Strokes of a Painter

Kabanata 31

Kabanata 31

Strange Destiny 

Pinuntahan din nila ang Sumaging Cave at Hanging Coffins sa Echo Valley. Malapit ng dumilim nang makabalik sila sa pension house. Kita sa mga mukha ng mga kasamahan niya ang pagod sa maghapong pamamasyal. 

Kahit pagod si Fej ay hindi niya makuhang magpahinga sa loob ng tent. Nagbihis lamang siya at hinanap si Minz. Natagpuan niya itong nakaupo sa isang malapad at mahabang upuan na yari sa tinabas na kahoy, tanaw ang malaberdeng dahon ng mga matatayog na mga puno. 

Tahimik siyang umupo sa tabi nito at narinig niya ang pagbuntong-hininga ni Minz. 

"Sorry Fej kung hindi ko kaagad sinabi sayo," panimula nito. "I didn't mind it at first but ... remember the party last time? I saw him went out from the room where you were sleeping. I thought I was just hallucinating but I knew I wasn't. Kaya simula noon nagsuspetsiya na ako and I found out my suspicion was true. I wanted you to find it out by yourself so I refrained from telling you the truth."

Fej tapped Minzy's back and smiled. Even if she wanted to blame her friend for doing so but she understood her reason.

"Don't worry about it. Maybe everything happened for a reason," she whispered the last word and stared at the darkness. 

"Do you still want to accept him again into your life?" 

Umihip ang malamig na hangin at napayakap siya sa kanyang sarili, hindi alam kung anong isasagot sa tanong ni Minzy.

"Hindi ko alam. Ang daming nangyari na hindi ko inakalang mangyayari," wala sa sariling sagot niya. 

Nilingon siya nito at niyakap. 

"Just take everything one step at a time. I'm just here for you..." 

"Thank you Minz," she said and smiled. 

She's lucky enough to have a friend like Minzy. 

They went back to the tent at may nakahanda ng mga pagkain. Kumuha siya ng kaunting kanin at inihaw na manok at nilagay sa paper plate. Dinala niya ito malapit sa bonfire at umupo sa pinutol na kahoy na ginawang upuan. 

She ate silently while staring the fire dancing through the wind. She was engrossed with her thoughts that she failed to notice his presence.

Napansin na lamang niya si Tob nang maramdaman niya ang isang daliri nito sa gilid ng kanyang labi at may pinahid. His touch tickled her skin. She almost winced and looked at him mouth agape. 

Kaagad niyang tinikom ang bibig at iniwas ang mukha. She felt like all the blood have gone into her face. Her cheeks felt hot all of a sudden. 

"You need to eat more," he said while putting more rice on her plate. 

Napamaang siya. 

"W-ait... ang dami niyan. Anong tingin mo sa akin parang baboy kumain?" inis na sita niya. 

He looked at her sideways and the side of his lips twitched into a smirk. 

"No. I just want you to gain some curves Baby. You loose so much weight." 

She gritted her teeth. What the heck? He thought she didn't have curves? Tinaponan niya ito ng nakamamatay na tingin. She didn't want to brag but her body is as good as those models. 

"Curves pala ha? Ikaw dapat ang magkacurves at hindi ako. Ito..." sabay salpak sa manok sa bibig ni Tob at nagwalk out. 

Dinig niya pa ang matunog na halakhak nito habang papalayo siya. Pulang-pulang siya sa inis habang tinapos ang pagkaing natira sa plato. Sayang naman kung hindi niya ubusin. Dami kayang nagugutom sa panahon ngayon.