I guess it's safe to say that Tamang Panahon was my starting point. But yung My Bebe Love shoot was the time I decided to finally take the leap of faith. Nagkakahiyaan pa kami nung time na yun eh pero needless to say, I couldn't take my eyes off her. Nakita mo ba kung paano siya mag-smile up close? Iba. Her smile could brighten up even the darkest day. Pag ngumiti siya, you can't help but ngumiti rin. Ganun katindi.
There were times when she'd catch me staring at her. Ang cute niya kasi yuyuko na lang siya or magme-make face. I could tell she was uncomfortable pero hindi ko mapigilan eh. It was never my intention to make her feel awkward. If you were in my place, maiintindihan mo. Grabe yung aura niya para kang hinihigop.
One thing that I really like about her, she seems unfazed by me. Well, not naman that she should be, and I say this without a hint of arrogance or conceit, pero kasi hindi ko siya fan. I mean, I don't even know if she knows me before all of these happened. She doesn't care na si Alden Richards ako, that people call me Pambansang Bae. Wala siyang pakialam dun. She's just her normal self. And I appreciate that. Yung may taong walang pakialam na celebrity ka. Imagine how refreshing that is for me.
I can tell na medyo nahihiya pa siya. Our conversation were limited to siguro mga five sentences. But I understand her. Kasi she was literally pushed into the limelight eh, she was forced to learn everything sa sobrang ikling panahon. Kaya I check on her from time to time. I want to know kung okay lang siya, how she's holding up. And hindi ako nagtatanong just for the sake of asking lang. I really want to make sure na she's okay.
Pero nasabi ko na ba how beautiful she is? She is breathtakingly gorgeous, with or without make up on. And she has this certain smell na kanya lang talaga. It's sweet and fruity and citrusy and basta! It's a heady mix. Gusto kong magpatayo ng bahay sa leeg niya at dun na lang manirahan. Malala na ako, alam ko.
With Maine, I get to be myself. Wala kasi siyang ka arte-arte, hindi mahirap i-please. She appreciates the small things, kahit yung simpleng pagdala ko lang ng food, tuwang-tuwa na siya. And I like the fact na hindi siya pabebe. May mga babae kasi na ganun, yung tatanungin mo kung anong food ang gustong kainin tapos sasagutin ka ng "kahit ano, ikaw na bahala" tapos pag binigay mo na yung food, ayaw na kainin kasi ayaw niya pala nun. With Maine, she will tell you directly what she wants kaya hindi na mahirap for me.
So yun, I started with bringing her food. Tapos minsan, I'd send her flowers as a surprise. She'd text me to say thank you din naman but I don't know if alam niya why I'm doing these things. Dapat siguro naglagay ako sa billboard ng "Maine, nanliligaw ako sa'yo" para ma-gets niya.
But still, okay lang yun. Basta all I know is, masaya ako when I'm with her, nakikita niyo naman lahat yun. Sa totoo lang, ayoko sanang matapos yung shooting days ng MBL kasi sobra akong nag-eenjoy na kasama siya kahit puyatan. Ang sarap kasi pakinggan ng tawa niya. Never a dull moment with her talaga.
Kaya lang, hindi lang ako ang naka-realize how amazing Maine is. Andaming guys na umaaligid sa kanya, kahit sa set lang, meron talagang nagtatangkang kumausap sa kanya, magpa-picture, ganun. Okay lang naman sa akin, actually. Pero ayoko lang talaga na inaakbayan siya ng ibang lalake. Tangina, nagseselos ako kahit wala naman akong claim sa kanya. Ang gago ko lang.
Anyway, I rationalize it as being protective. Ayoko kasi na kung sino-sino na lang ang lumalapit sa kanya. I promised myself aalagaan ko si Maine. Kahit ano, I'll do it for her.
Eto hindi niya alam 'to ha, pero there was a time na meron siya tapos sobrang namilipit sa sakit dahil sa menstrual cramps. Dun lang siya sa kotse niya nag stay while waiting for the set up. D ba wala namang PA si Maine? I had to run to the store to get whatever she needed that time. Bumili ako ng sanitary pads, pain reliever, chocolates, and hot water bottle. Sobrang naawa ako sa kanya I asked Direk Joey for a two-hour break para lang masamahan ko siya sa kotse niya. I'm glad nakatulog naman siya.
Sana alam niya how special she is to me. Sana alam niya na hindi ko basta-basta ginagawa yung mga ginawa ko.
Sana alam niya na sa kanya lang.
*****
