LOVE-NAT, isang makulit na love story! ♥ [ 1 of 2 ]

Chapter 38-3. One Night Only?!

FLASH BACK

It was already two in the morning at hindi pa rin nababawasan ang tao sa party… para ngang the more it gets late the more na nagiging alive ang mga tao!! Parang mga walang kapaguran, Darren Max Sanchez thought dully. Mejo pagod na siya and he has been listening to the ranting of Japo & Meg tungkol sa kanilang mga sawing pag-ibig.

Hindi naman kasi party animal itong si Max. Sumama lang naman talaga siya to look after Ellie. After what happened back in EK, he doesn’t think he could trust her in the presence of Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde. Max HATES the guy… sagad sa buto!!

Tahimik lang siyang naka-upo dun sa table nila Borge, painom-inom lang ng beer. Andami nilang kasamang hindi naman siya interested na makilala. Some are Japo’s friends, yung iba tropa naman ni Nico.

Actually kung hindi pa dumating si Jill at that moment, wala na sigurong balak magsi-uwian ang mga ito.“Guys,” Jill said. “Kailangan ko ng umuwi… it’s already an hour pass my curfew.”

“Uh,” Napatingin si Japo, who by this time was already drunk. “Hatid na kita Jill…”he grinned widely.

“You look like shit man,” biglang singit ni Ken. “I don’t think you can even drive. Ako na maghahatid sakanya.”

Napatahimik na lang si Japo, looking helplessly defeated. Kahit ilang drum pa ng alcohol inumin niya, no one can change the fact na torpe pa din siya.

“Okay, mag-ingat kayo!! Kami, paalis na din.” Meg said after makipagbeso-beso kay Jill.

Napansin ni Jill na nakatitig na lang si Japo dun sa baso ng Vodka na hawak-hawak nito. Obvious na lasing na ang binata. He was flushed all over, pulang-pula ang mga pisngi at kapit na dito ang smoke na galing sa mga yosi ng nasa table nila – at isa na dun si Borge.

Nature na ni Jill na mag-alala sa mga kaibigan niya. She pressed her hands against Japo’s cheeks at tinignan niya ito. Confirmed, bangag na nga ito!! “Oh guys,” Sabi ni Jill not actually looking at Japo. “Mukang hindi na kakayanin ni Japo mag-drive… could any--”

“Wag ka na mag-alala Jill, si Max na mag-uuwi sa kanya!!” Borge said.

“Good. Umuwi na din agad kayo, ok?” Borge & Meg nodded. “Text me once you’re home.”

“Ako?” Nasabulalas ni Max when Jill was already out of earshot. “Ihahatid ko pa si Ellie… hindi ko kayang mag-asikaso ng dalawang lasing.”

“OY!!” Sabay tawa si Japo. “Di – *hic*- pa ko lasing – *hic* -!!”Sinisinok na ito.

Max ignored him.

“Anjan pa si Ellie?” Nagulat si Borge. “Asan siya?”

“Kanina ko pa sinabi sayong nasa kwarto sa itaas.” Max said impatiently, kanina pa nga naman kasi niya sinabi ee.“Nakatulog nga dun.” Tumayo na si Max, handa na siyang gisingin ang dalaga. “Gigisingin ko na, sasabihin ko uuwi na kami.”

Tumatakbo ang isip ni Borge. Nasa taas si Ellie… isa sa mga kwarto nila Sef… “T-teka lang…” Borge pulled Max by the arm para mapa-upo ulit. “Kami na ni Nico maghahatid kay Ellie… ako na gigising sa kanya.”

Max frowned at her. Parang hindi nagtitiwala ang binata sa sinabi ni Borge.

“Ipag-dadrive mo pa yang si Japo pauwi sa bahay nila… I don’t think it’s appropriate na pag-commutin mo pa si Ellie. Anong oras na oh?” With that, hindi na nakipag-argue si Max. Inside, tumatawa si Borge ng malakas na malakas. BUWAHAHAHAHA… One day, pasasalamatan mo din ako Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan!! BUWAHAHAHAHA…

Finally, it was time to say good bye to his guests. Nakatayo na si Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde sa may exit, waving a hand, smiling and saying his last greetings for the night. Halos paubos na lahat ng tao at hindi pa din niya nakikita si Ellie. There was something nagging in the insides of his chest… siguro nakaalis na ang dalaga… & she didn’t even bother saying good bye?

The hell he cares right? The hell he cares… 

But something rose in the air ng padaan na si Max. Nagkatitigan sila, it was an angry glare they threw at one another. Parang konting pagkakamali lang, wrong words, wrong move at magsusuntukan ulit sila.

Napansin agad ni Sef that Max wasn’t holding anything except for a car key. Wala na yung bag ng cupcake na binigay sakanya kanina ni Ellie. Siguro… siguro nakain na ni Max… the hell he cares?? Sa dami ng regalo niya tonight? He wouldn’t care less… Kayang kaya niyang bumili ng maraming chocolate at cupcakes if he wanted to. Yung pinaka masasarap pa na brand, done by world class chefs. Hindi yung gawa lang ng isang Clown.

After a minute or so, si Borge naman kasama si Nico at Meg ang papaalis na. “Oh Sef!” Borge tapped him teasingly by the shoulder. “Yung regalo ko sayo nasa kwarto mo na!” Then she winked at him. A wink that seemed to conceal a thousand meanings.

“Sandali,”Nico said, his voice sounded as if meron siyang biglang naalala. “Di ba kasabay natin si E--”

Na-curious si Sef. He wondered what Borge meant. Pero… naisip niya she has much to drink, it must be the alcohol talking to him anyway.

“SSshh.” Borge hissed angrily at Nico, pulling him away.

“Merry Christmas, Sef!” Bati naman ni Meg. “Thanks for a great party.”

“Sure, no problem.” Sef smiled.

John Sy Crisostomo opened Sef’s room. Nakalimutan kasi daw niya yung cellphone niya sa may cabinet ni Sef so sinabi na lang niya kay Max na sa kotse na lang siya hintayin. Pumunta siya sa bed side table pero wala dun yung phone niya.

San ba niya yun nilagay?? 

He turned around kala mo naman may makikita siya sa dilim, but then he froze… para kasing… merong nakahiga sa kama… hindi uso ang multo sa mansyon nila Sef… Japo doesn’t believe in ghosts either. He quickly reached for the lamp and turned it on.

The large room of Sef was slightly bathed with the light from the lamp by the bed side table.

“Sus, si Ellie lang pala…” Japo muttered in relief. Siguro kung nasa katinuan pa siya, he would have reacted differently. With the influence of alcohol, para bang seeing Ellie sleeping soundly in Sef’s room was just something ORDINARY. Japo shrugged and continued with his search… but the he stopped for something caught his interest.

Sa may ulunan kasi ni Ellie, merong bag that looked quite familiar to him. Japo grabbed it and looked inside.Cupcakes. “Grabe talaga itong si Ellie, hanggang sa pagtulog may katabi pa ding pagkain…”He muttered. And without thinking, he took one out & took a bite… at kain lang siya ng kain habang hinahanap ang cellphone niya.

Sa sobrang kalasingan na din siguro, biglang pumasok sa isip ni Japo na baka naman nasa ilalim ng kama yung phone niya. He knelt by the foot of the bed, placed the bag of cupcakes on the floor beside him and peeped underneath, still munching his fourth cupcake.

Exactly at that moment, Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde entered his own room looking quite exhausted. And he was slightly surprised to see Japo kneeling before his bed na tila ba may hinahanap sa ilalim ng kama niya. “Japo…” He called. “Anong hinaha--”

Japo turned around, his eyes looking heavy and it was as if lightning struck Sef ng narealize niya biglang may kinakain si Japo… chocolate… chocolate cupcakes… and on the floor beside him was the BAG Sef knew so well.

"WHAT THE ---!!” Nabulalas ni Sef as he grabbed the bag on the floor… at ang laman?? Iisang cupcake.
“Ano bang ginagawa mo?” He asked angrily as he helped Japo on his feet.

"Hmm?" Japo was completely unaware of what was going on. “Yung phone ko, naiwan ko dito… di ko makita…”

“Phone?”Napakunot ang noo ni Sef, still unaware of the lady sleeping on his bed. “Phone? Diba nilagay mo na sa kotse mo kanina?”

Japo stared at him. “Owww… haha. Kaya pala wala dito!!”

Napailing si Sef. Gusto niyang mainis sa kaibigan, but Japo was obviously drank. “Dude, you’re a real mess… lika ihahatid na kita. Iwan mo na lang wheels mo dito, balikan mo na---”

“Naaah, am okay.” Japo shook his head, walking towards the door. “Hatid ako ni Max.” He grinned at Sef. “Oh well, see ya dude! Bye!”

Sef nodded. “Bye.”

But before Japo could even close the door behind him, he poked his head and said, “Bye Ellie!”

Sef’s eyes widened in surprise. “Ellie?” He asked aloud kaso lang wala na si Japo. And the moment he turned around, napansin niyang someone was occupying his bed. AYUN NGA, DUN SA KAMA NIYA… TULOG NA TULOG ANG ISANG ELEONOR MALICSI DIMACULANGAN!!!

Sef sat on his recliner chair, tapat ng kama niya. He was holding the LAST piece of cupcake in his hand, studying it. Biglang sumagi sa isip niya si Lianne… yeah, si Lianne… she used to cook for him too. How he would sneak behind her while she was busy cooking in the kitchen ng apartment niya nun sa LA. How she would laugh and giggle as he planted a kiss in the nape of her neck.

For two years now… imagine, TWO YEARS… and Miguel Josef Uy Montevere was still clinging to these memories…

It was never easy to let go… 

But then again…

“Mmmff,” Ellie then mumbled in her sleep as she shifted around facing Sef’s direction. Himbing na himbing ito sa pag-tulog.

And so Sef smiled at her.

Naalala niya yung sinabi ni Borge bago ito umalis, he was wondering whether she was referring to the cupcakes or to Ellie… Napatingin siya sa dalaga at napailing… parang batang yakap-yakap ni Ellie yung mga unan niya…

This girl right here… is the craziest girl he has ever met!! Well… crazy in a good way… she’s… different. A lot different… Napatayo si Sef mula sa kinauupuan niya and sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on the sleeping form of Ellie…

Without thinking he slightly brushed his hand on her face, removing the few strands of hair away from her eyes. Napatigil si Sef… what was he doing? Oww. Sheet!

Napatayo agad si Sef…

“S-ef...” It was barely a whisper. It was Ellie muttering his name in his sleep… her voice soft & audible… & it quickly warmed his heart. Para siyang tangang napa-ngisi dun…

Sef reached for his comforter and wrapped it around the girl sleeping soundly on his bed – yung Clown niya.

He sighed deeply as he went back on his recliner chair… he ate the last piece of cupcake... and soon, he was fast asleep... smiling.

TO BE CONTINUED.