"I can't believe you'll see her at the most unexpected way!" Elmo is now with his kuya Frank, sa kanilang veranda.
"Same bro, same." He smiled, yung relieved, kasi alam niya na he'll stop looking for her because he found her already.
"So, ano na ang balak mo?"
"Alam mo kuya, kung alam ko lang na siya yung kumakanta, pinindot ko na yung button ko at blinock silang lahat."
"Gago ka ba? Hahaha lakas ng tama mo ah?"
They're both drinking wine while chatting when his phone vibrated.
"Uhm, sorry I have to take this call." He excused and distanced himself for privacy.
"Sir EJ, what can I do for you at this time of the night?"
"Moe, kasi ano ee, Ella isn't home yet. Katatawag lang ng mommy niya sa akin."
"What? Bakit daw? Have you made any contact kay Ella?"
"Ayun na nga, she isn't answering her phone. Nagaalala na kaming lahat. Would you mind go looking for her? Hanapin ko rin siya."
"But...Sige, sige po sir. I'll just send regular updates."
"Thank you Elmo. I know you still care for her."
He ended the call and immediately went inside his car. He's a bit worried about Ella. Si Ella yung dati niyang ka-loveteam and rumor has it na nagkaroon sila ng relasyon but they never confirmed it in public. Alam niyo na, showbiz.
He looked for the possible places na pupuntahan ni Ella pero wala siya sa mga iyon. The last thing he thought was the bar where they went noong loveteam pa sila.
He entered and immediately scanned the area hoping to find a piece of Ella, and he did. Nakita niya si Ella na nakikipagsawayan. He went towards her and grabbed her arm.
"Uhm hey! Can't you see I'm having fun? Stop grabbing me!" She's drunk at hindi na niya alam ang kanyang ginagawa.
"Ella, it's Elmo. Come on I'll drive you home."
"M...Moe? Moe? You came for me? I knew it...You...you still love me." She hugged him and went with him. Ipinasok na siya ni Elmo sa sasakyan at nagdrive agad papunta sa bahay nila Ella.
"Moe! You still love me right? Right? Sorry about what happened in the past Moe, I am so...so sorry. Hindi ko naman sinasadya iyon ee." He isn't responding. Ayaw niyang kausapin ang babae dahil baka kung ano pa ang masabi nito sa kanya.
"I still love you Moe. Kita mo naman, hindi ako maka move-on sa'yo. You are the very reason why I go out every night Moe. I want to forget you, pero at the end of the day ikaw pa rin yung hinahanap hanap ko."
"Shut up Ella. Lasing ka na. Just sleep." Kailangan pa niyang magtimpi.
"Moe, please come back, balik na tayo sa dati. It's been almost 2 years already. Gawa na tayo ng projects together, please? I miss you so much. Lagi kang ino-offeran ng comeback project natin pero lagi mo namang dine-decline." Hindi pa rin sumasagot si Elmo. He's relieved when he realized na malapit na sila sa bahay nila Ella.
"Moe please balik ka na, or else lagi ako'ng magpaparty at lagi mo rin akong susunduin."
"This will be the last time Ella. The next time, I won't bother fetching you. Hindi mo ako alalay nor your body guard."
"Ang bilis talagang magbago ang ihip ng hangin. You were so eager to fetch me sa mga bar noong tayo pa. Oops, naging tayo ba? Kasi for me naging tayo."
Nakarating na sila sa bahay nila Ella.
"Thank you so much Moe. Alam kong may care ka pa rin kay Ella." He was faced by sir EJ, yung manager ni Ella.
"Sir I did It out of favor. This would be the last time na gagawin ko po ito."
"But why Moe? Don't you miss her?"
"Sir, hindi po ako body guard. I respect you sir EJ, I truly do, pero alam niyo naman po yung nangyari. I'm sorry and I'm leaving na. Good night." He smiled and drove home.
"Oh, ano yung emergency na pinuntahan mo?" Naabutan niya ang kanyang Mommy Pia na nagtitimpla ng gatas sa kitchen.
"It's about...it's about Ella mom."
"Oh, what happened? Bakit mukhang badtrip ka?"
"Well pinasundo sa akin si Ella. I mean..."
"I get it. Hayaan mo na. At least you've done your part." He just sighed and signaled her mom na aakyat na siya sa taas.
...
"Elmo Magalona at Ella De Vera, nakitang magkasama sa isang bar kagabi. Nagkabalikan na ba sila?"
"Elmo at Ella, magkakaroon na ba ng comeback?"
"Oh, ang bilis ng balita ha?" His mommy Pia said. She was having breakfast while watching tv ng maabutan siya ni Elmo.
"As expected." He just shrugged the idea.
"Fuck." He realized something. "What if mabalitaan ito ni Julie? What if mabasa niya yung headline? Or yung any article?" He's now talking to himself,
...
"Baklaaaaaa!!! Nabalitaan mo na ba?" Maqui entered the room, as usual late.
"Huy ang ingay ingay mo, umagang umaga baka magalit na naman si Ma'am."
"Beshie naman kasi, hindi ako maka get-over dito sa nabasa ko kanikanina lang!"
"Oh? Ee ano ba kasi yun?"
"Eto oh!" Sabay abot ni Maqui ng phone niya na naglalaman ng headline tungkol kay Elmo at kay Ella. Napatigil si Julie sa nabasa at nalaglag pa yung phone ni Maqui.
"Hoy ano ba naman yan Julie Anne?! Pangalawang beses mo ng nilaglag yung phone ko ha? At kapag chumichika pa ako tungkol kay Elmo!" Yamot na yamot na ang kaibigan niya.
"Huy! Okay ka lang ba? Oh ano say mo?"
"Wala. Wala naman ako'ng pake. Hindi ko naman kilala yang Elmo at yang sinasabi nilang Ella. Ikaw lang naman ata yung todo affected diyan sa balitang yan." Ouch may jowa pala siya?, her inner self thought.
"Bwisit ka talaga Julie hindi ko alam bakit kaibigan kita ee."
"Grow up Maq, hindi lang sa mga artista umiikot ang mundo."
"Wow naman! Coming from the soon to be artista!" She said. "Guys, guys, guys lapit nga muna kayo dito."
"Maqui ano ba? Shut up."
"Alam niyo ba na itong Employee of the century natin na si Julie Anne San Jose, pasok sa blind audition at napunta sa Team Sarah!" Everyone shouted. Namumula na siya dahil sa kahihiyan.
"What are you guys doing?" Their boss went inside their office. Akmang babalik na silang lahat ng biglang magsalita si Maqui.
"Ay ma'am! Ito pong si Julie, pasok sa The Voice! Team Sarah po yan!" She excitedly said.
"Alam ko Ms. Farr, kaya nagpabili ako ng lunch para sa ating lahat, to celebrate her victory." Their boss said. Agad na napangiti si Julie sa narinig mula sa kanilang boss.
"Narinig niyo yun mga ka-kosa? Libre ni Ma'am yung lunch! Hindi tayo gagastos!" Maqui shouted again.
They all had a sumptuous lunch kasabay ng sunod sunod na pag-congratulate kay Julie. She responded with full smile and shook each of their hands.
Natapos ang araw ni Julie sa office ng sobrang tuwa. She can't help but be grateful kasi sobrang supportive ng mga kasama niya sa opisina sa napili nitong bagong career. Of course papasok pa rin siya sa opisina, pero napagkasunduhan nila ng kanyang boss ang magiging work load nito at sinabi ng boss niya na ipriority yung The Voice dahil minsan lang iyon dumating sa kanya.
She had her dinner and went immediately to her room. Hindi pa rin naaalis sa isipan niya yung nabasa niya kaninang umaga. "I thought I had forgotten this." She said while re-reading the article. Hindi niya maiwasang hindi makaramdam ng sakit. Teka, is she jealous? Pero bakit? Ano ba siya? Sino ba siya sa buhay ni Elmo? Isa lang naman siyang hamak nan aka one-night-stand nito noong nasa New York pa.
"Stop it Juls. Wala kang karapatang magselos."
