Her phone rang incessantly. She groaned. Who could be calling at this hour? She buried her head under her pillow let it ring six more times. Maine hadn't had a decent night's sleep this entire week and she was absolutely exhausted. "Potek, kung sino ka man, I hate you," she murmured in the phone's direction. Still, the ringing continued.
Annoyed, she reached over her bedside table to check. It was RJ. Suddenly, she felt alarmed. He had never called her at 4 in the morning. " RJ?" she croaked. "What's wrong? May problema ba?"
"Happy birthday, Meng," a warm voice replied on the other end.
"Ugh, RJ, alas-kwatro ng umaga pa, jusko. Thanks ha, ginising mo pa ako. Sarap na ng tulog ko eh," she shot back, not bothering to conceal the irritation in her voice.
"Sorry ha, no choice. Kanina pa kasi ako andito sa labas ng pintuan mo."
"Labas?"
"Yep, pakibukas naman ng pinto bago mahuli ako sa CCTV niyo."
She bolted upright from the bed and ran to the door, forgetting that she looked like an absolute mess.
He was still knocking at her door softly, tilting his head so the cameras in the hallway wouldn't catch his face. It was, after all, four in the morning. The last thing he needed was security calling him out and the press having a field day over such a strange visit.
"Teka muna." He heard her footsteps as she came closer to the door. "Shokoy?"
"Uh-huh, the one and only," he muttered, shaking his head. He hated the nickname, but she liked it so much so he allowed her to be the only one who could get away with calling him such.
The knob turned and the door opened. His eyes fell on Maine, with her hair up in a messy high bun. She wore an oversized SpongeBob pajama top that looked like it had seen better days. Underneath, she wore a pair of extremely short boxers, showing off her long legs. Her face was scrubbed clean of all makeup. Her eyes were tired, but she still managed to greet him with a bright smile. "Pasok ka," she motioned.
He took his cap off and smoothed his hair. He dragged a large brown box behind him. "Happy birthday, Meng" he greeted as he slid the box into her studio.
"Oy, ano yan?" she asked sleepily. She suppressed a yawn and scratched her head.
"Surprise. Buksan mo later."
"Oh my God, is that....is that...?" There was a huge New York city return address stuck at the side of the box. She was instantly awake.
"Mamaya," Alden teased. "Sorry hindi ko na gift-wrap. Kakarating lang kasi, eh."
"Aiiiiie!!! Alam ko to! New York stuff! Thank you! Thank you!" She squealed with happiness. Without warning, she jumped and threw her arms tightly around him. Her legs wrapped around his waist. On instinct, RJ placed his hands underneath her bare thighs so he could carry her weight easier. She laughed, totally oblivious to the effect she had on him.
Maine caught her breath and saw that he was staring intently at her. "Thanks, Shokoy. You are the best. The best." She leaned closer to give him a feathery kiss on his forehead. He continued to carry her for a few more seconds until she realized something and a panicked expression came over her face."Um, Shokoy, baba mo na ako, please," she pleaded urgently.
"Ayoko," he teased.
"Shokooooooy, pweeeeees?" She pursed her lips, imitating a baby pufferfish.
He rolled his eyes. "No. Dito lang tayo hanggang mangyayat ako."
"Shokoy, baba mo ako please," she repeated a more serious tone.
"Happy birthday," he murmured, staring into her big doll eyes. "Wala bang kiss?"
"Hindi ako nag toothbrush."
"La akong pake," RJ retorted.
Maine giggled."Kiniss na kita! Baba mo na ako, dude. Please!"
"Kithhh muna."
She threw her head back in fake frustration. "Arrrgghhh. Baba mo na ako, huy."
"Kiss muna," he pleaded again in a low voice.
"Bra muna."
"Ano?!?"
"Wala akong bra, Shokoy. Nakalimutan ko," she whispered, mocking his low tone.
"Oy, patingin nga," he swiftly countered.
She playfully hit his shoulders. "Ano baaaaaa! Please, baba mo na ako."
"Eto na, eto na, baba ko na si baby." He crossed the room and dropped her unceremoniously on the large couch. She landed with a thud on the throwpillows. She immediately grabbed one and pretended to hit him with it. "Sige nga, mag-bra ka na," he reminded her. "Killjoy ka eh."
"Manyakis mo," she called out as she walked back to her bedroom. Forgetting to shut the door, she proceeded to remove her top to wear her black Calvins. Alden glimpsed her bare back seconds before she put back her pajama top. He drew a sharp breath. What was he doing? He quickly turned around and pretended to inspect her small studio to get the image of her bare back out of his mind.
It was his first time to be in her condominium unit. He really ought to get himself one nearer to Broadway Centrum, he thought to himself. After all, the long drives to Laguna were starting to take a toll on him.
He scanned the room. It was small but tastefully decorated. The curtains were parted, allowing him to see the lights from the city below. Living on the thirty-fifth floor was a good decision: it gave Maine the quiet and privacy she sorely needed at the end of a working day. Her entire room was awash in soft yellow, with one side wallpapered in daffodils. For all her street style and loud public persona, it always amazed him that she was such a different person in private.
"By the way, buksan mo ang box para breakfast mo mamaya," he called out. "Yung favorite cookies nasa loob. Baka di ka naman kakain mamaya."
"OK," she replied.
He was still scanning her studio when he suddenly saw a pile of expensive-looking gifts stacked in one corner. A bolt of dread ran through his chest and into the pit of his stomach. Nothing on the pile was from him. The gift boxes bore high-end brands, some he recognized, most he didn't. Next to the boxes was also a bouquet of purple tulips-- the overly expensive kind-- the kind Maine always told him not to buy because she thought it was a total waste of money. Who sent these to her, he wondered, suddenly feeling extremely possessive and jealous.
*Continue to Part 2*
