Ang Multo sa Manhole - Under revision

Bogart says "27"

Buknoy’s Point of View

Bakit ba napaka-judgemental ng tao? Makakita lang ng payat na malaki ang tyan ang konklusyon : Ay, buntis yan! At si ganito pa ang ama dahil parati silang magkasama. Makakita lang ng batang matagal ang pagkakatitig sa mga display ng bakery, magnanakaw at patay-gutom na kagad ang laman ng kokote. At makakita lang ng lalaking may kaibigang bading, kung ano ng kakitiran ng utak ang pinapagana.

It’s a waste of time, money and effort going up to Fairview to take a bad luck-stricken person home, polishing the chords of that person’s favorite song, sending a message of an honest opinion to a dj about the question “How will you know when you love the person?”, risking my so called “image”, etcetera, etcetera. Indeed, those things were a complete waste of time…if you are not Willer Lacsamana. If you are not me. If you can’t man it out.

“Love is blind” is one of the gazillion cliché I know. So if it is a cliché, why is it so hard to believe that love is sexless? Bulag nga ang pag-ibig diba? Katulad nga ng sinabi ni Kapitana, umiibig ang tao hindi sa kasarian kundi sa nararamdaman. Kung gaano nahihirapan ang mga scientist na pag-aralan ang utak ng tao, ganon din kahirap pag-aralan ang puso nito. The heart has its reason that the reason does not know. So you can’t just put a pointing hand to my face or to Eiji’s face to lecture us about love. You will surely appear irrational.

After the surprise visit of Eiji, I regenerated my health quicker than I’d expected. He left me his oh so organized notes dahil balita ko may long test daw akong namiss sa klase. I cannot afford to fail the make-up test then. I need to be studious if not for me, for Eiji. Eiji’s the reason why I want to be better.

I immediately went to Eiji’s math notes after the fever dispersed. If it’s not for my bad writing and XOX paper games I may have understood my own notes. His were very cleverly written and supported with details and lesser technicalities giving me the feeling of acing the tests tomorrow. And just as I thought Eiji’s not writing unrelated materials on the back pages, I stood corrected.

Drawings peculiar to kindergartens were evident on the very last leaf. And would you ever believe? My name filled the other side of that leaf up to the second to the last leaf in continuity. Funny coz I do the same in my History notebook; but unlike him, mine has added three special words every after his name – I. Love. You. And how I wish I could say it loud before timidity strikes.

Once my brain exercise was over, It’s time to exercise my right and confront Betty. See, one thing I never happen to like about her was her indiscretion. Masyado syang taklesa daig pa ang mga broadcaster sa pagsisiwalat ng mga balita. I would be more interested hearing the Good News rather than her news– which, most of the time, are just pure fabrications and profanities. The confrontation was also to end her obsession with me. I don’t want someone obsessing with me when I’m obsessing with someone. It’s not healthy.

And as part of my obsession, I’m gonna make a not-so-minor-but-would-cause-me decision tomorrow morning. And no I’m not talking about using Eiji’s name in vain. He’ll surely stomp on my foot if he learned that. But to be honest, I’m kinda missing him stomping on my foot. When was the last time he did that? Oh yeah! When I kissed him at the canteen. I miss kissing him too. If I’m going to be his boyfriend (very soon), there’s not a single day I won’t kiss him. You have my word.

Eiji’s Point of View

 Buknoy has that effect which cause me to fall for him every day. I don’t know why but when he locked me with his embrace I already have my mind not to escape. I just did when his tears trailed down my nape. It wasn’t the same kind of tears that spilled back in retreat. It’s more melancholic. It’s more deep.