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

Chapter 33-4. Round TWO!

Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan

There are things that are meant to happen... minsan pa nga iisipin mo, napaka liit lang pala talaga ng mundo ano? Because of all places, dun mo pa talaga sila makikita.

Matapos namin sa Souvenir Shop naglakad-lakad muna kami, picture dito, picture dun. Until napunta kami sa harap ng isang game booth. Depende sa dami ng crocodile na mababaril mo ang magiging prize mo. Sef pulled my hand,“Tara, try natin yun!” He said and I nodded excitedly, “Sige, sige!”

Nung una alam ko katabi ko lang sila Japo ee, sila Borge nga nasa kabilang booth pa naglalaro. Maya-maya pa Sef and I realized na kaming dalawa na lang pala ang magkasama.

Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali. Parang kagaya lang ito nung sa Tagaytay, sinadya nilang iwan kami!! Nakuu talaga... gaaaad!! Mga kaibigan nga naman, tapos sasabihin nila, WALANG IWANAN!! Ampf!!

“YES!” Nabulalas bigla ni Sef as the man in charge in the booth handed him a medium-sized Patrick, the Star na stuff toy. Sef was oblivious of the fact na iniwan na kami ng mga kasama namin. He was grinning at me, too proud of himself for winning. “Oh ayan!” He then gave me Patrick. Nagulat ako. Binibigay ba talaga niya saken ang napaka cute na si Patrick the Star??

I must have looked like a child na nabigyan ng candy. Nawala din kasi agad sa isip ko na iniwan kami nila Japo. Hahaha. Okay na din yun, kesa naman naki agaw pa sila kay Patrick the Star. Di niyo na din kasi itatanong, favourite show ko talaga ang Spongebob. Hahaha. Sorry naman, napaka isip bata ko talaga ee.

Naglalakad-lakad lang kami ni Sef, bumili pa nga kami ng ice cream while doing so. Kinuha niya si Patrick the Star saken para daw hindi ako mahirapan. “Ellie,” He then said in a soft voice. Napatingin ako sakanya. “Hm?”

“Bakit hindi ka nagpapahaba ng buhok?” He was downright straight in throwing the question. I was surprised how serious he sounded. No one has asked me that question before and I felt my cheeks turning hot and what made my heart almost jumped was when he added, “I’m sure you’d look better with a long hair.” Kahit siya parang nagulat sa nasabi niya. “I mean, kung sabagay, wala namang clown na may mahabang buhok.”

Minsan parang baliw kausap itong si Sef ano? He would compliment you then the next thing you know he’d be criticizing you from head to toe. Kala mo naman kung sino siyang gwapo!! Nakakainis!! Isabit ko siya sa Space Shuttle ee!!

“Oo, atchaka tamad kasi kaming mga clown.” I said irritably. “Ayaw namin ng nagsusuklay. Hay naku, teka nga... nasi-CR ako.”

We went to the nearest comfort room. Tumayo na lang si Sef sa labas. The moment I went in, I couldn’t help but look at myself on the mirror. Hindi ko na ma-imagine kung ano itsura ko kung mahaba buhok ko. Tss. Ano bang naisip nung si Sef at naitanong niya yun? I run a hand on my short hair. Sa totoo lang, I love my hair. I’m very much fond of it.

Suddenly, bumukas yung pinto ng isang cubicle and out came a beautiful lady. I frowned in concentration. Para kasing... pamilyar yung muka niya... Para bang... nakita ko na siya before... hindi ko lang alam kung saan...

She went beside me, naglabas siya ng powder tapos nag re-touch na siya ng make-up niya... I must have been staring at her, inaalala ko pa din kasi kung saan ko siya nakita. She raised a brow at me through the mirror. “You have a problem?” She asked me. Ang bitchy... and then... it suddenly clicked.

SIYA YUNG BABAE NA NA-MEET KO DIN SA CR NUNG NASA BARKO KAMI NI SEF!! YUNG FIRST DATE NAMIN NUN. She was the same girl I saw right after I went running out the concert hall nung kinantahan ako ni Sef. Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali... IT HAS TO BE HER.

She started packing up, sabay irap sakin. I made a face. Tss. Feeling naman niya? Muka naman siyang bakla sa make-up niya!! Haha. Nung papalabas na ko, napansin kong merong lapis na nasa ibabaw nung sink. Kung saan mismo nakatayo yung babae kanina. Siguro, eyeliner yun and it belonged to her. Naku, bahala nga siya. Prublema niya yun.

I was just about to leave ng biglang, Ellie mahabag ka naman. Pano kung sayo yun? Pano kung gamit mo naman yung naiwan mo? Isipin mo na lang ang karma na maeexperience mo. Sabi nga sa bibliya, Don’t do unto others what you don’t like others to do unto you. Naks!! Biruin mong meron akong alam na verse mula sa bible??

Hay, naku. Napaka hirap talagang maging mabuting tao. Kinuha ko yung eyeliner and went running after the girl. She was already a good distance away. Kaya kelangan ko pa talagang tumakbo. “MISS, MISS!” I was shouting, trying to get her attention. Napatigil siya and turned to look. I was in such a fast pace ng biglang may tumakbong bata sa harap ko. Naiwasan ko naman yung bata, but the thing was that... I was the one who lost control sa paghinto sa pagtakbo and sa hindi inaasahang pangyayari nahulog yung takip nung eyeliner at naguhitan ko yung girl sa mismong damit niya.

My eyes widened in shock. Inay ko po!!

“GAAAAHH!!” She screamed, her voice was deafening sa tining nito. “Are you crazy? Look what you’ve done!!” She looked on her shirt. Nakita ko yung tatak. Guess. Sayang, sana pala mejo nilakihan ko pa yung sulat sa damit niya. Haha.

A rich looking guy went towards her. “Bea, are you okay?” Tanong nito. The guy reminded me of Sef. Para kasing siya yung mga tipo ng mga barkada ni Sef sa Tagaytay nun.

“Yeah,” The girl who appeared to be another BEA I’ve known sa araw na ito, aside from Borge, took a deep breath as though trying to control her arising irritation. “I’m... I’m okay Paul.” She then looked at me, yung mataray na tingin.“You, just get lost.”

“Sige,” I said, clenching my fists. “Mauna ka!” Wala akong oras para hayaan siyang insultuhin ako. Hina-high blood na ko sa babaeng ito. Swerte siya hindi ako marunong makipag sabunutan. Suntukan ang laban ko.

“Ellie,” Sef’s voice came from behind. “Ano bang...”

“Sef!” The rich looking guy, whose name I think is Paul, blurted out in surprise. “You’re here!”

Napatigil ako. I looked at Sef tapos kay Paul. Okay. Magkakilala nga sila.

“Sef!” May lumapit pang isa pang guy who seemed to be more attractive than Paul. “Kanina pa kita tinetext! Di ka naman nagrereply. I thought you bailed on us again.”

“Jerry.” Sef said. He looked quite disoriented. So the second guy is named Jerry. “Ah, yeah. I was just...” He trailed off as Jerry placed a hand on Sef’s shoulder. “By the way dude...” He pulled Sef on his side. “I would love you to meet Bea. Bea, this is my good friend, Sef.”

Wow. Para kong hangin na nakatayo dun. I was completely ignored. Diba eksena ko toh? Dapat pinipigilan nila ko dahil malapit ko ng burahin sa mundo itong babaeng nasa harap ko ngayon!! At parang sinaniban yung babae, kung kaninashe looked like someone ready to conquer hell ee bigla ba naman naging mala-anghel ang ngiti niya. Ang sarap dukutin ng mata niya as she was eyeing Sef.

Parang biglang kumirot yung dibdib ko kasi I was there as things unfolded before me. Sad to say, I couldn’t do anything. I was invisible. Nakita ko, the moment Sef’s eyes landed on Bea’s... there was a spark of chemistry between them.

Madaling basahin ang muka ni Sef. Mga reaksyon niyo. Mga kilos niya. And by the way he was looking at Bea was already enough para masabi kong, he was mesmerized by her. He couldn’t even utter a word in reply. Napa ngiti lang si Sef. He was rendered speechless.

Inabot niya yung kamay niya for a shake hand and Bea took it, smiling back at him.

Hindi maputol-putol ang malagkit na pagtitinginan nila.

Wow. Okay. Haha. Oh ayan na Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan. Ano pa bang kailangan mong proof? Ayan na, as in ayan na... siguro by now, hindi ka na mahihirapang ITIGIL pa ang dapat mong ITIGIL.

Haha. Tama. Sus. PAGUMPUGIN KO PA SILANG DALAWA EE.

“Is that for me?” Bea then asked looking at Patrick the Star, yung boses niya sobrang pilit na pilit na pa-sweet. Lechugas. Drawingan ko kaya pati muka niya!!

Sef looked at the stuff toy he was holding at sa wakas, naalala din niya ko. Napatingin siya saken. “Ahh. No, this is...” Pero hinatak na nung Paul si Patrick the Star from Sef’s grasp at inabot yun kay Bea. “Mahiyain talaga yang si Sef ee. Sayo talaga yan.”

Gusto kong sumigaw ng “AKEN YAN EE!!” I wanted to protest. Sobrang natuwa pa naman ako nung binigay saken yun ni Sef kanina. Akin naman talaga yan ee!! But I felt my throat dried up. I couldn’t speak. Aba, malay ko ba? Baka naman pinahawak lang talaga saken ni Sef si Patrick diba? Atchaka, siya naman talga itong nanalo nun ee.

“Thanks.” Bea smiled sweetly at Sef, embracing Patrick the Star. “He’s my favourite.” Ows. Plastik. If I know, hindi nga niya alam na Starfish si Patrick ee.

“Oh, let’s go. Marami pa tayong time before going to Ivan’s place.” Nakaakbay pa din si Jerry kay Sef. “I’m glad you’re here man. Akala ko kasama mo nanaman yung Clown ee haha.” And then, napansin ako ni Jerry. “Wait, and you are?” he asked me.

Gusto kong sabihin, Ee di sino pa e di yung Clown. But instead, I just beamed at him, flashing all my teeth. “Ah, don’t mind me. Ibabalik ko lang dapat tong naiwang niyang eyeliner sa Girl’s CR.”

To be honest, walang epekto saken yung tinginan ni Sef at ni Bea. Wala akong pakialam na pinamigay ni Sef si Patrick the Star... pero yung hindi ko kinaya was the way that Jerry referred to me. Clown. Hindi naman sumagi sa isip ko yung posiblidad na ganun pala ako ikikwento ni Sef sa mga kaibigan niya. That I really am just a Clown to him. Ganun pala yun. Anong ganun. Talagang ganun Ellie. Duh. Ikaw na nga mismo nagsabi diba? This isn’t afairytale. Okay. Fine. Madali naman akong kausap ee. Clown na kung clown. So be it. Ee sa yun talaga tingin niya saken e. Wala naman na kong magagawa.

In fairness ang bilis naman sagutin ni Lord ang dasal ko. Hahaha. Wala man lang pangundangan ee. No warnings. No signs. He just answered my prayers overnight.

Hahahaha. ALLELUIA TO THAT.

To be continued.