Meraki* (MaiChard Fanfic)

Chapter 3 - Sa Isang Sulyap

05 September 2015

Dear Maine,

I never thought that I would look forward to seeing you everyday. Is that too forward? Too cheesy? I'm sorry. I guess I'm finding it hard to express myself in words that I'm just writing whatever comes to mind. Can you bear with me for a while?

When this started, I had my doubts. I thought that our success would be fleeting. I convinced myself that the excitement and whatever I am feeling would fade as soon as the curtains closed. I thought that it was all pretend and that seeing you on screen will be no different from seeing you in person. As an actor, I've watched myself several times and I rarely feel anything different about it. It was all in the days work. Or so I thought.

When I found out that we would be on the same place at the same time, I was excited. But I honestly never thought about it that much. I was just thinking that this was my chance to thank you for everything that has happened. God continues to give us all these blessings because...we have done something good or something that would help others.

I...I couldn't really explain what I was feeling. After weeks of waiting, this was our chance to see each other in person. I could almost imagine myself pacing around the room, wringing my hands in anxiety. But before we could make physical contact, a wall of plywood fell from the ceiling. We were thwarted once again.

It hurt. More than a little. The truth is, I had hoped that we would get the chance to actually speak to each other. Or, at least, be able to stand closer to one another. How could I not? We haven't seen each other for weeks and, believe it or not, I was getting impatient. How was I supposed to work with someone I haven't met in person? I guess something really happened when we first met because we managed to do that and more.

I'm not sure if you'll get the chance to replay this episode but if you would look at me, you would be able to see that I suddenly smiled when I heard the songs that you have chosen. Somehow, and I hope that I'm right this time, you were trying to send me a message because you couldn't speak. It was...refreshing and it made me feel the peace that I desperately needed.

I mean, only two months have passed yet it feels like our lives have been fast forwarded. I admit that I am quite scared that all of these would suddenly disappear in an instance if we were to make one small mistake or fail to deliver what we were asked to. I suppose that's the moment when I decided that I should stop denying the fact that this is no longer just pretend.

Somehow, along the way, I gave a piece of myself to continue this life-changing journey. I'm in this for the long run. And with that, I realized what Lola Nidora has been telling us all along. I cannot do this alone. We have to do it together at the right time. We have to hold on and stay just the way we are. We have to learn to accept that we cannot get everything the moment we wanted to have it...especially if it was worth something or someone that cannot be bought by money. Working hard is never enough to obtain things that are priceless. So, I'll try even harder and I hope you do the same too.

Oh, when we get to talk to each other in person, please don't forget to ask me what I was feeling while I was watching you perform. You truly are so talented and I am more than blessed to have you in my life. Because of that, I'll tell you a secret. I broke my character while watching you, something I rarely do. My mentors would reprimand me for this but I don't think I'll be able to control myself when it comes to you. There really is something about your smile.

I know that this might sound empty and fake, but please trust me enough to believe that I am more than willing to stay with you in this journey to wherever we are going. No matter what happens in the future, you will always have me by your side.

- Richard Faulkerson Jr.

***

05 September 2015

Alden was currently in his dressing room for Sunday Pinasaya when Sam YG suddenly barged in.

"Papi Alden!"

"Uy," Alden said, looking up from the scripts he was reading. "Bakit nandito ka? Guest ka ba bukas? Wala namang nabanggit sina Je sa akin.

"Ay, grabe siya! Dumaan lang ako. Hindi na kasi kita nakausap kahapon pagkatapos ng Kalyeserye. Kamusta ka, Papi Alden?" Sam said, sitting on the couch opposite Alden.

He sighed as he leaned back on the couch. "Hindi ko alam. Ang hirap ipaliwanag eh. It was as if all the air was sucked out from my lungs when I saw her from the distance. Ang cheesy lang no?"

"Hindi, Papi Alden! Tuloy mo pa," he said though he was squealing like a fangirl inwardly.

"Ano...iba iyung pakiramdam eh. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko na ngumiti nung nag-pabebe wave siya sa akin. Iba pala ang feeling na makaharap ko na siya," Alden chuckled. "Para tuloy akong fanboy nito!"

"Tapos? What happened next?"

"Eh, ayun na nga. Nung lumapit na kami sa isa't isa...bumagsak ang plywood," he sighed. "Alam ko namang mangyayari pero...umasa talaga ako eh. Parang ewan ko lang."

Umasa ka kasi gusto mo siyang makita. Umasa ka dahil alam mong may something...o gusto mong magkaroon ng something. Umasa ka dahil iba ang nararamdaman mo para sa kanya. Sam wanted to say all of these out loud but he knew that Alden should figure out all of these himself. Sorry, Papi Alden. Wala talagang shortcut sa love lalo na kung hanggang forever na.

"Alam mo, Papi Alden," Sam began. "Iba rin ang ngiti ni Yaya Dub nung nakita ka niya."

Alden's ears suddenly perked up. "Talaga? Paano mo nasabi iyan?"

Malapit na itong maging inlababo talaga. Hayy. Pag-ibig nga naman.

"Nung ngumiti siya, parang nagliwanag iyung mukha niya. Parang ang saya saya," Sam said. "Sa totoo lang, parang hindi niya rin napigilan ang sarili niya..."

"What do you mean?"

Sam shook his head at Alden's cluelessness. "Hindi niya kasi napigilan kung ano man ang nararamdaman niya. Naka-ilang senyas ata ang floor director sa kanya na..."

He trailed off when he realized that Alden was no longer listening. Instead, he was reaching into his bag and pulling out his cellphone. He stared at it for a few seconds before turning back to the scripts on his hands.

Alden's brow furrowed in concentration and he flipped through its page before placing it on a small pile on his left.

Sam cleared his throat, making Alden turn to him. "May tanong ako."

"Oh?"

"Para saan iyang mga iyan, Paps? Parang ang dami ah."

Alden smiled sheepishly. "Ah, mga scripts ng teleserye at pelikula."

"Uy, wow! Dumarami na rin ang offers ng ganyan sa iyo? May nagustuhan ka na ba? Excited na akong mapanood ka na ulit!"

"Wala eh."

"Ay, may mga susunod pa namang offers! Hintay hintay ka lang. Sabi nga ni Lola Nidora, laging may tamang panahon."

"Hindi ganun, Paps," Alden said, shaking his head. "May mga magaganda namang offers kaso..."

"Kaso?" Sam implored. Could it be? Jusko. Ito na ba ang hinihintay namin?

"Hindi kasama si Ya--Maine eh. Ayokong iwan siya sa ere Paps. Simula pa lang kami."

Naks, parang mag-asawa lang na nagsisimula pa lang ng pamilya!

After a while, he spoke again.

"Sa totoo lang, kahit matagal pa ang ilan sa mga inoffer sa akin, hindi ko maisip na ibang...ibang tao na naman ang makakatrabaho ko. Hindi ko maipaliwanag pero parang hindi ko nakikita ang sarili ko na ginagawa ang kahit ano dito ng...ng wala siya."

Sam only gave a small smile in response. 

***

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for continuing  to read Meraki. 

This is something different and far from what I usually write so I'm really happy  that you're taking the time to read this. :)