Ace of Spades

Go, Superstar

The Naga kickoff rally was more than a success. Leni was welcomed with a huge crowd, all cheering for her and her slate. The people loved her; they loved shouting her name and the things she was campaigning for. These were her people — the very same people she grew up with, lived with, and served since the very beginning. And here they were, rallying to support her bid for presidency.

Risa could not be any prouder.

Her chest swelled with pride with every cheer of the vice president's name. She clapped as loud as she could, even with arms raised above her head because everyone was cheering for Leni. Why wouldn't she?

Go, superstar.

It was nostalgic for her to see Leni speaking in front of a crowd this big. She remembered seeing her like that, dressed in yellow, unlike the pink she was currently wearing. She remembered how her hair bounced freely on her shoulders and how nervous she was before everything.

The Leni before her eyes was more assured. She was calmer, less nervous, and more at peace with herself. Risa loved that for Leni. She deserved that.

At the dinner post-event, Leni met with a few of her colleagues and supporters. Despite being tired, she greeted and chatted with them graciously. On the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Risa who just entered the hall with her staff. Even when she was in the middle of talking to someone, she spared her a look and a welcoming wave.

"Hi, Sen. Ngayon ka pa lang kakain?" Leni greeted, voice laced with concern.

"Hi, VP. Oo eh."

"Late na ha. Nakalimutan mo na naman bang kumain?"

Na naman? Risa thought in her head. She chuckled a bit, remembering the night Leni reminded her to stop skipping and forgetting meals.

"Medyo lang hehe," she replied.

"Hay nako, sige na, kuha na kayo pagkain do'n pati 'yung staff mo sabihan mo na kumain na rin. There's a table there, puntahan ko kayo mamaya."

"Nako, VP, we'll be fine naman. Kain lang tapos punta na rin sa rooms since we have a big day ahead of us."

"It's okay. Hindi naman hassle sa akin...saka para rin makumusta ko sila."

Risa nodded graciously and went to get her dinner. A few minutes later, Leni approached their table and sparked up a conversation with her staff, asking about the experience so far. Risa watched them interact and was reminded of how close Leni was with her staff in the past. One could say they were like a big family with the two women's staffs being so closely bonded.

"Bakit naman ngayon lang kayo kumakain?" Leni asked.

"Nakaligtaan lang po, VP," One of Risa's staff replied. "Nahawa na po kay Sen. Risa na nakakalimutan kumain."

Risa pretended to be offended by it, making everyone at the table laugh including Leni.

"Hay, ano bang bago? Ganyan naman na 'yan kahit dati pa. Diba nga inaasar pa natin siya dati kasi nag-aalarm pa siya para lang maalala niya na kumain?"

"Ay opo! Ginagawa niya po 'yan hanggang ngayon."

They laughed again at the expense of the senator who was blushing. "Grabe naman kayo, makakalimutin lang talaga minsan."

When Leni's staff finally called her to retire for the night, she bid good night to Risa and her staff. "Sa susunod, kayo na magpaalala sa boss niyo na kumain ha. Welcome kayo palaging sumabay sa amin to eat. Ay actually, irerequest ko na palagi na lang para sure akong kakain 'yan si Sen."

Risa's eyes widened, "Uy, VP! No need na, hindi na mauulit. Promise, kakain na on time, nakakahiya naman."

"Risa," Leni said, her voice now reeking of authority. "Maliit na bagay lang naman 'yun. I insist."

The younger woman couldn't say no to that. That was Leni in her full-VP mode and no one could say no to her when she's like that. "Okay...fine. Nakakatakot ang iyong VP voice."

Everyone laughed again, the air becoming livelier even when it was already late at night. "VP voice? May gano'n pala ako?" Leni laughed even harder when her staff agreed.

"Oo na, sige na, may gano'n na. Isipin mo na lang na bonding na rin nating lahat 'yung mga post-rally dinner."

"Thank you, VP. I really do appreciate it."

"No worries, asikasuhin ko bukas. Magpahinga kayo at marami pa tayong lakad bukas ha. Good night, everyone."

Risa thanked Leni again and watched her walk towards the elevator. Not long later, she and her staff also made their way towards their respective hotel rooms. She got herself ready for bed and as she climbed right in, she took out her phone and texted Leni.

"Hi, VP Leni! Nakakahiya talaga but thank you. I appreciate it. You were like a superstar today kaya have a good rest tonight."

She was about to put her phone down when it beeped with a notification from Leni. "Superstar? Haha! Walang anuman, Sen. Risa. Ikaw din."

Though she didn't know what to reply to that, she felt like she had to say it before the chance slips away. "I'm proud of you, Leni."

The reply of the other woman came in a few minutes later. "Thank you, Risa. See you tomorrow."

Risa smiled then set her alarm and placed her phone on the bedside table. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Leni, on the other hand, could feel hear heart beat so loudly in her chest as she read Risa's text. It was a simple message. One that shouldn't be given a much deeper context. But then again, it came from Risa. And she may have heard that phrase from her children and from her closest friends only recently, but having received it from her...

Oh, god, having received it from her...

It meant so much more. It carried so much more. Even more than that pink leather band could ever carry. She didn't see it romantically, no, not like that. She didn't see it as a hope for their romantic love to be rekindled through some sort.

Rather, she saw it as an affirmation. She was doing great in spite of not wanting to do this in the first place. She wasn't doing badly like she pictured in her head.

She made a lot of people proud.

More importantly, she made Risa proud.

That much was enough to keep her going for the 89 more days ahead.