A/N: In case you didn't notice, Chap. 3 was kind of a filler so to compensate for that, I made this earlier than needed. I WASN'T ABLE TO PROOFREAD IT PROPERLY SO PLEASE EXCUSE MY GRAMMAR/SPELLING ERRORS.
WARNING/S: lack of vocabulary and extreme OOC-ness for Lovina's part because I didn't really write her as a foul-mouthed person here (I have this headcanon that she only curses when she's nervous, afraid, angry, and so on and so forth)
I don't know if it can be considered as a type of racism or stereotyping but, I DIDN'T MEAN IT TO BE, nevertheless, my advance apologies to those who'll be offended.
Happy reading!
Chapter 4; The First
09:45 am
As soon they finally figured out how the 30-minute ride to the venue would go, Gilbert was the first one out of their hotel room, waiting for Lovina to finally be satisfied with the black flats with crystal shards bon each of its sides. The albino was going over the antique telephone design by the counter on their floor, vaguely wondering if he could at least touch it, when the door to his right nudged and creaked, revealing his friend beautifully wrapped with the dark red dress he personally picked for her. The v-line clothing wonderfully placed itself just below her collarbones, defining her long neck and short-sleeved forearms, an amber-coloured purse dangling from it. With her hair carefully placed and curled into an updo, Gilbert was at a loss for words.
They boarded the lift at Lovina's yanking on his arm. Composing himself as he straightened up his suit in that of a black hue (a white ribbon to pair with), he smiled gracefully to the lift woman who was now looking at the two of them with a rather flushed and giddy smile. He was too keen of a person to notice that not until they boarded off that she actually raised an eye to follow his back.
At the marbled and precious-looking foyer of the hotel was where they were met by Amanda Rivers. She was embroidered with pearls on top of an onyx dress that accentuated her motherly figure. It wasn't a surprise that she opted to hug Lovina first, though.
"Renata," she cooed as she scooped the well-dressed brunette into her arms.
"Amanda, it's been so long!" Lovina hugged back.
"You too, you too!" She cupped her face and directed her attention to where Gilbert was standing. "Oh my, look at how you too have grown! And Gil, oh my gosh! I can't believe that you actually look like a literate person for once!"
After all the pleasantries and greetings ended, mostly a pack of 'I-can't-believe-you-can-look-like-that' or a 'you-actually-bathed' sarcasm beamed at the blonde from Amanda, in which Gilbert took the liberty to glare at her (Lovina grinning widely by the sidelines), they finally set off. They were guided to a rather pristinely huge water taxi just by the end of the planks outside. A small space with vanilla chairs and concrete loft was situated at the center where they took up their seats and let their sights be enveloped by the gradual swaying of their ride, the slow and yet refreshing view of Italians going on with their rendezvous, the noise of their surroundings, and some occasional flaps from the motor at the edge of their service.
Fifteen minutes in their way, Gilbert spoke, "I thought you said you weren't coming to get us? Honestly, I already memorized every landmark."
"I thought so too," Amanda chuckled, "until I got this message from Feliciano himself,
said to pick up each of our invited guests. The staffs, that is."
"Is there a problem?" Lovina inquired, greatly interested, and ambiguously envious of the person in front. She has the motherfucking cellphone number of the very Feliciano Vargas, himself, for crying out loud! "A change in plans?"
"Well, he certainly added something for the VIPs. But none of us have any idea what it is, though. I guess you could consider yourself very lucky. It's the first time he actually volunteered to do something for his viewers before the exact event."
"Ah, but that's the whole point, aunty," Gilbert snickered, "he probably sensed that we're coming. I mean, gosh, I forgot that my aura of awesomeness is spreading out every inch of the day so excuse my existence."
The boat hollered as they reached the pavement, their driver tying it off to a post. With Amanda reminding him that they'll mostly be picked up at nine in the evening, they waved him off with a smile and went their way.
Colours of vibrancy splashed in front of them, encountering various attractions on the way. Briskly walking the cobbled path, the urban breeze filling them up with content and that spark of infiniteness igniting in the pit of their guts, Gilbert and Lovina feast their eyes with the very nook of Venice that they haven't gone off to yet. Being an Italian herself, with Gilbert living here as long as he could remember, they were more than used to these people with define noses and prominent jaw lines rushing off to work, to a date, to an appointment, or whatsoever - but they will never get used to that seemingly endless surprises that their beloved country keeps. There would be people in the by the side of that vintage restaurant, or that café over there, that instrument shop, the bakery by the corner. . .
The smell of wine covered with the crisp scent of baked goodies, the waft of freshly picked flowers, a beautiful bella's homemade delicacy, the very structures, themselves, welcomed them as they walked down the path in between of two erected buildings in every turn. Lovina would often look up, admiring how the skies perfectly compliment their pace, a tug of a smile appearing in her scowled-used to face.
With Amanda being their lead, Gilbert is absolutely free to watch the brunette. He could've made a scrapbook by now if he only had a shutter in his head.
With their umpteenth turn (they weren't really taking on counts), the middle-aged woman took them inside a warm and feel-good restaurant, heading straight towards the round table by the window in front. The place was decorated with white walls (looking as if they meant for it to look rugged), circular tables occupying the glass panel, rectangular ones in the middle, yellow luminescence and jazz music blaring at the background. Amanda treated them breakfast.
For once, Lovina actually enjoyed gulping down a glassful of marmalade.
10:41 am
The café was fairly close to the very venue, much to Gilbert's chagrin (he was still stuffing his third croissant). As they all stepped out merrily, Amanda brought them up into a sharp turn, revealing stone steps towards a protruding hill and just across of it was a magnificent view of the canals and Vaporettis, the structure of their hotel visible from where they were. The breeze gently pricking their skin, they climbed up carefully, the albino glancing now and then to Lovina to help her out.
"This isn't really the entrance. It's far too slippery to be it," Amanda said in between her redundant apologies, "but it was the closest one. We usually take this as a shortcut."
Their heads peaking up as they each took the topmost step, it finally hit the duo that they might be a little overdressed – Lovina especially. The first thing they saw was a huge blanket (but not big enough) of a creamy hue slowly swaying itself towards them as the wind carry it through. Then, they noticed that two long metal rods were pinning it down to the ground.
Sitting at the grassy field beyond it were three humungous white tents, each embroidered with fine and silky cloths, entrances wide open. At the tip of their roofs above was a long and thick line of what seems to be like a cable of some sorts, connecting them to two posts just by the end of the land. Hanging from the said cable were dozens of round lamps that were yet to be lit, encircling the whole area. The soft flow of crusty music from the piano organ, with the eventual accompaniment of the cello and violin, filled their ears as the gentle and smooth sound of jazz boomed gingerly at their enclosing. Paired with the day's unyielding soft breeze, the baby blue sky watching over and patches of clouds scarce, they realized that they might surpass their expected sensation of prickling fingers and crab pincers in their guts, seeing as they were far out from below.
With a slight tugging on Lovina's part, Amanda brought them at a free space at the middle overlooking the three tents. It was even larger at this view as they can finally see the entrances, the tents filled with occasional guests and spectators.
"I thought that this was a formal event?" Gilbert asked, his eyes still fixated on the view. "You even got musicians!" He pointed at the group playing beside the first tent.
"Well, it's a semi-formal event. Feliciano's not really in to those uptight and, as he said, 'old-looking' kind of exhibits, so, we made this year's theme kind of urban and earthy." Amanda said in between satisfied laughs. "He loved even the sketch of its idea. We're expecting a full-house even on Monday."
"I don't see any securities. I thought that there're VIPs and stuff?"
"There are VIP tickets, but that's it." Amanda shrugged, "Other than that, it's a free admission event. People pay for the VIP tickets because one of its perks is a 5-night dinner with Feliciano and the staff to this fancy restaurant and all-"
"Shit-"
"- but, like I said, this year's going to be different because Feli's planning something for you VIP guests. We just don't know what it is yet." The sweet silver-head smiled, bobbing her head slightly as she explained to Gilbert (his mouth agape).
As the albino felt a creeping hand on his, Amanda looked over at the middle tent and spoke, "But, they'll only recognize you as VIPs if one of the staff personally tells the other staffs that you are a one. So, if you will excuse me, I'm gonna go and do just that." With one last smile, she headed towards it, Gilbert and Lovina just watching her. She never said that they should wait for her, though.
Lovina gripped Gilbert's hand lightly, hesitation clear. Gilbert just smirked.
"Gil. . ." she whispered.
"I didn't know how to say this at first but I'm really glad that I came here with you, Renata." He said, sensing the brunette's eyes on him, her breathing shuddering slightly. "This is the first time that you actually initiated us to hold hands."
"I'm n-nervous." She stuttered to which Gilbert just chuckled. "I'm fucking nervous." Her grip tightened.
He turned his head to her direction. "Hug me, then. You know, to diffuse the tension from knowing that you would see your lifetime hero just minute from now. Hahahahaha. . ."
To whether or not Lovina would actually oblige to his invite, Gilbert would take the latter. He would also base it from experiences, former declines to the same request and such. So when the flustered brunette enwrapped him in a rather shaky and humble embrace, his mind wandered off to someplace else, totally blanked out if he should return it or just stand idly there while she clings to him timidly.
She broke off the air of awkwardness with a near to soft voice, "Thank you, Gil. You don't know how much this means to me."
"I-I would," his voice was trembling as he placed his hands on her waist hesitantly, "if we would just kiss, you know. T-that'd be b-beyond awes-"
"Fuck no."
"Okay."
The middle tent was branded as the first one. Not by placement or by the order, but because it encases paintings Feliciano considers to be a 'first'; his first kiss, first love, the first sensation he felt when he became a legitimate artist, and his first painting when he fell into rehabilitation (no one really knows the reason but there are rumors that he spent three years in seclusion). His other works during those hushed times were also scattered throughout the two pavilions.
Just like the outward appearance of the event, the space inside was filled with synthetic circular chandeliers above. It was fewer than that of the ones outside and was already lit with a warm light, giving it a feel of mixed sophistication and practicality. Wider than it seems, the place encases three large white blocks of wood erected strategically away from each other. Holding a maximum of three paintings (two medium sized, an impossibly large one), it kept the whole room occupied, scattered tables accompanying it. It was only the first hour so the scarcity of guests is to be expected, especially if they chose to be 'fashionably' tardy, like most of them do. People who're often early in these events are students, teachers, tourists, or people who just have a lot of free time.
"Are they still studying?" As Amanda came back to the pair, Lovina now calmer and her hand off Gilbert's, she brought them in the second tent, smile reaching up to her ears while holding the brunette by her arm. They then were met by a man in a white suit, his collar screaming the colour black as it shone brightly on his puffed up chest. Gilbert actually felt threatened. "Honestly, Amanda, you woke them up to early." The man laughed, his brown eyes more visible.
"What's wrong with being early?" Amanda asked, sarcasm flowing out from her tone, "I know for some instances that being early is a very nasty habit but that moment is not today!" She exclaimed.
"And I'm still amazed by your bluntness," he said, "so I guess they are yours, then? I'll just list them down under you." He eyed Gilbert. "Names, please." He asked politely, taking a pen and small pad from his inner pocket.
The pale teen was about to answer when Amanda cut him off, "Just write Lovina Vargas, this lovely young woman here," she nudged the brunette gently, her arm still encasing Lovina's, "and the Vampire Freeloader."
"Hey!" Gilbert whined as Amanda chuckled sweetly, Lovina grinning.
"Oh, I'm just teasing! Just write Gilbert. His surname is so German; it'll take you the whole day to spell it."
After all the bickering and salutations, the man (who was called Andrew) went off his way to the third tent, leaving the trio to explore the place themselves. Amanda led them to the first block, eyeing specifically the painting at the back (the large one) before she, too, excused herself to check with the other staffs. The pair hovered over the painting even when they were left alone.
"Tell me child, what do you see?" Gilbert asked with a smug look on his face, his voice deeper.
"Really?" Lovina barked with a whispered moan, "I mean, really, Gil?"
"Okay, okay. Just answer the question." He said.
Sitting across from them was a tattered canvas in the middle of a large rustic frame, splashes of different hues adorned on it as it was only connected by thick strands of Canvas cloth to its borders. Just by the ends of it were colours ranging from the darkest, gradually lighting up as it reached the middle, making a hazy glow from it. Yellow was stashed rigorously at the center, followed by white, and eventually led up to a purple tone – the palette of a bruise. It was then surrounded by the mixture of gray and black.
"I see a new beginning," Lovina stated with a beat in her tone.
"I see destruction." Gilbert equalled, "you go first." He turned to the brunette.
"I see the light from the middle as its main theme, its main purpose. As he was gripped and turned by everything around him, the things in between; a prevailing light survived and emerged from his very soul, his sanity squeezing through things that are constantly contradicting him. He used force as his grip tightened on its silver lining – this huge frame of the painting. As he grows further into the light, he still resides in his torn up place, still fighting and ultimately, ready to live."
"Wow," the blonde bit out, his eyes intent over Lovina's, "I feel kinda small now. I just saw anger. Well, I just saw how he ripped out those sides," his attention went back to Feliciano's painting, "do you see how unorganized and clattered it is? The threads are everywhere." He pointed.
"Maybe he was when he was making it."
Gilbert pouted, backing away slowly as he walked towards the other ones in front, his ruby orbs still on her amber ones. "Or, maybe, a combination of both of our observations. I mean, if you think about it," he started moving in a faster pace, but not any faster than walking normally, "all the paintings that we've seen from Feliciano so far is either bright, pastel, or a totally dark one. But, he never settled for something in between. So I'm guessing tha-"
"Gilbert, stop wal-"
"-Feliciano's trying to release surreal emotions here. Like-" and he never got to finish his point, bumping through something hard as he was overwhelmed by a series of clanking noises.
Looking to his behind, a mixture of humiliation and anger etched all over face, he scrunched down his brows as he looked at a man with a bright yellow blonde. He was in a dark blue tuxedo and his head was partly down and dangling, like he was asleep while walking when he collided with Gilbert. He was also bespectacled (in a rectangular shape) and was wearing a necktie with black and light cerulean stripes.
A/N: I told you chapter 4 is already brewing. Buuut, I'm stopping here. Wahahahaha!
I know that I said the updates will be monthly, but when I looked over my schedule for December, I found out that I was fully packed. So, I figured that I will feel more accomplished knowing that this is on Chapter 5 already the next time that I update.
*I Know I'm A Dreamer: In that case, here's some medicinal supplication . Hoho
*loveforallpeaceforeveryone: Thank you for your review! I understand your point, dear. I actually used that line before this, but, I'm that kind of writer that acts out everything she writes. So, when I wrote that as my first, I didn't really feel the drama and aura that I wanted so I changed and prolonged it to something different. But I really appreciate your pointing out of my redundancy, that's one of the things that I'm really avoiding when I write, so, thank you!
*Kintoki Kin, TheDeadOne28 and all other PRUMANO shippers out there; I can feel your powers… Hmmm.
Gosh, I feel so sleepy now.
Well, that's it for now!
Thanks for reading! Constructive criticisms are always welcome.
- Radically Distinguished