Payb Takes

Birthday Blues

Feb 29, after Unilab event:

R: Ako na maghahatid sa'yo, Love. Napagpaalam na kita. Diretso na tayo sa sasakyan ko. Cleared na dun.

M: Okay, Love. Bakit naman ikaw pa maghahatid? Late na uy..

R: Alam mo na yun. I want to spend more time with you. *side hugs M*

M: Talaga lang ha? *pokes R's dimple*

R sat beside M in the backseat. His driver and MT were with them. He placed his arm over M's shoulder and M rested her head on his chest.

They barely settled in when R's phone rang, he answered it in a whisper:

R: text na lang.. Text na lang.. Bye..

M: Sino yun?

R: Ah, wala, Love, si Sam.. Si Sam yun..

M: Okay.

They settled back into their previous position only this time R is busy exchanging messages on his phone using his left hand. He also faced the phone slightly to the left so M won't see the screen.

M sat up after a few minutes and took out her own phone. The rest of the ride to M's condo was spent in silence with the two busy with their own phones. The others in the car didn't dare break the awkward silence on the air.

When they arrived at M's building, R's driver parked in the basement. As soon as the car stopped, M opened the door and stepped out.

M: Good night, Mama Ten. *looks at R* Salamat sa paghatid. *walks away*

R: Wait, Love.. *turns to MT* Ma..

MT: Sige na. Kami na bahala.

R: Thank you. *runs after M*

He reached her just as the elevator door was closing. He stopped it and got in.

R: Love, bakit ka naman biglang umalis?

M: You don't have to see me up. I can handle myself. Mukhang busy ka masyado. *brows raised, arms crossed, looking away from R*

R: Love.. *places hand on her shoulder, she shrugs it off*

The elevator stopped on her floor. They got off the elevator and walked quietly to her unit.

M: You can leave now. *said coldly* Thank you sa paghatid. *opens the door, steps in*

R: *stops the door as its was closing* Love, please naman.. *steps in, closes the door* Mag-usap muna tayo please..

M: Fine. *sits on the couch*

R: *sits beside her* Ano bang problema, Love? Bakit bigla kang umalis?

M: *raises eyebrow, glares at R* You honestly don't know what the problem is? *rolls eyes* Ikaw. Ikaw ang problema ko. Kunwari ka pa na you want to spend more time with me pero phone mo lang naman ang kausap mo. * voice raised, stands up, walks to the kitchen*

R: *follows her* Sorry, Love. I didn't mean to. Nagkataon lang na maraming nagte-text ngayon at kailangan sagutin. *attempts to take her hand, she pulls away*

M: Not just tonight. Akala mo hindi ko nahahalata? These past few days napaka-secretive mo. Suddenly, you're too busy Suddenly, ang dami mo nang kausap. Kausap mo na nga lahat except me. Takot ka nang mahawakan ko ang phone mo na dati never naging problem sa'yo. *voice raised almost yelling*

R: *sees she's really angry now* Love, please, calm down.. It's not what you think...

M: Don't give me that! Hindi ito sa iniisip ko lang. Nakikita ko at nagre-react ako sa nakikita ko! *angry tears filling her eyes*

R: *reaches out, she steps back* Please.. Please.. Love just let me hold you.

M: No! Kailangan mo ipaintindi sa akin to. Why are you acting this way? All these secrets that you're keeping plus all the things I see on Social Media... I... I don't know what to think anymore.. *voice breaks, tears start falling, walks to her room*

R: *follows her, finds her crying on her bed, immediately runs to her, gets on his knees and collects her in his arms* Sssshhh... Sssshhh... Tama na yan.. Makinig ka muna sa akin please.. *gets up on the bed, holds her closer* I didn't want to give anything away kaya nagtatago ako sa'yo. *takes her face in his hands, wipes her tears away* Malapit na birthday mo di ba? May mga hinahanda ako na siyempre surprise kaya tinatago ko sa'yo. *kisses her nose* Masyado ka kasing matalino kaya kailangang doble effort ko magtago. Sorry kung nasasaktan ka na pala. *kisses the trail the tears left on her face* I love you. Alam mo yan, di ba?

M: *deep sigh* I know. It's just that... Birthday blues tapos sa kinikilos mo at sa mga nilalabas nila sa social media about...

R: Jusko! Wala yun. Please, Love. Wala yun. Alam mo yan.

M: Alam ko. Ilang beses mo na napatunayan. Hindi naman talaga yun. More like birthday blues siguro kaya OA ako mag-react.

R: Hindi ka OA, Love. Kahit ako siguro yun, ganyan din, mas OA pa. *laughs*

M: Malamang nga *pinches R's nose* galingan mo yang pa-surprise mo. Baka di ako ma-surprise nyan. Alam ko na eh.

R: Madami ka pang hindi alam. Siguradong masu-surprise ka pa din ng sobra. *pinches her nose back*

M: Talaga lang ha?

R: Talagang talaga. Ako pa ba? Parang ganito.. *rolls and pins M down slightly on the bed*

M: *laughs* Anong surprise dito? Alam ko naman na pa-payb takes ka lang. *kurot sa burger*

R: Yun ang akala mo... Matapos mo akong awayin malamang di lang payb takes kundi payb times payb times payb times payb times payb times payb... *pauses* Di mo na mabilang di ba? Kulang pa yun.. *smiles, kisses her with all the love he has for her to take all the doubt and fears away* 💋💏💋