Adventures

Waiting

ALDEN

It's only been a few hours since she's left, but I can already feel the emptiness inside of me. As I glanced at my watch, I realized that she was still on the plane, going to Japan. 

Was she thinking of me as much as I was thinking about her? I couldn't help but ponder on that thought. Di ko alam.. baka na-mimiss ko lang talaga siya.

Though I'd been looking forward to this much-deserved Christmas break, I couldn't find it in myself to be as excited as I was a few weeks ago, knowing that the person behind my smile was more than a few miles away.

I guess this emptiness I was feeling was because I had been so used to seeing her.. to being with her whenever I wanted, that almost a week without her seemed to be a lifetime already.

"Ilang oras pa nga lang, na-mimiss mo na kaagad."

I heard my dad say, as he joined me in our living room. I managed to smile a little at his statement. He knew me very well. 

"O, mag-kape ka muna." He said, handing me a hot cup of coffee. I sipped a little, then placed it on the coffee table. 

"Kailan ba uuwi si Maine? Aabot ba siya sa birthday mo?" My dad asked.

"Siyempre naman po." I nodded. "Sabi niya sa 'kin before January 2, nandito na siya."

My dad laughed a little, and I couldn't help but wonder why. Wala namang nakakatawa sa sagot ko.

"Bakit po kayo tumawa?" I asked. 

My dad shrugged in reply.

"Ngayon ko lang siguro na-realize na talagang mahal mo na si Maine." He added.

I, too, laughed at my dad's realization.

"Alam mo, ganyan na ganyan din ako 'pag di kami nagkikita ng mommy mo noon." He said. "Nagmumukmok at di makakain ng maayos, hangga't makapag-usap kami. I'm not surprised na ganyan ka rin kay Maine."

I looked down and smiled a little. It's only been a few months since I've met Maine, but as the days went by and I found myself falling more and more in love with her, my life has forever been changed. 

Maine completed me, just as I completed her, and I don't think that kind of feeling can be easily replaced.

"Iba talaga siya eh." I said, looking at my dad. "Akala ko, di ako mahuhulog sa kanya. Akala ko, hanggang Kalyeserye lang ang lahat, pero hindi eh. Natutunan ko na siyang mahalin. Mahalin 'di bilang si Yaya Dub, pero bilang si Maine. Si Nicomaine Dei Capili Mendoza."

My dad smiled as he patted my back. 

"Lakas ng tama niya sa'yo, anak." He teased. "Pero matanong ko lang.. sigurado ka na ba sa kanya? Sa tingin mo ba, siya na talaga?"

"Oo." I answered, with absolutely no hesitation.

"Dad, kilala niyo ho ako. 'Pag nagmamahal ako, seryoso ako. 'Di ako pumapasok sa isang relasyon nang hindi iniisip kung ano ang pwedeng mangyari bukas, samakalawa.. sa susunod na taon." I said. 

"Dad, iba talaga ang nararamdaman ko kay Maine eh. Gusto ko sanang i-explain, pero.. ang hirap." I added. "Parang, sa dami ng gusto kong sinabihin, di ko alam kung saan ako magsisimula."

My dad smiled. 

"Anak, di mo na kailangang pahirapan ang sarili mo dahil naiintindihan kita." He said. "Ganyan talaga pag nagmamahal. Minsan, di mo rin maintindihan ang sarili mo." 

"Pero, anak, isa lang sana ang hihilingin ko sa'yo. Alam kong mahal na mahal mo si Maine, pero huwag mo sanang kalimutan na tirhan ang sarili mo." 

I knew my dad was just being protective, and I appreciated every bit of it. 

"Huwag ko po kayong mag-alala, dad. Di ko po papabayaan ang sarili ko." I smiled as I embraced him. 

"Mahal na mahal kita, anak." My dad said.

"Mahal na mahal din kita, dad."

&&&

I was about to fall asleep, when I felt my phone ring. Seeing her name on the screen was enough to have me energized again. It was a Facetime call, so I had to look good. I fixed my hair the way she wanted it, and made sure that I didn't have anything on my face. 

Na-coconscious din ako 'pag nandiyan si Maine uyyy.

"Hello?" I said, a smile creeping up my face.

"Tisoy!" Maine beamed. "Buti naman't gising ka pa. Pasensya ka na ha. Ngayon lang ako nakatawag. Busy kasi sa paglalakatwsa dito eh."

I laughed. 

"Okay lang 'yun." I said. "Nakita ko ang mga Snapchat videos mo kanina. Mukhang nag-eenjoy ka naman diyan."

Maine nodded in reply. 

"Ganda kasi eh. Ang lamig pa, tapos you wouldn't believe it.."

As she went on and on with how her day went, I continued to listen in amusement. Even if we were miles apart, just seeing her and hearing her voice, made all the difference to my day. From a day filled with loneliness, I felt like a ray of sunshine had just hit the darkness within me. And than sunshine was her. Undeniably her.

"Kaya 'yun, we ended up in the wrong place. Sobrang nakakatawa talaga." Maine laughed. 

"Saya mo naman." I teased her. "Ang pasalubong ko ha."

"Ay grabe siya." She smiled. "Pasalubong agad, di ba pwedeng 'I miss you' muna?"

"Nako, kung sisimulan ko ng 'I miss you' baka umiyak ka na naman." I teased her once more, remembering our last meeting before she left for Japan. 

She had asked me to stay the night after our movie marathon had ended at around 3 in the morning, and I didn't protest at all. We slept in her room, and the joy of waking up with her in my arms was something I wouldn't trade for the world. 

As we got up, and I slowly gathered my things, she fell silent and I couldn't help but worry if she was going through something I didn't know of. 

When I was about to leave her condo, it was then that she revealed how she'd miss me so much over the break that it physically and emotionally hurt her. I embraced her tightly and kissed her forehead. 

"Ikaw ha." Maine said. "Kahit nag-eenjoy ako dito, you're always in my mind and in my.." She pointed to her heart. 

"Sweet mo naman. Pa-kiss nga." I joked. 

Seeing her laugh and smile was enough to make my day. Though I missed her so much, Facetime was good enough.. for now.

Sundan ko kaya siya? Joke lang. 

I'll be right here patiently waiting for my love to come back. Though a week seems like a long time, I don't think it can compare to the lifetime I'll be spending with her.

--

Author's Note: Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this story :) This was my first time to write using Alden's point of view and I hope I didn't suck. Hahaha! Feel free to comment! Mwahugs xxx