Ours

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"Bye ate ganda! Bye kuya pogi!" Umalis na si Marnella. Hay grabe. Hindi parin ako makapaniwala na may ganung epekto pala yung loveteam namin dati ni Janella. Dati pa yun, hindi naman kami yung pinakasikat noon.

Aware naman ako na may implyuwensya kami sa tao. Syempre nababasa namin through social media na nakaperfect sa exam dahil samin okaya nawawala yung homesickness pag pinapanood kami.

Pero yung paglihian ng anak? Ibang usapan yan ah. Kase biruin mo, sa nine months na naghihirap yung buntis - na iniwan nung hinayupak na yun - kami yung iniisip niya. Tapos pinangalan pa niya kami sa anak niya.

This is more than any award I've ever received.

"Opo. Thanks tita." Inabot na niya yung phone ko sakin. Sinong kausap neto?

"Ano yun?"

"Uhm ano. Si Tita Gidge. Pabalik na siya dito."

"For?"

"I'm giving her my - our decision. Payag na ko Marlo. Okay lang sayo diba?"

Lord, salamat at makakasama ko siya ulit ng mas matagal. Salamat sa opportunity. Kung pwede Lord, pwede ba mahalin niya rin ako?

"Okay lang." Wow Marlo kunyari ka pang di ka masayang-masaya ah.

"But-"

"Anong but?"

"Well uhm. Ayoko kase sanang gumawa ng teleserye. Ang indefinite kase eh. Baka biglang super hit tas parang be careful na umabot tayo ng two years."

"Ayaw mo kong ka loveteam for two years?"

"No no. Hindi ganun. Kaloveteam na kita for more than that dati diba? It's just that ... baka ikaw."

Ako? Anong ako?

Hindi ko sure kung tama yung dinig ko pero parang binulong niya na "baka umalis ka ulit" or something.

"Ha?"

-

"Hello po. Check up po." A nurse entered his room so she went to the window, thinking.

"Ah okay na ko."

"Ay opo sir Marlo. Ready for discharge na po kayo. Isettle niyo nalang bill niyo."

"Thank you nurse."

"Kaso ingat po kayo paglabas ah. Mukhang andami pong nagaabang sainyo eh. Sa MarNella po."

"Yeah. Daming kotse sa baba oh."

"Woah." Within seconds Marlo was already at Janella's side. Si ateng nurse nagpipigil lang ng kilig.

"Ano po. Uhm. Pwede po magpa-autograph?" She asked.

"Saming dalawa?" Ha eh wala naman kaming album ah.

"Opo opo. Actually po kase pinagsama-sama ko sa iisang cd lahat ng kanta niyo. Pinapatugtog ko po sa kotse. Eeeiiih."

"Nurse nurse. Kalma okay? We'll sign. Diba Marlo?"
"Sure. Do you have a pen?"

Iba rin tong nurse na to eh. Tatahi-tahimik kanina tapos faney pala. Grabe, wala naman na kami matagal na pero bakit ba ganun parin epekto namin sa tao ha?

-

"We're back!" Tita Gidget announced their arrival. Their, meaning hers and Sean.

"The crew's downstairs bro. Fending off the zombies."

"Zombies?"

"Yep baby J. It's like a freakin' zombie apocalypse downstairs. Man Hann. Why didn't you tell me you were this famous back here?"

"I wasn't Sean. Care to explain Tita?"

"Eh kase Jea was well, papalit-palit ng loveteam when you left. Diba? Tapos people looked for someone na bagay talaga. Hinalukat nila buong baul. They remembered MarNella."

"You know this Jea?"

"No. Not really. Sa twitter kase yan eh. I uninstalled the app. Tsaka I was focusing on my music."

"Yun. That was the reason. They kept on looking for someone in total harmony with her. Yun bang hindi kailangan mag-adjust ni Jea pag duets."

So I was her perfect duet partner. Is Marlo, hindi was. You still are.

"Ah. Bro, can you settle my bill please? We just have to talk, privately. And find us an exit where we won't be mobbed."

"Yes sir Mr. Mortel sir. Anything for the singing sweethearts sir."

"Jeez dude. Just go. That was such an old title."

"No man. They had several tarps down there. Mar-nella or something. Crazy crowd."

"Fine. Just go okay?" Sinaludohan ako at lumayas narin ang loko. Kung hindi lang maasahan yang si Sean, hinagis ko na yan pabalik sa sinapupunan ng nanay niya eh.

-

"So. Ready na ba kayo para sa inyong newest serye?"

"No." Wow. Duet pa kami.

"Ha? Anong no? Akala ko agree na kayong loveteam ulit."

"Oo nga po Tita Gidge. Pero we have some conditions din. For ourselves."

"Okay sige ano yan Jea?"

"Well we decided na wag magteleserye. Diba Marlo?"

"Movie nalang siguro tita?"

"No way. Hindi pwedeng isang pelikula lang gagawin niyo. Sayang yung hype ng tao. Sige sige. Magiisip nalang ng kami ng iba. Sa ngayon siguro mag SMP nalang muna kayo?"

"Ano yun? SMP?" Wala na talaga kong alam sa Philippine Entertainment industry jusko.

"SMP means Star Magic Party. Walang nang ASAP Marlo. Yan na. The ratings went downhill when Eat Bulaga had it's own sunday show."

"So everyday na ang Eat Bulaga? Grabe solid ah."

"Sadly yes. But now na we have you guys back, kayo ang alas namin."

"No. No way Tita Gidge."

"Bakit? Anong meron Jea?"

"Look Marlo, madaming nangyari when you were away of course. Madami silang nilaban kila Maine. Ako actually."

"And ayaw mo nang mabash?"

"Hindi. We're friends. I approached her one time - sorry tita, nobody knows about this - para magsorry. She understood me. We clicked. We're friends ever since."

"Kaya pala umayaw ka na sa loveteams."

"Yeah. So sorry. I don't want to be pitted against my friend. Yaan niyo na yung magasawa."

"Ayoko din pala ng guestings Tita."

"Marlo? Bakit? Diba dati okay lang sayo?"

"Eh kase, I'm sure people would ask a lot. And wala akong alam. Basta no guestings tita. Kami na magiisip ni Jea kung paano namin ipopromote sarili namin."

"Hay grabe kayo. No teleserye. No movie. No guestings. At hindi niyo kakalabanin si Alden at Maine."

"I'm friends with Alden and Maine. Okay we are. Papakilala ko nalang si Marlo sakanila."

"Osya osya. Matanda na talaga kayo. Tumatanda ako lalo sainyo. Ayusin ko kontrata niyo. Balitaan ko nalang kayo kung kelan. Jea, sabay ka na sakin. Magkakagulo lalo pag magkasama kayong lalabas ng ospital."

"Bye Marlo."

"Ingat ka."

Ay umalis na. Wala man lang beso? Okaya hug?