In Between Takes

take 4

Alden got a severe headache that day.

Palagi na lang syang pinapaalalahanan ng tatay nya, who even earned the name Daddy Bae, na huwag masyadong magkapagod. Huwag mong pagurin ang sarili mo, dahil kapag gumanti 'yan, baka 'di mo kayanin.

His family wasn't oblivious to the fact that Alden, known as RJ by his relatives, is too much of a workaholic.

Ayaw nyang uma-absent, lalo naman kapag kaya nya. Sakit lang naman ng ulo, pagdadahilan nya sa sarili. Simpleng inom ng Biogesic, wala na 'to. Para saan pa ang advertisement ng idol nya na si John Lloyd, 'di ba?

Sadly, it didn't work. Masakit pa rin ang ulo nya.

Even his grandmother advised him to take the day off. Manonood pa rin naman sila ng KalyeSerye kahit wala ka, paliwanag ng mga kasama nya sa bahay. Biniro pa nga nila ang binata na hindi naman ititigil 'yung pagpapatayo nya ng bahay dahil lang sa umabsent sya ng isang araw.

He had thought about it. Just one call. Just one, short call. Tatawag lang naman sya at sasabihing masama ang pakiramdam nya. Kaya na naman siguro nina Kuya Jose, Wally, at Paolo na pagandahin ang show kahit wala sya. They've been doing it for years before he came, so why would his absence make any difference?

Madali lang, eh. Madali lang talaga.

But one bothers him: Maine.

He was wondering if she could do it by herself. Pwede naman nyang sabihin kay Ma'am Jenny na may biglaang business na pinagawa si Donya Babah kay Alden, at pwede naman syang tumawag na lang kay Yaya Dub para kamustahin ito. Mas nakakakilig siguro 'yon for the fans. Alden, checking on his beloved Yaya Dub kahit malayo dahil sa trabaho.

But he hates the idea of leaving her on air.

Nasabi na kasi sa kanila ni Ma'am Jenny ang magiging takbo thirty minutes ago. He was sure that Maine was already practicing her lines and searching for some knock knock jokes and pick-up lines para sa palitan nila mamaya.

He couldn't bear to see her efforts wasted.

Alden was the gentleman, alright; everyone he got to work with already knows that. Palagi na lang sya ang nagsasabi sa lahat na mag-ingat, huwag pababayaan ang sarili, palaging nagpaparaya, and Alden doesn't want to have people wait for him. Dapat sya ang nag-iintay. With Maine, his sincerity tripled.

Maine was such a nice person to be with. Hindi ito nawawalan ng jokes kapag magkasama silang dalawa, and there was never a dull moment when he's with her.

She's a taste of sweet, comforting silence in the noisy crowd he's in.

Parang may sariling utak ang kamay nya. He dialed her number.

Agad naman nyang pinatay iyon, after the first ring. Why was he calling her?

Maine Ganda calling...

"Bakit ka tumawag?" Bungad nito sa kanya. Naglikot ang utak nya. Anong pwede nyang gawin na excuse? "May problema ba?"

"Wala, wala, Maine Ganda," he joked, but he sounded... sick. Naisip nyang tapusin na ang tawag bago pa mahalata ng dalaga ang pagbabago sa boses nya. "Napindot ko lang kanina."

She stayed quiet for a while. "You sound... different."

"Different? Anong different?" Pagtanggi nya. He tried to sound as cheerful as possible. "Wala ah! Mas malakas pa ako sa kabayo!"

"Wala naman akong sinabi na nanghihina ka," she sounded skeptical. Patay. He'll get caught. "May sakit ka ba?"

"Wala, medyo masakit lang ang ulo ko kanina," sagot nya. There's no point in lying. Higit 18 hours silang magkasama ni Maine minsan, and there's nothing to gain if he'll keep things from her. Mahuhulaan at mahuhulaan ng katambal ang kung anong meron sa kanya. "Mawawala rin 'to."