Chapter 25
2 years. It's been 2 years since the day Julie and Gabe left. Sa loob ng 2 taon na yun ay naiayos ko na ang sarili ko. I went back to painting and had 3 exhibits last year and 1 exhibit coming up this year. I was also able to buy my own condo unit. Well, RJ kicked me out dahil daw di ko inaalagaan yung condo niya. I also have my own car which I bought from the money I earned through my exhibits and the paintings I sold before that. So you can say that I am pretty okay with life in general.
"Iniisip ko lang. Diba yung gagawin mo ngayon yung pyrotechnic tsaka yung sand art? Diba mahirap yun?" Pol asked.
"Mahirap pero diba nung nasa Germany ako, nakameet ako ng artist na nagturo saken pano gawin yun. Well, next week kasi he'll be coming here to help with the exhibit. Isshowcase niya din yung mga gawa niya." sabi ko.
"Wow. So may foreign artist ka palang guest." tango ni Maine.
"Yeah. Buti nga napapayag ko. Hiniritan ko kasing birthday ko on the day of my exhibit kaya ayun. Hahaha!"
"Mautak ka talagang gago ka." ani RJ. "Osige na. I'll go ahead. I have a flight in an hour." paalam niya saka na humalik kay Maine and fist bumped Pol and I.
"Ingat, dude. Pasalubong!" pahabol ni Pol saka tumawa.
"Teka. Asan na si Cal?" pagtataka ko. Cal's the curator of my past exhibits. He's actually Maine's college friend and naging kaibigan na rin namin along the way.
"Alam mo naman yung baklang yun. Late as always." irap ni Maine. Napailing na lang ako saka natawa. Half an hour later ay dumating na nga si Cal. He's talking on the phone at mataas pa ang tono ng boses.
"Well I don't give a damn fuck if your venue is booked on that day! I called you a month ago about my upcoming event and paid you like what you asked me. Tapos sasabihan mo kong booked na yung exhibit area on the day I reserved it?! Niloloko mo ba ko ha?!" aniya. Pagkakita niya sa amin ay kumaway lang siya at muling naglakad palabas.
"Looks like the venue's reserved already." kibit-balikat ni Pol. Nagkibit-balikat lang din kami ni Maine and waited for Cal to enter the coffee shop again. 5 minutes passed and Cal went back in sabay salampak sa couch na inuupuan ni Maine.
"Nyare, Cal?" Maine asked.
"Hay nako. Bwiset talaga yang Vira na yan. Napaka! Biruin niyo, last month tumawag na ko sa kanila for Elmo's exhibit next month. I even paid them the 50% downpayment para mablock na yung dates ng exhibit. Aba ang walangyang Vira. Nireserve yung venue nila sa iba on the same date that I told her to reserve for us."
"Oh. Eh pano daw mangyayari nun? Bayad na tayo." ani Pol.
"Eh siyempre ginamitan ko na ng powers ko yan. Tinawagan ko yung jowa niyang kabarkada ng kapatid ko. And it's done! The place is ours for the whole week of Elmo's birthday and exhibit." mayabang na sambit ni Cal. Nag-apir sila ni Maine saka naman ako siniko ni Pol.
"Iba ka talaga Cal. Ikaw na talaga." sabi ko saka din nakipag-apir sa kanya.
"Aba kaya gandahan mo yang ilalantad mo ha. Sayang ganda ko pag walang kwenta yang exhibit mo." irap niya.
"I think maganda naman yung event niya this year. Kasi may foreign artist siyang guest eh." sabi ni Pol. Nanlaki ang mata ni Cal at para pang kuminang pagkarinig sa sinabing yun ni Pol.
"Talaga?! Mga bet ko ba yan?" tanong niya. Natawa ko saka nagkibit-balikat.
"He's German. Gusto mo ba ng mga ganun?" tanong ko.
"Ay! German. Omg. German sausage ganoin! Gusto ko yan!" kinikilig na sabi niya at hinampas-hampas pa si Maine. Tawa lang naman kami nang tawa ni Pol sa kanya habang si Maine ay nagrereklamo na sa paghampas sa kanya ng kaibigan.
