Light Up The Sky

Chapter 08

"You're zoning out while staring at me. And you're smiling."

My cheeks heated in embarrassment. "Uhm... nothing."

I heard a soft chuckle. "Okay."

"Okay?" I asked, frowning.

"Okay." He shrugged then pointed the canvas using his lips. "You know how to paint, huh?"

I chuckled. Dahil mukha siyang namamangha.

Sa tagal na niyang nakatira rito, ngayon pa lang niya ako nakitang magpinta. Puro sketching kasi ang ipinapakita ko sa kaniya. Kaya siguro ganiyan na lang ang reaksyon niya.

"Uhm... I rarely paint talaga. But when I do, I do it by heart. Sometimes, to restore a happy memory. Sometimes, to alleviate my sadness." I shrugged off my shoulder. "It depends on what I feel."

"And now you're happy..."

"Yup!" I enthusiastically claimed, emphasizing the p. "And that's all because of you."

Ngumiti ako at tumitig sa mga mata niya. I want him to know how sincere I am for being grateful for him.

"Hindi pa ako nakakapagpasalamat sa 'yo nang maayos so thank you, Liam. Thank you for inviting them over. Thank you because they became my friends."

Dahan-dahan siyang tumango. "Always, Vivienne."

I lifted a lopsided grin. Super bait talaga niya.

"Do you want me to paint you?" I asked.

Medyo tumaas ang kilay niya. "Right now?"

"Yeah?"

Kinagat niya ang ibaba niyang labi at napababa ang tingin sa suot. I slightly frown and looked at his getup, too. I couldn't see anything wrong naman. Super fresh looking niya nga, e. Parang hindi uso sa kaniya ang salitang haggard.

"You look so gwapo naman," I commented. "What's wrong?"

"I think I need to change. I want your portrait to be perfect."

"It will be perfect because you're perfect, Liam."

Mukha siyang natigilan sa sinabi ko. 'Yung reaksyon sa mukha niya, hindi ko maintindihan.

"What?" tanong ko nang hindi siya magsalita at nanatili lang na nakatitig sa akin.

He scrunched his nose and shook his head before standing up. "Give me five minutes," aniya bago lumabas ng room ko.

I pouted. Siguro ay hindi siya comfortable na ipinta ko siya na ganoon ang suot. I wonder what he will be wearing. Ang gwapo niya na nga kahit walang effort tapos ngayong mag-e-effort pa siya. Ano na lang ang mangyayari?

I chuckled with what I thought of and decided to clean my stuff while waiting for him. Maingat kong itinabi sa isang gilid ang canvas ng friendship portrait na ipininta ko kanina. Kasama na no'n ang iba pang canvas kung saan ko ipininta sina Ate Nory, Ate Terry, Manang Terentina, Kuya Jomar, Pascal, sina mom and dad, at si Kuya Hans. There's also the portrait of my mother.

I smiled and took another canvas to put on the wood easel stand. I clean the dry paints on my acrylic palette and brushes. Matapos no'n ay pinosisyon ko ang wooden bar stool kung saan uupo si Liam mamaya.

"Is this okay?"

Napalingon ako kay Liam. He's still outside my room as if he will go back to his room once I won't approve of his look.

He's wearing a dark green sweater. Ang right sleeve ay hanggang siko habang ang left sleeve ay hanggang forearm. He paired it with black pants and white shoes. But his hair looks the same. It's quite disheveled but it looks so great in him.