Adventures

Cupcakes

"Great job, Maine. Break muna tayo."

The photographer for today's photoshoot patted my back as I walked towards my chair that awkwardly had my name on it.

"Maine Mendoza", it read.

I still could not believe this was happening to me. Wasn't I just some girl on the internet who uploaded way too many Dubsmash videos? I had to pinch myself every now and then to prove that this was all real. I wasn't just some Plain Jane anymore.

As I sat down, I felt my phone vibrate in my bag. I already knew who it was and I couldn't help but get all giggly.

His nickname flashed on my phone screen. Tisoy.

Tapos na ba photoshoot mo? Miss na kita :(

He's been so clingy lately. Kung mag-text parang wala lang siyang trabaho. But nevertheless, I enjoyed every single bit of his "clingy-ness". Imagine, Alden Richards wanted to talk to you every minute of every day. I don't think life can get any better than this.

Hindi pa eh :( Miss na rin kitaaaa. Akala ko ba may taping ka ngayon ng SPS?

Kakatapos lang :) Pwede ba tayong magkita?

Ikaw talaga. Siyempre naman :) Huwag lang ngayon kasi nasa photoshoot pa ako. Text kita pag tapos na kami.

"Pa-deny deny ka pa ha. Ano 'yan?"

I was startled by my make up artist, Ate Len, who had this funny look on her face. She wiggled her eyebrows and gestured towards my phone.

"Si Alden yan no?" She teased.

"Uy hindi ahhh." I put my phone back inside my bag. "Yung friend ko.. nung nasa college pa ako.. siya yung nag-tetext."

"Ah suuuuus." Len laughed as she fiddled with one of her make up brushes. "Alam mo, 'di mo naman kailangang itago sa akin kung nag-tetext kayo. Normal lang 'yan." She added.

I couldn't help but shake my head and smile. I had to admit. All the denying was starting to get a little tiring. I really wanted to tell people that Alden and I were seeing each other in real life, but I know things would start to get a little complicated if I did. And besides, he and I both agreed na sasabihin namin.. wait for it.. sa tamang panahon.

"Alam mo, Maine, mabait talaga yang si Alden." Ate Len said, as she started doing a few retouches on my face. "Marami akong mga friends na make up artists din. Nako, sa tuwing sila yung assigned kay Alden, hindi lang kilig yung nakukuha nila. Puro kabaitan pa galing sa kanya."

"Talaga?" I had to say, though I already knew how kind-hearted he was.

"Oo naman." Ate Len said. "Kaya kung magiging kayo, alagaan mo siya ha?"

"Nako, Ate Len." I laughed. "Wala namang ganyanan."

"Bakit?" She said, putting her make up brushes away. She stood behind me with her hands on my shoulders. We were both looking at our reflection in the mirror. "Hindi naman imposibleng mangyari yun di ba? Maganda ka, gwapo siya. Pareho pa kayong mabait." She added. "And obvious naman na gusto niyo ang isa't isa. Push na natin 'yan."

We both laughed.

"Nako, Ate Len. Sa tamang panahon." I smiled.

About an hour later, we were starting to pack up already. It was in 4:30 in the afternoon and I had to head home because our location was a bit far from Bulacan. When suddenly..

"Pssssssst!" I heard someone say. I didn't know where it was coming from, so I decided to look around the parking lot. I was on my way to my car when I heard that sound.

"Pssssssssssssst!"

"Uy sino 'yan? Kung sino ka man, magpakita ka na. Sige ka.. tatawag ako ng pulis." I was a little scared.

Then suddenly, someone came up behind me a stole a kiss on my cheek. As I turned around, it was him. I instantly hit his arm and blushed madly. But more than the kilig I was feeling, I was shocked.

"Anung ginagawa mo dito?" I asked. "Akala ko ba.."

"Maaga kaming natapos." He said, that adorable dimple on his cheek never fading.

"Sandali lang. Pumasok muna tayo sa kotse ko. Baka may makakita pa sa'yo dito."

We hurriedly got inside my car. Thankfully, I brought a pretty heavy tinted car, so I didn't have to worry about people noticing that Alden and I were in one car, apparently trying to hide whatever it is that we had for one another.

"Paano ka nakapunta dito? Hindi ba malayo pa yung GMA dito? At saka -"

"Huwag kang mag-alala. Walang nakakita sa akin. Sinigurado ko." He assured me.

"Pero.."

"Hindi ka ba masaya na pinuntahan kita?" His face fell. I could see the sadness in his eyes.

"Masayang masaya." I said this as I held his hand. "Pero siyempre, nag-iingat lang ako. Sana maintindihan mo ako." I pinched his cheek. He looked down and nodded.

I felt guilty because I knew all he really wanted was to spend time with me and my pagka-praning had to get in the way. Way to go, Nicomaine.

I noticed he was holding a paper bag from a while ago, but I couldn't find it in myself to ask what was in it, knowing that I'm the reason why his mood suddenly changed.

"Um.." He said, holding onto the paper bag and then handing it to me a few seconds after. "Para sa'yo pala." He added. "Na-inspire kasi ako nung nag-bake ka ng cupcakes sa weeksary natin. Siguro, hindi ganun kasarap sa ginawa mo, pero um-effort ako para sa'yo."

I looked inside the paper bag and true enough, there were cupcakes inside a nice, yellow box. I took the yellow box out and opened it. The icing on the cupcakes read, "Aldub you" with a heart at the end.

"Tisoy.." I said, really embarrassed at how I destroyed his mood. "Thank you..."

He gave me a faint smile in reply. "Walang anuman. Sige, aalis na siguro ako. Baka marami ka pang gagawin eh o may makakita sa atin.."

I knew what he said was a defense mechanism. Something he did so he wouldn't end up hurt again.

"Huwag ka munang umalis.. Please.." I held his hand. We looked into each other's eyes for a while and suddenly his face was moving closer to mine. I could feel my heart racing as he was coming closer and closer. I pretended not to know what was going to happen next.

"Um.." I had to look away, as I felt blood rush up to my cheeks. I wasn't ready yet. He let out a smile and a little laugh as he noticed my hesitation and shyness. I laughed as well, as I looked at the cupcakes.

"Mag-so sorry na sana ako eh." I smiled.

"Kahit di ka pa mag-sorry, di naman kita matitiis eh." He touched my hair and I just had to look at him. He was so handsome in the baby blue t-shirt he was wearing. Blue looked good on my Tisoy.

"Pero seryoso.. thank you sa effort ha. Thank you talaga."

"You're welcome."

Splat, I felt icing running down my cheeks. My jaw dropped as I heard him laugh. Suddenly, we found ourselves in all out icing war.

I live for moments like this. Moments where what mattered most was the person you were with and the fact that you were happy.

In this moment, I was with Alden and we were happy. And yes, it was all that really mattered.