LOVE-NAT, isang makulit na love story! ♥ [2 of 2]

Interlude: Darren Max Sanchez

Max cautiously scanned the living room. Ang daming tao, karamihan mga babae, tipong iba't ibang lahi, parang Miss Universe lang ang dating. They all look undeniably perfect, lahat naka-porma, lahat may makakapal na make-up sa mukha nila, at sobrang kakaunti ng mga suot na damit. Kahit sino tignan ni Max, masasabi niyang maganda. Pero nasa isip ni Max, 'Winter na winter? Hindi kaya sila nilalamig sa mga suot nilang 'yan?'

Naramdaman ni Max na hindi lang pala siya 'yung nakikiramdam, lahat din pala ng taong nandun eh pinagmamasdan siya mula ulo hanggang paa.

"Ladies, fellas, this is my cousin Max." Pakilala ni Alfred. "Be nice to him, ladies!"

Darren Max Sanchez didn't even bother to smile. In fact, he just glared at each and every one of these "ladies" and "fellas" Alfred was referring to. He wasn't in the mood to be friendly, and he was certainly not in the mood for small talks either. He barely drinks so alcohol was out of the question. Nasanay na siyang iniisip 'yung pagiging taekwondo player niya kaya nakasanayan na niyang umayaw sa inuman.

Umupo lang sa sulok si Max, nakatitig sa kawalan, tahimik na pinanonood na maglasing ang lahat ng tao sa paligid niya. And then he thought, 'Ano kayang ginagawa ni Ellie ngayon?'

Mga ganitong oras sa Pinas, nakatambay lang siya sa bahay ng mga Dimaculangan. O kaya kukulitin siya ni Ellie na manlibre kanila Aling Pacita.

Napapalibutan siya ngayon ng maraming tao, but he felt lonelier than ever. Mas lalo siyang nalungkot, mas lalo siyang na-homesick, at higit sa lahat... masakit man aminin... pero... mas lalo rin niyang na-miss si Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan.

Na-imagine niya tuloy gagawin ni Ellie kung kasama niya ang dalaga dito. Sigurado si Max unang gagawin nun eh kukuha ng plato at lalamon. He imagined her sitting next to him, balot na balot ng sweater, sabay babanat 'yun ng, "Anakshuta, nakakagutom naman pakinggan mag-inglisan 'tong mga 'to! Pahiramin mo nga ako ng English, sasampulan ko 'tong mga 'to!"

Hindi napigilan ni Max at mag-isa siyang napatawa.

Napalingon sa kanya 'yung ilang dalaga sa gilid niya.

"You want some, sweetie?" May inaabot na parang yosi 'yung babae.

Wala mang alam na bisyo 'tong si Darren, alam niyang hindi yosi 'yung inaabot sa kanya. Kumunot noo niya, tahimik na tumayo at tinalikuran ang mga ito. He walked for a bit at napansin niyang merong veranda sa likod nung bahay. Kahit sobrang lamig, hindi siya nagdalawang-isip na lumabas lalo na nung nasilip niyang walang tao dun.

Max breathed in the freezing, wintery air and puffed out air through his nose and lips. He shuddered and placed both his hands in his pocket hoping to keep them warm.

Ang lungkot dito.

Sobra.

Paker. Bakit ba siya pumayag na sumama dito?

Paksyet. Sobrang layo na nga niya kay Ellie pero puro Ellie pa rin laman ng isip niya. Argh. At the back of his head, he was trying to runaway from HER... away from these feelings... away from the fact that Ellie already belongs to Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde. That gaddamn idiot! And the thought of Sef being so close to her all the time ANNOYS the shit out of him.

2 months na...

Ganun pa lang siya katagal dito pero pakiramdam niya halos sampung-taon na niyang hindi nakikita si Ellie.

So this is what it really means to MISS someone... In fact, he would give anything just to hear Ellie's voice and he would do anything just to give Ellie's NOSE an I-miss-you squeeze... and he imagined her laughing... and being crazy... and then... her holding Sef's hand... her crying non-stop when he told her he was leaving... her running to Sef's arms...