Losing her.

Three.

"Cut!" 

Alden automatically stopped crying, then he clutches his chest. His tears may have stopped but the feelings of loss and regret remains. It's as if something was forcibly taken away from him. No, it is a lot like losing someone. Again. That of being helpless, again.

Maine...

The scene today was their first split-screen encounter after his return from Japan. It is an emotional one as expected, with her leaving and him arriving just a tad second later. The emotions needed for that scene is draining him as it's blurring the lines of reality. At kahit na tapos na yung eksena, he continue to feel that dull ache right after, numbing his insides. It's like he's just been punched continuously in the gut with just a simple gaze from her. Her gaze. Her beautiful eyes. There's something different with her eyes. The way she looks at him has changed. Her gaze just passes thru him now, like he's invisible. A stranger. Unwanted.  

"Uy! Papi! Japan pa more!Hahaha! Intense ng Kalyeserye ngayon ha!" Bati ni Sam sa kanya, which startled him as he thought he's still alone in that corner of Broadway.

"Ah.." 

"Huuuuy! Ano yan! Ano yan? Tulala? Huwaw!"

"Luh. Wag ka nga muna magulo diyan."

"Wow, serious! Shake it off dude. Shake. It. Off. Tapos na yung Kalyeserye. Though I must admit, ang heavy nung scene nyo ngayon ha! Magang-maga pa rin mata mo.."

"Ganun talaga.."

"Mukamo uy--"

"Diyos ko po! Kuya! Kuya! Diyos ko po!" They heard Reeza's panicked voice from somewhere inside.

"ANO BA NANGYARE! ANO BA NANGYARE DIYAAAAN??" 

They heard more shouting from within the studio. Nagkakagulo na din sa backstage. Specifically sa hosts room, everyone's out in the corridor which is weird, and all of them looked shocked. Someone's running to the director's booth and then they heard muffled crying. 

Both of them stopped and looked at each other. Confused, they hurriedly went inside.

"Dude, what's happenin'.. " litong sabi ni Sam, at kita niya sa mukha ng kaibigan ang pagkabahala.

"I don't know.." Kalmado niyang pagkasabe, kahit mismong siya ay hinde alam kung ano talaga nangyayare. Yet, what's with this gnawing feeling of dread. 

 As they passed thru the set, Alden suddenly looked at the remote for the Barangay out of habit. The camera's focus was on that small table in the Barangay but the usual occupants are nowhere to be seen. Kahit yung mga Quandos hinde nya maaninag. 

  *pain* 

He stopped walking and clutches his chest again. Ano to? Ano to? Bakit kinakabahan ako ng ganito?

At this time, dapat nasa Sugod-Bahay part na sila Kuya Jose at Kuya Wally pero hinde niya makita ang dalawa. As the camera's just focused on that one spot, he tried listening to what he can from the background while still looking at the remote. The sounds are muffled but he can hear someone screaming. Someone's screaming a name. Her name.

MAINE!!!!

And as though Fate is playing this cruel game with him, nagalaw yung camera ng remote sa Barangay.

And from where he's watching, he sees two grown men clad in women's clothing, hunched over and grief-stricken. Both men are cradling a girl's motionless body. Both bloodied and shaking, one of them is clutching the girl's hand, as if willing it to move, to grasp life. Then he heard Kuya Jose's voice breaks.

"Meng, gising na please.."