Paint

Chapter 3. Paint

MULA nang pumutok ang balitang pinaslang ang Gobernador ay tutok na tutok ang madla sa kasong iyon. Lahat ay galit na galit sa napakaamong babae ngunit nabansagang mabangis dahil inaakusahang pinatay nito si Gov. habang may ginagawang kamunduhan sa isang hindi kasikatang hotel sa kabilang bayan. It was said that the accused injected poison on the late Governor.

Since the accused was the daughter of a highly-respected politician, it became a national issue. Idagdag pa na kumalat ang scandal ng nag-iisang anak ni Konsehal na si Candace Ferrer, na kilalang matulungin at tapat sa mamamayan, kaya tinutukan talaga ang kaso.

At isa si Rellie sa mga iyon.

But her reason was totally different from the ugly society. Some were following the said case because they wanted to put the accused behind the bars. They're accusing her as if the verdict was already given—as if she's already guilty of the murder—and people posted too much hateful comments towards the lady. And she despised those actions not because she's a woman, too, but because of the irony that people were saying she's a murderer, and yet, they we're also killing the poor accused by their sharp words, too.

"Wake up, people, she's still innocent until proven guilty," bulalas niya habang nagbabasa ng comments sa isang article na p-in-ost sa VBS News Page patungkol sa kaso.

"Biased ka lang kasi crush mo ang lawyer ng pokpok na iyan."

"Your words, Hapi!" Rellie almost rolled her eyes because the latter was too loud and they're inside the University's library. She's a graduating student and the classes were almost closing. Nangungumpleto na lang ng requirements para maka-graduate ang karamihan sa mga ka-batch niya habang siya'y naipasa na ang lahat ng kakailanganin nang nakaraang linggo.

No, she's not genius. Her grades were average enough to pass every semesters. She just didn't want to cram so she finished everything earlier than the given deadline. Iba na ang sigurado.

"And besides, she's not a pokpok, she's the daughter of—"

"Blah, blah, blah."

That's it. She had enough. She couldn't be with a person who could easily judged other people. Sa ilang linggong parati itong nakadikit sa kanya ay unti-unti na niyang nakilala ang ugali nito. At ngayo'y hindi na muna niya pakikisamahan ang Hapi na ito, tutal ay tapos na rin nila ang ipinasang project para sa huling requirement sa isang minor subject nila. It was by pair and she got paired with Hapi Lou. Since then, she was always asked by her if could she be with her because she wanted to be friends with her.

"Hey, where are you going? I was just kidding!"

Hinabol siya nito hanggang makalabas ng library.

"Hindi pa nga kami ng kuya mo, bad shot na kaagad ako sa iyo."

Sinasabi na nga ba niya't mukhang may hidden agenda ang babaitang ito sa paglapit-lapit sa kanya. Pinagtaasan niya ito ng kilay.

"Nililigawan ako ng kuya mo—"

"You mean, nililigawan mo?" patuya niyang sansala sa sinasabi nito. She knew her one and only brother more than anyone. He's a torpe type of person. Natatandaan niyang puro ito ang niligawan ng mga naging girlfriend lalo na noong hayskul ito. There's even an instance where his ultimate crush was already provocative, yet, he couldn't just confess his feelings towards that girl until she got tired and found herself another boy. Napailing siya sa naalala kung gaano ka-torpe ang kuya niya. Well, to be fair, he's good at showing affection towards someone he likes naman.

"Basta! Parehas lang naman iyon, hindi ba? Kaya huwag mo na akong pagsungitan, okay?"

"Paanong parehas? I doubt if he even knows you? Eh, tameme ka naman kapag nililigawan mo siya."

"Hindi, ah!" kaila nito.

"Have you forgotten what happened last week?" When she gave her a heads up that her brother would fetch her up the next day. "You handed him those homemade chocolate cupcakes na pinagpuyatan mo, iyong Rolex na pina-expedite mo ang shipping para umabot kinabukasan, and that love letter you wrote a lot of times before you finally settled with that scented paper."

"So?"

"My point is, you didn't even said 'hi'." Ni hindi kumibo hanggang sa nahihiyang tinanggap na lang ng kuya niya ang mga bigay nito para lamang matapos na at makaalis na sila. Her brother only asked if she knew her, and when she nodded, he accepted the gifts and they went home.

"Nah," she said as if they should move on with the topic. "Forget about that. Sobrang na-starstruck lang talaga ako sa kuya mo. The truth is I really want to be friends with you."

"Why?"

"Because I want to?" patanong na sagot nito.

She just shrugged.

Another thing was maybe she's just judging Hapi for being a judgmental person. Sabi siya nang sabi na ayaw niya sa mga mapanghusgang tao pero pakiramdam niya ay ganoon na siya sa pagdududa rito. Few more weeks or months, then, she would decide if she's worth to be kept on her circle of friends.

"What's should I do to make it up to you? Mukhang na-offend talaga kita."

She smirked. "Let me paint your nudity, then."

Nanlaki ang mga mata nito. "Are you tomboy?" Something glowed in her hazelnut eyes, or maybe, Rellie's just seeing things.

"Anong tomboy? Gaga! I need a new subject. Ikaw na lang para makapag-practice pa ako lalo."

"Girl, seryoso kang ipagpapatuloy mo ang nude painting? Forte mo ang abstract, hindi ba? Ano 'yan? Por que pinag-usapan ang mga obra mong puro hubad na paintings and sketches, iyan na lang ang gagawin mo lagi?"

"Why? Is there's something wrong with my art?" She's into nude paintings the past few months that was why she kept on exploring on different subjects since then. She had painted those models from the exhibits she attended, but she never had her own model. Kaya nga ba gusto niya munang subukan ang ilang kakilala niya bago kumuha ng ibang model na magiging subject niya sa pagpipinta o sketching.

Ngumiwi si Hapi. "There's none. I just think you're pursuing nude painting and sketching because of fame. Nai-ichapwera ang mga gawa ng mga tulad kong puro naggagandahang portrait ang artworks."

Wait, why did she sound a bit bitter? No, no. More like, Hapi sounded a bit sad. Pero maga ganda rin naman bg mga gawa niya kaya nga ipinagmamalaki niya nang husto. Kahit nga hindi kagandahan ay proud siya dahil pinaghirapan niyang gawin...

"I'll ask recommendations from Kuya na lang. Marami naman iyong kakilala," laglag ang balikat na bulalas niya.