LOVE-NAT, isang makulit na lovestory!

Monday Night
Ascend
11:35 pm

Everything about Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde made him stood out in the crowd as he made his way towards the counter. Akala mo kung sino siyang artistang pumasok ng Ascend.

Girls were eyeing him with unmistakable desire.

Men felt insecure with his sudden presence.

But Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde simply ignored them, not returning the same interest they had on him.

“Tequila.” Order ni Sef sa barista. He looked around the bar while waiting for his drink. Ilang beses na ba niyang sinabi sa sarili niya na hindi na siya pupunta dito? This place has so many bitter memories. He scanned the room, and he gained himself countless smiles from one girl to the next but still, he did not return the gesture. He only glared at them, kung baga dedma.

Suplado effect syempre! Haha.

Mga tao dito sa Ascend were two times richer and two times ang dating compared sa The Manor sa Eastwood. Madalas na naghahang-out dito ee mga katulad ni Sef na mga artistahin. No, really. Mga artista talaga. Minsan Jake Cuenca and Gerald Anderson were here. Last night nga lang, sila Sam Milby ee.

Okay, sige na… sila na ang pinupuntahan ng mga artista!! Haha.

“Sir, your drink.” Sabi nung barista.”Can I get you anything else Mr. Monteverde?” Wag na tayong magtaka kung pati manager ng bar na ito ee kilala siya.

Sef shook his head as he took the glass of tequila and took a mouthful of drink.

“Oh, pare!” Biglang may tumapik kay Sef. Isa sa mga kabarkada niya sa GWAPS University, si Paul. “Good to see you here. Been a long time!”

Kasama ni Paul si Jerry, a tall attractive young man. “Oo nga Sef, di ka na namin nakakasama aa? What’s keeping you so busy?” Kailangan pa sumigaw nila Paul at Jerry dahil sa sobrang lakas ng music.

“Hey, man!” Sef forced a friendly smile. At nag-appear ang mga binata, like what men usually do when they greet each other. “Ee, marami lang inaasikaso.” Sef said, trying to make up an excuse without the need to say too much. Ganun naman talaga si Sef ee, he was never comfortable in telling stories especially when it concerns him. Mas maigi ng sarilihin na lang niya. “Are the other guys here with you?”

“Uh, yeah! Bea is here too.” Sabi ni Paul, leaning against the bar beside Sef. Paul was smiling na parang may ibang ipinapahiwatig. Sef shook his head with a smirk. “What?” Paul asked, matapos niyang uminum sa hawak-hawak niyang bote ng San mig light. “C’mon Sef. It’s been two years man. Dapat naka-move on ka na!!” He tapped Sef on the back. “Try going out with Bea, man! She’s a nice girl.”

Move on daw? Parang naalala tuloy ni Sef si Japo na ilang beses na din sinabi ang mga linyang iyan. Sef laughed. He doesn’t need to explain himself to anyone especially to someone like Paul – na walang nasa isip kundi babae. “Di ka pa rin napapagod? How many girls have you hooked up with me already?”

“Teka. Teka. Is it true though? I heard you’re dating someone from Matute?” Sef only shrugged. “Pare naman, mas di hamak na may class ang mga girls na nirereto ko sayo!! Well, I’m just trying to help you move on!! Hindi lang ang ex mo ang babae sa mundo!!” Napakunot ang noo ni Sef by the way Paul referred to Lianne. May pangalan yun tao and Paul should be addressing her properly.

Hindi napansin ni Paul yung biglang pagbabago ng muka ni Sef. Since nakainom na din si Paul, he didn’t know he should stop with the mockery. “Seriously man!! Masyado ka kasing wagas mag-mahal!! She’s just like any other girls in here. Besides, she’s not worth it pare!! She’s not the saint you think she is! Iniwan ka nga niya ee. Or are you the one who really has issues?”

With that, napatayo si Sef pushing Paul, taunting him to a fight. Galit na galit si Sef, his handsome face marred with rage. Ayaw niya sa lahat yung binabastos si Lianne at higit sa lahat, ayaw na ayaw niyang nauungkat ang nakaraan. “Just keep your mouth shut! You don’t know anything!” Nagulat si Paul, pero syempre boys will be boys. Paul move forwards, his body stiff and his face angry. Umeepekto na din ang alcohol kay Paul.

“Bakit? Did I say something wrong? Totoo naman diba? SHE LEFT YOU!!”

Parang nasuntok na si Sef sa muka sa mga sinabi ni Paul. His jet black eyes narrowed ready for the kill.

Napatingin na yung mga tao sa kanila. Malapit na mag-rambulan yung dalawa…

“Whoa! Easy man!” It was Jerry who went in the middle, pushing them both away from each other bago pa masuntok ni Sef si Paul. “PAUL SHUT UP!!” Jerry shouted. Pero si Sef ayaw papigil, so siya na mismo yung binoblock ni Jerry papalayo kay Paul.

May mga bouncer na din na lumapit. Yung mga tipong mga malalaki yung muscles… mga machong unano kung tawagin. =)

“Dalin niyo na lang toh sa labas!” sabi nung isang maitim na bouncer in a deep, low voice. Hinawakan na niya si Paul sa may balikat. Syempre hindi niya basta-basta mahawakan si Sef, baka mawalan siya ng trabaho ng wala sa oras.

“No. No. It’s okay.” Jerry said, reassuring the two machong-unano-bouncers. “Just… take him over there.” Tinuro ni Jerry si Paul and the bouncer immediately pulled Paul into the crowd, pabalik sa mga kasama nila.

Sef pushed Jerry away. “Sh!t!” Sef hissed in anger as he sat back down. Nagpunta siya dito just to have a drink… but in the end… napaaway pa siya!! Bakit nga ba madaming kupal sa mundo? Bad trip tuloy.

“Sorry, man. Nakainom na kasi yung si Paul.” Jerry said. Pinalipas muna ni Jerry ang ilang minuto before saying, “Pero, Sef…” Mahinahon yung boses ni Jerry as though he was Sef’s older brother who was willing to give him an advice. “May point naman si Paul. Move on. It’s just that I could name twenty girls – no make it thirty – who would sell their souls just to go out with you.”

Walang imik si Sef. He took a deep breath before finally answering. “I AM MOVING ON! Darn it!” Sef took the tequila in one straight gulp. “Those girls you’re pairing me with all look the same to me!! Pare-parehong BORING!!”

“But, trust me on this one Sef. Bea’s different!” Jerry smiled.

Sef could have snorted in reply pero sumenyas na lang ulit siya dun sa barista for another drink.

“But is it true though? Yung girl from Matute?” Jerry asked. Coming from him, it sounded normal without a hint of ridicule unlike kay Paul kanina.

Biglang pumasok sa isip ni Sef itsura ni Ellie. Uminom uli si Sef ng tequilla before answering in a hoarse voice, “Itong nakilala ko? She’s a lot entertaining kesa sa mga girls na pinapakilala niyo saken!!”

“Ee hindi naman chic yang nakilala mo ee. Clown ata.” It was a friendly joke just to lighten up Sef’s mood.

“Exactly.” Sef gave a hearty laugh. “But she’s definitely doing a good job entertaining me. And I tell you, I never had so much fun with anyone for the past two years.”

And Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde meant every word he said.

So clown lang pala si Ellie para sa kanya??

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Tuesday
2:15 pm
Matute University Field

Eleonor Malicsi Dimculangan.

Minsan, kailangan ng konting tampuhan o away sa isang relasyon. Oo. Pramis. Dahil matapos ang awayan at tampuhan… sweet na ulit kayo. Kaya nga minsan masaya talaga kapag may atraso sayo ang mga kaibigan mo. Kagaya nitong sila Borge… oh diba? Inilibre ako ng mga walang hiyang ito ng breakfast at lunch… at merienda!! At ngayon, nandito ako nakaupo sa isa sa mga bench sa gilid ng field, hinihintay ang mga butihin kong mga kaibigan habang pinagsisilbihan nila ako. Inilibre kasi nila ako sa Burger King at hinihintay ko ang kanilang pagbabalik. Gutom na gutom na nga ako ee. Saktong-sakto pa nga kasi, na-cut na ang classes namin dahil meron daw faculty meeting.

At habang naghihintay ako, pinapanuod ko yung isang grupo ng mga second year students na nakaupo sa isang bench na nasa kabilang side ng field. Infairness, natetempt akong umaligid sa kanila para lang marinig kung anong buong kwento sa break-up nung isang kabarkada nila. Haha. So naging chismosa pa tuloy ako? Ee pano ba naman kasi, pang telenovela na ang eksena nung girl na kaibigan nila oh, iyak na ng iyak… tapos yung mga kaibigan niya pinapatahan siya at taimtim na pinakikinggan ang hagulgol at mga kwento niya.

Gosh, I couldn’t help but wonder… ang weird talaga ng mga tao sa mundo!! What is it about love that they find so… magical?? What is there in love that so many people find interesting? Drugs ba ito na nakaka adik? Bakit lahat halos ng tao ee gustong main-love? AHHH. PURO NA LANG LOVE. Bakit pa pumapasok sa isang relasyon ang dalawang tao kung alam din naman nila na sa huli na pareho lang din silang masasaktan?? Gaya nitong girl na toh!! Tapos ngayon, iiyak-iyak siya sa barkada niya… ee alam naman niya sa simula na jan din naman mauuwi ang lahat?

Puro ba masokista ang mga tao sa mundo?? Dios ko!! Hindi sila gumaya saken, walang pinoproblemang lalaki, walang iniiyakan, walang dapat isipin!! Sorry kung may natatamaan man ako.

Kung itong mga tanong ko ngayon ang siyang tanong sa Who wants to be a Millionaire? Naku, siguradong wala ng nakakuha ng jackpot price!! Haha.

“Mukang napaka layo ng tingin mo aa?” Si Darren biglang umupo sa tabi ko. “Kelan ka pa nahilig sa drama?”

“Sira, ilipat mo na nga ng channel! Puro ka-kornihan lang nga nakikita ko ee.”

“Wag kang choosy Ellie, wala tayong cable dito! Haha.”

Natawa ko. Ito talagang si Darren Max Sanchez kayang-kaya niya kong patawanin in any situation with his crude humor.

“Grabe Ellie… ano nga kaya itsura mo kapag inlove ano? Ganyan ka pa din kaya kasabog? Haha.”

Hindi ko alam pero namula talaga yung muka ko sa bigla niyang tanong. Kahit ako napaisip ee. ITSURA KO PAG INLOVE??

Kung anu-anong imahe ang naisip ko.


“Babes.”Si Sef tinatawag si Ellie.

“Yes bebs?” Napaka sweet ng ngiti ni Ellie with matching exaggerated beautiful eyes pa!! haha.

Sef pouted, pointing his lips obviously asking for a kiss.
“Awww… hihihihi… ikaw talaga...” Akala mo si Maria Clara si Ellie na kinikilig-kilig pa!! “Perooo... BAKIT KISS LANG??”

WWWWAAAAAAAH!!!

PWE!!

Halos masuka ako sa biglang naisip ko!! Sheet. Tumaas mga balahibo ko, bakit si Sef ang na-imagine ko?? Kadiri talaga!!!! ARGH!! Narinig ko na lang si Max na tumatawa sa tabi ko as if maigine niya din yung naimagine ko!! Pinalo ko tuloy siya sa braso.

“Tigilan mo nga ako DARREN!” haha. Ayaw na ayaw kasi niyang tinatawag siyang Darren.

“Ahh. Ganun? Darren pala aa!” Then all of a sudden, sinimulan na kong kilitiin ni Darren!! Para kaming mga batang tawa ng tawa. Alam kasi niyang napaka lakas ng kiliti ko especially on my sides!!

“OKAY! OKAY!” I shouted aloud between my laughs. Ganito pala feeling kapag hindi mo alam kung anong tawa gagawin mo nuh?? Naalala ko tuloy si Em-Em, si bunso, dahil madalas ko ginagawa toh sa kanya. “MAUUTOT NA AKO NIYAN DARREN!! Hahahaha…”

“Ah. Darren pa rin aa?” Hindi siya lalong tumigil, naghahabulan na kaming dalawa around dun sa bench. Para kaming tangang dalawa na naglalaro ng patentero at yung bench yung namamagitan samen.

“Tama na ah!!” I said angrily! “MAX! TAMAAH NA!!”

But before I knew it, I was screaming as Darren caught me from behind. He wrapped his arms around my waist at binuhat niya ko paikot. I have no idea kung ano iniisp ng mga taong nakakakita samen ngayon… basta ang alam ko… harutan lang ito ng dalawang magkaibigan.

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Kararating lang halos ni Sef, binigyan pa nga niya ng 50php si Totoy at Butchoy pagka-park ng pagka-park niya. At inabutan niya ng 100php si Lolo Perding. Hindi siya nakarating sa MUP kahapon ee. Like what he told Paul and Jerry kagabi, he was busy.
Pagkapasok niya ng campus, binabati nanaman siya ng mga istudyanteng hindi naman niya kilala in the first place. But he kept his cool. He just nodded at them, without actually smiling.

When he reached the Matute field, unang-una niyang napansin yung malakas na tawanan nila Ellie at Max.

Sweet.

He knew one, when he sees one. Hindi din niya alam, nakatitig siya kay Ellie, who was laughing out loud. He frowned at the sight.

Tapos biglang may umakbay sakanya, taking his eyes off Ellie. “Ui, Sef!” It was John Paul Crisostomo.

“Hi Sef!” Sunod na bati ni Borge. Sara simply smiled at him and Jill waved a greeting. Si Meg naman tumango lang as she continued munching with her fries. May mga dala-dala silang plastic ng Burger King at amuy na amoy ang bagong lutong French fries at siguradong nadala na ng hangin ang amoy na ito kay Ellie. Haha. =)

TO BE CONTINUED.