LOVE-NAT, isang makulit na lovestory!

Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan

Lutang ako pagtapos kong marinig ang balita ni Max tungkol kay Pepita. My head was filled with so many images of my childhood friend. Images of the past, happy memories na talaga namang tine-treasure ko. It’s been years since I last saw her. Haha. Siya na kasabay kong lumaki, halos araw-araw kong kalaro nun sa talyer, siya na una kong sinabihan na ultimate crush ko si John Lloyd Cruz, siya na nag-turo saking mag-bake ng cookies. Haha. C’mon sino ba naman ang hindi mae-excite?? WWWAAAAAAAAHHH!!! Hiningi ko nga agad kay Max yung number na ginamit ni Pepita na pang tawag sakanya… and it turns out na siya din pala yung unknown number na nag-missed call sakin nung Pasko.

I was grinning excitedly despite of myself. Hindi ko ma-contain. Kaya kahit nung naghihintay ako ng jeep pauwi, para pa rin akong tangang nakangiti mag-isa. Hayyy, kamusta na kaya siya? Marunong pa rin kaya siyang mag-tagalog o kelangan ko ng mag-ipon ng English? Haha.

The last time I talked to her was through YM, about two and half years ago, I think. Haha. As much as I recalled, alam ko meron na siyang boyfriend dun. She promised about sending me a picture of him two years ago… kaso lang, na-busy na ko sa college, at na-busy na din siya. Didn’t have much time to go online. Yun yung mga panahong meron kaming qualifying exams and Pepita said something about being the heiress in her father’s business. Kaya, ayun… never had the chance to talk to her since then.

Hhhaaiii… Kelan naman kaya niya balak dumating dito sa Pinas? WWWWAAAAAAAHHH!!! I’m BEYOND excited!! Wooohoooo…

At sa kasalukuyan… May dumaan ng jeep, it was too late ng narealize kong dapat pinara ko na pala yun. TOINKS!! Kasi naman diba? Lumilipad yang isip mo, Ellie!! “MA'MA!!” Sumigaw ako, waving my hand after the jeep na kala mo titigil pa toh. Hahabulin ko pa sana pero kumaripas na ito sa pagandar.

Maya-maya pa ee, habang pinagmamasdan ko ang papalayong jeepney, biglang may pumaradang Pajero sa harap ko. I quickly recognized it. Si Sef.

Bumaba yung bintana sa may passenger seat, and I greeted Sef with a frown. Aba, fresh na fresh pa din sa isip ko ang pagaaway namin nung nakaraang araw!! Kung ako nakakunot ang noo, Sef on the other hand greeted me with yet another one of his sexy smiles. Only this time, there was something different about it… something… suspicious…

“Ellie,” He uttered my name with utmost pleasure. Para bang excited si Sef. Weh? For real? Excited siyang makita ako?? HAHAHAHA. Well, excited din naman akong makita siya!! TOINKS. Diba galit ka nga sa kanya Ellie?? Ehem, lumingon na lang tuloy ako sa kaliwa ko, pilit na tinatanaw ung mga jeep na dumadaan as though HINDI ko nakikita si Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde. Kahit deep down, pinagdadasal kong, SANA WALANG DUMAANG JEEP!! Hahaha. “I know you’re mad at me.” He said. Nakakainis!! Tanggalin ka niya yang ngiti niyang yan!! Mas lalong nakaka inlove ee!! PUNYEMAS!! “Look, let me make it up to you. Hahatid na kita sa inyo.” Hindi ko pa din siya pinapansin, halos mabali na nga leeg ko kakalingon. “Ellie, please?” There was something gentle in his voice. Parang nagmamakaawang sumakay na ko!! SHEET! WAG KA NA NGA KASING PAKIPOT ELEONOR!! Gusto mo din namang ihatid ka niya nuh!! Lechugas ka!! Okay, okay… I grudgingly opened the door at sumakay. “Pasalamat ka, wala akong masakyang jeep.” Pero may kadadaan lang naman talaga. ANG LANJOT MO TALAGA ELEONOR!! Hahaha.

Mas lalong lumaki yung ngiti ni Sef. Ang hirap pala nito… parang may magnet si Sef at yung mga mata ko parang gustong-gustong sakanya lang nakatingin… TAKTE ELLIE. UMAYOS KA NGA!! GGGRRRR… parang ang sarap tuloy balutan ng dyaryo ang muka niya!! Hahaha.

Tahimik lang kami sa byahe, but Sef was just smiling still. Para siyang tanga!! I was just about to scream at him to tell him to wipe that idiotic smile off his face, but then I was distracted by his eyes… Kanina pa siya sulyap ng sulyap sa rear mirror niya na tila ba may tinitignan sa upuan sa likod. Baka mamaya mabangga pa kami niyan ee. Napalingon din tuloy ako sa likod, to check on his backseat. Ano naman ba kasi yung kanina pa niya tinitigna--- I suddenly felt something hard slapped me across my face. Parang biglang bumigat yung dibdib ko and in that instant, nakalimutan ko na yung masaya kong aura kanina, nawala na sa isip ko yung good news ni Max tungkol kay Pepita. There by the backseat of Sef’s car was the most beautiful bouquet I’ve ever seen. Iba’t ibang kulay ng bulaklak na hindi ko naman alam ang mga tawag. Isa lang ang sigurado ako. Merong white roses.

Alam ko yan!! Ganyan yung binigay nun ni Ryan kay Meg nung nasa ligawan stage palang sila, yan yung binigay ni Japo kay Jill nun valentine’s day, ni Ken sa tuwing may popormahan siyang babae, yung laging nakukuha ni Sara mula sa mga suitors niya, binigay ni Eddy sa crush niyang si Trish… alam ko ibig sabihin niyan… just like those young men, Sef, too, has someone special to give it too.

I felt my throat dried up, my lips glued together as I simply turned my attention back on the road even though I’m dying to know kung SINO yung babae, san nakatira, anong itsura… para ipapakulam ko na kay AJ!! I almost laughed at my own evil thoughts. PAKYU KA ELLIE!! PAKYU!! Umayos ka nga. Wala kang karapatang magtanong, wala kang karapatang malaman!! IT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, SO STAY OUT OF IT. Chaka, play your game right at matatapos na din ang lahat ng toh. Basta pag-uwi mo, gawin mo na lang agad yung plano ni AJ at siguradong problem solved!!

“Aren’t you going to ask who it is for?” Sef then finally asked teasingly. Ayan nanaman siya… mangaasar nanaman ang loko!!

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Para kanino ba?” I answered him with yet another question. I tried to sound casual. Parang WALA LANG. Duh, I don’t care kaya!!

Saktong stop. Napatingin ako kay Sef as he reached the bouquet at the backseat and handed it to me. “Actually,” He began, his eyes glued on me and for a split second I felt my heart raced a bit especially when he sounded so gentle, and his eyes looked sincere. Dios ko, pwede na ba kong matunaw? “Meron akong nililigawan, I’m just not sure if she’s aware of it.” My face turned red. For a moment I thought… Sef was actually referring to ME. HAHAHA. Parang ang sarap isipin nun nuh?? But I knew better… parang narinig ko bigla yung boses ni AJ sa isip ko, ‘Ilusyunada ka Cuz!! Ilusyunada!!’ And I told myself… this must be another evil scheme Sef was plotting or probably one of his crude jokes…

Naman Ellie, parang hindi ka pa nasanay!! Nangaasar lang ulit yan…

Siya na nga din nagsabi nung isang araw ee. Sakanya na din nanggaling, “It was a stupid deal. Buti nga I got some loose screws that time besides, no sane person would dare to ask you out, Clown!!”

I studied the flowers I was holding in my arms like a delicate new born child. It was firmly wrapped with a purplish paper, with the same shade of ribbon beneath. The flowers were fresh and booming with life, ni isa walang nalalanta. I could smell the sweet scent it was giving off. Kahit naman sinong babaeng bigyan ng ganito matutuwa ee. Pero para sakin kahit isang stem lang ng bulaklak basta galing ke Sef, okay na. Hahaha. Ilusyunada ka talaga.

I almost crack a smile. Kung marunong siyang mag-joke… pwes… marunong din akong maki-ride!! “Meron bang ganun?” I asked him. “May ganun bang ka-stupid na girl? Hindi niya alam?”

Sef shrugged, his smile gradually fading as he focused back on the road. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” Kung di ako nagkakamali, he almost sounded as if… kinakabahan siya. But then… that’s just probably my imagination. By the time na nasa harap na kami ng bahay ko, Sef said. “So,”He looked at me, his face serious and my heart made that funny act again when my eyes landed on his. I have to quickly remove my gaze from him, feeling ko kasi, mababasa na niya sa mga mata ko yung mismong sinulat ko sa loveletter. At pakiramdam ko tuloy para kong nauubos na kandila. “What can you say then?” His voice was almost a whisper.

I opened the door. “What can I say…” Inulit ko with evident confusion. “Tungkol san?” I went down the car. Parang gusto ko ng mawala sa kinakatayuan ko ngayon!! Dios mio!! Nilapag ko na yung bulaklak sa passenger seat. Baka maipasok na pa yan sa loob ng bahay!! Amp yan!! Haha.

I took one last glance of him. His face was quite expressionless, tapos yung mata niya nakatingin lang saken and nothing else. Then he added with a weak smile, “Para sayo talaga yan.”

Grabe siya mag-joke nuh? Hindi niya alam… sobrang MABENTA!!

Kung hindi ko lang kilala si Sef, kamuntik na kong maniwala na totoo lahat ng sinasabi niya!! But this isn’t the first time he joked about something serious like this… lagi naman ee… para sakanya isa kong malaking JOKE… kaya nga CLOWN diba?

Sadly, that was all it was: a joke.

"Ikaw talaga, puro ka biro!!” I managed to force a laugh. Maki-ride ka na lang Ellie. Tapos na siya magbigay ng punch line… ikaw naman!! Haha. “Ayoko ng bulaklak nuh!! Ibigay mo na lang yan sa iba.” Good, para naman talaga sa iba yan ee. Haha. Kagaya lang ulit yan ni Patrick the Star noon.

I smiled at him but for the first time… ito na yung matagal ko ng hinihintay… diba I’ve always been longing for the moment na hindi tatawa si Sef sa sasabihin ko? This was it!! He stared at me with unreadable eyes, like a humorless joke presented itself before him. I noticed him opened his lips as if to say something but held it back especially when my cousin came striding towards me. “CUZ!!!” AJ screamed, papalabas ng gate. Napatingin ako sakanya and realized he wasn’t alone. Behind AJ was the same guy who came the other day sa MUP. Si Brad.

“Hi Ellie.” Brad beamed a smile at me and I simply nodded with recognition. Tuwing nakikita ko tuloy siya, nagugutom ako. Haha. Naiisip ko isa siyang walking ADOBO!!

AJ stood beside me and waved eagerly at Sef. “Uyy, SEF!” Parang ahas na pumulupot ang mga kamay ni AJ sa braso ko. “ANJAN KA PALA!!” Napaka meaningful ng tono ng baklang toh that my face blushed furiously. “BABA KA MUNA SAGLIT!!” Yaya nito.

Hindi ako makatingin kay Sef. Para kong estatwang nanigas na lang sa may bukas na pintuan ng Pajero niya.

“I can’t. Dadaan pa kasi ako kela Japo. May kukunin pa ko.”

“Ahy, ganun ba?” Nanghihinayang na sabi ni AJ. “Naku siya nga pala, this is BRAD!” Hinatak ni AJ si Brad, who has to bent low a little para sumilip sa loob ng sasakyan ni Sef.“Brad this is SEFFF!” Uh-huh with matching prolonged ‘F’ pa talaga sa dulo ang pagkakasabi ni AJ sa pangalan ni Sef.

Brad raised a hand for a friendly gesture. “Ah, I remember you.” He smiled. “You’re the same guy back at the bleachers. Nice meeting you pare.”

Tumango lang si Sef and didn’t say anything else.

“Ah,” I finally said, I probably sounded so damn nervous. “Sige Sef. Uh--Bye.” Hindi ko na hinintay na sumagot siya as I quickly slammed the door. BUWISIT SI AJ EE. BAKA MAMAYA KUNG ANO PANG SABIHIN NIYA!! ANIMALES YAN!!

It took Sef almost a minute bago umandar yung sasakyan niya. “By the way Cuz,” AJ said, nakakapit pa din ito sa braso ko. “Free ka daw ba anytime this week?”

Nakatingin pa din ako sa papalayong Pajero. “Huh?” I only muttered nonchalantly.

“There’s this party kasi…”AJ continued. “Buong block namin ni Brad andun. And Brad was thinking…”

“Uh yeah, pwede ka bang sumama? It’ll be fun. I assure you.”

Pero wala akong naririnig. “HOY!” AJ shook me by the arm. “Pwede ka daw bang sumama?” He repeated sharply in my ear.

“Huh? Ah. Sige, sige.” I just nodded without actually knowing what I’m saying.

---

Japo finished his second can of beer habang tahimik na pinapanood si Sef maglaro ng Call of Duty sa Xbox nya. Kung kay Ellie mahalaga ang laptop, kay Sef ee kotse… kay Japo naman, kayamanan niya ang mga gaming console na tulad ng xbox na ginagamit ni Sef ngayon. Halos masira na mga buttons nito sa diin ng bawat pindot ng kaibigan niya. Naka maximum pa yung volume, nagva-vibrate tuloy sa buong kwarto ni Japo yung walang tigil na tunog ng baril at pagsabog ng bomba. Sef was playing violently kaharap ang flatscreen na TV na pagmamay-ari din ni Japo.

Hindi na kinaya ni John as he stood up and unplugged it. “Ano bang prublema mo?”

“SHEET.” Sef hissed darkly. “What the hell, man! Put it back!!”

“Not until you tell me what’s going on?” He shouted back at him. “Maawa ka naman sa Xbox ko nuh, wala namang kasalanan yan sayo!! I don’t forbid you to play. But gezuz’ man, you’re hurting it!! May feelings din yan!!”

Hurting… that pushed just the right button!!

Sef threw the controller to the sofa and it bounced back nearly dropping off the floor. Halos tumalon si Japo para saluhin ito. Sef then angrily stood up and snatched his bag -- yung black Jansport na siyang talagang dahilan ng pagpunta niya dito. Without a word he went out the room at dire-diretso palabas ng bahay. Sef has no plans of telling Japo na na-basted siya ni Ellie. That he was REJECTED for the first time.

“Dammit!!” He cursed as he threw the bag aimlessly on the passenger seat. Kanina pa niya tinapon yung bulaklak na binili niya. Deym, Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde has never felt so humiliated!! His pride was wounded and it was beyond repair. He gritted his teeth in anger. God, he wasn’t expecting this.

---

Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan

Parang may mali… hindi ko alam kung ano… pero basta… nararamdaman ko… may mali ee…

Was it the expression Sef gave me bago kami maghiwalay kanina? ARGH!! Parang copy-paste sa isip ko yung itsura ng muka niya. WWWWWAAAAAAHHH!! EWAN!! HINDI KO ALAM!!

Naaamoy ko yung niluluto ni mama sa kusina at kumalam ang tiyan ko. Siguro nga, gutom lang toh. Em-Em then sat next beside me. “Ate Ellie,” She said. “Nakita ko sasakyan ni Kuya Sef kanina sa labas aa… bakit hindi mo pinapasok?”

“Oo nga.” AJ butted in. Kakahatid lang niya kay Brad sa kotse nito. “Bakit di mo pinilit na pumasok?”

I rolled my eyes, not in the mood to give a decent answer to either of them. “Ah, tigilan niyo nga muna ko…”

AJ and Em-Em looked at each other. "Hm, BV ang lola mo." Tumawa naman si Em.

“Sandali nga,” AJ then said thoughtfully. “Kung pumayag kang ihatid ka ni Sef… does that mean nagawa mo na yung Plan B natin??”

I sighed. “Hindi pa. Pero nagawa ko na yung sulat.” I told him. “Beh,” I told Em-Em. “Abot mo nga yung bag ko.” Ang lambing ko bigla pag naguutos nuh?? Sekreto ng pagiging mautos na ate!! HAHAHA.

Tumayo si Em at inabot yung school bag ko sakin. I rummaged through my stuffs, sa accounting notebook ko, sa law book ko, pero wala ni isang yellow paper na naka-ipit. I felt my heart raced and my breathing was getting heavier by the passing minute. PUNYEMAS!! ASAN NA YUN??

My hands were shaking at sa kaba ko, tinaktak ko na yung buong laman ng bag ko sa sahig. ANAK NG SAMPUNG KABAYO!! ASAN ANG LINSHAK NA PAPEL NA YUN??

Nagtinginan na si Em-Em at AJ as they watched me searched my things thoroughly. Bigla akong nanghina… nanginginig ang buong lamang loob ko… my face went pale, parang nawalan ako bigla ng dugo…

“Animales,” I muttered, my eyes widening in shock. “San ko nilagay?” My mind was running backwards… recalling everything from the moment na nagsulat ako sa bench sa walkway ng MUP. I was writing… ng ginulat ako ni Max. Mag-isip ka… san mo nilagay yun Ellie?? Hindi ko ba nilagay sa bag ko?? San ko nilagay?? SAAN?!

Rewind pa… rewind… si Ken lumapit sakin may dala-dalang mga bag… “Pabantay nga muna niyan, Ellie… Sabi ni Japo, lalo na daw ‘toh.” Then Ken placed a black Jansport bag on my lap. Napalunok ako. Tapos dumating si Max, “Ellie, anong ginagawa mo?” Sa gulat ko, nailagay ko na lang basta yung sulat sa unang bag na nahawakan ko!!

YUNG BLACK NA JANSPORT BAG!!!

OH SHEET!!!

Parang aatakihin ata ako sa puso. Pero okay lang… inhale, exhale Ellie… hinga, hinga!! At least, si Japo yun. Madaling kausapin yun. I scrambled up my feet sabay kuha sa telepono at tumawag ako agad sa landline nila Japo. Si Em-Em at AJ pinanunuod lang ako.

“JAPO!!” I screamed with panic over the mouthpiece pagsagot na pagsagot niya. “JAPO!! Y-YUNG BAG NA JANSPORT!! YUNG ITIM!! WAG MONG GAGALAWIN YUN!! WAG MONG BUBUKSAN!! KUNG HINDI PATAY KA SAKEN!!”

“Huh?” I could imagine the confused look on his face. Sino ba naman ako para sabihan siyang wag galawin ang sarili niyang bag diba?? Pero wala na kong maisip… I just said a threat without actually thinking. “Yung bag? Ee kakakuha lang ni Sef. Sakanya yun ee, pinahawak lang niya sakin kaninang maga.”
“S-S-SE--F?” Parang tumigil ang mundo ko. Parang gusto kong sumigaw at magwala…

OMG. SANDALI, PARANG HIHIMATAYIN ATA AKO!!!

To be continued.