Chapter 1: Purple Rain
Abalang-abala si Lena sa pag-aasikaso ng una niyang art exhibit. Sa sobrang excited niya, halos ilang araw na rin siyang hindi nakatulog ng maayos. Tatlong taon na rin mula noong sinabi sa kanya ng daddy niya na papayagan siya nitong magkaroon ng sariling exhibit.
Three years ago, her parents finally gave up convincing her that she should finish her studies and get a diploma. Na-realize siguro ng mga ito na ayaw talaga niyang mag-aral. She wants to learn, but school is not as freeing. The artist in her doesn't want to be confined in four walls to be taught with things that she's not interested in learning.
Kaya tumigil siya sa pag-aaral at naghanap ng mga bagay na gusto niyang matutunan sa labas ng paaralan. Nothing beats first-hand experience. Kapag may technicalities lang na kailangan talaga niyang aralin, saka siya kumukuha ng short courses.
She knows that being an artist would be a struggle. Pana-panahon ang kita. At isa pa, dahil sa aesthetics at principles niya, may mga bagay siyang hindi masikmurang gawin kahit alam niyang kikita siya ng malaki. The mass production of her furniture designs is one example. Aside from photography, she also designs furnitures. But that one's for personal use only.
Nang bumukod kasi siya, at the age of 18, she couldn't find any furniture that would go with the eccentricity of her new home. So, she took it upon herself to design her own things.
Naging studio na rin niya ang bahay, which looked more like a warehouse. The house was stinky and bare when she bought it. There were molds and rust and the smell of decay all over the place.
She immediately fell in love with it. Her family helped her clean it up, but that's the extent of their help. Since ayaw niyang ibili siya ng furnitures at appliances, ilang gabi rin siyang natulog na sleeping bag ang gamit. She spent the first few weeks designing everything.
Martin helped those designs come to life. Family friend ito. They've known each other their whole lives. He's also the one who turns her designs into sellable pieces. But she only allows him to mass produce the designs that she didn't like so much. All the unique pieces can be found inside her home. One-of-a-kind lahat. No one would find them anywhere else.
Martin.
Bumuntong-hininga siya. He should have been there, helping her get her stuff in order. But of course, he's needed somewhere else.
Lou Iradessa or Lacey--as everyone affectionately calls her sister, is a celebrity. She's been in the industry since she turned 16. Alam niyang mahirap ang buhay showbiz. Kahit siyang kapatid, hindi rin makaiwas sa limelight at sa mga intrigang dala nito.
Martin is Lacey's self-appointed protector. Anim na taon ang tanda nito sa kapatid niya at limang taon naman sa kanya.
Nang mga bata pa sila, ipinagkasundo sila ng mga magulang para ipakasal. Usapan daw kasi iyon matagal na. But she never saw Martin as someone she could marry someday. Kuya niya ito. Well, at least that was the case before she became a teenager and developed a huge crush on him. That infatuation later turned into love.
Alam niyang kapatid lamang ang tingin nito sa kanya. Akala niya ay ganoon ang tingin nito sa kanilang magkakapatid. Apparently, Lacey's different. Martin loves Lacey the way a man loves a woman, and her sister loves him back. Matagal na rin niya itong tinanggap because there's really no other choice but to accept it.
Pero umasa siyang tutulungan pa rin siya ni Martin. He knows how important the exhibit is to her.
--
On the day of the exhibit, Lena's family and close friends all came to see her art on display. Everybody came, except for Lacey and Martin.
"I'm sorry, ate, I can't come to your exhibit. May taping, e."
"I understand, Lace," she told her sister over the phone. Hindi rin naman advisable na pumunta ito dahil paniguradong may kabuntot na naman itong paparazzi kapag nagkataon.
But naturally, if Lacey couldn't come, siguradong pati si Martin, hindi makapupunta. She heard his voice on the other line. Her sister must have given him the phone.
"Sorry, Lena."
She forced a smile. "It's okay."
"Promise, pupunta kami kapag hindi na busy si Lacey."
"Okay."
"I'm sure you'll impress a lot of people today."
"You know, compliments won't really compensate for your absence, Martin."
She heard him chuckle. "Yeah. I know. Pero pangako, pupunta kami kapag may time."
"Oo na."
They wished her good luck before saying goodbye. She didn't know which was sadder: the fact that they couldn't come or the fact that they're together.
It would probably hurt more kung makikita niya kung gaano ka-sweet ang dalawa sa isa't isa. Martin is such a sweet guy. At sweet din ang kapatid niya. Lacey's a lot like her father. Malambing at expressive, palaging nangyayakap at nanghahalik. It's probably the reason why she's the favorite. She, on the other hand, is more like her mom.
"Ms. Lena Claire?"
"Yes?"
She turned to her right and saw a guy with glasses, holding a bouquet. Pamilyar ang mukha nito pero hindi niya maalala kung saan niya ito unang nakita.
"Hi, I'm Cyrus, Martin's friend. He asked me to give you this." Iniabot nito sa kanya ang bulaklak. It had a note with it. To my favorite artist. -M
She smiled. Hindi siya mahilig sa bulaklak. Sa mga bulaklak na bigay ni Martin lang.
"Thanks."
Hindi niya kilala ang lalaki. Hindi naman kasi siya malapit sa mga kaibigan ni Martin. Selective-social nga raw siya. Hindi lahat, kinakaibigan.
"Feel free to look around," she told the Cyrus, then she left him to look for her parents.
--
Kabi-kabila ang papuring natanggap ni Lena mula sa mga bisita. Hindi niya alam kung dahil magaling ba talaga siya o dahil isa siyang Aragonza. She knew that she's a good artist, pero pakiramdam niya ay wala pa siyang masyadong napapatunayan.
Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit bumukod siya sa pamilya. Gusto niyang malaman kung hanggang saan ang kaya niyang marating gamit ang kakayahan at talento niya. Her family name opens doors and provide great opportunities, but she doesn't want her success to be handed to her on a silver platter.
"I'm so proud of you, Honey." Inakbayan siya ng ama at hinalikan sa noo.
"Thanks, Dad."
"People have been asking if you're selling your artworks." Tumingin ito sa kanya ng mataman. "Are they for sale?"
"I don't know."
Inilibot niya ang paningin sa silid. Nasa sahig ang mga paintings niya. Naka-frame ang mga iyon at nakasandal sa pader. Ang mga pictures naman ay nakasabit. Her sculptures were strategically placed, so were the furnitures.
She loved every single piece in there. It might be hard to ket them go.
"Well, if they are, sabihan mo agad ako, okay? I have sure buyers."
Hindi na siya nagtakang nakahanap kaagad ng buyers ang daddy niya. He's charming like that. Kahit siguro hindi maganda ang gawa niya, maibibenta nito iyon. Her father would make an excellent salesman.
"I'll go find your mom," paalam nito. Nang tumango siya ay hinalikan siya nito sa pinsgi at saka ito umalis. Her parents have been married for 22 years already, pero hindi pa rin nawawala ang sweetness. Kitang-kita pa rin ang pagmamahal. Her parents must still have a lot of love to give. Kahit lima silang magkakapatid, ni minsan ay hindi niya naramdamang binalewala siya ng mga ito. Sure, she thinks Lacey's the favorite, but she didn't dare voice it out. Alam niyang masasaktan ang mga ito. She's probably wrong anyway. It could be Nikola, her youngest brother.
Shaking her head, she walked to the place where people were scarce and found herself looking at Cyrus, who's staring intently at the picture on the wall.
Nang lumapit siya, nakita niyang iyong litrato ng lalaking nakita niya dati ang tinitingnan nito. It was taken without the guy's consent. She wasn't able to ask him for permission. She figured that she shouldn't, given his miserable state.
The picture was entitled "Purple Rain".
Cyrus didn't seem to notice her. Nakatitig lamang ito sa larawan. She didn't know why.
Tumikhim siya.
"Hi." Ngumiti siya nang bumaling ito. "What do you think about the picture?"
"Why?" pabalik nitong tanong.
"Why what?"
Nagsalubong ang kilay nito. She couldn't tell if he's angry or just curious.
"Why do you have this picture of me?"
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