Ang Multo sa Manhole - Under revision

Bogart says "33"

 Hello guys! This is my new upload. grabe mas inuna ko pa itong gawin kaysa sa assignment ko sa Law and Obligations! Hehe!

Eiji's Point of view

Nang sinambit ni Buknoy ang pangalan ni Ellis kahit na isa pa yung patanong, hindi ko maiwasang isiping Magbabalikan na sila. Pwede pa ba silang magkabalikan? I mean, kami na diba? Kani-kanina lang. Now I was torn apart at the decision whether to fight or to surrender, whichever makes me hurt the less. But if I could just be honest with myself, alam ko naman ang sagot sa tanong ko. Yes. Pwede pa silang magkabalikan. I don't want to demand Buknoy to choose me over her. Kumbaga sa science, sya ang independent variable – ang may kakayahang magbago ng desisyon, at ako naman ang dependent variable – doesn’t allow to change. It really depends on Buknoy. Kung may feelings pa sya sa kanyang girlfriend, two things lang ang pwede kong magawa – accept and let go.

Yung sapatos na tatanggalin ko palang sana ay di ko na tinuloy; mabilis ko na rin sinuot ang isa nang makatakas. Anyway, mukha namang hindi na mapapansin ni Buknoy na bumababa na ako e sa sobra ba namang pagka-caught up sa girlfriend nya e. I'm pretty sure I did good at sneaking out of the house till...

"Bumalik ka dito Eiji." Buknoy ordered stoicly. Damn I shouldn't underestimate his instinct.

"Uh-uhmm nalaglag yung ballpen ko kukunin ko -"

"Come up here." he warned me.

"Babe sino ba yun? Forget na natin yun. I miss you." she butted in, subsequently I heard her kiss him but not sensing Buknoy's response. I could only hope he did not return the favor.

"No." he told her, not rude so as to scare her, just his natural voice. "Eiji wag mo akong hintaying buhatin kita papunta dito!" Yun yung nakakatakot!

"Uhmm...Buknoy kasi yung ballpen ko naghihingalo na e." I explained a.k.a lied. Immediately, Ellis laughed, one that was either a means of dissing or annoying.

"Nakakatawa naman yun!" she commented, then, "How could you let him call you by that name, Willer?"

"I like him to call me that way." he informed her.

“Funny. I can’t remember the time you enjoy hearing that nickname.” She said then snapped, “Whatever. Oh wait I forgot.” I heard her walk back to the sala, leaving Buknoy to trail me down the stairs with that familiar look he was wearing. Buknoy was finally in front of me, staring. This time I couldn’t lie I wasn’t hurting.

"Buknoy she's back." I managed to say before bowing down to cry.

"Back or not, my feeling stays true." he brushed a hand upon my wet face, keeping away the hair that refrained him from seeing me cry. I raised my head to met his eyes. His eyes meant what he said. And I was guaranteed. Finally, he convinced me to walk upstair and face my biggest fear...at the moment...Ellis.

Nang papalakad na kami sa sala, I saw Ellis eyeing me, putting the magazine she was holding earlier down the table. Siguro she will not eye me like she was doing if Buknoy just let go of my hand in the first place. Tito and Tita who were also there wanted an excuse so that they may be spared at the awkwardness of the moment.

“Good evening po Tita Angie, Tito Ben.” Bati ko sabay yuko, not intentionally avoiding the name Ellis.

“Ang galang mo naman! Totoo ba yan?” she commented, leaning forward from her seat, me as her object of scrutiny. Buknoy invited me to sit with him opposite to his parents and Ellis. I could tell Ellis’s brow was still raised. Bakit ba kasi ayaw ako nitong bitawan!?