LOVE-NAT, isang makulit na lovestory!

Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan

Hmmmmm… ang sarap ni Sef – este, ibig kong sabihin yung mga nilutong mga putahe ni Sef!! Kakatapos lang niya gawin lahat nung recipe. Ayaw niya kong makialam, all he wanted from me was to tell him what to do. Sobrang gustong-gusto talaga niyang ipagluto si Bea nuh? NAKAKAINIS!! Mamaya bubudburan ko yan ng maraming sili!! NYAHAHAHAHA.

Maya-maya pa at bigla ng nagreklamo ang tiyan ko. Napalunok ako. Grabe, gusto ko lang talaga siyang tikman!! TOINKS! YUNG HIPON AA?! OO, YUNG HIPON! Syempre, lalo na’t si Sef ang nagluto!! I licked my lips, itsura ng takam na takam na!! Hahaha. Sheet, napaka-PG ko talaga! I tried to sneak away one shrimp dun sa luto niyang Gambas, but Sef only caught my hand that made me gasp and almost made my heart jump. His eyes were serious at yung pagkakahawak niya sa kamay ko kala mo nakahuli siya ng langaw ee. “Hindi yan para sayo.”

I quickly pulled my hand away from him. “Aayusin ko lang naman nuh!” I hissed, making a long face. “Damot-damot!”

He turned his back and I swear to God, I heard him smirked. Hmp, kung di ko lang mahal tong loko na toh kanina ko pa toh pinalo ng kawali ee!! HAHAHA. Lechugas Ellie!! Kilabutan ka nga sa mga iniisip mo!! YOU’RE NOT IN LOVE WITH THAT SELFISH BASTARD!! OKAY?!

“Best thing you can do, place each dish in a Tupperware.” Huh, ang kapal talaga!! Nagawa pang utusan ako?! “Paki-aayos sana!”

I glared at him. NAKAKAINIS TLGA!! Nakakainis daw, tss… kumuha pa rin naman ako ng mga Tupperware at kahit naka kunot ang noo ko, nagawa ko pa ring sumunod sa utos niya.

A minute or so, Bea emerged back in the kitchen. “Uhm, Sef?” She called, yung halatang pa-cute na boses!! Asan na ba talaga yung mga SILI dito?! “I – uh – I have to go.” She gave a shy, meaningful smile at him, with matching na pumupungay-pungay pa na mga mata. “My dad’s on his way here. Meron pa kasi kaming family affair na kailangan puntahan.”

Sef nodded once. “Alright.”

Bea propped up with her toes para maabot si Sef as she planted a soft kiss on his cheek. And as if she intended for me to hear, Bea added in a low whisper, “I’ll see you tonight.” Grabe… ayokong mag-isip ng kung ano pa man… pero… parang andaming MEANING nung sinabi niyang yun!! AS IN. Talk about seduction!!

Nagtataka akong napatingin kay Sef and to my own surprise… HE WAS BLUSHING… at hindi siya makatingin ng diretso kay Bea, like he would melt any minute now. Right this very moment, gusto kong sumigaw ng DARNA… wala lang, para lang masira ko lang ang moment nila!! GAAAAWWWDD, ano ba toh’? Parang okay ng ako na lang kakain nung sili… para kahit papano, hindi ko maramdaman itong matinding pag-kirot sa dibdib ko!! Pakiramdam ko kasi, parang sinadyang andito ako… para mas maipamukha pa sakin ni Sef kung gano ka-JOKE time yung love letter ko, kung gano niya binabaliwala ang feelings ng isang kagaya ko.

“Bye.” Bea gave a devilish smirk lalo na nung napatingin siya sakin. She waved her fingers and gracefully turned her back to leave na kala mo super model siyang rarampa papalabas ng mansyon nila Sef.

Ako din, gusto ko na din umalis!! Siguro, kung Pinoy Big Brother lang ito… ako na ang unang-unang na-evict ni Sef. Oo na, sige na… I’m the biggest LOSER!! Haha. Ano ba Ellie, don’t pretend as if HINDI MO ALAM!! Matagal mo ng alam yan, kaya kung pwede, wag ka ng maapektuhan jan!!

“Ano? Tapos na ba kayo?” Sabay pasok ni Japo. “Amoy na amoy luto mo Sef aa?” He grinned sheepishly as he went beside me para tignan yung mga nalutong ulam. “Si Ellie lang ata lahat nagluto niyan ee.”

“Hindi aa?” Umapila ko agad. “Kung ako nagluto nito, di hamak na MAS masarap!”

“Really?” Sef scoffed harshly. “As far as I can remember, lasang champurado ang lugaw mo.”

Nararamdaman kong nagiinit ang tenga ko. “Ah, kaya pala naubos mo yung isang buong kaldero!”

Sef shrugged. “Like I had a choice.”

Kulang na lang ata mag-summon ako ng espada dito at hamunin si Sef. “Grrr…” I growled in uncontrollable anger. “Naku, tandaan mo yan! Hinding-hindi na talaga kita ipagluluto!!”

“Uhh—” Japo said weakly, standing between us. “Hindi naman masyadong obvious na namiss niyo ang isa’t isa ano?”

Sabay kaming napatingin kay Japo. “Baka siya nakamiss sakin!” Napaka defensive ko talaga! Hahaha. Inirapan ko si Sef at ibinaling ko na lang ulit ang atensyon ko sa paglagay nung mga ulam sa Tupperware.

Wala na ulit nagsalita. Sef didn’t even try to contradict me.

Sef then glanced on his watch. “Ah, wait.” Madali nitong sinabi. “I’ll take a quick shower, amoy ulam na ako. Paki-dala na lang yang mga yan sa sasakyan Japo! Atchaka, hingin mo kay Yaya Kusing yung bag na pinaayos ko. Place it in the compartment as well.”

Japo scratched the back of his neck. “Opo sir!”

Nagkatinginan pa ulit muna kami ni Sef before he scurried away.

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Sef Monteverde ascended up the long marble staircase, pulling himself out of the navy-blue shirt he was wearing, thus revealing his robust body. Dire-diretso lang siyang pumasok sa kwarto niya, grabbed a towel and momentarily froze… bigla kasi niyang naalala yung mga pangyayari kagabi.

Oo, kagabi. Meron talagang FISHY na nangyari… and of course, Bea’s involved with it. Sef threw his shirt on his bed as he recalled the events from last night that has been haunting him up until now…

FLASHBACK:

Sef was leaking out with alcohol. He had had much to drink that Bea voluntarily brought him home with her own evil schemes in mind. Oh boy, she wanted him all for herself tonight! The evil witch grinned.

Bea took the liberty to pull Sef to a kiss. Her hands snaked their way up his neck. She didn’t get a response from him for he tried to resist, to push the witch away… but then again, who would dare say no to someone as beautiful as she? Oh, the evil witch from Oz!

Siguro dala na din ng alcohol… at siguro, lalaki lang din naman si Sef. Besides, this isn’t the first time na sumugal siya sa babae. Damn, magpinsan talaga sila ni Enzo!!

Her lips were all over him, slow and teasing… he kissed back, hesitant at first… but a little more while and he went fiery with yearning.

Men… so typical.

But suddenly, Sef felt his whole body froze. He almost forgot to breathe, kasi yung babaeng nasa harap niya biglang nag-transform. His eyes widened in shock. It was no longer Bea he was seeing… but rather a short-haired girl and with round black eyes he knew so well. His heart almost jumped. Si Ellie!

“Hey, Sef.” She said, but her voice was different… it was way too girly and sweet for his liking, which was unlike Ellie at all.

Sef blinked and shook himself a bit. He was hallucinating. Tumingin siya ulit and this time, si Bea na ulit yung babae. Sef stepped back away from the witch. Parang biglang nawala yung epekto ng alcohol kay Sef. He ran a hand in his hair, he couldn’t believe with what just happened.

Without another word, Sef turned his back from her and locked himself in his room.

This was the very reason why Sef blushed when Bea gave him a peck on his cheek a while ago. Naalala niya ang mga pangyayaring yun.

He examined himself on the mirror. Bakit naman sa lahat, si Ellie pa yung nakita niya kagabi? Geez. He can’t possibly be… that attracted to her. No way!!

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Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan

Tinulungan ko si Japo na dalin yung mga pagkain sa kotse ni Sef. Talaga naman oh, para kanino ba kasi itong mga toh? At puro hipon pa, hindi ba mahi-highblood yung kakain? Woooshooo, kunwari ka pa Ellie, gusto mo lang makatikim!! Haha.

“Ano ba ito? Idedeliver pa niya kay Bea?” Before I could stop myself, nasabi ko na ng malakas yung tanong ko sa sarili ko.

Japo sniggered at me. “Ewan ko. Bakit di mo tanong sakanya!” He pointed towards the entrance door ng bahay. I turned around at pakiramdam ko biglang nahulog yung puso ko!! Sheet!! Hesus porsanto santisima!! Pano ba naman… it was Sef fast approaching. Naka-all black siya na attire. And he looked as if pupunta siya sa isang photo shoot. Dios ko, bakit ba merong mga nilalang na kagaya ni Sef? GGGAAAWWD!! Forget the shrimps, mas masarap pa siyang tignan ee!! WAHAHAHAHA. TOINKS Ellie!! Ano ba? Mahiya ka naman!!

Sefs Outfit.
“Everything ready?” He asked, at hindi ko namalayan nakatitig pala ako sakanya. Delikado pala si Sef kapag naka-suot ng black. He was ten times more irresistible!! Yung tipong gusto mo naka-glue lang yung mata mo sakanya. He was practically a walking billboard of Adonis!! I gulped. Naku, kahit sang simbahan pa yan basta magkamali lang si Sef na yayain ako… pakakasalan ko na siya agad!! At pupunuin namin ng maraming Sef junior ang Pilipinas!! HAHAHA. Parang gusto ko na tuloy kunin yung alok ni papa sakin na gayuma nun!!

“Okay na.” Japo answered, handing Sef his car key. “So, guess I’m done here.” He was gesturing towards his own car na naka-park lang katabi nung kay Sef. “Una na din ako.” Sabay saludo.

Sef nodded. “Thanks! I’ll see ya later!”

Kumamot ako sa ulo ko as I turned to follow Japo. “Bye.” I muttered pagkatalikod na pagkatalikod ko!! I don’t have the guts to look at him, nakakatakot ee, my eyes could easily betray me. Pero sana naman Ellie diba? WAG KANG MASYADONG OBVIOUS!! Nakakaloka!!

Sumakay na si Japo sa kotse niya and started the engine. Hindi man niya ko niyaya, ako na mismo nag-imbita sa sarili kong sumabay sa kanya. Aba, siya nagdala sakin dito. Dapat lang na siya din ang maghatid sakin pauwi!! I reached for the door of Japo’s car sa passenger side. Napakunot ang noo ko kasi hindi ko mabuksan yung pinto. “Animales…” I hissed when I realized na ni-lock ni Japo para hindi ako makasakay!! “Japo!!” I whined, tapping my palms against the car window. “Uy!!”

Tinted ang sasakyan ni Japo kaya hindi ko siya nakikita sa loob but I was sure he was grinning. He was doing this on purpose!! NAIINIS AKO!! NAIINIS NA TALAGA AKO!! GGGRRRR… I glared through the window but it was useless dahil dahan-dahan ng umandar yung sasakyan ni Japo and out the gate he went.

I huffed angrily. Sa isip-isip ko, natadtad ko na si Japo ng iba’t ibang klase ng mura!! Magbabayad ka JAPO!!

I noticed Sef leaning arrogantly against his own car and watching me while he was playing catch with his car key. Grabe lang… GRABE lang talaga!! I felt butterflies flying round in my stomach at the very sight of him. Goodness gracious, he was just smokin’ hot!! I gulped, feeling rather uneasy. Pakyu ka talaga John Paul Sy Crisostomo!! PAKYUUUUUUU!!

“Looks to me you’ll be needing a ride.” He said as a matter of fact. Totoo naman ee, wala naman akong choice. Baka mapudpod ang sapatos ko kung lalakarin ko papalabas itong subdivision nila Sef.

I frowned at him. “K-kahit dun lang sa labasan.” It was easier to look angry. Ayoko ngang malaman niya yung tindi ng effect niya sakin.

“Nah,” He shrugged. “Hahatid na kita sainyo. Baka sabihin mo I’m no gentleman. Pero bago yun, I need to drop by somewhere.”

I nodded. Takte Ellie, ano bang nangyayari sayo? Parang lately, nagiging PIPE ka sa harap ni Sef aa?! Sheet!! Pwede bang wag ng sabihin yung obvious?!

Sumakay na si Sef sa driver’s seat and I on the other side. Actually, kahit wag na nga niya kong i-uwi samin ee! Kahit san niya pa ko dalin, ayos na ayos!! HAHAHAHA. Dahan-dahang nawawala yung inis ko kay Japo. Parang nagpapasalamat pa nga ako’t naisipan niya kong iwan!!

Siguro kung kasama ko lang si AJ ngayon, sasabihin nun sakin, “Kasi naman, Cuz… pakipot pa!!”

Para kong tanga na pasimpleng tumitingin kay Sef habang nagda-drive siya. Sabi ko nga sa inyo ee, ang hirap na wag siyang titigan!! SHEEEEET!! Dios mio, ano ba toh? Nakakaloka!! Pramis!! As of now… pakiramdam ko… pakiramdam ko talaga… katabi ko na ang John Lloyd Cruz ng buhay ko!!

WAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

To be continued.