Chapter 8

Alessandra's POV

Kinalabit ako ni Yael habang nakikinig ako sa pangalawang guest speaker na nagsasalita sa stage.

He smirked. "I'm curious about your friend."

My eyebrows furrowed. "You can ask her. She's just beside you."

"I'm curious in a very decent way, okay? Iyan ka na naman ng pag-iisip mo ng masama sa 'kin."

"You're literally a minor who writes 18+ stories. How ironic. I don't even know where you are getting your ideas."

He leaned his back on the chair. "Imagination works greater more than you think."

I just shook my head and listened carefully to the speaker. I can say that Yael and I are friends although I only know him as a writer and not as Yael himself. I only know his name and his stories, but I don't know how his stories are made.

Masyado akong natutok sa pakikinig. Pagkatapos ng ikatlong guest ay napansin ko na lang na hindi na nakikinig 'yong dalawa kong katabi. They're already enjoying each other's company without minding what's really happening. I think it's good for Esther. She needs more people who can help her improve. Iyon naman talaga dapat. People should find people who can help them grow and glow.

Nang matapos ang mahabang lecture, oras na para sa free time. Nakakapanibago na walang groupings. Parang gusto kasi palagi ng mga coordinators na magkakila-kilala ang mga writers. Dahil nga sa mga activities dito kaya marami akong friends, pero ngayong taon ay walang gano'n. Isa pa naman 'yon sa dahilan kung bakit sinama ko si Esther dito.

Hinayaan ko na lang muna sila Esther at Yael na mag-usap. Dumiretso agad ako sa mga libreng sandwiches. Gutom na kaya ako. Kanina ko pa 'to nakikita, eh.

Kumuha agad ako ng dalawang sandwich saka isang paper cup na may kape. Free food is the best in this kind of events. I can eat and learn while being here.

"I thought this year's gathering will be boring," a voice from my back said.

Napatingin tuloy ako sa likod ko habang may kagat-kagat pa kong sandwich. Napakunot ang noo ko nang makita ko ang isang pamilyar na mukha. "Ginagawa mo rito? I thought you hate seeing other people?"

I never thought that I'd see this guy here. He's good in writing, but a dumbass on socializing. People are disgusting for him. I don't like him for some reasons. I just don't like him, but I don't hate him. He's just too odd.

"I hate seeing others, but not you," he smiled which is very rare for a kind of person like him. This is the first time I saw him smile so dearly. Parang ang saya-saya n'ya. What the hell is happening to him? Did he hit his head on a wall or something?

"Tigilan mo ako, Rhyvs. You're acting so weird again."

"The first time we met, you said that I'm weird because I don't like to socialize and now that I am trying I'm still weird. You're weird, Alessandra."

Inirapan ko lang s'ya. "Ewan ko sa'yo. Bakit ka pa nandito? To socialize?" I said with my eyes looking directly to him and emphasizing the last word.

"I am here because I know that you are going to come here," sabi n'ya na mas lalong nagpakunot lang sa noo ko. "Don't look at me like that. I'm completely harmless."

"You're suspicious and I don't know why. What really happened to you, Rhyvs. I'm curious," my left eyebrow raised. "Tell me what happened."

"Why do you want to know, hmm? You're putting your interest on me now? Quite interesting."

"Just tell me so we can end this conversation."

"Call me when you get home. I'll tell you after some time. You have my number, right?" Nagulat ako nang guluhin n'ya ang buhok ko. "I'm leaving. Other people are still disgusting for me."

I just watched him walk to the exit. Rhyvs is really different today. He is anti-social and very weird before. He is a head turner though, but that doesn't change the fact that he hates almost all people.

I met Rhyvs almost a year ago. I went to his book signing event out of curiosity. He is just two years older than me, but he already have published books. Na-curious ako kung paano n'ya nagawa 'yon kaya pumunta ako sa book signing event n'ya. Hindi s'ya masyadong nagsalita during the whole event. Sobrang awkward din ng ngiti n'ya kahit sa fans n'ya. May mga tsismis pang kumalat sa social media na masama raw ang ugali n'ya for not interacting to his readers that often.

I want to know what changed him. I want to know how he did that to himself. I'm actually kinda glad, but when curiosity comes in, it will bug me for days. All I know about Rhyvs is his name, his age, and the big clue that he freaking changed.

I will know everything. I'll not act like a detective. I'll just ask some questions. I'll call him later.

Esther's POV

"Matagal na rin pala kayong magkakilala ni Aless kahit pa paano," sabi ko kay Yael habang nag-uusap kami. Napansin ko na nga lang na wala na si Aless sa upuan n'ya kanina. Sabi naman ni Yael baka kumuha lang ng pagkain si Aless. Gutom na rin ako, pero gusto ko pang kausapin si Yael. He is a good person to talk to.

"Yeah, but we're not as close as you to her. We're casual friends," tugon n'ya.

Lumunok muna ako. May gusto talaga kasi akong itanong sa kaniya. Kanina ko pa gustong itanong. Sana lang hindi n'ya masamain. "Yael, may itatanong sana ako sa'yo."

He smiled. "Hmm? What is it? You can ask me about everything aside from politics. Not really into that stuff."

"Hindi naman tungkol doon. Malayo pa naman ang eleksyon. Pero bakit ka nagsusulat ng erotic novels? Bakit iyon ang forte mo?"

"Oh, you're curious about that? Well, I don't really know. Maybe because that's where I'm good at. My brain works that way. I don't have any proper explanation, but I only write those things because that's the genre I'm good at. Iyon lang."

"Kaya pala," Tumango ako saka binalik ang tingin ko sa kaniya. "Hindi kita pinag-iisipan ng masama, okay? Nakagugulat lang na sa edad mong 'yan, marami ka ng novels na naisulat tapos sa gano'n pang genre."

Nang sinabi n'ya sa 'kin kung ano ang writing account n'ya, hinanap ko kaagad. Lagpas 12 novels na ang nagawa n'ya. Kalahati ng mga gawa n'ya ay published na. 'Yong iba naman ay kailangan pang bayaran para mabasa. He is one of those big time writers like Alessandra.

"Lahat naman ng tao nagugulat kapag nalalaman nila kung ilang taon na ako. They will literally say that I shouldn't be doing that. Sasabihin nilang masyado pa kong bata para magsulat ng mga gano'n. Tinatawag pa nila kong bastos at kung ano-ano. Wala naman silang bilang sa buhay ko. Writing feeds me. If I have a choice, I'll write other stories, but I am good on erotic novels. Kung ano ang naglalagay ng laman sa tiyan ko, iyon ang gagawin ko," Yael said in a more serious tone.

Naiintindihan ko 'yong mga taong nagsabi ng gano'n kay Yael, pero naiintindihan ko rin s'ya. Wala naman akong kinakampihan.

"Hayaan mo na lang sila. Kung wala ka namang naaapakang tao sa ginagawa mo, hayaan mo na lang sila kasi kung itutuon mo ang isip mo sa mga opinyon nila, hindi magkakaroon ng progress. You're good and that's the biggest fact, " I said to cheer him up and change the atmosphere between us.

"Definitely. Thank heavens that you're not like those people. Ang sama lang sa pakiramdam na sa mga readers ko pa galing 'yong gano'n. When I jokingly said my age to them, they judged me. Saying that I'm dirty. It was painful and I needed a one week of break from writing after they said that. Kaya kung papasok ka talaga sa writing world, better to hide your identity. If that's not what you want, just don't be too close to your readers. It might hurt you. It's true that even those people who said that they love you can still give the most painful wound."

Napayuko na lang ako. Kaya siguro maraming writer ang tinatago talaga kung sino sila kagaya na lang ni Alessandra. Parang ang sakit naman na reader pa nila 'yong nakakasakit sa kanila. Kaya ko ba 'yon? Tama ba 'tong pinapasok ko?

Tinapik ni Yael ang balikat ko. "Don't be afraid. Hindi naman palaging maayos ang mga bagay-bagay, hindi ba? Just be close to them, but don't be an open book."

This is reality right in front of me. I really need to think about entering a new world. Gusto ko kasi talagang magsulat. Gusto kong malaman kung totoo bang pati ibang character na bibigyan ko ng story ay makakausap at makikita ko. May pakiramdam akong hindi lang sila Jordan at Alessandra ang p'wede kong makita.

Pero hindi pa rin pala madali ang mga sitwasyon. There are so many circumstances. Do I really want to write stories or I just want my characters to come to life?

TinTalim