"Gusto ko, Ako lang gusto mo." (Ongoing)

CHAPTER 2

"Taray! Ba't mabango ka ngayon?" pang-aasar saakin ni Xy.

"Bakit mabaho ba ako parati at ganyan ang reaksyon mo?"

"Ay galit!" she held her chest acting hurt.

The university excused me from my respective class for we will be having a so called adventure with that guy for the contest. We agreed to meet today. Kailangan daw magkasama kami so we could decide what is he going to take with his camera kasi nakataya din naman sa kanya ang ipipinta ko. Yun nga lang ay alam kong magiging awkward kami sa isa't-isa or ako lang ang makaka-feel niyan mamaya. I mean, hindi na naman bago na magkakasama kami. But this time is different, we will visit few places like we are having a couple date.

"Ilugay mo yung buhok mo, Ayla. Mas bagay sa suot mo." suhestiyon ni Xy bago ako umalis.

Wala naman akong paki-alam kung magmukha akong unggoy. Pero sinunod ko naman ang payo ni Xy. I removed my clip from my hair and let my it swayed by the air. I decided to ride a taxi nalang para pumunta sa meeting place namin. Sa studio niya. Oo, he's rich and has his own studio.

"Hello!" I shouted. Kakarating ko lang, I expected that it would crowded but his place is so quite. Siguro ay close siya ngayon or hindi talaga siya tumatanggap ng costumer. Just a studio for himself.

Maya-maya pa ay binuksan niya na ang pinto. Naka-suot siya ngayon ng eyeglasses and his hair is kinda down since its wet.

"I told you to text me when you're near." saad niya agad.

"Wala akong number mo. Isa pa, I don't have your socials." sagot ko.

He sighed. "Almost all the girls know my social. Kakaiba ka."

Well, I'm not those girls.

Pinapasok niya ako sa studio niya. Hindi siya maliit, hindi din Malaki. The interior design is actually good, compliment ang lights nito kaya magandang tingnan.

"Make yourself comfortable." sabi niya at itinuro ang mini sofa sa gitna.

"Wala kang customer ngayon?" tanong ko.

"I don't make business here." sagot niya. "This place serves as my tambayan. Where every pictures I take lives."

That makes sense. Wala ngang poster sa labas or karatola man lang. Ba't di ko yun naisip.

"So, do you have any idea for our theme?" tanong niya at binigyan ako ng isang basong tubig. "Sorry, I didn't prepare anything."

"I'm fine," ngumiti ako ng bahagya. "I'm thinking about nature. Peace, calmness, and quietness reside. But I'm not sure. I'm fine with everything."

"It's good. I'm also experienced with nature. Not that good with people in it." he revealed.

Pinagmasdan ko ang mga pictures sa dingding na nakalagay at naka-frame. Halos lahat ay scenery. Kung meron mang naiiba ay kung hindi hayop ay halaman. Not even a face on his picture.

"Do you know any place to recommend?"

"Madami. Seas, forest, mountains, falls. May mga lugar nadin akong nakalista." suhestiyon ko.

"An artist knows best." he smirked.

Pinag-ready niya lang ako dahil aalis kami in a minute. We will use his car para madali kaming makalipat from places to another one. We decided to go to a forest first, a nature's peak kung saan madaming puno. We had a long ride since nasa city kami.