Chapter 12: In the Art Gallery

ZACHARY FLYNN'S POINT OF VIEW

"Guys, we are with the tourism department. Since everyone we want everyone to enjoy and to keep everything organized, we have decided to divide the different departments. Two departments per batch and in that way, we can easily monitor the number of students before we went back. And just want to inform you, class, Mr. Paisley suggested us to be with the Tourism department. I am hoping that everyone is okay with that idea. You are not in grade school, so class, I know that every one of you will act your age, right?" Everyone was forced to agree with Miss Moore since I could see how everyone was excited as their own cameras were already hanging on them, seemed like they were ready to capture a lot of photos inside the museum. I was beside Xincere the whole trip since we were too late to reach the first bus where Geli was. She sulked the whole time while putting the blame on me, telling me that it was my fault why it was not Geli with whom she was with. I just put on my wireless headset and let her talk all the more. I looked at the back where my teammates were seated after I read their messages in our group chat, they were all teasing me as they hear how mad Xincere was, but until Miss Moore, the one who was assigned to monitor us for this trip finished her spill and reading some instructions we must keep in mind as we enter the art gallery, she was still asleep while leaning in my shoulder.

"Let's go, bro. They started to bust some digits from other departments. Hurry up." I just smile and carefully kick Nate as He whispers to me after almost all of our block mates came out, hoping to be the ones to enter as.

"Mr. Williams, is there anything wrong?" Miss Moore went to look for us, maybe she noticed that we were missing, as everyone was already making their way inside the gallery.

"Nothing, Miss. We will come for a sec." She just nodded her head before giving me a side glance as if teasing me after she saw Xincere, who was still in tight sleep. I just gave her a sheepish smile. After some more minutes, when I felt something odd as she lifted her head away from me.

"How was sleeping?" I raised my brows and started to stretch my arms and rolled my neck from side to side to loosen kinks.

"Why didn't you wake me up? Zac, here's your jacket." I just let her pull me to get into the museum as she wrapped her arms around mine.

As we walked into the gigantic art gallery museum area, I could notice the old-style vintage with a minimal touch of modern structures that contributed to the expensive look of the place. As I read in some captions at the entrance of the museum, it was established in the year 1970 and was recognized because of its underlying structures that cost half a billion. I have already gone to some other art gallery museum, but this was the first time to got finally be here. The cozy, calming, and full of nostalgic vibes made it more meaningful. There were lots of artworks that were displayed in this exhibition. There were sculptures, paintings, drawings, pastels, and many more decorative artworks that were presented in this museum. I couldn't doubt if it had been popular since the vibes were different to the usual museum that somehow find boring by some people. I was watching a group of students that were standing and solemnly contemplating the rows of paintings.

It was a private museum so, the people here were so limited, it seemed like the university rented it since as I looked around, all the people here were just the students and some professors that were assigned to monitor the students from different departments.

"Hello, Zac. You went early this morning, right? Why did you choose to ride on the last bus?" Beatrix suddenly ran in our direction. I suddenly felt how Xincere let go of my arm and reluctantly look at me before Geli had called her.

"I just waited for someone." I simply answered before shifting back my gaze to Xincere who was talking with Geli and pointing an abstract painting that had been hanging in a wall and looked so amused.

"Look how destiny moves, our departments have the same schedule in all the art galleries we will visit. What a coincidence, right?" She kept on following me as I walked closer to Xincere and Geli who were walking ahead of me. I even saw them looking back as they began to notice my presence on their back.

"It was good that the university did not require us to wear our school uniform," Geli told Xincere before linking her arm around hers. I even saw how she crinkled her nose and nodded her head about three times in response to Geli.

"By the way, I did not expect the trip to be so cold. If I only knew, I would not wear this halter dress that I'm wearing." Xincere complained.

"I feel you, girl. But honestly, I liked your dress. It's so good and fits on you as if it was actually made just for you. It really matches the dark red lipstick you are wearing. You're too gorgeous and classy today. I could see your pale as you made your grand entrance while holding Zac's arm, most girls from my block were so envious. It was a good thing that Justice keeps on following me earlier, and he left his jacket on the tap of my bag, I just worry about him being cold the whole trip." I guess they were still not okay, but hearing her worrying about him, it would definitely pass a day, she would call to me and talked how did they fix it all, that was actually how they used to be. And I found them cute by being like that.

"I also forgot to bring mine. I just woke up having Zac's jacket on me. I began to imagine how irritated he was on me the whole trip." I heard her chuckling while slightly shaking her head.

"I don't think he was. Didn't you notice, the moment you enter the museum, every eye was nailed on you and Zac? It was probably because of Miss Moore. Since Beatrix and some other girls were looking for Zac, but Miss Moore spilled the beans about the two of you, being asleep in the bus while leaning to each other. She even let us see a photo of you, and I suddenly visualize you have a piercing on the upper part of your ear." Geli giggled while tickling her side-to-side like she always does whenever she teased her.

"Miss Xincere, can I take a picture with you?" I furrowed as a junior guy walked closer to where she was standing.

"Zac, let's sit together on the bus, okay? I'll free up and save seats for us." I could not manage to even take a glance at Beatrix as I saw someone who asked Xincere was about to put his hand on her.

"I'm sorry. I am already with someone else." I did not even look at the guy who was asking to have a picture with her. I gently pulled her closer to me, as she was still standing the moment I put my jacket on her shoulder.

"Zac," I heard her muttering while trying to communicate using her indignant stare as if trying to tell me about the guy who was asking for a picture. I just raised my brows as if I did not know what she was trying to say.

"Zac, he was asking for a picture with Xincere." Geli whispered and pointed to someone who was still waiting. I took a glance at him. Xincere probably knew that I used to do it intentionally. It was not that I am against her love life or what. I just know that they were not the right ones for her. I mean, I think there would be anyone who could be. Her dad used to tell me to protect her at all costs. That was one of the requests I always hear from him, to protect her.

"Is there anything you want now, bro?" I did not know but I guess he got what I wanted to him as he abruptly shook his hand as I raised my brows. He looked so lanky while having his glasses that contributes to his nerdy looks.

"Just tell me if there's anyone bothering you." She took a glance at me before hissing. I got to remember how I used to bully any man who will come near her whenever we were in preschool up until grade school, thinking that, that was what her dad pertaining when he told me to never let any other guy come close to her. She always cried before whenever I pulled her away from anyone who might come near her, and she thought that I was doing that all to piss her off. I just woke up and realized that I was born to protect her. Even to any other girls who tried to hurt her just because of me. Maybe that was the reason why she got so irritated with me every time I was tailing her.

"Zac, do you know that painter, right?" She asked after pointing a picture of a well-known French painter that had a lot of famous pieces during his time. Almost all of his masterpieces were having a unique and signature style that showed his own identity in every artwork he did.

"Yeah. Why do you like his art?" I asked while looking at the abstract painting of him that had full of different colors. I honestly appreciated this kind of art.

"I like its colors, but I don't understand its meaning. But yeah, it's good. I think I can do it as well." I smiled after seeing her trying to figure out the image in the painting. I just rolled my eyes against her as she caught me looking at her.

"I really wanted to learn how to draw or to paint, but I guess it was really not for me." She asked me to take some photos of her with Geli. She was having her hair cascade.

As I was staring at the paintings that were hanging on the wall, one piece caught my attention, it was a girl wearing an off-shouldered maroon dress with a white shoulder bag that was hanging on her shoulder. She was watching the raindrops in the night sky. It can barely see the pointed nose of the girl in the painting. I felt so blessed to be able to be here and witness these amazing artworks.

"How about taking some photos of us? Do you like that idea?" I let out a deep sigh after realizing that Beatrix was still tailing me. I did not like the feeling when there were girls who kept on following me. Beatrix was one of them, I already told her to stop this all countless times, but I guess she was too persistent to do what I have had said to her. I did not know if she did not notice how badly I wanted to escape from her sight or just wanted to push the things that she wanted. I suddenly remember how crazy it was when her Dad, Mr. Paisley once asked me to date her in exchange for anything I would ask of him. It was the day before the last day of intramural back then when I was with my teammates that night before our coach wrap up the meeting after we had our training before the match in the championship the other day when Mr. Paisley called me to his office. I did not know how would I decline his offer without him being offended. I did not have anything in mind, but to tell him that I already liked someone else. I realized how lame my excuse was when he asked me who she was as if he did not believe me. I knew that Xincere would probably kill me if she would out that I told her name that time. I saw how Geli rolled her eyes after seeing her. She was whispering something to Xincere, but she just smiled and gently hit her arm.

"Uhm, Xincere, can you please take us a picture?" I just hardly closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh after I saw Xincere smirking while directly looking at Beatrix who was now linking her arm around mine. I did not know what she was thinking, but I felt shivering after seeing that signature smirk of her.