XXIV. I'll say it again.
᯾✵𖣘⍟۞✫᯽᯾
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"Remember what you said about your Kuya? Delikado nga siya....more dangerous than what you even said." I told him
"And you need to be careful, Rebel. Si Ravio ang may pakana kung bakit naglalaganap ang mga Mandurugo at Aswang sa siyudad natin. Kaya maraming nawawalang tao because he's part of the evil organization. Hindi ako papayag sa gusto niya. I will protect you."
Mukha lang siyang Korean but he is not my type!
Lumapit naman si Rebel sa'kin and he pulled my cheeks,"Serissa, ilang beses ko na bang sasabihin sa'yo na hindi lang sa mission mo umiikot ang lahat. If Kuya Ravio got something to do with it, ako ang haharap sa kanya. Di pwedeng ikaw lang mag-isa dito, you're my girlfriend."
Namula naman ako dahil sa sinabi niya. I covered my mouth at halos napapikit na lang ako sa kilig. Alam kong bwisit siya minsan pero ito? Gosh, kikiligin ka talaga! Di ko akalain na magiging ganito siya sa'kin.
Tumingkayad ako saglit at hinawakan ko ang mukha niya, "Mahal mo lang talaga ako, noh?"
"Yes, love. Mahal na mahal kita. So ibig sabihin nito, pwede ko ng sabihin na tayo na–"
"Wag!"Napatili ako nung bigla niyang sinabi yon. Gulat na gulat siya sa naging reaction ko and huminga ako ng malalim. I don't want him to get wrong ideas so sasabihin ko ang dahilan ko.
"It's Dad, Rebel. I can't let him know about our relationship. Kapag nalaman niya ang tungkol sa'kin, you know what he'll do. Can we just make this a secret?" Tanong ko.
I know it's too much. Masyadong malaki yung hinihingi ko. But I don't have any choice.
Naramdaman ko na parang hindi niya yun nagustuhan. Alam ko na excited siya! Dahil kami na! Pero parang sinira ko pa yung moment na yon. Ayoko lang na may gawin si Dad ulit. And if he knew about us, sigurado naman ako na magpipilit yon na makawala sa kulungan mapaghiwalay lang kami. I can't let Dad do that.
"So you just want me na solohin ako? Yun ba ang gusto mo? You could have told me about that, Love."He smirked at me.
"Ha!? H–hindi ka galit?"
He smiled at me and pats my head, "I'm fine with it. I respect your choices, Love. And promise me one thing. Can you?" He asked me at tumango ako.
Naging masungit na naman siya and he clicked his tongue, "Layuan mo si Vion. Aaraw-arawin kita sa buong College of Arts and Letters. Sa Department niyo!"
Ano ba kasi problema niya kay Vion? Tropa ko lang yon! Hahaha! Tsaka yung lalaking yon, wala sa dictionary na magka-jowa man lang noh so I doubt that Vion would make a move. Probably not.
But he's cute when he's jealous. Pinisil-pisil ko yung pisngi niya at natuwa ako makitang ganyan siya. I hope he stays cute forever.
Ngumiti naman na ako sa kanya and I giggled, "Wag ka na kasi magselos! Love! Tingin ka dito. Dali na!"
"Fine. Hindi na," He glared.
"Smile ka na kasi!"Winagayway ko yung arms niya. Ang bigat naman niya! Tamo oh, bakat na bakat tong lalaking to.
Hindi nagsalita si Rebel and lumapit siya sa'kin and he kissed my lips.
Nagmadali na siyang maglakad paalis and I got closer to him. Ang ganda ng suot niya. He's wearing a CD Icon Trench Coat along with black pants. He also wears a black boots. He wears Dior clothing. He walked with full authority, at ang gwapo talaga tignan.
Hindi rin siya nag-prepare masyado noh? Well, di tayo papatalo diyan! I am very much prepared for this date!
I was wearing brown striped puff sleeve blouse, and then for my pants, I was wearing pink curduroy pants. And then for my bag, I'm wearing a Mini Classic Flap Shoulder Bag. It's a Chanel Brand. Then for my hairstyle, I have a Half up and Half down hairstyle. Simple lang naman ang make-up ko.
"Saan tayo pupunta?"Tanong ko.
"Vancouver Art Gallery." He grinned. Mukhang excited rin siya na makita yon which is exciting. Pumunta kami pareho sa Train at di naman masyadong matagal ang biyahe.
Na-excite ako lalo nung makapunta kami pareho. Basta sobrang lawak nito! At ang ganda din ng architecture nitong lugar. Sobrang mamangha ka. If you're a BA in Comparative Literature student like me, you could tell how amazing this place was!
Pumunta kami sa mga paintings and as I was about to say something, inunahan niya ako agad. And I am surprised that he knew about those things. Knowing that he's an architecture student.
"One of Emily Carr's paintings. A Progression of Art." He added.
"Tama ka don! A small work, this watercolor by Emily Carr is quite detailed. According to author John Mackie it, "...offers a rare, perhaps even unique view of the old Kitsilano Indian Reserve on the south side of False Creek. It depicts a busy First Nations scene on the shoreline just west of the old Kitsilano rail trestle. Several dugout canoes are on the beach, there are a couple of campfires, and First Nations children are playing.
From early on in her career, Carr showed an interest in capturing themes of indigenous life in western Canada. Having visited many indigenous communities during several excursions beginning in 1908, according to author Doris Shadbolt, "the Indian theme came into Carr's art through her interest in the people. She was probably attracted to them first because they lived outside the class of society whose narrow values she had already rejected. She was proud that she could get along with Indians. ... The portrait sketches and figure studies of the people, the scenes of the village and its life, reflected the devitalized state of native culture - a theme rich in human significance...."Paliwanag ko sa kanya.
This one of the things that I love about my course. Maraming tao na mahilig talaga sa art galleries, in fact they love visiting galleries on their spare times. At ang trabaho lang naman ng isang art gallery curator ay responsible sila sa lahat-lahat ng institute's collections and organising the exhibitions and displays that members of the public visit.
And hindi lang sa history ang gustong-gusto ko sa kursong ito, in my OJT ang dami ko ring trabaho bilang intern. Yung pag-acquire ng artworks at collections for the museum or gallery. Especially research! Yung pag-conduct ng research and writing texts for exhibitions signage and catalogue.
Mga pag-plano at pag-organize ng exhibition for the public. I just love my course as well as my job as an intern. Wala ako pinagsisihan sa course ko. I love writing. I love research too. Ito yung gusto kong gawin.
He looked at the other painting and he looked so amazed by other paintings at tinignan niya ito mabuti. Kitang-kita mo ang kinang sa kanyang mata that he was so much invested in the paintings of Emily Carr. Is it her artwork? Or maybe he's really that kid all along?
Napatingin naman siya sa'kin and he chuckled, "Sorry, I was just amazed in this painting. It's called Autumn in France."
"It is." Tumango naman ako sa kanya.
"The time that Carr spent in France had a profound effect on shaping the future direction of her art. She was deeply impressed by the Post-Impressionism and Fauvism movements with their focus on bright colors and loose brushstrokes and she made several paintings in these styles while abroad. However, it was not Paris that most inspired her but rather the French countryside where she took several trips to capture its nature. This work reflects the influence of the modern style of painting on Carr at this time and according to curator and author Lisa Baldissera, "painted in Brittany, Autumn in France is a confident, dramatic depiction of the French landscape, reflecting a remarkable leap forward in Carr's accomplishment."I explained to him.
"You had the same eyes as him, Rebel. Alam ko na gustong-gusto mo rin ng mga subjects ko. Matagal ko na ring napapansin it's not that you hate history, there's still another reason for all of this, right?"I asked him.
"Noong araw na yon Serissa, the moment he gave the money, gusto ko siyang bugbugin. I was angry at him. Noong araw na yon, before we enter college nandoon ako sa insidenteng iyon Serissa.." Rebel told me. Tutok na tutok lang ako sa mukha niya. I wanted to know the truth.
Rebel got closer to me at hinawakan niya ang mukha ko. He was so gentle to me. He was so kind. He can be an asshole sometimes, pero nakakasiguro ako na siya yon. He was the one who got rampage and alam kong binugbog niya si Dad. He got angry for my sake.
"I couldn't take it, Serissa. Tiniis ko ang lahat, noong magkikita tayo palagi sa art gallery, makikita kong sasaktan ka niya...babalibagin ka niya. Ang dami mong pasa, mga kalmot sa katawan at.. sobrang takot na takot ka na. Your eyes weren't like this before you met you. Parang dala-dala mo ang lahat, Serissa. You were traumatized. You don't have any hope anymore. Kaya kailangan kita maialis don.."
Yeah, I didn't even grow up to experience like other kids. Wala akong mga magulang. Magigising ka sa umaga, dala-dala mo na yung bigat ng problema mo. Sasalubong sa'yo ay bugbog na agad. Hindi ko nga alam kung paano ko natiis ang halimaw na yon. Maybe because he's my father. Dahil naniwala akong magbabago pa siya.
I prayed every night and every single day na baka isang araw magbago pa siya. But no. Magiging okay lang ang mood ni Dad when I was doing well in my studies. Pero pag bagsak ka, automatic na wala kang kwenta. Na ikaw na pinaka-masamang tao.
Kung hindi uuwi si Lola noon, hindi titigil si Dad sa pagmamaltrato niya. Dahas ang ginagamit niya para magamit niya ako! Gusto lang naman niya ako maging Lawyer para mapagtakpan ang corruption niya. Yun ang totoo! He's a monster.
"And it took you so long too realize. Ang tagal ko na hinihintay. Kung hindi siguro dahil kay Saturino, hindi mo pa malalaman ang lahat."Sabi ni Rebel at napangisi na lang siya.
What!? Hindi ko naman siya nakita, noon! Plus di ko naman alam na siya yung sumusulpot na gwapong naka-hood with earphones! He's making fun of me. Napa-crossed arms na lang ako sa kanya and I rolled my eyes.
"Love, ang dali mong magalit. Pero ang ganda mo pa din." Sabi ni Rebel at umirap ako, "Hindi ka na makakauna ng kiss sinasabi ko sa'yo!" Ngumisi na lang siya at pinagtawanan ako. Tamo to! Nakakainis talaga.
"And Serissa, ako ang nagpakulong sa kanya. Binalikan ko siya katulad ng sinabi ko sa kanya noon. Sinisuguro ko Serissa, hindi siya makakawala sa kulungan na yon. I made sure to Lolo na best lawyers ang i-hired namin sa kaso." Diretso niya akong tinignan at halos mamula na lang ako sa sinabi niya and I gripped on his shirt.
Damn it..
I love him.
Mahal na mahal ko siya.
"Serissa, I can never let you go... never."
Hinawakan niya ang mukha ko and he kissed me. I reached his face at Ipinikit ko ang mata ko and I kissed him back. We kissed again. Again and again. It steals my breath and gives it back.
We ended up going back in the hotel. Once we reached the room, he quickly took me inside the room and he kissed me with passionate and deep kisses. Napahawak na lang ako sa balikat niya and I was surprised that he lift my legs and he put my legs around his waist and without a warning, his mouth is on mine already.
I'm frozen, unsure of whether I want to push him away. Then, all at once, heat spreads through me, and I thaw. He breathed heavily and he touched my lips, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Mas namula na lang ako and I nodded, "Rebel, don't stop.." My voice sounded more sensual than it already was. I covered my face dahil sa sobrang hiya ko. Why do I sound like that? As if I'm begging him?
"You have no idea how hot you looked like right now."Dinala niya ako sa higaan and he quickly pinned me down. Then he extended his hand. He reached his hand and he touched my face. He looked so manly.
Then he started kissing me again, he pressed his mouth into mine and it was so deep. The kiss was so hot, sultry and wild. He took off his clothes and damn he looked even more hot! Wala talaga ibang magawa ang lalaking ito kung hindi mang-akit!
Just look how enticing he was, he can even more shine like the sun. At other times, he could resemble a flashing fire. He seemed moulded from a different cast as he had an androgynous look uncommon to most people. He looked like he was sculpted by a master craftsman. He was looking at me with full authority.
The next thing I know is that his arms wrapped around my waist, cinching me to him, and I put my hands hands in his hair, feeling the silken strands between my fingers. His touches it was making me so turned-on. Everything went wild in our room.
It happened everywhere. Literally everywhere. But it was the best night for me. I never felt so fiery like that before.