Sabi nila, I act older than my age. Masyado daw akong uptight, too cautious, parang takot magkamali. My lola will tell you na marespeto akong tao. If you ask my siblings, sasabihin nila mabait ako. Ask my dad and he will tell you mabuti akong anak. You'll think, of course sasabihin nila yun kasi pamilya ko sila. But ask my co-workers and they'll tell you the same thing: si Alden Richards ay marespeto sa katrabaho, mabait sa staff & crew, at mabuting kaibigan.
Wala namang masama dun, d ba? I mean, what's wrong with having a good boy image eh good boy naman talaga ako. But it's not just the image. I guess ganyan talaga ako but I am not all that. May tinatago din akong kulit which not many people are fortunate enough to see.
Show business is an entirely different world. Kung hindi mo alam how to handle it, lalamunin ka talaga. In general, I found out that there are three types of people pala: (a) those who expect me to be good at all times, (b) those who are simply waiting for me to do something wrong, and (c) those who know that I am more than what they see. To the first group, well, you're in for a disappointment. To the second one, sige lang, masaya kayo eh. To the third, I open my heart.
Which brings me to the beautiful person that is Maine Mendoza.
If I have one word to fully describe her, it would be this: AMAZING.
Alam mo, I am constantly taken by surprise by every little thing na ginagawa niya. Ang hirap i-explain kasi kung iisipin mo, marami naman ang magaling sumayaw at kumanta sa showbiz. Pero Maine is different eh. She is unassuming. Siya yung tipo ng taong walang bilib sa sarili tapos when she starts to dance or sing, mapapa-nganga ka na lang. Yung humility niya, hindi nakaka-bad trip. It is not put on.
Maine Mendoza was not a part of my plan. Matagal ko rin iniwas-iwasan ang love kasi nakaka-distract, nakakawala ng focus, sagabal sa trabaho. But when she happened, BOOM! Siya yung bisita na hindi ko inimbita pero ayaw ko nang umalis. I want her with me-for real, for good, forever.
Obvious ba na malakas ang tama ko sa kanya? Kasi it's not every day naman that you meet someone as special as her.
I used to watch her Dubsmash videos. I love how unafraid she is, how brave. Maganda siya, yes. But her real beauty comes from not knowing na maganda siya. Wala siyang pakialam kahit lumaki butas ng ilong niya, or mapintasan ang bunganga niya, basta gagawin niya ang gusto niyang gawin kasi hindi naman siya nakakasakit ng ibang tao. To top it all, she just did that for herself. She did not want to become famous, or get paid for the views. Ginawa niya yun kasi trip lang niya.
I was nearing the end of my contract sa Eat Bulaga when she walked into my life. Hindi ko inexpect that yung reaction niya would lead to something as huge as the ALDUB phenomenon. Hanggang ngayon, napapa-iling pa rin ako when I think about it.
But I'm happy I dove right in. Sobrang saya ko that it is with her that I get to share this journey.
When all of these started, I found her cute at first. Babaeng-babae, eh. Yung mahiyain pero hindi pa-cute. Tapos little by little, I got attracted to her. The first time I got to see her up close, jusko, parang nakalimutan kong huminga. Pinanood ko yung replay nung van episode, tangina kilig na kilig ako, nakakahiya. After Tamang Panahon, I knew I was hooked.
Ayaw ko siyang biglain so I started making my move in the most subtle way. Padala ng food, flowers, fruits, ganun. When I got her number, I made sure she's the first one I text in the morning and the last one I text before I go to sleep. Corny na ba? Pero wala kayong pake kasi walang makakapigil sa'ken.
Ang problema, may pagka-dense si Maine. Dumadamoves na'ko pero sabi nila Kuya Jose sa'kin, sinabi raw ni Maine sa kanila na hindi ako nanliligaw. That's when I knew I had to step up my game.
Pero paano nga ba ligawan ang isang Maine Mendoza?
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