We spent the rest of the day lying on his sofa bed talking. I realized being inside the house where Iggy lives gave me a different perspective about him.
"You love artsy pieces, ano?" I commented as he twined our fingers together. "Whose paintings are those?"
"Mine."
"You painted them?"
He nodded.
"Talaga?"
He laughed. "Oo nga. I paint when I'm lonely. Or drunk."
"Sana all kahit lasing gan'yan kagaling mag-paint. Ang galing mo, Iggy, you're so talented."
"Oo naman..." he meaningfully whispered into my ear. "'Di ba nga...?"
"Gagi, hindi sa ano. Loko 'to."
He laughingly kissed my hair.
"Dapat 'yung kinukuha mong kurso ay related sa art o sa kung anong interes mo hindi 'yung kung ano ang interes ng ibang tao. Because people leave, Iggy, and you have no control over that. So always, always decide for yourself. Hindi maganda 'yung nagdedesisyon ka base sa kung ano sa tingin mo ang gusto ng tao para sa'yo."
"Ang seryoso ng girlfriend ko."
"Nasasayangan lang ako. Sayang 'yung oras that you wasted jumping from one course to another. Sa susunod stick to what you love doing, okay?"
"Paano 'yan, I love doing you...?"
"Seryoso 'yung usapan 'tapos hahaluan n'ya ng kalandian."
"Sorry na. Parang gan'un naman ang mangyayari ngayon kasi graduate ka na naman na so wala na akong hahabuling girlfriend sa kung saang university."
"Ang gleng-gleng naman..." I said playfully bopping him on the head.
He burst out laughing.
"I plan to have a Master's Degree. And the reason why I am working in my father's company is because an MBA in Business Administration requires at least two years work experience."
"Saan ka mag-aaral?"
"Sa U.P. pa rin."
"You're a U.P. grad?"
"Oo."
"Wow, you're smart."
"Apparently not, just look at the guy I have for an ex," I kidded but Iggy did not laugh and instead frowned at me. "Ano na naman?"
"Can we not talk about your ex? Here you are lying naked beside me 'tapos biglang mapapasok 'yung ex mo sa usapan? Nakakayamot."
"Talaga ba? How about when you talked about your ex and said things like, minahal ko nang todo 'yung babaeng 'yun, I spent a night in jail for her, wasak na wasak ako, blah, blah, blah, blah. Hindi ba mas nakakayamot 'yun?"
"Eira, 'yung sa amin ng ex ko is years ago at inaamin ko na inabot nang mahigit isang taon bago ako nagkaroon ng bago kasi gan'un katagal bago ako nakapag-move-on sa kanya. At dahil sinigurado ko muna sa sarili ko na wala na nga akong feelings para sa kanya dahil ayokong maging unfair sa susunod kong girlfriend. 'Yung sa inyo ng ex mo, you know why I find that guy annoying? Dahil bago lang kayong naghiwalay and let's admit it, how are you even sure that you're over him? Ilang araw pa lang ba? 'Yun ang ikinaka-insecure ko sa kanya, Eira. Natatakot ako na baka mapagtanto mo na s'ya pa rin talaga..."
"Iggy..." I threw my leg over his hip. "That's not going to happen. Paninindigan kita. Pananagutan kita kung sakaling may mabuo man tayo..."
He laughed before he kissed the tip of my nose. "Pero, Eira..."
