Can't Go Back Now

Her heart frantically stiffened when the lights on the narrow alley leading to the kitchen all of a sudden dimmed. It turned out to be her sister.

"Gising ka pa pala..." , she mouthed, noticing her younger sister's somewhat shocked demeanor.

Over the last two months, her family had slowly gotten used to her coming home late, then settling to sleep not long after.

"Eto nga, nagpapaantok.", Maine replied pointing her gaze towards the cup of hot chocolate that she was holding.

"Bakiiiiit?", Maine implored noticing her sister's guarded and suspicious look on her.

"Wala, kailan ka pa nagiging magugulatin? Baka naman may sakit ka na sa puso niyan... Ingat...ingat baka mahulog...yang hawak mo.", she answered with a restrained laugh.

Maine's lips curved with a smile. Thank heavens for sisters.

-

Somewhere, someone's lying anxiously on his bed. Earlier, Ryan gave him Maine's number and insisted for him to make the first move and drop her a message or even a call.

To text her this late in the evening might not be the most perfect idea however. They still have a scheduled shoot the next morning, this he calmly appeased.

But his jolting nerves just would not allow his mind to rest; he then took out his phone and started composing a message:

Hi Meng, This is Alden. I'd like to thank you for...

He stopped. This is not him. This cannot be him.

Sometime ago, he promised to his mom's grave that he would place his own happiness on hold just so he can make sure that he could keep his family together. They needed him to keep their lives afloat. They needed his strength to keep them from falling apart. For him, this was enough. Their happiness was more than enough.

But with Maine, she became the exception. She was different. If he knew that she was to make this kind of impact in his life, he would have readily resisted the very idea of them being paired up. But then again, he couldn't even remember the last time he felt this way. There was no denying the fact that he is happy and that she is the only reason for it.

Hi Meng, Alden here...Thank you and I hope to get to know you better...

Erase...erase...

He held the phone tighter to his chest, shutting his eyes as tight as he possibly could.

When his eyes re-opened, it readily sought for his mom's picture right at his bedside, seemingly looking for answers.

"Ikaw naman kasi, 'Ma...ang daya mo..."

He did not even know whether those words came out of frustration. One thing is however certain, he misses having her around. If she'd only be here, he is sure she would like her for him.

"Ma, tama ba 'to?", he uttered covering his face with both hands.

"Ma, tinamaan na yata talaga ang Tisoy mo."

He slid his phone into the drawer, thwarting every intention he has that night of reaching out to her.

-

Her eyes remained glued on her laptop. The sight of a singing man tearing up on national television, in front of an overly agitated crowd no less is keeping her up and not letting sleep in whatever form come visit her. Never mind if it is half an hour before midnight now, this is proving to be something new for her. This experience is wholly new for her to say the very least.