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

Chapter 37-3. Ellie's Chocolatey Buddy!

Wednesday
Monteverde Residence
9:30pm

Jillian Martinez entered like a shy little maiden wearing her blazing red cocktail dress. Her long hair was in a bun, pinned atop her head. She was breathtakingly beautiful as she easily caught the attention of most of the guests. Lalo na syempre ang isang John Sy Crisostomo.

“Jill,” He could only utter her name. Nakangiti lang si Japo sakanya without taking his eyes off of her. She quickly gave back a shy smile, “Hi. Sorry na-late kami.”

“Yeah,” Borge said rolling her eyes in complaint. “Thanks kay Ellie.”

“Ako nanaman.”

Borge and Ellie were with Jill too. In fact pati si Darren Max Sanchez kasama din nila. Kailangan pa kasi nilang sunduin si Eleonor para piliting sumama. You know how to handle a Dimaculangan. Kailangan pwersahan pa talaga.

Japo was now grinning widely at Jill. Ni-hindi man lang niya napansin sila Ellie, Borge at Max. Kaso lang minsan kasi, kapag meron ng mga ganitong klaseng pagkakataon hindi na dapat pa pinapalagpas. Gusto na sanang yayain ni Japo ang dalaga to be his partner for that night. Gusto niyang solohin si Jill. Pero inunahan nanaman siya ng katorpehan. What if she rejected him? What if... at sunud-sunod na katanungan na malalaman lang niya ang sagot KUNG agad na lang niyang niyaya ang dalaga.

Torpe.

Kenneth Paolo Fernandez, o mas kilala nating lahat bilang KEN, was in fact busy talking – or rather flirting – with some girls. And the moment he saw Jill, parang auto-pilot na iniwan niya ang mga kausap at dire-diretso sa dalaga. No, no... don’t get Ken wrong. He was never really interested with Jill. Never. But tonight... well, pwede na din siguro. Especially when she’s looking so dazzling tonight.

Jill saw Ken approaching and her heart was pounding wildly. Napayuko na lang ang dalaga, hindi kasi niya alam ang dapat niyang gawin. Parang gusto niyang tumakbo sa CR para tignan ulit ang sarili sa salamin. Was her hair okay? Yung make-up niya hindi pa kaya nagfe-fade?

“Uh, Jill...” Japo tried to ask her. Ayun na ee, nasa dulo na ng dila niya. Konting-konti na lang... but his voice quickly faded as Ken came over. “Guys, Merry Christmas!!” Bati niya with such energy. Nag-appear sila ni Max. Borge and Ellie also greeted him with a smile, “Merry Christmas din!”

“WOW, ELLIE!!” Nabulalas ni Ken when he got a good look at her. Napanganga ang binata.

Ellie glared at him obviously not pleased by the way Ken was complimenting her. “Pakyu.” She hissed darkly. Natawa na lang si Borge sa background.

Ken shifted his attention to Jill. “Merry Christmas Jill!” His voice turned soft, gentle. Hindi makatingin si Jill sakanya. Every part of her ee parang hiyang-hiya. “Merrychristmasken.” She replied inaudibly. Ken then stood beside her, placing a hand around her waist. “You look beautiful.” He whispered ever so softly in her ear. Namula ang dalaga, completely speechless.

Japo stood there, his face turning sour by the minute. Andun lang siya, just watching everything unfolded before his very eyes.

Torpe.

“O guys! We’ll see you later!” sigaw ni Ken. “I’ll just borrow your friend right here.”

With that, they disappeared in to the crowd.

“Ano? Naunahan ka?” Sabi ni Borge kay Japo na biglang parang naging lantang dahon.

Suddenly, biglang dumating si Meg. “ELLLIEEE!! BOOORGE!!” She came towards the girls. “Kamuntik ko ng hindi makilala si Ellie, hahaha.”

“Hi, hi, hi!!” Borge was saying, returning the same enthusiasm. Si Ellie naman naka kunot nanaman ang noo dahil sa pagkaka pansin ulit sa itsura niya.

Meg raised a brow. “Anong nangyari jan?” Napansin niya si Japo. Borge laughed. “Wait, Max.” Sabi niya.“Samahan mo naman ako sa kotse ko, andun yung mga regalo ko sa inyo ee. But I can’t carry them all by myself.”

Max sighed. “Sige, tara.” Mejo wala kasi sa mood ang binata. He was really against into going here. Pero syempre hindi naman din siya papayag na pumunta dito si Ellie ng hindi siya kasama.

“Alam mo Japo mabuti pa, samahan mo naman ako. Hanapin natin si Nico.” Borge said.

With that, Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan found herself standing alone in the middle of a faceless crowd. “T-teka, guys...”

But they were all gone.

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Kahit saan pumunta si Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde ee lagi siyang pinapaligiran ng mga tao. Sef was like a walking statue of Adonis that night. It was hard not to stare at him but it was harder to simply ignore him. Everywhere he went, laging may bumabati sakanya ng Merry Christmas, or may magbabato ng compliment about his good looks or how awesome was the party. At kung hindi naman babati, merong magaabot ng regalo sakanya. Sabay silang bumaba ni Japo mula sa kwarto nila kaso hindi na niya nakita kung saan pumunta ang kaibigan bbigla kasi siyang hinarang ng mga ilang kaibigan niya from GWAPS University. Para kasing cheetah si Japo na tumakbo pababa nung hagdan kanina, siguro anjan na sila Ellie.

Sef stood by the buffet table, finally freeing himself from his recent ambush from Jerry. He took a glass of wine and sighed, studying the crowd. Asan na ba si Japo?? Atchaka asan na na si...

Sef suddenly noticed the way a group of guys were talking. Alam niya yung ganung itsura, it was as if they’ve seen a prospect to have fun with tonight. Sinundan niya yung tingin ng mga binata... and to his own surprise... Sef almost spilled the wine he was drinking but he got his composure back just as quickly.

Standing somewhere in the crowd was Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan, looking flawlessly stunning with the gray cocktail dress she was wearing. Her short spiky hair looked perfect, adding accompaniment to her grandeur. She was clueless of the fact that she was gaining herself countless stares – including Sef’s that is. Lingon lang ng lingon ang dalaga na parang may pilit na tinatanaw. Siguro yung mga kaibigan niyang bigla na lang naglaho.

Sef found himself smiling with uncontainable amusement. He debated whether to approach her or not. But he decided not to. Mas masaya kasing panuorin ang dalaga. He noticed the simple gift bag she was holding. Sa lahat ng regalong natanggap niya ng gabing iyon, ngayon lang nakaramdam si Sef ng excitement. He was anticipating in having those chocolates. Para siyang batang kanina pa hinihintay yung gusting-gusto niyang regalo mula kay Santa.

May waiter na lumapit sa dalaga. He must be offering her some drinks. Sef continued to watch as the waiter handed her a glass of margarita. Ellie looked hesitant, hindi naman marunong uminom ang dalaga ee, but she took it anyway. She stared at the glass she was holding as if it was the first time she has seen such.

“You don’t drink do you?” A guy said to her with a friendly grin plastered all over his face.

She wasn’t sure kung siya yung kinakausap nung lalaki. “Ah, oo nga ee.”Sagot na lang niya. Painom na sana si Ellie but the guy stopped her. “You wouldn’t like the taste of that, believe me.” Instead, the guy offered Ellie another different glass. Unlike nung margarita, kulay blue yung kulay nung inumin. “Try this. It’s good for non-alcoholic drinkers.” It was a downright lie. At walang kaalam-alam si Ellie na mas malakas ang tama ng inuming inaalok sakanya.

Exactly at that moment, parang si Adan si Ellie at ang lalaking kaharap niya ay si Eba. She brought the glass near her lips ready for a sip. But suddenly, “Ellie.” It was a voice Ellie knew by heart only it never sounded so serious like this. The moment she looked up at Sef, her heart made a leap... and the drink was all forgotten.

Miguel Josef Uy Monteverde looked unsurprisingly irresistible. Hindi na nagulat si Ellie dun, but still it was enough to make her heart go crazy. Para tuloy biglang bumigat yung bag na hawak-hawak ng dalaga. Oo, yung chocolate cupcakes na kanina lang niya niluto. Kanina parang desididong-desidido siyang ibigay ito kay Sef, pero ngayon... oo, ngayon... parang... napakahirap i-abot nito sa binata.

Sef took the glass off of Ellie’s hand. Iniabot niya ito sa waiter to get rid of the drink. Tinignan lang ng masama ni Sef yung lalaki before he pulled Ellie away from the crowd.

Dinala niya si Ellie dun sa tabi ng buffet table kung saan kanina pa siya nakatayo’t nagmamasid. “Oh,” Inabutan niya ng plato ang dalaga without actually looking at her. “Kumain ka na nga lang, kung sinu-sino pa kinakausap mo ee.”

Ellie stared at Sef for a moment then all of a sudden she burst out laughing. “Alam mo, kung hindi lang kita kilala... iisipin kong nagseselos ka!! Hahaha.”

Sef didn’t budge. Hindi siya tumawa, hindi din siya ngumiti. His frown just deepened even more.

Hindi naman napansin ni Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan na kanina pa tingin ng tingin si Sef sa hawak-hawak niyang regalo.

Kelan nga ba kasi niya ito ibibigay kay Sef??

TO BE CONTINUED.