Into The Future

Chapter Nineteen

ANTIPATIKO talaga ang lalaking 'to. Bulong ni Aramign sa sarili. Kasalukuyan siyang nasa art workshop ni Drenz para maging subject ni Drenz sa portrait painting nito. Hindi siya interisadong umupo nang matagal sa harap nito. Pakiramdam niya ay mas lalo siyang tatraydorin ng kaniyang puso kapag nakipagtinginan siya kay Drenz nang matagal.

Abala siya kaninang umaga sa paghahanap ng ledger sa library nang dumating si Drenz at kinonsensiya siya na pumayag na maging subject ng painting nito dahil natanggal niya ang ilong ng isang sculpture nito.

Nasa momentum na siya ng paghahanap kanina! Sinuri niya ang lahat ng financial ledgers at files ng mga statements of account na nakita niya sa library. Nabalitaan niyang naglabas ng counter-affidavit si Howl laban sa affidavit na sinumite ni Sarah. Nahihiya si Armaign kay Sarah dahil ito ang gumagawa ng lahat at wala man lang siyang magawa. Kung mahahanap ni Armaign ang ledger, malilintikan ang mga politikong protektor ni Howl sa Ombudsman at mapapatunayan na drug lord si Howl.

Naudlot ang paghahanap niya dahil kay Drenz.

Nagmaktol siya. She stopped volunteering to be his art subject since nag-away silang dalawa. But her older self had been posting in front of him, at hindi lang niya maalala. Tinignan ni Armaign ang tatlong portrait ng kaniyang sarili sa pader ng workshop. Armaign looked tired and sleepy in the first portrait while holding a book and sitting in a red divan; she was holding a hardbound book.

"Sa painting na 'yan, nagrereview ka para sa bar exam," Drenz explained and stood beside Armaign. May iba't-ibang pintura ang art apron na suot nito at ang mga kamay nito ay may bahid ng mga pintura. "Ito namang isang painting, nagbabasa ka ng Fifty Shades of Grey, and you were laughing so hard."

"Fifty Shades of what?" kunut-noong tanong ni Armaign. In the second portrait Drenz was talking about, Armaign was laughing so hard, her chinky eyes were closed and she was reading a book and sitting in a chair. Sikat na libro siguro ang Fifty Shades of Grey. Ano ang kwento ng libro at bakit natatawa si Armaign?

The third portrait of Armaign was making an eye contact to its viewers. Sinuring maigi ni Armaign ang pangatlong portrait. She was sitting in a red velvet plush chair; she was wearing a white nightie, and a fervent smile; there was a look of complete love in her eyes. It was as if Drenz could see through the soul of Armaign's older self.

Malungkot na napabuga ng hangin si Drenz at nagpatuloy, "In this third portrait, I was trying to capture your emotion. And I asked you to look at me."

Shit! Tingin ko, kailangan ko na tumakbo. Baka gusto akong ipinta ni Drenz para malaman kung alam ko na ang totoo. Huling-huli ni Drenz ang pagmamahal ng nakatatandang sarili ni Armaign para kay Drenz.

So, ganito pala ang magiging itsura ni Armaign kung hahayaan niya na pag-ibig ang magdikta at matututo siyang magpatawad. Pinukulan niya ng masamang tingin ang pangatlong portrait. Do you even still care about dad? Namatay siya nang mag-isa sa ospital. At pakakasalan mo ang lalaking nagnakaw ng huling sandali ng buhay ni papa kasama ka.

Armaign thought this was the wise version of herself who knew how to forgive.

If Drenz would paint her now, Armaign was afraid he would be able to capture something that she was hiding. Napalunok siya.

"By the way, your car was delivered earlier. Napalitan na ang windshield. Nasa kahon na 'to ang mga gamit sa loob ng kotse mo. I thought you might want to check it." Ibinigay ni Drenz ang kahon kay Armaign at inilagay niya iyon sa lamesa katabi ng kaniyang jacket.

He continued, "Hihiramin ko muna ang kotse mo. Ipinapagawa ko pa ang salamin ng kotse ko dahil sa barilan noong isang araw. Hindi kita papayagang magdrive kasi may Amnesia ka."