dawned on me. This is one of Aurora Algiere's priceless painting. I attended her exhibit last summer in Italy and this painting which she called "Black Mountains" is one of her most delicate masterpiece that she doesn't sell.

"Is everything okay?" I heard Thunder asked "Akala ko nakasunod ka sakin, pag lingon ko wala ka na."

"This painting just caught my attention. How did you get this? Ang alam ko hindi binebenta ni Aurora ang piece na ito." Nasa canvas pa rin ang aking mga mata

"Sino?" narinig ko ang pagtataka sa boses niya

"Aurora Algiere? You don't know her? She's a famous Italian-Filipina painter in Italy. She's had countless exhibit in different countries and different museums. I want to be like her. To paint with love and produce beautiful canvases."

"I know you will." he smiled

"Look at this" I pointed the third canvas "Isn't it beautiful? It's so strong. It's full of chaos, but at the same time it's so serene. You can feel that she's been through so much. You see this drift technique that she used here? It means that she once drifted away from her reality and let her feelings control over her sanity. She uses her brushes, paintings, and canvases or papers as her diary. It's her way of telling the world her story, but of course it depends on how we interpret her works."

I saw him tilted his head a bit as if trying to understand what he's looking at.

"Yeah. Its... It's beautiful" he nodded, but I can tell how confuse he is "Where did you get all that? I don't see anything but black smudges and... I don't know"

Natawa na lang ako dahil sa reaksyon niya "Halika na nga!"

Pumasok kami sa bukana na nasa left side namin. Mayroon doong sala set at lahat ng bintana ay nakabukas.

Nakasunod lang ako kay Thunder hanggang sa binuksan niya ang isa sa mga kuwarto.

"This is my room" he said

Nauna akong pumasok dahil minuwestra niya ang kanyang kamay na pumasok ako. Although the interior design is rustic, it still looks so manly. Mayroong living room set sa may gild. Mayroon ding tatlong pintuan sa loob ng kwarto niya. Ang isa ay papunta sa balcony at ang dalawa ay hindi ko alam. Siguro ay para sa banyo at closet iyon.

Mayroong dalawang bedside table sa magkabilang gilid ng kanyang kama at may nakapatong doon na lampshade. Malaki ang kanyang kama na may apat na pillars. Mayroon din itong kurtinang puti na nakatali sa pillars. Ang unan at bed sheet ay puti maging ang kanyang duvet ay puti rin.

Napakaayos lahat ng gamit sa kwarto niya. Malinis ang loob at naamoy ko din ang kanyang pabango. May ilan lang siyang picture frames dito. Isang family picture at picture niya lang noong grumaduate.