Moment That I Met U

Chapter 32: LA

Flight 716, boarding all passengers from NAIA to LAX. Attention passengers, boarding flight 716, NAIA to LAX.

I was in line, about to board the flight to LA, I was a nervous wreck. It was the first time I was flying anything farther than a sea away. Now it's an ocean away, and I was all alone in search for the person I love. Ay, este, insearch for my boss pala.

I approached the service personnel "Good evening mam, passport and plane ticket please?" She said with a smile on her face.

It was 10 pm at night, Lola Nidora bought the cheapest and earliest plane ticket she can find. So I found myself, having a flight at 12 am, midnight.

I looked like a mess, I wasn't wearing make up and you can tell I haven't gotten any sleep since yesterday night. Buti pa si ate maski hating gabi na, fresh na fresh parin ang smile. I gave her what she needed and she gave it back after checking it. "Thank you, mam. Enjoy your flight."

I thought the flight was gonna be hell pero, thankfully after a few minutes I fell asleep when I woke up there was 3 hours left. May naitulong rin pala ang pagpupuyat ko. I spent the last few hours, watching several movies, but never finishing any.

Pagbaba ko sa flight I headed straight to the hotel Lola booked, and did more sleeping. The next morning, I dressed myself nice. Put on makeup and wore a pretty dress. I was in a new city, there's new people to meet, and new places to see. But I still had the same goal, to find Alden Richards.

"Hello, Lola?" I called Lola Nidora, to let her know that I am alive and well. "Lola, nasa hotel na po ako."

"Maine mabuti naman na maayos ang flight mo, naka tulog ka na ba?" She asks.

"Opo Lola, pupuntahan ko na nga po si Alden eh." I said, "Asaan nga pala sya?" I said remembering that I don't even know yet where to find him.

"I-text ko sa'yo ang address, mag taxi ka na lang papunta doon."

Ginawa ko ang sinabi nya at nag taxi ako papunta sa location. Andami kong nakita on the way there, busy streets filled with cars passing by and pedestrians running around town. Wow ang ganda naman dito!

I rolled down the windows to feel the nice breezy air and the warmth of the sun. I felt a sudden tingle in body, "ang ganda naman dito sa America..."

"Maganda nga," I heard the taxi man chuckle, "Bagong immigrant or OFW ka?"

Sa sobrang tuwa ko sa kapaligiran hindi ko man napansin na pinoy rin pala ang driver ng taxi, "Ah,ano po kuya business trip lang," I explained. "Ang ganda po pala dito noh?" I said in joy.

"Yes, it's very-very beautiful..." He said, "LA palang ang nakikita mo, nakapunta ka na ba sa ibang parte ng California?"

"Actually po kuya, first time ko po mag travel to the US, last night lang rin ang flight ko papunta dito... So para akong nawawalang tuta." I awkwardly laughed.

He nodded, "eh kung ganun, eh enjoy your trip nalang." He chuckles once more, "malapit na tayo sa destination, ilang minuto nalang."

He drove for about 12 more minutes to a house in a quiet little neighborhood. "Andito na tayo."

"Sure ba kayo dito kuya?" I unsurely said.

"Yan po yung address na binigay nyo," he showed me the address on his phone again. Baka nagkamali si kuya ng lagay sa address. I checked my phone to double check it, but the one on his phone is the same as the address given by Lola. Tama naman pero bakit dito ako napadpad

"Kuya baka may dinaanan kayong mali, bakit dito tayo napadpad."

"Miss, naka GPS po tayo, kung magkamali tayo ng ikot, sasabihin ng GPS."

I scratched my head, "eh kasi naman po kuya, parang mali yung location natin." Akala ko ba sa apartment ako ni Alden dadalhin ng address, eh bakit nasa neighborhood ako dinala?

"Mam, may problema po ba?" medyo nagagalit na sya sa akin.

"Ah..." I suddenly felt really afraid, I remembered that I basically gave away a bunch of information to this guy. Hala baka kidnapp'in nya ako! I felt really scared, "kuya, sure ba kayo dito?"

"Yes miss, tama po 'yan." he said in an irritated manner, napansin ko rin na tumatakbo parin ang metro ng taxi at kada minuto na hindi ako umalis sa loob ng sasakyan na 'to tataas ng tataas lang yon.

Pag nag pahatid ako pabalik sa hotel, baka hindi aabutin ng pera ko ang bayad ko.

"Miss?" he said, "ano po ba ang problema?" I saw his eyes glaring at me through the rearview mirrors.

Shemay naman oh! Napilitan akong umalis sa taxi dahil wala akong perang dala at medyo na babalisa na ako sa kanya.. "Oh sige na po manong driver, ito na po yung bayad, ingat po kayo sa pagmamaneho" I said before I stepped out of his car.

The taxi drives off to the direction we entered the area and I was there standing in front of God who knows who's house. Maine kaya mo 'yan, pagmatay tao yang lumabas dyan sumigaw ka lang ng saklolo okay?

Then another idea went through my head, paano kung matay tao rin yung mga kapit bahay? "Ano na gagawin ko nun!" I yelled out and I could hear my voice echo through the neighborhood.

"Chill ka lang Maine, kaya mo yan kailangan mo lang ng armas." I said and I noticed there was a random stick nearby me. "Pwede nang panglaban yan." sabi ko habang pinulot ang stick.

I tiptoed to the front door trying my best to get there without making any noise. I didn't want to crack the silence that was already in place before I got here. Well, sumigaw na ako ng malakas and heard it echo, throughout the whole neighborhood pero, let's just forget about that?

Ding-dong! A lady with blonde hair and pale skin opens up the door. "Hi," I said with enthusiasm, "my name is Maine and I'm looking for Alden, is he here?" She kept staring at my stick I held on my right hand. "Oh this is something I saw and it looks cool, right?"

Her eyes stared at me from head to toe, she had her right eyebrow raised at me, "who are you?"

"Maine Mendoza, from the Philippines, I'm looking for my friend Alden Richards?"

She crossed her arms, "I'm sorry there is no, Alden here." Mataray na sabi nya. "Good bye." She turns around and closed the door at me.

Ay... Ang kapal. I turned around and started walking away, "Gahd, paano na..." sabi ko nung naalala ko na hindi pala ako taga dito. Pero kung sakaling, ma-google maps ko ang daan sa pinaka malapit na bus stop papunta sa hotel baka, pwede ko nalang ituloy ang search mission ko na hanapin si Alden.

"Lola... Lola sumagot ka." I said trying to reach Lola Nidora's phone, but she never answered siguro dahil alas dos ng umaga sa Pinas.

I was walking aimlessly around the streets of LA. Lost and don't know what to do. Shemay naman o! Kung hindi pa ako malasin, malapit nang maubos ang battery ng cell ko... "Hay... Nakakabwiset!"

Habang naglalakad ako iniisip ko kung saan ako pwede makapag charge ng cell ko buti nalang may nadaanan akong cafe, since kailangan ko talagang magcharge ng cell, pinuntahan ko ang shop.

Pagpasok ko nakahanap akong booth na malapit sa outlet success! Habang nagchacharge nakaconnect pa ako sa net ng cafe at nakakain ng lunch, last time na nakakain ako ay sa eroplano pa, at hindi rin ganun kasarap ang pagkain kaya unti lang nakain ko.

Andami nilang choices, "ang sarap naman ng pagkain dito!" pero, syempre kapos ako kaya ang nabili ko lang ay kalahating sandwich at tubig. "Pwede na to, pampalipas gutom lang naman eh."

May charge na ang cell ko, may wifi pa at pagkain, hindi naman ganun ka sablay ang araw ko.

"Hindi ko man nahanap si Alden ngayon, at least my day wasn't completely ruined."

Nung pasubo na ako sa pagkain ko, narinig kong bumukas ang pintuan ng cafe, "Maine?"