Blank Canvas

Chapter Six

Summary: Talia made a wrong assumption about Jay but was luckily forgiven. She and her little sister, Mia accompanied Jay as he tried to celebrate a birthday in an unconventional, and quite messy, way.

"How can you walk while doing that at the same time?" Avis' eyebrows knitted as she stared at the modular origami that I was almost done folding. We were strolling along UN Avenue after our last class. It was cloudy and overcast and we were moving at a snail's pace, enjoying the temperate weather.

"It's not that hard after you get the hang of it," I answered. "The ones that I make were still imperfect." I loved origami. It was the kind of art that was self-effacing and comforting.

"Isn't that your friend, Jay?"

I stopped on my tracks and gazed at where Avis pointed and sure enough, there was Jay inside an art gallery. He was talking spiritedly to an attractive girl who looked like the perfect avatar of a Good Girl Art – her features were pretty, her slender body was garbed in a form-fitting and flattering romper and she reeked of ultra-coolness. I opened the glass door and entered the place. Jay smiled when he saw me and introduced Avis and me to the girl. Her name was Zoe. Then, he continued with their conversation.

Avis and I moved around the gallery. I tried not to pay attention to Jay and the girl. Avis and I examined the artworks. "I like this one," Avis said. "I don't exactly know what I'm looking at but I love it. Isn't that amazing?" I peered at the acrylic on canvas painting on the wall. A card next to it says, "Scratches On Your Willowy Forearm," by an artist named Cat Summer.

"Sure is," I answered Avis.

Just then, Jay came over. He asked if I was on my way home.

I nodded but then added that Avis and I were going to grab some snack first. I glanced around the space. The girl that Jay was talking to was no longer around. "Where's your friend?"

"She's in a hurry," he said without offering any more information. After, he left because he still had two classes and has to make his way back to his university.

Inside the girls' restroom at the eatery, there were scrawls everywhere. Avis stared and said, "This is kind of crappy. But I feel compelled to leave something."

"You should," I said. We laughed together. I gave the room an eyeful. There was a declaration of love right next to an angry tirade, seemingly involving the same person. "Nina, will you be the SPAM to my white rice?" Next to that it says, "Goodbye, Nina. You've turned into a spam in my email." There were a lot of philosophical words, cursing, spiritual proclamations, rebellious outcries and even quotations from Nietzsche and Freud. There was a cartoony drawing of a male genital near the sink. Next to it was a phone number. I shook my head. The penis was the go-to, reflex graffiti of most people. It was very unoriginal and exaggerated. I once mentioned it to Jay and he agreed. Kind of. What he said was, "Penises are definitely overrated."

Avis borrowed my marker and drew a rough sketch of an intricate mandala.

Avis and I parted ways in Taft Avenue. But before that, we trudged along and explored the city. It was still early. We stopped by a graffiti-covered wall as we walked to a bus stop. There were two faces with different expressions. Words were written above the faces: Art for everyone, everyone for art.

I saw Jay again in the afternoon when Mia and I were outside watering Mom's plants. I asked about the girl in the gallery. He was flat with his reply.

Mia was playing her own version of hopscotch as Jay and I stayed by the gate. I frowned at him. "Are you cheating on Lauren? Because if you are, that's a totally unacceptable act."