It's been a week since I quit my job. Nothing much is happening. I just keep doing the same old routine, you know, the usual eat sleep, walk Appa and repeat.

I haven't come down to the basement where my studio is located though,  I still need more time before I start writing again. There were times I tried, but every time I grab my guitar or play the piano or just simply grabbing a pen and write, everything becomes a mess in my head and I just end up crumpling another piece of paper and throwing it straight to the bin.

As I was spending my usual night watching webflix, Johnny sent me a message that was unexpected, this whole week he had been messaging me, checking up on me and whatnot so it was really refreshing to see him message me and ask me to be his plus one, he said that I needed a change in environment,- I rolled my eyes at that, good thing we were talking on the phone or else he would've smacked my head- so he's taking me out to a gallery where his friend, whom he met back in college will have a photo exhibit. A friend who recently came back from who knows where. He was one of his classmates in the photography elective he took back then. 

And that is why I am here at a lobby of a high-class gallery, surrounded by tall glass windows, a high ceiling with a modern chandelier dangling at its center, located in the city's most busiest and expensive district, dressed to the nines on a friday night - a far cry from the one I planned out binge-watching anime in webflix- waiting for a very late Johnny. Apparently this  friend of his is some professional photographer who has been travelling around the world ever since graduating college. -Real life goals right there. We've never met in person, which I find very weird since Johnny used to invite some of the friends he made in that class at home for drinks or just waiting for their film photos to be developed. His name is familiar though, Ten, it has a nice ring to it. 

I looked at my wristwatch, Johnny is almost twenty minutes late, which means I've been standing here for a long time, It's a good thing the event also hasn't started yet, it seems like the man of the hour is also running late. There are still people gathered in the lobby, which in a way makes me feel at ease and less worried about drawing too much attention. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket signalling that I have a message. It was from Johnny, he said he just parked his car and is already walking towards the gallery.

I saw the top of Johnny's head after three minutes, he walked towards me  as if he owns all the time in the world. For someone who's late, he's awfully calm and not bothered about being late at all. 

"Really? After making me wait for almost twenty-three minutes,  you walk up to me as if you're not in trouble?" I called him out.

"You can call it a day anytime at work, yet here you are twenty-three minutes late but who's counting anyways?"

"Heh, I was getting some coffee on my way here when I received a text from Ten, he told me he's stuck in traffic and might be a bit late ." 

I clicked my tongue. "And you didn't even think of getting me one too? You owe me big time."

He gave me a sheepish grin while scratching the back of his head. 

I sighed. "Well since you're finally here, let's go inside before I get all rusty." I said while leading the way. 

****

The event hall where the exhibit is taking place is spacious, there's a table at the far end that serves cocktail and some finger foods and there are also waiters going around serving guests. At the center is a platform with a podium at the side.

The people who were at the lobby are all starting to go inside the hall. It seems like the event is about to start. 

Johnny and I are walking side by side,  looking at the photographs

According to the brochure they were giving out earlier before entering the hall, all the photographs that adorn the wall are all from Ten. I must say they all look stunning. Each and every photograph has it's own story, there is something about them I couldn't quite place it, but it is full of emotions. I was moved the moment I first laid my eyes on them. It is really beautiful. All of