CHAPTER 7
1582 Words
Ellie:
After naming mamili pumunta na kami sa unit ko.
“Pasok ka” Paanyaya ko kay Liam.
“Thanks. Are you living with your boyfriend?”
“Hindi ah. May sarili siyang apartment.”
“Really!” hindi ko alam kung bakit masigla ang boses niya.
“Yes. We don't intend to live together until we get married.” Napatingin siya sakin. Confusion is evident in his eyes.
“So, do you already have marriage plans?”
“Honestly, I do but he doesn’t”
He looks confused with my answer.
“What do you mean?”
“I want to get married soon, pero siya wala pang plano. Madami pa kasing gusting gawin yun.”
He intently looks at me, parang may gusto siyang makita sa reaction ko or something.
“Ikaw? When do you plan to get married?” I asked him
“Huh? Wala pa nga akong girlfriend kasal na agad”
I look at him confused. Eh sino yung kasama niya nung nakaraan.
“Eh sino yung kasama mo last time? Hindi ba girlfriend mo yun?”
“No! She is just an acquaintance. I was bored that time and since you were busy sinamahan ko na lang siya since she asked me to accompany her.”
Hindi ko alam pero I secretly smile at myself nung nalaman kong hindi niya girlfriend yung babae.
“Anong gusto mong ulam?” I asked him.
“Ikaw ng bahala. I will eat whatever you cook.”
“Don’t expect too much ha. I am not a good cook. Minsan sala sala din ang lasa ng luto ko.” Then we laugh.
“It doesn’t matter. I will eat it as long as you are the one who cooks it.”
Nagkatinginan kami, I don’t know pero I got hook by the look in his eyes. I do admit that this man is gorgeous. Very attractive actually lalo na habang tumatagal mo siyang natitignan. He is attractive at first sight mas lalo na kapag matagal na.
“hmmm…umupo ka na muna dun you can watch tv if you want. Just feel at home. Ako ng bahala dito”
“You don’t need any help?”
“I’m okay, bisita kita kaya relax ka lang dyan.”
Then I saw him walk towards the living room and narinig ko bumukas yung tv.
Ako naman I got busy preparing for our dinner. I planned to cook Sinigang na Hipon, since mabilis lang naman yun lutuin then nagsaing na din ako.
“You look good while cooking.”
Nagulat ako dahil dun sa pagsasalita niya. I did not expect na bumalik siya para tignan ako habang nagluluto.
Natawa ako. “Talaga ba?”
“Yes! I felt that you will be a good wife and mother.”
I smile at him “I hope so. Those are my dream, to become a wife and mother.”
Then we smiled at each other. There was something in his smile. It’s like telling me that my dreams will come true and that he is willing to fulfill my dreams.
Ellie! Hold a grip. He is not your boyfriend. He is just a friend.
“Let’s eat” Tawag ko sa kanya.
Then we start eating. I got lucky kasi mukhang napasarap ang luto ko.
“How was it?” I ask him.
“It’s good! Akala ko ba hindi ka magaling magluto?”
Natawa ako. “Nakatsamba lang ako!”
Then we both laugh.
“What’s your full name Ellie?”
“Ellison Tanseco, ikaw?”
“Nice name! Liam Antonius Serrano”
“Ang ganda ng name mo” It was sincere, nagandahan talaga ako sa name niya.
“What do you do?” I asked him. Hindi na ako nahiya, total mukhang gusto niya magkakilala pa kami.
“I am an Architect, landscape and design architect to be precise. How about you?”
“Nice job! I am a procurement manager.”
“Nice! So, what do you like doing? Hobbies?”
“Well, I don’t have any hobby. If you consider travelling a hobby, I can say it is my hobby. I just love reading. I usually stay home when I have free time. Hindi talaga ako pala labas except sa mga pagbiyahe ko.”
“It is good to know you like travelling because I do too.”
“Talaga?”
“Yes.”
“Ano pang ibang pinagkakaabalahan mo?”
“Well, before I love going out with friends but lately hindi na masyado. I would just spend time resting at home. I do box as a workout. Yun lang”
I smiled at him. After dinner, nagvolunteer siya maglinis but I stop him. Of course, he is a visitor so I did not agree with him.
He just watches me while I do the dishes. Then after, we went to the living room to rest for a bit.
“So how are you and your boyfriend?” He suddenly asks.
“We are doing fine. All good.”
“Really?”
“Why? Hindi ka naniniwala?”
“You don’t seem fine. Labas sa ilong ang pagsagot mo sakin.”
I just smile at him.
“How long have you been together?” He asks again.
“8 years.”
“That long?” He seems shock.
“Why? Bakit parang gulat na gulat ka?”
“You’ve been together for 8 years but still he doesn’t have plans to get married?”
Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin sa kanya kaya natahimik na lang ako.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude.” Sabi niya sakin
“No, it’s ok. Its not as if you are the first person to ask me that. To be honest I also ask the same question.” I told him then smile.
He just looks at me with sincerity. Hindi ko alam if anong tumatakbo sa isip niya.
We just let the time pass by then nagpaalam na siya para umuwi.
“Thanks for the dinner Ellie.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ll go ahead. Make sure to lock your door.”
“I will, don’t worry.”
Hindi agad siya lumabas ng pinto instead he looks at me intently na parang may gusting sabihin. Pero nagulat ako ng bigla niya akong niyakap.
“I’ll go ahead and I’ll see you soon again my Ellie.”
I freeze nung marinig ko siyang sabihin sakin ng harapan yung ‘my Ellie’.
“Liam” Yun lang ang nasabi ko nabang nakayakap siya sakin. After awhile humiwalay na siya sakin.
“I’ll go. Bye”
“Ingat ka” yun lang ang nasabi ko sa kanya.
Pag-alis ni Liam ay sobrang nagulo ang systema ko. Hindi ko alam kung tama ba ang takbo ng puso at isip ko.
Ano ba tong nangyayari. Bakit ba niya ko tinatawag ng ganun.
Hindi naman ako tanga, alam ko ang pahiwatig niya. Pero sobrang bilis naman. Sinasabi niya bang may gusto siya sakin kahit walang pang isang buwan niya kong kakilala.
‘Gusto mo din naman siya Ellie ah’ Leche! Hindi tama ang naiisip ko. This is all wrong. Hindi ako pwede magkagusto sa isang taong kakikilala ko pa lang at bukod dun may boyfriend ako.
Shit ka Ellie! Ayusin mo yang takbo ng utak mo.
Pumasok ako sa kwarto at humiga. Gulong-gulo ako. Nararamdaman kong gusto niya ako pero hindi naman siya nagsasabi. And besides alam din niyang my boyfriend na ako. Ano ba naman yan Ellie.
Ilang minuto akong tulala at nakatitig lang sa kisame ng tumunog ang phone ko.
It was a message from Liam.
“I’m home Ellie, thank you again for the dinner.”
“You’re welcome.”
Hindi na siya nagreply, then bigla kong naalala si Nolan. Simula nung tumawag siya kanina, hindi na siya ulit nagparamdam. Oh well! Nasasanay na ako na ganun siya, but I still send him a message.
“Hon, kamusta dyan? Matutulog na ko maya-maya.”
After half an hour I still did not receive any response from him, as usual. So, I decided to take a bath a get ready to bed.
Nung patulog na ako I received a call from Liam.
“Hello”
“Hi Ellie, matutulog ka na ba?”
“Yup! Why?”
“hmmm…Can I drop by tomorrow? Wala kasi akong gagawin or maybe we can go out. If okay lang sayo?”
Gusto kong tumanggi pero may part sakin na ayoko siyang tanggihan kasi ayoko siyang madisappoint.
Nagisip muna ako before I answer.
“hmmm…magsisimba kasi ako tomorrow since its Sunday. Then uuwi na din ako agad kasi gusto ko lang sa bahay tomorrow sana.”
“Okay. Can I go with you sa church?”
“Hmmm…sige if okay sayo why not.”
“Of course, anything is okay with me. I’ll wait for you sa lobby tomorrow morning”
“Okay sige.”
“See you tomorrow. Goodnight. Don’t forget to lock your door.”
“I won’t. Goodnight Liam.”
Napatitig ako ulit sa kisame. ‘You’re doom Ellie!’
- Writer
