Chapter Eight
The Smile I Lost
"Ice cream!" She said in an exciting tone nang makita namin ang nagtitinda ng ice cream sa gilid. She walks fast, smiling widely as her hair flipping through the air.
"You want one?" She asked and I just nodded since mainit ngayong araw. I took the cone at naglakad ulit kami. It's weekend. Nothing much to do so Rose, as usual, invites me to a place which I didn't even knew dahil surprise daw.
"Last question. Where are we heading?" I asked, for the fifth time.
She faced at me, happily walking backwards habang hawak-hawak ang ice cream, hair is continuous flipping due to the wind, and sweet smile is flashing towards me.
"Secret." She said again, for the fifth time. I just followed her walking habang ako ay tinitignan ang lugar as I continuously licking my unfinished ice cream. Crowded.
"Here we are!" Napahinto ako at napataas ng kilay the moment I saw a very familiar building where people usually goes in - the mall.
"We walked for about thirty minutes under the very bright and angry sun para lang mag-mall?" I questioned in disbelief. Anong surprise dito?
She faced me, now with a crossed arm on her chest, magkasalubong na kilay, deadly glare and burning aura.
"Just come in." She said and as usual, following her and being quiet is just my response. We went inside, and a poster took my attention.
Book Fair.
Bago pa kumunot ang noo ko ay hinatak na niya agad ako papasok. Crowded people, hundreds of balloons, tons of posters and countless of books can be seen everywhere.
"Welcome to the 28th International Book Fair!" She greeted, with open arms and vanishing eyes as she smiles.
Of all places, why book fair?
"Ano? Tatayo ka lang diyan? This is my first ever book fair with someone so make it memorable." She said at hinatak ako palapit sa kaniya. "What do you think you're doing?" I questioned.
"Capturing some memories." She answered and we took a picture. No. Pictures. Entrance palang ata, nakaka-twenty pictures na kami.
"Pila tayo mamaya sa book signing!" She suggested na ikinatango ko nalang. She makes herself busy by browsing and roaming like a kid in a toy store.
I sighed. Bakit ba ako pumayag in the very first place kung alam kong ganito naman kahahantungan? I shrugged, moved to a bookshelf - a bookshelf for mall. Doon ay namili ako ng mga libro.
Nothing interesting.
Lumipat ulit ako, placed my earphones on as the classical music passes through my ears. Hmm. Titles nowadays seems spoiling katulad ng They Both Die at the End written by Adam Silvera. I took it and browse a little.
Lumipat ulit ako then I saw a very familiar book. No. A row of familiar books. Ahh. Those books. I just stared at those for about a minute and decided to touch it. Binebenta pa pala nila iyon. Lumipat ulit ako and ignored those books.
Kahit na naka-earphone ako at nagbabasa ay naramdaman ko siyang tumabi sa'kin. I just ignored her and browse.
Lumipat ako ng bookshelf ulit. The bookshelf is not that tall kaya kitang-kita ko siya sa harapan ko. The way her hands are touching those soft matte book covers one by one, eyes locked on each titles, wondering what's the story within it.
I stopped the moment she began touching the row of those books and she even picked one. Why would a book like that took her attention? It isn't even that interesting. I neglected it and went out of the picture. Pumunta ako sa local books, different fictitious genres are all over, mostly mystery. Bibihira nalang ang historical fiction and science fiction nowadays.
"Is that Sebastian Hugo?"
Napahinto ako nang may marinig akong bulong hindi kalayuan sa'kin. I'm still wearing my earphone yet I can still hear things, loud and clear.
"Siya nga."
Lilipat sana ulit ako when two girls approached me. Not that tall, high school girls based on their innocent looks at may mga hawak na libro. About three books, but only one author wrote it.
"May we have an autograph?" A girl asked and showed me three books from that row. So many are still reading and purchasing it huh?
I nodded as an answer. They gave me a pen, autograph the first page of the first book, second and the third. After that, we took a picture. "Thank you po, your works are fascinating and spectacular." Sabi ng isa at umalis na.
Fascinating and spectacular huh.
"May I also have an autograph?" That voice again. Soft, sweet, and fragile. Humarap ako and there she is, smiling widely while leaning her half body towards me as she is showing a book from that row as well.
"You knew huh." I uttered dahil apelydo ko lang naman ang nakalagay sa author's name ng bawat libro sa row na iyon. Nothing specific description about me. Just a little anonymous.
"Of course. You're my favorite author afterall Mister Hugo." She said, sounded more like a tease. I just sighed.
"Try me." She suggested at tinitigan ko lang siya. I placed my hands on the pocket of my jeans.
"How many books have I published already?"
"6!" She blasted right away without any hesitations.
"When did I first made my official book signing event?"
"February 16, 2016." Again, no any signs of hesitations.
"What's the title of my very first novel?"
"Papillion." She answered without any hesitations again that made me sighed.
"Of all my books, why would you picked that?" I asked for the last time.
"Ah this. The Smile He Lost." She uttered and this time, huminto siya at nag-isip.
"It is a perfect reflection of you. You lost a smile and I wanna know why and how to bring it back." She answered. That was unexpected. I stopped and just stared at her for a minute while holding that book. The very last book I've ever publish before I stopped writing.
I sighed as I lay my hand on the air asking for a ballpen. "Yeahey!" She exclaimed at tuwang-tuwa na inabot sa akin ang ballpen na parang batang niregaluhan ng malaking manika. I signed the book but this time, I signed it using my original signature.
"Why did you stop?" She asked out of nowhere na ikinatingin ko lalo sa libro na hawak ko. Ahh. The very common question that everyone is blasting at me.
Bakit nga ba ako huminto?
I flipped the book to page 83, underlined a certain dialogue there as my answer.
"There's the answer." I said as I handed her the book. Bago pa niya ito basahin ay umalis na agad ako and search for something else that is more essential.
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