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Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan

Okay. Hindi ito date aa? Nope!! HINDI!! I woke up early today. Hindi ako masyadong nakatulog, I was HATING myself all night. GAAAAAD!! What has gotten into me? Seriously. HAVE I GONE MAD?? Good Lord, what made me ask Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde to come with me today?? Anong kalokohan ito Ellie?? Dios mio... I stared at myself in front of the mirror. Yung buhok ko basing-basa pa... haiii... Ano nanaman ba itong napasok ko??

Suddenly, Em-Em came bursting in my room. “Naks, may date kayo ni Miguel ngayon?” Kapatid ko nga talaga ito. Lakas mang-asar ee. Haha.

I glared at her. “Lumabas ka na nga Em. Si Ed na lang ang asarin mo!!”

Instead of leaving the room, Em jumped off my bed, still watching me dry my hair. I was looking at her through the mirror. “Em, nu ba?”

She then made a face in disagreement. “Hay naku Ate. Kelan ka ba talaga magiging babae?” Tinitignan ni Em-Em ang suot-suot kong jeans at white t-shirt na merong nakatatak na salitang BANNED. “Makiki pag-date ka kay Miguel. Tapos ganyan suot mo? Ee pano naman maiinlove yun sayo nuh?”

Napalingon ako sakanya. Inis akong sumagot ng, “Ee hindi naman kasi ako makikipag-date sakanya nuh!!”I threw the towel at her. “At wala akong balak na mainlove siya saken.”

Em-Em laughed mockingly at me. “Balak? Ee kahit naman balakin mo hindi naman talaga maiinlove yun sayo!”
“ABA TALAGANG...”

“Teka lang ate...” Em-Em said, standing up. “Meron akong solusyon jan sa prublema mo.”She then pulled out something behind her and out came a black dress. “Kasama ito sa mga paninda ni mama. Narinig ko kahapon nung kausap ni mama si tita sa phone na kung sino daw mag-suot ng damit na toh ee mapapaibig mo yung taong mahal mo.”

I threw a frown at Em-Em. Yung tingin na tipong, wala akong panahon sa mga ganyang JOKE. Sa tanda ko ito? Maniniwala ako sa ganyan? Huh. ASAAAA!!!

I simply turned my back on my sister as I started combing my hair. Napansin ko yung wall clock sa pader ko. Sheet. Late na ko!!! I was just about to leave when...

“Ate Ellie!!” Em-Em called. “May tanong ako.” Napatigil ako as I faced her. “Kilala ba ni Kuya Darren si Miguel?”

---

Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde was seated patiently sa may Starbucks malapit sa MUP. Napagusapan kasi nila ni Ellie kagabi na dito na lang ulit magkita. Mukang nagiging meeting place na nga nilang dalawa ito ee. He ordered for another round of coffee. Isang oras ng late si Ellie, but he was just uncomplainingly waiting for her. Sanay na ang binata. Alam na niyang late nanaman si Eleonor.

Nagbabasa na lang ng magazine si Sef pampalipas oras when all of a sudden, in the corner of his eye, he saw a young lady in black dress standing beside him. Without turning around, he simply said, “I’m sorry. I’m waiting for someone.”He muttered coldly.

But the lady in black dress didn’t even move. Dahan-dahang tinignan ni Sef yung babae sa gilid niya, from her flat shoes up to her face. And boy, did Sef forget to breathe!! His eyes widened in utter disbelief.

“Wag mo kong tatawanan, sasampalin kita!”It was no other than Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan. She was clad with a fine black dress with a light touch of make-up on her face. It wasn’t anything GRAND, really. She looked rather SIMPLE but was striking nonetheless. At hindi makatingin ang dalaga sa mata ni Sef.

Tawanan, she said. But laughing was the last thing Sef had in mind.

This time, it was Sef who was caught completely off guard.

He just couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

---

Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!! Pakiwari ko talaga para kong isang BAKLA!!! FIRST TIME KONG MAGSUOT NG GANITONG DAMIT!!! SUS MARIA JOSEPA!!! Hindi ko alam kung anong kasalanan ko kay Em-Em at pinapahirapan niya ko ng ganito!!

Para kong na-sabotage... Grabeeeh, hindi ko alam kung kapatid ko ba talagang maituturing yung si Em-Em ee... she knew exactly how to BLACKMAIL ME!!

I threw a look at Sef, who was just silently standing beside me. God, I have to say, he was smoking HOT!! Grabeeeh... sobrang bagay talaga kay Sef yung mga dark colors. He was wearing a fit navy blue (which was close to black) polo shirt na naka bukas yung first three buttons from the neck, kaya naka-reveal tuloy ang kanyang very alluring chest.

He was like a god. TAPOS AKO?? Ano?? Pakiramdam ko muka akong bading sa suot ko. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me. Siguro they were debating whether I’m a real or a fake woman.

Gusto kong sumigaw ng, ANASHUTANG ANIMALES!! BABAE AKO!!! BABAE!!!

“San na ba tayo pupunta?” Sef asked looking anywhere except on me. Kita niyo na? Pati tuloy siya nahihiyang kasama ako. Asan ngayon yung sinasabi ni Em-Em na powers ng damit na ito?? Geez, I should have known better!!

“Sasakay muna tayo ng jeep papuntang LRT.” Irita kong sagot. Sus. Kahiya niya ko. So what? Tsss. WALA AKONG PAKIALAM. Pero... putek... bakit parang ang sakit sa dibdib nung idea na yun?? WAAAAH!!! Wag na nga lang kaminig umalis... uuwi na lang ako!!!

Pero biglang may tumigil na taxi sa harap ko. Pumara pala si Sef. Diba parang kakasabi ko lang na magji-jeep kami?? He opened the door for me. “Mag-taxi na tayo.” He simply said, still avoiding my gaze. Hindi talaga siya makatingin saken. Naiinis ako!!! NAIINIS TALAGA AKO!! Sobra bang nahihiya siyang kasama ako kaya ayaw niyag mag-jeep kami? Aba... hindi ata ako papayag nun.

“Bahala ka!” I said stubbornly, even crossing my arms. “Magji-jeep ako!!” Ang mahal-mahal mag-taxi papunta sa sakayan ng tren nuh!! Wala akong balak magpalibre nga sakanya.

He frowned in confusion. His lips closed in a tight line. His eyes serious than ever as he slammed the cab’s door. He walked towards me but I stood firm. I mentally swallowed in fear. Napikon ko ata siya. Pero hindi ko ipapakita sakanya yung lakas ng epekto niya saken.
“Ako nagyaya sayo, kaya ako magbabayad ng pamasahe!!” I said, trying my best to make my voice sound dominant. “Wala akong pambayad ng taxi!!”

“Hindi ako sanay ng nililibre.” He said tightly.“Don’t make me put you in there.”

Parang napaka seryoso ng banta niya. Hindi ko kinaya ee. Napalunok na ko ng malakas at wala na kong nagawa as he re-opened the cab’s door for me. Pumasok na lang ako in total defeat.

Tss. What’s the big deal with riding a cab anyway?? Nakakainis talaga itong lalaking ito!!! GAAAAAH!!!

To be continued.

Here's a picture of Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan in her black dress.CLICK ME.