Painting Dreams (ECSB Series 1) (REVISING)

Chapter 3

I spent the rest of my day cleaning the house, restocking grocery and doing the laundry.

Kinabukasan, matapos ko maligo't mag-ayos ng sarili ay kumain na rin ako ng almusal. I cooked and packed meals yesterday para sa isang linggong almusal ko. Ininit ko lang 'yun sa microwave, kumain, at nagligpit.

Naglakad ako palabas ng subdivision at nang makarating sa gate ay pumara sa pila ng tricycle papunta sa ECSB.

Growing up I was sheltered and even spoiled, but I tried to break through all that when I entered my senior year in high school. It was when Mama started getting every treatment she could have to fight the cancer. I knew I needed to know things in house and take care of her kahit na may katulong kami noon sa bahay. I thought to myself then that I needed to learn about the world and its people and come out of my comfort zone, because soon then I'll have no one to be with...

Today ends our first week in class at paniguradong hindi pa rin naman lahat ng prof ay papasok sa klase. Gayunpaman, ganado akong pumasok para makuha ko na rin 'yung sculpture na hiniram ni Miss Caison last semester. Pinaiwan n'ya 'yun at pinakiusapan ako na hiramin muna para maipakita n'ya sa mga estudyanteng mags-summer.

Natapos ang unang klase ko ngayong araw. Alas nuebe pa lang ng umaga at may dalawa pa akong klaseng kailangan pasukan.

The next class was fine. I took notes at nagsimula na ang lesson dito, samantalang ang iba'y pinapasadahan lang ang syllabus... o 'di kaya'y hindi pa pinapasukan ng prof tulad nitong huling klase ko na pasado trenta minuto na kaming naghihintay.

Many took off, pero ako at ang iilan ay naghintay pa ng ilang minuto bago tuluyang iwan ang klase. Kung minsan kasi'y dumarating ang prof kahit na kinse minuto na lang ang mayroon sa klase nito.

I headed straight to the faculty and asked for Miss Caison.

"Salamat ulit dito, Miss Cortez," sabi nito nang iabot sa akin ang ginawa kong sculpture na nakalagay sa wooden box. I checked the inside and smiled to myself.

It's a sculpture of a piece of land and on it are houses towering each other while almost slowly decaying. It's something I did after visiting a slum area in Manila to gather data for our research. I really hope the next government will give attention to their issues and give a long-term solution to really help them.

It's past eleven and I'm walking to exit the campus. Biyernes ngayon at isa iyon sa mga araw na kailangan kong ipasok sa gallery; Huwebes, Biyernes, at Sabado kasi ang pasok ko roon. Tapos na ang klase ko ngayong araw kaya sana ay uuwi na ako sa bahay para managhalian at mag-ayos bago pumunta sa trabaho.

Papalabas ako ng building nang may namataan ko na ang isang pamilyar na mukha. Tumakbo ito papasok sa building kasama ang ilang kaibigan at kita ko ang kaunting basa sa damit nito. I saw him slightly brushed his hair and when he looked up, my eyes were immediately captured by his.

I couldn't help but widen my eyes. I looked away and was about to walk when he called me.

"Grabe, hindi namamansin!" sabi nito nang tuluyang makalapit sa akin.

I awkwardly smiled and reasoned, "I thought you wouldn't mind. You look in a rush."

"I'd see you first," he said and gave me that smile; the one he manages to pull off without being a creep or fake or even awkward. On top of it, it makes you feel something... warm. Like his smiles were all sincere which both bother and interest me.

"Mabigat ba 'yan?" tanong niya turo sa bitbit kong wooden box na may kalakihan. He looks like he's both curious and worried. Although I'm not sure about the latter.

"Ayos lang," tugon ko saka nagkibit balikat.

"Jacc!" tawag nung isa sa mga kasama n'ya na mukhang nag-aapurang pumasok ng tuluyan sa building.

Tinanguan niya lang 'yung mga kaibigan at muling bumaling sa akin. He opened his bag and handed me his umbrella to which I'm not sure if I should take it.

"Umaambon," sabi nito at saka kinuha ang isa kong kamay at inilapag doon ang payong. The way he grabbed me was so gentle and his hands were so warm it woke the unknown butterflies up in my tummy.

"Pre, mahuhuli tayo!" ani nung isa pa niyang kaibigan.

"Pasensya na, una na ko, Oli. See you around!" he said running off to his friends and altogether they rushed inside.

I stared at the umbrella recalling his simple gesture and looking around made me suppress a smile.

I went home dry and safe and just ordered food for lunch. Matapos ko mananghalian ay saka ako nag-ayos ng sarili at nagpasyang pumunta na ng gallery.

It was one in the afternoon nang magsimula ang trabaho ko. There are a couple of people inside at paniguradong mamayang alas tres pa madadagdagan ang bilang no'n.

Nang pumatak ang alas kwatro ay sa opisina ako kinailangan na agad ko ring inagapan. Abala kaming lahat para sa gaganaping event sa susunod na Sabado. Once a year lang 'yun kaya naman ay talagang pinaghahandaan ng sobra.

Tuwing may isasabit kaming painting o 'di kaya'y i-didisplay na sculptures, parehong pagkamangha at pagka-inggit ang nararamdaman ko. Iniisip ko na lang na makakarating din ako sa puntong 'yung gawa ko naman ang isasabit para makita, mabasa, at maramdaman ng marami.

By the time the clock hits six, I was already tired and headed straight home.

The following days were the same. Except the part where I bump into Jacc. I haven't seen him since the day he gave me his umbrella and I've been bringing that everyday just in case I see him, but it's been weeks...

Midterms and my work in the gallery kept me busy and distracted from thinking about the person whom I only had a few interactions with. A part of me already wants to pay him back thinking that may be a way to get him out of my head, but I kept dismissing that thinking I have lots of other things to do that should be my priority.

"May training pa ko mamaya," nanghihinang sabi ni Uno saka dumukdok sa libro niyang nakalapag sa mesa. Being a student-athlete really is hard; especially when she needs to excel in both. I wonder how is she still so positive despite all the pressure.

Si Mau naman ay tahimik lang habang abala sa laptop na batid ko'y gumagawa ng ilan pang case study at sariling notes. Medyo nakakatakot lang rin 'yung paraan kung paano s'ya mag-aral dahil mas gusto n'ya 'yung isang bagsakan para makapagpahinga s'ya ng wala ng iniisip pa; malayo kay Uno na maya't maya'y tumitigil para huminga, kumain, o 'di kaya'y umidlip.

Kasalukuyan kaming nasa cafeteria't katatapos lang mananghalian. Ako naman ay hinayaang magpahinga ang sarili't katatapos ko lang gumawa ng part ko sa research namin at hindi na rin naman na gaano kabigat at dami ang backlogs ko.

Sandali pa ay narinig ko ang pagtunog ng phone ko. I answered the call which was an unknown number after a couple of rings.

"Olivia?" bati nito.

"Si Tito Melwin mo 'to. Busy ka ba?" kilabot ang dala ng pangalan na 'yun sa akin.

Gayunpaman ay magalang akong sumagot, "Hindi naman po."

"Pupwede ka ba makausap mamayang hapon?" tanong nito.

The call ended with me trying to suppress all the memories rushing through my head all at once. I have tried to bury those memories, but it just won't disappear...

"Ayos ka lang?" tanong ni Mau sa akin. Tinanguan ko lang sila at tipid na ngumiti.

Saglit lang at nakatanggap ako ng mensahe mula kay Tito Melwin. Nakapaloob doon ang pangalan ng café na sa labas lang ng campus ng ECSB at sinabing kung pupwede ay alas sais mamayang gabi magkita. Hindi ko na nireplyan pa iyon at taimtim na lang na nagdasal na hindi ako masaktan sa kahit na anong paraan.