Thursday
Around 6:30 PM
Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan
It’s been three days, eighteen hours, thirty minutes & seven seconds since I’ve seen Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde! Galing ko nuh?! Talagang inorasan ko? Haha.
Huling pagkikita na namin yung sa ospital, last Sunday… when his cousin, Enzo drove me & AJ home. Sa totoo lang, maliit ang mundo para samin ni Sef… marami na talagang pagkakataon na dapat nagkita na kami… pero ewan ko ba!! Parang automatic button na bigla akong MATATARANTA, MAGTATATAKBO at MAGTATAGO!!!
Hindi ko talaga alam kung anong sumapi sakin… basta ever since nung gabi sa ospital… nung napaiyak ako sakanya… tapos idagdag pa yung ligaw effect niya at yung malupit kong TANONG kung Ok lang siya… mas lalong AYAW ko siyang makita!! GAAAAAH!! Wag na kayong magtanong kung bakit!! Minsan, talaga may mga ilang bagay na hindi na kailangan pa ng detalyadong eksplenasyon!! Haha. Basta!! AYOKO!! Period.
Nung isang araw nga, halos tumalon na ko ng building namin pababa sa ground floor para lang mataguan siya ee that I ended up going to a different classroom!! Buti na lang talaga kilala ko yung prof, kung hindi naconfiscate na yung ID ko!!
Tapos kahapon naman I literally hit my head against our classroom door dahil sa sobrang nerbyos!! Narinig ko kasi yung kaklase ko na tumitili like she saw some hot actor walking across the hallway!! Malamang si Sef na yun!! Kaya ayun, kumaripas ako ng takbo papalabas ng room… sa kakamadali ko, ayun isang malakas na KABLAG ang gumulat sa buong klase namin! Tae talaga!! Haha. Para ngang tumigil ang oras dahil nakatingin sakin ang lahat ng mga kaklase ko, pati na din syempre sila Borge!!
Ang unang pumasok sa isip ko ee ang pumanik sa rooftop o kaya pumasok sa girl’s CR… basta kahit saan na hindi ko masisilayan ang anino ni Sef!! Nagtagumpay naman ako sa pagtatago ko kahapon, yun nga lang ito, may BUKOL na kapalit sa noo ko!! Buti naman at nagkasilbi na din ang mga bangs ko!! Haha.
Actually, ipinagpapasalamat ko na nga lang din ang pagkawala ng cellphone ko!! Talaga naman Eleonor, sa lahat ng nawalan ng cellphone ikaw lang ata itong nagdidiwang!! Haha. Malamang, kita niyo nga? Look at the bright side!! Kung may phone ako, magkakaroon pa ko ng means of communication kay Sef!! Mabuti na nga din itong wala akong magamit ee, mas madaling magtago!! Haha.
Pero sandali nga lang…
HUWEYT FOR JUAN MADAPAKING MINUTE BEYBEH!!
Hanggang kelan mo ba balak magtago??
SSSSSssssshhh… Tsk. Wag ka nga munang magulo diyan Ellie… Can’t you see? Busy ako ngayon… Oo na, ikaw na!! Ikaw na ang busy… busy sa pagtatago!!
Ee ano pa nga ba?? Uuwi na nga lang ako ng makita ko ang pamilyar na Pajero ni Sef sa car park!! Nasa loob pa siya, kakarating lang niya kasi tinutulungan pa siya ni Butchoy sa pagpapark!! Malalamig na pawis ang pumapatak sa noo ko, hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko!! My heart practically stopped!! Oh sheet! Oh sheeeet!! Anakshuta ELLIE!! Magtago ka na!! Animales yan!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!
I turned around, papasok ulit sana sa loob ng MUP… kung anu-anong lugar na agad na pagtataguan ko ang pumasok sa isip ko!! But on second thought, kakarating lang ni Sef… ibig sabihin he will enter the school grounds… kaya mas maiging wag na kong bumalik sa loob!! Umikot ulit ako facing the numerous cars parked right outside our University!! Tama, ang galing mo talaga Eleonor!! I better stay here, magtatago sa likod ng mga kotse… that way… kapag nakapasok na siya sa loob, makakatakbo na ko pauwi!! O kaya diretso na ko sa St. Mercy’s para dalawin si Max. Mas okay ng doon tumambay at magpalipas oras. At least naka aircon pa ko!! Hahaha.
THAT’S THE PERFECT PLAN!! YOU ARE SUCH A GENIUS ELLIE!! APIR!! HAHAHA.
Yumuko ako as I went running behind the first car I saw. Blazing red na Toyota Altis. I bent forwards, stealing quick glances through the window. Anakshutang animales yan Eleonor, dinaig mo pa leader ng mga NPA kung makapagtago aa? Hoy!! Si Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde lang yan!! Atchaka, sandali nga… SIGURADO KA BANG IKAW ANG PINUNTA NIYA DITO??? Hindi yata’t nagfi-feeling ka lang Ellie??? Hmmmm…
Gusto kong iuntog ang ulo ko kaso lang, sapat na ata yung isang bukol sa noo ko nuh!! Hahaha. I wanted to laugh at myself. Oo nga naman Eleonor, hindi lang naman IKAW ang namumukod tanging tao sa MUP ano!! Feeling mo naman agad ikaw ang hahanapin ni Sef??? Don’t make me laugh Ellie!! Patago-tago ka pa diyan!! Tss.
Ee bakit ba? Wala naman akong sinabing AKO ang dahilan ng pagpunta ng lokong yan dito!! I’m actually hiding for my own personal reasons tulad na lang na, AYOKO siyang makita!! Kasi pakiramdam ko, pagtatawanan lang niya ko!! I am not really psyched about the fact that SEF saw me cry o kaya yung katotohanan na super mega concern ako sakanya nun nung nakita ko yung mga sugat niya sa mukha!! Or the mere thought that I… I… I’m getting comfortable around him… & that I’m getting used with his presence!!
My heart gave a thud that I have to let out a deep breath to relax myself.
Kaya tama lang na magtago ako… tama lang ito… para hindi naman ako masyadong masanay na andiyan siya lagi… dahil alam ko naman yung totoo!! Haha. Panandalian lang ang lahat ng ito para sakanya…
Sumilip ulit ako. Nakita ko si Butchoy na kausap si Sef na siyang kabababa lang ng sasakyan niya. Gusto ko man lumingon papalayo… my eyes seemed to be glued on Sef.
Ba-dump!!
Tae naman, kung maka-react naman itong puso ko WAGAS!! Parang wala ng bukas aa? AMP!!
When suddenly napalunok na lang ako ng napansin kong nakatingin din si Sef sakin. It was as if we were looking at each other’s eyes, like we were standing face to face. Napaluhod ako sa tabi nung sasakyan so as to completely hide myself. Kung tubig lang ito, baka kanina pa ko nag-dive!! Haha. POOOOOTEK!!
WWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!
A few seconds later, I summoned all my courage to take another glance & was relieved to see Sef walking towards the school gate!! Wew. That was close!!
Haayyy, buti naman!! Successful ulit ako! Haha. Tumayo na ko at pinagpag yung tuhod ko, lintek talaga epekto sakin nitong Monteverde na ito!! Kairita!! GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRR… Ee kung bakit kasi tinataguan mo pa Ellie??? With this thought, napatingin ulit ako sakanya & good thing he was already out of sight. Ee what’s so good about it? Baka kasi hindi ko mapigilan sarili ko’t habulin ko pa siya!! Hahaha. Echoserang palaka ka!! Ano feeling mo Ellie, tagu-taguan lang ang lahat ng ito at lalabas ka kung kelan mo lang gusto?
“ATE ELLIEEEEEEEE!!!” Anak ng sampung animals!!! Tumindig halos lahat ng balahibo ko sa lakas ng boses ni Totoy!! Gawa ba sa microphone ang vocal chords ng batang ‘toh?? He was standing before me, beaming with delight upon seeing me. “Anong ginagawa mo diyan? Yan ba usong exercise ngayon? Haha.”
“Uwaah~ Pakerrr!!” I literally panicked as I quickly ran towards him, shoving a hand on his mouth!!“Ano ka ba Totoy? NO BLOWING OF HORNS DITO!!” I hissed angrily at him sabay lingon ulit sa may gate ng MUP, buti naman Sef didn’t emerge back. Anakshutaaaaaa!! Kamuntik na ko dun!!
“Hhmmmp~mpf!” Totoy mumbled with my hand still covering his mouth. “Pwe!” Pinunasan agad ni Totoy yung bibig niya once I set him free. “Ano ba yan ‘te Ellie?! May tinataguan ka ba? Siguro may atraso ka nanaman kay Manong Guard ano?”
“Haha.” It was Butchoy who then approached habang nagbibilang ng mga baryang nakuha niya sa pagbabantay ng mga sasakyan dito sa car park. “Sabihin mo si Sef yung tinataguan niya!!”
Tumaas ang kilay ko. Kunwaring patay malisya. “ANO? At bakit ko naman gagawin yun?”
“Kasi… takot kang aminin sa sarili mo na in love ka na dun sa tao!” Butchoy said it so bluntly while placing all his coins in the pocket of his tattered maong shorts.
Namula bigla yung mga pisngi ko!! “Huh. Ako? In love sa gagung yun?” I scoffed. Minsan talaga, kaimbyernang kausap itong dalawang ito!! Ggggrrrr!! “Di uso sakin yun uy! Over my dead sexy body!!” With that I promptly turned around, papaalis na sana… when I froze in place. Ni huminga ata nakalimutan ko na. There, standing before me was Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde, one hand in his pocket & it was his eyes that were glaring furiously at me that actually frightened me to death. AWOOOOO!!! Sabog ka Ellie!!!
KABOOM!!
Lahat na ata ng PASABOG na sound effects naisip ko na!!!
Parang ngayon hinihiling ko na… sana totoo na lang si Harry Potter!! Kasi, exactly at this moment, gusto kong hiramin yung INVISIBLE CLOAK niya!!! Kahit yung broomstick niya pwedeng-pwede na din!!
“Over my dead sexy body pala aa!” I heard Butchoy sniggered behind me. “Deads ka talaga ngayon!” At nakuha pang mag-appear nila Butchoy at Totoy. Mga walang yang ito!!! GGGRRRRRR…
“Haha. Tara na nga!” Aya ni Totoy. “Oh siya, una na kami Ellie! Balitaan mo na lang kami!!”
I gradually looked around para tignan sila Butchoy… my eyes were widening as though telling them to stay or else I’m going to rip them to pieces. But my threat seemed useless. Tinawanan lang lalo nila ako sabay alis. Mga lechugas!! Kapag ako sumali sa Who Wants to be a Millionaire, silang dalawa ang huling tao na nasa listahan ko na tatawagan ko para sa ‘Call a Friend’. AMPFUFU YAN!!
I gradually turned to face Sef. Yung pawis ko sa noo wagas kung pumatak!! Pakiwari ko tuloy dinaig ko pa si Pacquiao habang nageensayo siya ee. Kita niyo naman, wala man lang effort ee halos parang nag-shower na ko ng pawis!!
“S-Sef!” I called his name, my voice was slightly trembling!! Hala ka Ellie, hindi naman masyadong halata na kinakabahan ka nuh? Tae, sino ba naman ang hindi kakabahan aber?? Kung makatingin si Sef parang konti na lang magtra-transform na siyang Incredible Hulk!! “Anjan ka pala!! Hehe…” I gave a force laugh.
Sef didn’t budge. The frown on his face didn’t even crease even the slightest. He continued to look at me without even blinking. Napalunok tuloy ako… I knew he was seriously angry at me. Patay!! Loko yung si Totoy ee papano ko siya babalitaan kung di na ko sisilayan ng araw bukas??? GULP. Kung sa bagay meron namang tinatawag na pagpaparamdam!! TOINKS!! Kung anu-ano pang iniisip mo Ellie!! Madapaker ka talaga!!
“Why–” Sef finally said in a hissing tone as if he was controlling his temper. “— are you avoiding me?”
It was a simple question, really. But there was something about his voice, about his face & eyes that made my chest ached. AWTS!! Ee bakit affected ka ELYONOR???? Gaaaah!! Wag kang pa-apekto sa acting skills niya!! He doesn’t care if he hasn’t seen you in days… feeling mo naman na-miss ka niyan?? GUMISING KA NGA!!! HOY!! Kaya mo yan!! Best actress ka diba? Pang FAMAS ang acting skills mo!! Show him what you got!!
“Tss.” I smiled, trying with all my might to make it look natural as possible as if everything is under my control. Pero yung totoo, I was shaking like hell. My mind was spinning in confusion. “Katunayan nga niyan, kanina pa talaga kita hinahanap!! Hehehe… Akalain mong, dito lang pala kita makikita!!” Alam mo yung huling-huli na sa akto tapos nagpapalusot pa?
Imbes na mawala yung galit ni Sef, mas lalo lang kumunot ang noo niya!! HUWAT THE HELL ELEONOR!!! EPIC FAIL KA!!! Oh ano? I think it’s about time that you should go frantic!!! TAKBOOOOO NA!!! WWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! But as much as I wanted to run, ayaw naman mag-respond ng mga paa ko.
Sef boldly took a step forward that I tensed even more. Animales, pano ka lulusot ngayon Ellie??? PAANO??? Wag ka nga, sshhh… wag mo ko tarantahin!! Nagiisip ako!! Easy ka lang… just take it nice & easy… Si Sef yan!! Oo, si Sef lang yan!! Pretending is his kind of game!!
But to my surprise… dumaan lang si Sef sa gilid ko, walking passed me as if I wasn’t even there. SO, ANO TOH? WALK OUT KING??
And before I knew it… before my genius mind could even give any rational argument… I grabbed the hem of Sef’s shirt like a small little girl pleading him not to go!! He froze & turned his head to look at me, his eyes still responded coldly.
Anakshuta!
Eleonor seryosong tanong, anong nangyayari sayo?? Seryosong sagot, hindi ko din alam!!
NAPO-POSSESS NA BA KO??? HUWAT THE HELL AM I DOING GRABBING HIM LIKE THAT?? ANONG ANAK NG LUPA ANG NAGTULAK SAKIN PARA GAWIN ‘TOH?!?!?!?! Tumindig ang lahat ng balahibong meron ako sa katawan!! PAKERRRRRR ELLIE!!! PAKERRR KA!! Anong ginawa mo????
I quickly withdrew my hand na kala mo bigla akong napaso. “Ahhh. Ano—kasi…” Nablangko bigla ang isip ko. “Ahh—hindi sige, ano… una na din pala ako! Hehe.” I was looking down. Hindi ko kayang tignan siya sa mata. Argh!! Tae ka Ellie, tingin ko kelangan mo na talaga i-untog yang sarili mo sa pader!!“Bye.” Kahit punuin mo pa ata ng bukol yang ulo mo… wala pa din magiging epekto ee!! AMPFUFU!!
I quickly turned my back from Sef, handa na kong umalis at wag na talaga magpakita FOREVER!!! GAAAAAH!!!
Bakit ganito? Bakit parang… lately… these past few days… bakit parang hindi ko kilala sarili ko??? Ako?? Si Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan?? SA TANAN NG BUHAY KO WALA AKONG PRUBLEMANG HINDI HINARAP, NI MINSAN WALANG SINUMAN ANG NAKAPAG PATAKBO SAKIN… Now here I am waking up with the sudden realization that I’ve spent 3 days of my life HIDING from this guy!!
“Hold it right there!” Sef said grabbing me by my arm. “Is that your way of saying – Sef, don’t go?” By this time, he was neither smiling nor smirking pero yung kinang sa mga mata niya… alam ko yun… alam na alam ko yun – paker, NANGAASAR siya!!
Ok. It was my turn to frown back at him as my cheeks burned hot. “Parang kakasabi ko pa lang na mauuna na AKO diba?! Sang parte doon ang SEF, DON’T GO??” Ee bakit super duper mega DEFENSIVE ka Eleonor? Alam mo namang totoo sinabi niya!! Gaaaaaaah!! SHATTAP ELLIE!! SHATTAP!!
“I’m still pretty sure I heard you right!” Sef said & I swear a smile was just threatening to appear in the corner of his lips. Then he started dragging me with him as usual. “That does it!! Malaki atraso mo sakin, so you better make it up to me.”
“ANO?” I gasped irritably. At sa anong paraan naman kaya niya gustong bumawi ako? Hahaha. C’mon Ellie, be creative!! THINK OF SOMETHING!! Full body massage kaya??? Umpisa syempre sa ABS!! TOINKS!! Awwoooo!! At ayan ang nagtatago kay Sef aa? Haha.
“Get in the car.” He commanded. At sa tuwing naririnig ko sa kanya ang mga katagang ito, lalo lang akong naiinis!!! Alam niyo ba yung parang gustong mag-hiwalay ng katawan mo? Yung isa, version ko na super excited at gustong-gustong pumasok sa loob nung sasakyan niya no questions asked… & the other half of me which was made purely of PRIDE was actually the one that’s holding me back from getting in!!
“Aba, Mr. Monteverde! Ganito ka ba talaga manligaw? Takutan?” I forcefully pulled my arm from his grasp.
Haha. Pride.
Sef momentarily froze to face me yet again. “Oo. Ganito talaga Ms. Dimaculangan!” At sa gulat ko, he neared his face towards me and said the words that nearly melted me. “… especially when she’s all I ever wanted!”
Right after hearing that, my heart felt like breaking into a whole new song—
♫Boy, you got my heartbeat running away,
beating like a drum and it’s coming your way.
Can’t you hear that boom, badoom, boom,
boom, badoom, boom bass?♫
Anong say mo Ellie?? Hahaha.
“S-sabi ko nga ee, s-sasakay na ko!!” I stammered looking down my feet. And the very moment I was sitting inside his car… GUSTO KO NA LANG MANGISAY SA KILIG!!! WAHAHAHAHA. BOOM!!
Kriiiinnngggg~ Kriiiinnggggg!!
“Shut up!” Enzo mumbled annoyingly as he buried his head underneath his pillow. Puyat kasi ang binata, kung ang mga estudyante sa MUP ee naguuwian na ng bahay, Enzo Ruiz Monteverde on the other hand arrived home just an hour & a half ago. Galing nanaman sa gmik.
Kriiiinnngggg~ Kriiiinnggggg!!
“Crap.” Without opening his eyes, his left hand snaked through his bedside table & started feeling his phone on it. When he still couldn’t, he finally decided to open an eye. “This better be important…” He scowled.
Click.
Even before Enzo could place his phone near his ear the words “You idiot!!” was already screaming out from it.
“W-what?” Enzo, who is now completely rubbed off with sleep, opened his drowsy eyes & sat down his bed. His head was still feeling a bit heavy.
“You should have at least told me that you had plans to fly your ass back there!!” The voice went on.
“Geez. C’mon Lianne… do you really need to wake me up… over something as stupid as this?” Enzo threw his head back against his mattress. His shirtless body completely exposed. “Heh.” He added a smirk.“And… you know me… I can’t risk missing all the fun!”
Enzo could imagine the look on Lianne’s face as she rolled her eyes in reply. “Right. You’re the guy who loves FUN!” She stated it like it was a well-known fact. “Wait. Did you tell Sef already? I swear, if you dare ruin my surprise—”
Enzo cut her with a yawn. “Yeah. ‘bout that, Li. I don’t think your surprise will serve its purpose.”
There was a long silence on the other end. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Now, where’s the fun in it if I ruin the surprise, right?” Enzo wittingly retorted back at her.
“Sira ulo ka talaga!” Lianne grumbled and with that Enzo knew he got into her head.
“When are you coming anyway?” He asked.
“It’s for me to know & for you to find out!” She spat.
Toot. Toot. Toot.
And the line went dead.
To be continued.