The Art of Metaphorical Collisions

Chapter 5

"Bakit?"

But he did not answer. Nagpatuloy lang siya sa ginagawa habang isinasayaw niya ang kanyang lapis sa papel.

Hindi ko na lang pinilit ang tanong. Maybe it's too personal for him.

There was a bit of a long silence until I finally asked another question.

"May kilala kang 'kaedmon'?"

Umangat ang ulo niya at direktang tiningnan ako. "Bakit?"

"Idunno." I nonchalantly replied. "I like his poems along with the 'liwayway' girl. Pero mas gusto ko 'yung kay kaedmon,"

"Yeah, kilala ko siya." His lips formed in a thin line.

"Ikaw 'yun no?"

"What?" He surprisingly blurted.

"It's obvi. Look at your reaction." I laughed.

I honestly saw it coming since I remembered Lea telling me that he's also good at writing. Pero nagulat pa rin ako na siya pala talaga 'yon.

"Paano mo nalaman?"

"Also a guess." I grinned foolishly.

He squinted his eyes at me suspiciously. "Totoo nga! I just thought you could be a writer too. I saw a journal in your desk with a poem before."

"Binasa mo?!"

"Just that particular poem, geez. 'Wag kang OA."

"Do not do that again." He sounded serious but it's not like it will scare me.

"Oo na, oo na. I do not pry too much naman."

He went back to what he is doing and I finally get to peek at his sketch pad. At talagang nagulat ako sa kanyang ginagawa.

"Hala, ang ganda.." I reacted.

"Unfinished sketch pa lang."

"Sketch pa lang 'yan?!" Niloloko ba ako nito? The details and everything are so in tack! "At bakit sky lang? What about the view?"

"Impatient as ever. 'Di pa nga tapos."

"Pero bakit 'yan ang inuna mo?"

"Kasi nagbabago 'yan agad. Bukas wala na lahat ito. This whole view changes in a few years but the skies will rearrange in a matter of minutes."

Nakatutok pa rin ang ulo niya sa papel habang seryoso ang ginagawa. Sa mga ganitong pagkakataon na seryoso siya, minsan maganda rin siya kausap. He may seemed to be a pretty aloof person pero despite that, he is really full of wisdom.

Tumahimik na lang ako at pinagpatuloy ang pagsusulat ko. "Dapat mag submit ka na ng poetry next week ha." I told. "'Di ko nakita work mo this week sa bulletin."

"Nakabantay ka talaga palagi sa Bulletin no?" Blangko niyang tanong.

"Oo naman. Source of serotonin ko ata 'yun"

"Source of serotonin." He mocked.

"Totoo naman kasi." I defended while glaring at him. "Na-eenjoy ko talaga every week na makita ang bagong entries."

"Kaya pala halos lahat ng week nasa Bulletin talaga ang mga works mo." He commented. "You're good at writing."

"Really?" That made my confidence rise.

"Masyado nga lang figurative at cryptic. Too mysterious in some cases."

Napasimangot ako, "Akala ko ba sabi mo, I am good in writing,"

"You are good, no doubt about that." Inangat niya ang ulo niya para tingnan ako. "Pero minsan, parang mawawala ka sa pagbabasa. The metaphors will overwhelm you in some point."