#SquadGoals

Chapter 3 - Ngiti

13 September 2015

Just a few more minutes.

He could do this. They were almost done with the segment.

"Sa iyong ngiti...ako'y nahuhumaling," Jerald sang a little loudly.

Alden tried to remain nonchalant, focusing on the spiel he was reading. They were backstage, waiting for the current segment to end. However, it was proving to be a challenge because of Jerald.

"At sa tuwing ikaw ay lalapit...mundo ko'y tumitigil," he continued singing. "Ang pangalan moooooo. Sinisigaw ng puso..."

Alden's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

Jerald smiled inwardly; he knew he had Alden's attention. Now, he knew exactly what he should do next.

Taking a deep breath, he then sang louder and louder. "Para lang sayo, ang awit ng aking puso....Sana'y mapansin mo rin...ang lihim kong pagtingin..."

Alden finally gave up his pretense of reading and glanced at Jerald. He clenched his jaw and forced himself to even his tone.

"Anong meron? Bakit ba ang ingay mo? Inspired ka no?"

Jerald laughed out loud. "Huy! Ang tawag diyan, Papi Alden, projection. Ikaw ang inspired!"

"Inspired ka diyan! Aktingan lang iyun, uy," he responded, imitating the tone of Lola Nidora from Kalyeserye.

"Hindi nga? Sure ka na ba diyan? Is that your final answer?"

"Ha? Ah. Eh, oo?"

"O, bakit patanong ang sagot mo? Balak mo na siyang ligawan no?" his tone turned teasing and playful.

Game face on, Alden. 'Wag kang pahalata. Kaya mo ito. Tandaan: #denylang. Oh, what the hell. Wala siyang mapapala kung magiging papebe siya. Go for the gold na lang agad!

"Paps, sa tingin mo, ano pwedeng gawin ko para sagutin niya ako?"

Jerald looked surprised for a moment but then recovered. "Iyun lang ba? Sus, maliit na bagay. Kayang kaya kong magbigay ng tips diyan. Gusto mo?"

Noting Alden's wary nod, he continued speaking. "Una. Bakod, bakod, bakod."

"Susmaryosep? Anong bakod? Bakod ng bahay?"

"Bakod, as in, bakuran mo na siya dahil baka may pumorma pa! Ikaw 'din."

"Ah. Ganung bakod lang pala. Ano pang tips mo?"

"Ito, madali lang. Kantahan mo na lang!"

"Kanta?" Alden asked confusedly. He wasn't really a singer though he could carry a tune.

"Oo! With matching back-up dancers at flowers dapat iyan, Papi Alden!"

"Ha?"

"Paps, isipin mo kapag nagpro-prod tayo dito sa SPS. Intense ang choreography at todo bigay tayo. Ganung level dapat!" Jerald said enthusiastically. If he could, he would have jumped up and down while running around the room like a hyena.

Alden doesn't look convinced. "Seryoso ka ba? Baka naman sampalin ako ni Meng!"

Ha! Iyan na nga ba sinasabi ko eh. Ilalaglag mo rin talaga sarili mo. He resisted the urge to rub his hands together. Ngiti lang pala ang katapat nito eh...

Jerald cleared his throat. "Ano ka ba! Ako pa ba? Tingnan mo ako, on the road to forever na with Valeen. I know what I'm saying."

"Alam mo, ang dami ko ng narinig na jokes pero ito ang pinaka-benta sa akin! Congrats, Paps!" Alden guffawed loudly. "Ibang level na ang pagiging comedian mo!"

Jerald's face turned sour. "Ay, ganyanan? Nang-insulto ka pa talaga? Gusto mo ba ng tulong ko o hindi?"

"Oo na. Oo na," Alden sighed. "May choice pa ba ako?"

Jerald smiled widely. Yes! Simula na ang road to forever!

Teka.

Dapat bang magpatahi na ako ng suit? Kaso, hindi ko alam iyung motif. Ay, wait. Baka naman barong ang gusto ni Alden para sa entourage niya. Hmm. Dalawa na lang siguro ipapagawa ko. Isa sa kasal, isa para sa ---

"Oy, Jerald!" Alden called out. "Akala ko ba tutulungan mo ako? Bakit bigla ka na lang natulala?"

He snapped out of his reverie and smiled sheepishly at Alden. "Don't worry, Papi Alden. May inisip lang ako...Basta, ako ang bahala sa iyo. Magtiwala ka lang sa gandang lalaki ko!"

Ipaglalaban natin ang forever mo!

***

Author's note:

This is me procrastinating again. I'm supposed to write another story but...yeah. HAHAHA

Special thanks to my beta reader, @maichardism!

Let me know what you think! :)