Melodious

Verse 5

Recap from Verse 4:

Maine woke up early and saw her cousin Noreen, watching the television. The latter said she's waiting for her favorite singer, a man called Alden Richards. When Maine saw him on TV, she was shocked because she recognized his face.

***

Maine still couldn't believe what she saw.

Lutang na lutang siya nang araw na iyon-- and noticed what she didn't see when she first arrived in the Philippines. RJ Faulkerson-- or Alden Richards, as he was more popularly known-- was literally everywhere. Billboards, posters, malls, barber shops, turo-turo, karinderya, walang pinalampas! Halos mabaliw na siya nang ang bus sa unahan niya ay may mukha ni RJ, este Alden, ang nakadikit sa likod. A really huge sticker endorsing some whitening meds. Nakakawala ng utak.

She wasn't even sure if she should call him RJ or Alden. Dahil kahit doon sa interview, it was like seeing a familiar face in a different person. Ibang-iba ang kilos niya. He was guarded, his moves calculated. Wary. Stiff. Practiced. Scripted.

RJ wasn't like that at all.

RJ doesn't care about what others think.

And though this Alden person was charming thousands of woman with his smile, Maine knew there was something off about it.

It wasn't her RJ's smile.

Makaangkin. Iniwan mo na nga di ba? She berated herself. But she couldn't help thinking about him. It was like a mode her brain goes in, wherein there isn't anything in her mind but him alone.

That was his danger. And this was why she refused thinking about him. Because once she starts, she's not sure she can stop. He was a quicksand, and it was as if she's readily plunging herself in.

Or. Or maybe RJ was gone. Maybe this stranger called Alden Richards replaced him. This Alden Richards who was well-versed in front of the camera and in front of the public.

"Fuck, Mendoza," napapikit siya at naiyukom ang mga daliri. "What happened to not thinking about him?"

"Ma'am, okay lang po kayo?"

Maine snapped out of her trance when she noticed the waiter staring at her. His name tag said he was Kenneth, and though he wasn't saying anything he clearly must've thought that she looked like a freak. "Oo, okay lang ako, thanks."

Nasa public place nga pala siya. Coffee shop. She was out to fetch Patricia from the airport, and while waiting for her friend she decided to eat first. Palipas oras. Inilapag ni Kenneth ang strawberry frappe niya at di sinasadyang napasilip sa laptop ni Maine. "Ay, ma'am. Ginu-google niyo po si Alden Richards? Interesado po kayo sa kanya?"

Maine turned pink and glared at the waiter. "No, I'm not."

"Naku, ma'am. Wag niyo na po i-deny. Okay lang yan, marami naman kayong may gusto sa kanya. Gwapo kasi eh. Miski mga kapatid ko idol na idol yun, kebabata pa. Tingin ko nga bakla yun eh, limang taon na sa showbiz di pa rin nagkakagirlpren. Puro nalilink lang sa ibang artista. Fling, fling, ganon," pagpapatuloy ng waiter, at hindi alam ni Maine kung hahayaan niya lang ito o babatukan. "Tsaka mas gwapo naman ako dun, di ba ma'am?"

Maine just stared at him blankly. Kenneth scratched the back of his head, laughing as he continued to tidy up the table across Maine's.

"Joke lang, ma'am. Kayo naman di na kayo mabiro. Oo na, mas gwapo na idol niyo."

"I am not his fan. Ilang beses ko ba uulitin?" Maine rolled her eyes. At Kenneth's skeptic stare, Maine felt the frustrated need to defend her self and clear her name. "Okay, six years akong nawala sa Pilipinas, at ngayon lang ako nakabalik. Yang Alden Richards na yan--" it felt weird saying that name "-- high school schoolmate ko siya. I googled him to make sure he was the same person."

"Talaga? Eh di close po kayo? Ma'am hingan mo naman ng autograph mga kapatid ko oh."

"Ang sabi ko schoolmate, hindi friend."

"Ah, ganon po ba," napakamot ulit siya ng ulo. "Sayang naman. Pero ma'am, kayo ah..."

Maine's head snapped up at his teasing tone. "What?"

"Kunyari pa kayong hindi interesado kay Sir Alden, eh pinakinggan niyo naman lahat ng tsismis ko."

"Baka ikaw, crush mo, kaya ang dami mong alam," pang-aasar ni Maine. "You know, for a waiter, you're such a chatterbox."

Ngumiti lang ito sa kanya at sumaludo pa nga. "I'd take that as a compliment po, ma'am. Balik na po ko sa trabaho ko ah."

"Bye."

"Ah, ma'am, nga pala, sabi ng kapatid ko, mas maganda daw talaga yung mga dati niyang kanta. Kaya kung manonood kayo, unahin niyo yung mga luma," hawak hawak nito ang tray habang bumubulong kay Maine. "Tsaka gusto niyo po bang makaalam ng isa pang sikreto?"

Kenneth motioned for Maine to move closer, so she did. "Madalas po dito tumambay si sir Alden. Kaibigan niya may ari nitong coffee shop."

Then he winked, leaving Maine quite dumbfounded at her table. The last bit, she didn't know if she'll believe. Nakakainis pero at the same time nakakatuwa din ang lalaking 'yun, kahit feeling close siya at ang lakas din mang-asar. She turned back to her laptop, frowning. And before she even realized what she was doing, she was already watching Alden's music videos, interviews, and even guedt appearances in movies and tv shows. Her heart sank as she realized her hunch might've been right.

RJ Faulkerson had disappeared, replaced by this Alden Richards.

Maine breathed deeply. Nang i-check ang Twitter account niya, she was a little surprised when she saw a "#BringBackALDEN" trending topspot. She hesitated, but against her own will clicked on the link. There were screenshots of his pictures, in a room, holding a guitar. May video din, but she was distracted from watching when she noticed the tweets streaming in.

Bb. Sepanx @nasaitalysila

Let the ARTIST do his ART #BringBackALDEN

Miss Mona Silah @sepanxisreal

We miss our bby boy. #BringBackALDEN

Di Bah @pordalab

Makuntento na lng taU sa kung ano bnibigay nia sat1n. #BringBackALDEN

Bored Af @walangpake

HINDI NA KO FAN HALATANG BUMIGAY NA YANG SI ALDEN EH HAHA #sorrynotsorry #BringBackALDEN

Pulis Pulisan @hahano

@walangpake FAKE FAN! BLOCK AND REPORT! GV GV LANG!

Finally, Maine found the link that fired all these. It was a video uploaded on Youtube by someone called Missus Ria. Kung hindi nagkakamali si Maine, it was the same Ria-- as in, RJ's sister. It was captioned: Some late night music from my brother. Captured last night, folks. You're welcome.

Like the first time she saw him on TV, napanganga si Maine at halos hindi makahinga. He was holding his old guitar, his strums tentative, the way he always does when he's just starting to make his music. Itong lalaking 'to, kilala niya. Ito, pamilyar siya.

At hindi lang 'yun.

His words were familiar too. The kind of familiar like it was a part of her before. The camera moved slightly, and Maine couldn't help but gasp. Nahagip ng camera ang notebook niya, na iniwan niya kay Alden eight years ago.

He kept it.

Nasa kanya pa.

Hanggang ngayon.

Parang natatawa na naiiyak na naiinis si Maine.

RJ wasn't gone, after all-- he was just hidden. Protected. Somehow, that fact alone makes her glad. 🎵