Behind This Name (UNEDITED)

35

CHAPTER 35 — ONE WRONG MOVE

"KITA mo 'yang building na 'yan? 'Yan ang Cypress Elementary School. D'yan ako nagtatrabaho," Gail explained, as she pointed the establishment three buildings away from the university.

It's been three days since the school started, pero ngayon lang talaga sinabi ni Gail kung saan ang school dito for elementary students. Hindi ko alam na 'yong building na 'yon pala, ang buong akala ko 'yong katabing building no'ng tinuro niya. Nakakalito naman kasi, walang nakalagay na signage or anything na magsasabi na elementary school 'yon. Ano 'to, guess which is which?

But yeah, I know I still have a mistake since I didn't ask. Ngayong alam ko na kung saan ko makikita si Gail, pwedeng-pwede ko na siyang bisitahin at guluhin anytime.

As I thought my mind is safe from anyone, Gail must be reading it because she gave me a glare. You know, those kind of glares that supposed to give intimidation, but since that's Gail I didn't feel any fear at all. She's too kind and innocent in my eyes.

"Kung inaatupag mo kaya pag-aaral mo, hindi kung ano-anong kalokohan," pagsisimula na naman ng panenermon niya. "Nakikinig ka ba sa dini-discuss ng Prof niyo? Para namang hindi."

I raised my hand in front of her, telling her to shut up. "Gail, I won't fail this semester. I swear to you. So instead of wasting your saliva on me, why don't you waste it on teaching kids? Mag-ta-time na, so go, umalis ka na sa harapan ko at magturo ka na."

I gave her a sweet smile. The sweetest fake smile she could have ever seen. Wala siyang sinabi at talagang nag-walk out na lang. Sabi na e, hindi talaga niya kakayanin ang maging kapatid ako.

So when she left, I went inside the university. May halos isang oras pa bago magsimula ang klase ko kaya dumiretso muna ako roon sa field at naupo sa isang bench. I went here in IAR with Gail, that's the reason why I arrived early. I shouldn't be here. I should be at home, still sleeping but Gail dragged me out of my bedroom. Okay, of course, not literally. It's just an abstract way of telling how she persuaded me.

Because our class hasn’t started yet, I stayed on the bench outside our building. I have brought painting materials with me today. Yes, the university provides painting materials for their students but it’s only accessible when we need it in the class. So, whenever the students wanted to paint during their vacant time in school, they have to bring their own materials of course. And I don’t usually do that. I just bring my materials whenever there are projects and activities and things that I need to practice on. But today, I have brought it with me just because I want to.

This is due to Arche’s complete obsession in painting. Nahawa na ako sa kanya. As in every time he has vacant time, he will paint, despite of the location. Kahit siguro nasa C.R. ‘yon nagpipinta pa rin.

I pulled my painting materials out of my bag. The canvas was just small, enough for me to hold it with only one hand without feeling any heaviness. I put it down on the table and stared at white blank surface. My fingers tapped on the table as I tried to think of anything to paint.

This is the worse feeling, to be honest. When you’re staring at the blank canvas, forcing yourself to think of anything to paint. There’s this feeling inside me that really pushes me to paint right now, as in right at this moment. That excitement whenever I think of seeing its final result, like how beautiful it is. But there’s always something that will go against it, and that’s my mind not able to give me any ideas or how will I even start.

Napahinga ako nang malalim saka iniwas ang mata ko sa walang laman na canvas. Binigay ko na lang ang atensyon ko sa ilan-ilang estudyanteng naglalakaran. I next look at the other building standing across the field. There are few students I can see walking in the hallway in that building. I even accidentally glanced at two students, a girl and a boy, who are both in one corner and intimately talking.