Sincerely yours, Ellie. #Wattys2018

Kabanata 1

Kabanata 1

I was reading Fifty Shades Of Grey when Jaquelinn interupted.

"Ayan, magbasa ka ng ganyan. Para naman kahit sa pantasya eh meron kang partner."

"Ayan ka nanaman, Jaq eh. Kelan ka ba titigil? I've been with hundreds of terrible blind dates at ni isa wala akong nagustuhan!"

"Really? Well how about the hot guy you dated last? How about him? Are you that numb not to feel anything? Then after those dates you'll gonna weep and I'll be here answering your whims by buying chocolates in the middle of the night? Pwede yung iba naman ang gumawa nun?" Aniya

"What hot guy? The last guy I dated was talking about the Trojan War I don't fucking care about. Then he wore those fancy black and white polo tucked in his pants with suspenders. Where's the hottie?"

"Ano? Hindi yun? Eh sino yung nakita kong hot guy na naka-aviators at naka sandal sa bagong labas na model ng Mclaren? God, Elliot! Akala ko yun yung kadate mo! He was standing near you! Ugh!"

"Too bad." Sambit ko habang tinuloy ang pagkain ng Hershey's at pagbasa ng 50 Shades Of Grey habang patuloy ang panghihinayang ni Jaq. Oh my, Christian Grey. Please exist.

"Ellie naman eh. Sayang yun! Jusmiyo, tatanda ka na nang hindi nadidiligan! Kailangan na ng isang magpapaungol sayo!"

"Jaq shut your tongue! Ang hard mo makasalita ng ganun ah. Hinay-hinay naman dyan. Wag mo namang masigaw na wala pang nakakapagungol saakin. Ano ba. Mabuti pa at samahan mo ako mamaya in Hagh Drive. Bar hop tayo with the gang! Kung walang magpapaungol saakin, edi maghahanap tayo!" Lumiwanag ang mukha ni Jaq sa sinabi ko at agad tumayo.

"Is that Freon 'Hottie' Mariano? Grabe, he looks so hot in that rolled sleeves. Ang ganda ng genes! Ang sarap magpaanak!" Humihiyaw na sabi ni Tanikka habang nagshoshots kami ng Absolut.

"Now that you mentioned, dare tayo! Kung sino ang unang pumikit saatin, dapat mafall sa charms natin si Freon!" Ani Jaquelinn sabay sulyap saakin. Kinurot ko naman siya sa hita niya kaya napa-aray siya.

"Jaq, alam mo namang kakilala ko yan eh. Walang ganituhan." Bulong ko sakanya pero ngumisi lang siya at tumango sa mga kasamahan namin, tanda na magsisimula na ang laro namin. Oh, I loathe staring contests..

At kamalasang palad naman na ako ang unang pumikit. What the fuck?

"Fuck this game!"

"A dare is a dare, Ellie. Go start your charms!" Cheer ni Chenia. Agad naman akong tumayo at pinlantsa ang bodycon dress kong pula gamit ang mga kamay ko habang papunta sa lalaking nakaupo sa bar counter at mag-isa.

Bahagya ko pa siyang nahuling nakangisi habang nakatanaw saakin. Damn, is this guy mocking me?

Be cool, Ellie. Be cool.

"H-hey."

Shit.

"So how was the last blind date, Ellie? I heard he was talking about the Trojan War." Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi niya.

Was he stalking me? Sabi na nga ba't kailangan ko na pagsabihan si tita Thalia na tigilan na maging cupid saamin.

Yeah, right. I know. Dad's sister, tita Thalia, is the bestfriend of tita Bree, Freon's mom. Close si daddy at si tita Bree kaya naman pati siya at kasabwat ni tita Thalia. Those oldies talaga.

"How did you know that he's talking about the Trojan War?" I gave him the stinky eye.

"Hindi mo ba nakita ang Mclaren ko?" Mayabang niyang sambit.

Oh, so he's the one Jaq's been talking about. Hindi siya siguro nakilala ni Jaq. Akala niya siguro matinong gwapo, manyak pala.

I noticed him looking at my thighs sabay suklay sa buhok niyang brown na magulo. Oh God, ginagawa ko pa ba yung dare? Pwede excemption? Kilala ko naman to ah?

"So, you girls are having the dare game again?" Aniya at nagabot ng Shirley Temple saakin. Tinanggap ko iyon habang nangiirap, he knows it's my favorite drink in the universe.

"Yeah, sadly natipuhan ka nila at natalo ako. Condolence for me." Humalakhak siya at sumimsim ng Alfonso I.

He again licked his tongue after drinking at sandaling pumikit para siguro i-savor ang lasa. Wait.. Is he seducing me?

"Stop doing that!" Humalakhak ako at ni-sip ang Sherley Temple. Tumawa naman siya at umiling na lamang, "I better go home."

"You should, El. It's not friday. Halika, Ihahatid na kita." Paanyaya niya.

"Nah, I can handle myself. Di naman ako lasing at black-belter ako so stop worrying, Frey." Mukhang nadala naman siya at tumango bago ako inihatid sa labas ng bar.

I was about to beep my car when I heard footsteps at my back.

Nanindig ang balahibo ko nang hawakan niya ako sa braso ko na hawak ang bag ko at lumapit sa tenga ko.

"Hey, sexy." Inirapan ko ang salubong ni Aidan saakin. After all these years..

"Why are you here? And what are you doing here? Are you looking for someone to flirt?" Umiling siya at umiwas saakin.

"Why? You're looking for someone to flirt?" My mouth hanged in his offensive retreat.

Pero nawala din iyon nang bulungan niya ako, "I wouldn't mind you flirting...with me. As long as it's me, not other bastards."

Umikot ang mata ko sa pagiging kuya nanaman niya.

I'm 25 and he's 27 and burning. And everytime I ask hin why he's being a creep, he'll just tell me that he's my protector and stuffs like that.

"Whatever, I'm going home." I digged my phone inside my clutch and dialed Jaquelinn while beeping my car.

Why is she not answering?

Dinungaw ko silang mga kaibigan ko sa malaking glass entrance ng bar but a muscular torso blocked me, "I'm taking you home, El."

"Kaya kong mag-isa, kuya!" Natigilan siya at tumitig saakin. He doesn't like it when I call him kuya. Well, he acts like one so he should be called one.

"I am not your brother." Mariin niyang sagot saakin at hinila ako ng marahas papunta sa kotse niya.

Fear rushed in my system and made me scream like hell, "T-tulong! Tulungan niyo ako! A-ayoko, m-maawa ka sakin!"

His eyes widen in horror and hugged me, kept on saying, "I'm here, don't be scared, honey." And that made me calm.

Pagkadating sa bahay ay bukas pa ang mga ilaw, maybe dad's waiting for me.

Naunang bumaba si Aidan at inalalayan ako. I'm not disabled but why is he doing this to me?

Pagkatapos niyang umalis ng bansa 4 years ago? Ay babalik siyang parang walang nangyari? At ni-stalk niya pa ako ah!

"God, Elliot! I was worried about you! Tinawagan ako nila Jaq na nawala ka daw sa bar. Buti na lang andito ka na." Ani daddy at niyakap ako ng napakahigpit. Nakita ko si Freon sa kanyang tabi and I looked at Aidan who is nowhere to be found.

"Thank God you're safe, El. Tito uwi na po ako. Delikado na baka di na ako makauwi." Humalakhak silang dalawa.

"Oh, good! Ayan din dapat ang sasabihin ko. Si Ellie kasi.."

"Okay, daddy. I know, okay? No need to mention it over the years again. T'was done. Good night, Freon. And dad? I love you." I bade him goodbye and gave him a kiss on the cheeks. Niyakap ko naman si Freon and bade him goodbye

I let out a sigh as I watch my ceiling glow with artificial star lights. I can't believe my life is so surreal.. But I'm living in it right now.

*tug* *tug*

Umikot ang mata ko sa kalampog na iyon sa bintana. He's at it again.

Bumangon ako at sumilip sa aking malaking bintana. There I saw Aidan, smiling. I'm not gonna lie, I missed that.