Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan
‘Di ba lahat naman siguro ng babae merong ideal man na tinatawag? Merong mga requirements na hinahanap bago talaga masabing, “Siya na! Siya na talaga!” Yung iba pa nga, sa sobrang pihikan andiyan na nga inaayawan pa. Kung baga standards na dapat ipasa. Dapat ganito, dapat ganyan, dapat merong ganito, dapat hindi ganun… and the list could go on. Pero minsan, may mga pagkakataon na bigla mo na lang mapapasigaw sa sarili mo na SIYA NA despite the cruel fact that he doesn’t have any of the qualities you’ve set all along.
I wasn’t joking when I told you guys that I am satisfied with a guy having three extra monstrous noses placed atop each other or two humungous ears or whatever, as long as he could feed me FIVE times a day, knows how to laugh with my gibberish jokes & surely appreciates John Lloyd Cruz… then I guess I’m fine with him. Pwedeng-pwede ko na siyang pakasalan. Hindi ako demanding, hindi din ako choosy, sa katunayan nga simpleng lalaki lang ang hinahanap ko… tipong mapupulot ko lang sa tabi-tabi. Kasi tulad nga ng sabi ni Lloydie noong nag guest siya sa Sarah G. Live, “You don’t choose love, love chooses you…” Pero parang nakikipag-biruan sakin si Kupido… akalain niyong… ang binigay sakin eh halos malayong-malayo sa SIMPLENG lalaking pinapangarap ko. Oh, he’s beyond SIMPLE. He’s actually the twin brother of COMPLICATED and his name, if you spell it backwards, is spelled with capital HEARTACHE. He is overconfident, annoying… at higit sa lahat, he has that… attractive SMILE that I personally HATE the most!!
I watched with my heart constantly drumming against my chest as Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde gave me a charming yet triumphant smile while placing the two boxes of pizza from Yellow Cab on our dining table. Obviously PAGKAIN ang dahilan kung bakit siya umalis at kung bakit din siya bumalik. Akala ko pa naman kanina dahil sakin. Haha. ‘Choserang froglet lang pala ako. Hahahaha. Tinulungan siya nila Eddy at Em-Em sa pagbubuhat nung iba pa niyang biniling merienda – two bottles of diet coke (kasi alam niyang diabetic si mama), one gallon of Selecta ice cream (yung Double Dutch na favorite ni Em) at seven order of spaghetti (still care of Yellow Cab).
Kung si Sef eh nakangiti sa akin, I simply retorted back at him with a suspicious frown!!! Okay. I have to admit, nakaramdam ulit ako ng gutom nung nakita ko yung mga dala niyang pagkain. Dios mio, ikumpara naman daw ang labing-dalwang pirasong fishbol na kinain ko kanina diba? Haha. Pero kasi… I’m not too psyched about the fact na gumastos siya ng bongga para lang pameriendahin ang pamilya ko. THIS IS ILLEGAL!!! Based on the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, this would surely fall under BRIBERY!!! Haha. Feeling abogada Ellie? At feeling mo binibili ni Sef ang kalooban ng pamilya mo para lang mapasagot ka??? Anakshuta kang babae ka!!! Hahaha. Bakit ka naiinis??? KASI EFFECTIVE NUH?!?! AMP!!!
Eh kasi naman, ayokong idamay pa ni Sef sa mga biro niya ang pamilya ko. Ayokong masanay sila, ayokong maya-maya eh hahanapin nila Em at Ed ang “Kuya Sef” nila sakin nuh!!! Ayos na sa akin na ako na lang ang gawin niyang biktima!
“Ikaw naman Kuya Sef,” Em-Em giggled while filling her glass with another scoop of ice cream. “Binibiro ka lang naman namin eh… sineryoso mo talaga ang pag-bili ng merienda ah!”
“Ibig sabihin… ganun talaga kaseryoso si Kuya Sef sa sinabi niya kanina!” Eddy answered, smiling still. “Diba nuh, Kuya? Oh, teka dito ka na umupo Kuya Sef!” He gave a teasing look at Sef as he stood up & offered the seat next to me. “Para naman sulit yung pagpapa-merienda mo samin! Haha.” At hindi pa nakuntento ang kapatid ko, he even pulled the chair para mas malapit sakin. Ngumiti si Sef and took the seat without protest… POOOOOOOTEK!!! Mas lalo kong naramdaman na nag-init ang mga pisngi ko and that my chest suddenly felt a bit odd, parang hindi ako makahinga ng maayos!!! ANIMALESSSSSSS!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!
Lord, please… HELP ME!!! Tuloy-tuloy ang pamilya ko sa pakikipag-kwentuhan, sa pakikipag-biruan at pakikipag-tawanan. I, on the other hand, was like a statue made completely out of STONE. I was utterly silent & uncomfortable on my seat knowing that THIS GUY was sitting next to me and that he seemed at ease while conversing with my family. And what’s worse??? NAWALA YUNG MOOD KONG KUMAIN!!! Pakerrrr!!! Anong nangyayari sayo Elyonor??? Naputol ba dila mo?!?! SHEEEEET!!! I’m being WEIRD again aren’t I???
Ngayon… parang naiintindihan ko na yung pakiramdam ni Superman kapag nanghihina siya, kapag dinidikitan siya ng kryptonite. It’s as if my heart is going to explode every time THIS GUY is around. I feel overly CONSCIOUS of his presence… kung dati, saksakan ng KAPAL ng face ko, ngayon para kong iniskoba’t tinatalaban na ng HIYA!!! So ibig mong sabihin si Sef ang kryptonite mo??? Hahaha. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m actually… kind of… SHY around him… para kong DINADAGA ng bonggang-bongga!!!
“Here.” Sef muttered softly, placing the box of spaghetti in front of me & he even managed to cut me a slice of pizza. “Hm.” He then smirked, looking at me. “I told you I won’t lose didn’t I?”
Hindi ko alam pero bigla akong napangiti sakanya… yung ngiti na, pinipigilan mong wag masyadong ipakita yung lahat ng ngipin mo!!! Haha. “Oo nga. Siguro hindi ka talaga matatalo kung sinamahan mo pa ng chicken toh.” I teased. But I gasped when Sef nearly shoved his face to mine. I froze. Literally. He looked me straight in the eyes, his smile drastically widened & it successfully made my heart sang. Parang naging invisible ang buong kapaligiran ko. Feeling ko tuloy kaming dalawa lang ang tao sa mundo.
“Haha.” He then laughed with evident amusement. Tamang tawanan lang niya ko? Ba-dump. Sheet!! Ito nanaman po tayo!!! Bakit ba napaka UNFAIR ni Sef??? Bakit ba AKO lang itong nagkakaganito??? Why does he have this kind of effect on me??? GRRRRRR. Darn that smile of his!!! KAINIS!!! Halikan ko kaya toh para mawala yang ngiti niya??? Hahahaha. Lechugas ka Ellie, ayan ka nanaman sa pagiging manyak mo!!! “So, I do have a chance.”
“Oo nga pala,” My dad then said, his voice was very adult-like or at least he was just trying to make it sound deep & serious. Napatingin tuloy kaming lahat sakanya while he was looking intently at Sef. “Sa susunod na linggo, meron kaming lakad sa Pangasinan. Family outing. Mag-dala ka ng damit pang 3 araw.” It wasn’t a question. It doesn’t even sound like an invitation but more of a command. Parang walang karapatang TUMANGGI si Sef!!!
Nawalan ng lasa yung spaghetti at yung pizza… I felt like I was going to throw up!!! ANAKSHUTAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! ANO BANG GAYUMA GINAGAMIT NI SEF SA PAMILYA KO?!?! ANDAYA! DAPAT MAKABILI DIN AKO NUN AT NG MAGAMIT KO DIN YAN SAKANYA!! HAHAHA. My mouth hanged open, & I didn’t realize that I had my eyes completely wide. “HUWAAAAT?!” I mouthed secretly towards my own father.
“Ahy!!! Gusto ko yan!!!” AJ then beamed. “Masaya yun Sef. Kung gusto mo…” AJ slowly batted his eyelashes at Sef. “… magsama ka na din ng chaperone!!! Pwede na siguro si ENZO!!!”
Napangiti lang si Sef kay AJ, but I was sure with the way his eyes looked that taking Enzo with him would be the last thing he’d do. Kahit tawasin pa siya ni AJ!!!
—————————————————————
Meanwhile… “Oh.” John Paul Sy Crisostomo reached out to Meg, inaabot yung pinabili niyang Buko Juice. “Ito na ho mga madam.” And he gave the other one to Borge. Kahit na napagusapan na uuwi na sila ng maaga, hindi pa rin nakuhang umalis ng MUP nila Meg, Borge at Japo. Well, they actually have their own personal reasons. Unsurprisingly, Borge was still stalking Nico. Si Japo naman napa-kwento sa mga taga Engineering niyang friends. Si Meg naman nagbayad ng balance niya sa MUP library dahil doon sa mga overdue na books na hiniram niya.
“Thanks.” Meg smiled. Nasa may 2nd floor sila ng Accountancy building, habang kumportableng nakaupo ang mga dalaga sa bench.
“So,” Japo began. “You think maaayos pa yung kanila Sara at Max?” Meg pouted in doubt after taking a small sip from the plastic cup. “Sira ulo naman kasi si Max eh. Play safe masyado.”
Walang imik si Borge, nakikinig lang siya sa usapan nila Meg at Japo. Ganyan naman kasi yan when she’s dealing with serious issues like this. She’d rather think & analyse the situation. Kaya nga bagay din talaga sakanyang maging abogada.
“Hindi din naman natin masisisi si Max.” Agad na depensa ni Japo. “I think I understand why he does what he did.”
“Tsk. Mga lalaki talaga, kampihan!” Meg snorted. “If he just admitted his feelings to Ellie from the start, siguradong hindi na kailangan pang umabot ang lahat sa ganito.”
“Sssh.” Borge suddenly hushed her friends the moment she saw the familiar figure of Sara Louisa Dela Rama walking along the corridor with an HRM guy.
Napatahimik sila Japo at Meg and both followed the direction Borge was looking at. “Maybe we should talk to her.” Borge declared as she stood up from the bench and approached their friend. “Sara!” She called, boldly blocking the way. “Can we talk?”
Sara’s face was far from being friendly as she gave a long stare at Borge. She then turned to the tall guy she was with and smiled endearingly at him, “Uh, you should probably go ahead. I’ll catch up later.”
“Sigurado ka?” The guy asked, sounding hesitant to leave.
“Positive.” Sara reassured him with a grin. Hinintay munang lumayo ni Borge yung lalaki before she broke the silence. “Okay ka lang ba?” She finally asked. Marahan na ding lumapit sila Japo at Meg sa kanila.
“Oo nga.” Meg added, her voice was filled with concern. “You want to talk about it? The thing with you… and Max?” Sara’s face remained unreadable.
“Look, I just want to be alone. Is that too much to ask?” She wasn’t moved. Meg was quite taken aback while Japo simply stared. Borge, on the other hand, felt slightly offended.
“P-pero…” Meg tried. “We just want to make sure na… okay ka.”
“You don’t have to worry.” Sara answered. Her voice was monotonous as if void of any possible emotion.
“Why are you acting like this?” Meg had to ask. Hindi niya kasi malaman kung bakit ganyan na lang ka-cold ang trato sakanila ni Sara.“Bakit pati samin parang galit ka?”
Sara exhaled sharply. What Meg said surely triggered something. “I-I’m not.” She tried to sound calm. “Hindi niyo naman pwedeng i-expect na maaayos ang lahat ng ito kapag umiyak ako sa inyo, kapag basta ko na lang inamin na HINDI ako okay.” Her voice slightly trembled like she was trying to keep her emotions intact.
“I just don’t see the need of engaging to such dramas. Wala lang rin namang maitutulong.” Borge frowned in disagreement. “And that’s enough sentiment for you to just push all of us away & be awfully rude?” Borge shook her head. “Kilala kita Sara. HINDI ikaw yung tipo ng taong kayang MAG-ISA! Hindi ka lang galit kay Max, kung hindi pati sa amin din. Now tell us the truth! Why?”
“You want the truth?” Sara scoffed with sarcasm. “I need a friend, Borge! YUNG AKIN!!! Yung matatawag kong KAIBIGAN KO!!! A friend who will listen to me without bias! YUNG AKO YUNG KAKAMPIHAN!!! AKO!!!” Sara’s eyes were already teary, her voice gradually grew louder. “Sa inyo? I don’t feel that. Kasi… lahat kayo… all you do is protect Ellie… wala naman kayong ibang kinakampihan kung hindi si Ellie!!! EVERYTHING IS ABOUT ELLIE!!! AND I AM DAMN SICK OF IT!!!”
Borge, Meg and Japo looked as if they were all struck by lightning. That was just a bit too much TRUTH that they expected to hear. Meg was rendered speechless, her mind racing with thousands of questions. Si Japo naman napakunot ang noo. He, too, was starting to get CONFUSED but he knew better not to meddle in an all-girl conversation.
“Ellie?” Borge repeated. “Papanong…?” She looked just as clueless. “I thought this is between YOU & MAX???” Napakunot tuloy ang noo ni Borge. “My God, Sara!!! NOT EVERYTHING SHOULD BE ABOUT YOU!!! AT KAMPIHAN??? What the hell… ano toh langit-lupa, tagu-taguan? May kampihan effect pa??? Hindi ako kakampi kay Ellie kung alam kong may ginawang mali yung gagang yun! Sa tingin mo ganun kami – ako – kababaw?” Halatang galit na galit si Borge. She felt judged. Ang masakit eh yung tinuturing pa niyang kaibigan ang siyang humusga sakanya!! “God, grow up!!! Here you are throwing a bitch-fit just because you didn’t get what you want!!!” Borge hissed in disdain. “Sometimes, you really are a handful spoiled brat.” With that said, Borge turned around to leave. Hina-high blood na talaga siya. She didn’t mean to argue with her… all Borge intended to do from the first place was to make sure her friend was alright.
Sumunod naman agad sila Meg at Japo kay Borge and soon enough Sara Louisa Dela Rama was left alone in that empty hallway.
————————————
Saturday
(The next day)
Sa talyer nila Ellie…
Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan
It’s Saturday. Usually, I spend it helping my dad with some greasy work sa may talyer namin. Madalas din kasi, maraming nagpapagawa tuwing Sabado at 3 mekaniko lang sila papa kaya minsan work overload na sila. At ang masaya kapag tumutulong ako sa talyer eh kumikita pa ako ng pera!!! Hahaha. Madalas dahil sa mga customer na saganang mag-bigay ng tip!!! Kadalasan naman eh binibigyan din ako ni Papa kapag sobra-sobra ang quota nila.
Kinalakihan ko na itong talyer na ‘toh. And it is perhaps the second closest place to me aside from our actual home. Para sakin, extension toh ng bahay namin. It was MY PLAYGROUND. Oo, kasi nung bata ako dito kami naglalaro nila Max at Pepita, nila AJ at Eddy. Pinanonood ko sila Papa, Mang Domeng at Kuya Rolly habang gumagawa sila. Noon, dito ako unang pumupunta pagkauwing-pagkauwi ko mula sa school. As a child, it amazes me how 3 men could fix something so broken. There was even a time that I considered it as MAGIC.
Itong talyer… Isa lang siyang mahabang garahe na may bubong, with an utmost capacity of 4 cars. At one corner, naka-display ang iba’t ibang klase ng gulong at ilang spare parts at iba pang parte ng kotse na binebenta namin. Sa isang sulok naman eh puro cabinet na siyang pinaglalagyan ng mga kagamitan nila Mang Domeng at Kuya Rolly – sila pa yung 2 mekanikong kasama ni Papa dito. Sa may bandang likuran eh isang kwarto, ito ang kunwa-kunwariang opisina ni Papa na hindi naman niya masyadong inuupuan. I used to sit on his wooden chair, taga sagot ng telepono para sa mga customer na nagpapa-appointment at taga tawag sa mga supplier para mag-restock ng ilang items namin. Minsan ako na din ang nagi-issue ng mga resibo. At syempre sa loob ng kwarto na yun eh isang CR na may cold shower, syempre hindi naman pwedeng umuwi sila Mang Domeng at Kuya Rolly na puro grasa sa katawan.
I grabbed the blue jumpsuit hanging against the wall & wore it. Pero hanggang bewang lang, ginawa ko lang siyang pantalon coz’ I wrapped the long sleeves around my waist, yung usually na ginagawa sa mga jacket. I have a gray sleeveless razor-back as a top anyways. Mas presko kasi gumawa dito sa talyer kapag naka ganitong outfit. Oo nga pala, ako ang salarin sa BLUE JUMPSUIT na ito. Haha. Ako nakaisip na dapat magpagawa ng UNIFORM sila Papa, Mang Domeng at Kuya Rolly. At first they thought it was no longer necessary. Mas okay na sila na naka t-shirt at shorts at naka-tsinelas habang nagtra-trabaho. Eh alam niyo naman ako, minsan talaga sobrang business minded ko… I insisted on this uniform, sabi ko sakanila dapat kahit papano mukha silang kapita-pitagan habang gumagawa. That way, it’ll give them a nice impression to their customers. Mukha silang professional na mekaniko. Haha. Atsaka, mura lang pagawa nito sa Divisoria!!! Haha. Kaya ayun, nagpagawa na din ako ng sarili kong uniform para may nagagamit din ako sa tuwing tumutulong ako dito.
“Ellie!” Sigaw ni Kuya Rolly mula sa labas. He was wearing the jumpsuit the same way I did. “Po?” I answered, quickly making my way out the door.
“Ikaw muna umasikaso dun sa Toyota na asul sa labas.” Kuya Rolly nodded his head towards the car. “Nadiskarga daw yung baterya.” He grinned. “Alam mo na gagawin dun.” Kapag mga simpleng prublema lang tulad ng baterya, sa akin na nila pinauubaya yun.
Sa labas na ng talyer naka-park yung kotse, puno na kasi sa loob eh. So, I went towards the said car, nakasarado pa yung hood kaya hinahanap ko pa muna yung may-ari. I noticed him bending forwards inside his car parang meron lang kinukuha sa loob.
“Uh – sir!” I beamed a little too friendly. Syempre technique yan para may TIP!!! Hahahaha. Kelangan ALWAYS FRIENDLY sa mga customers. Parang slow motion na tumayo yung lalaki at tumingin sa akin. Nagkatitigan kami and it only took me a split second to recognize who it was… and I felt the need to scream, my friendly smile vanished in a sec… and I could picture AJ running here in a flash… With that, I’m pretty sure you guys already know who it is… Of course, it’s no other than the…
ENZO RUIZ MONTEVERDE!!!
To be continued.