AMACon 3: Oikos (30 Day Drabble Challenge)

Day 3 - If Only

A/N: Hi everyone! Please take note of the prompt (above) before you read this. 😁

Don't forget to let me know what you think! My twitter username is @nataliagrace02! 😊

***

I am definitely dreaming.

Why else would I be at the Philippine Arena? It doesn't make sense.

Where is Alden? Why isn't he with me?

I looked around until I saw Direk Pat near a room at the end of the hall. I immediately went towards her. I'm sure she knows what's going on. If this is a prank...I don't know what I would do.

"Ready na ba siya?" Direk Pat was saying to someone. "Susmaryosep. Ano ba? Bakit umaarte na naman siya? Ayusin mo iyan. Hindi siya prinsesa dito uy!"

My heart started to pound furiously in my chest when I was only meters a few from her. Who is she talking about? Is it me? Or someone else?

She turned around to look at me and she gasped out loud. What was going on?

"Paano ka nakapasok dito?" she immediately asked after a few moments. "Sino ka ba? Kasama ka ba ni Alden? Ikaw ba iyung mystery girl niya? Alam naman niyang bawal. Nandito si ano!"

"Direk Pat, I'm with Alden," I found myself saying involuntarily. I wanted to explain more but a number of people suddenly flocked to where we are, trying to find out what was going on. How am I supposed to tell them that this isn't a funny joke?

"Sige, hintayin mo na lang siya lumabas," Direk Pat sighed as if she was already weary of the conversation. It was a good thing Alden came out of the room after a while.

He looked gorgeous as usual...and I looked like garbage. Even in my dreams, I wasn't wearing something beautiful. How ironic.

Why isn't he smiling? Why does he look so sad? Nasaan na ang ngiting tagos hanggang bone marrow? Thank God Direk Pat is now asking him if he knows who I am. He doesn't. He doesn't know who I am. I don't understand. Why is this happening to me?

"Miss, are you okay?" Direk Pat looked at me worriedly after Alden left. "I'm really sorry, but you have to leave. Tamang panahon ngayon nina Alden. We can't have you spoiling this big event..."

I replied to her, telling her that I was fine and that I was leaving. But I wasn't okay. I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay and tell her that this is all wrong. This isn't what really happened, and that RJ should come back to me.

But he didn't.

If only I knew that this would happen. I would have stayed awake and held on to RJ just a minute longer.

***

My head is pounding.

I shouldn't have drunk that last bottle of wine. All I remember is the moment Maine reached out to steady me. I lost consciousness after that.

Where the hell am I? Wait. Is this the Philippine Arena? What am I doing here? I don't know what's going on.

I opened my mouth to speak but what I heard stopped me in my tracks. That's not what I wanted to say. I really had no plans of seeing that...girl. Why is she even here anyway?

I opened my mouth to ask about Maine, but no words came out. Should I start panicking? Or am I just nervous? I don't know what to think. And why the hell are they talking about Julie Anne? The only time I would ever talk to her is well...never. But enough about her.

Why are the people outside shouting? I quickly shoved my way through the crowd and found Maine talking to Direk Pat. She was just wearing ordinary clothing, but she still looked beautiful in my eyes. Why isn't she dressed up yet? And why is Direk Pat yelling at her for trespassing? Is this some kind of joke?

I could still remember what had transpired when they played a joke on me. I was at my wits end by the end of it, and only Meng was able to coax me out of my 'tampo.'

"What's going on?" I asked. Is this just my imagination? Did I drink too much? I knew I couldn't hold my liquor, but this was something else.

"Alden, bigla kasing lumitaw itong babaeng ito eh," Direk Pat was saying. I could see Maine blinking back tears in her eyes. I wanted to go to her and take her hand in mine, but I couldn't move. I was frozen. Why is this happening? "Kilala mo ba siya? Ikaw ba nagpapasok sa kanya dito? Alam mo namang ayaw ni Julie ng ganyan..."

"Hindi ko siya kilala. Ngayon ko lang siya nakita, Direk," I found myself saying for reasons I did not know. I just spoke a lie that surely broke Maine. I wanted to contradict myself or at least tell Maine that I don't know what's happening. I wanted to just stop and ask everyone to tell me the truth. I wanted to tell her that I couldn't control my actions.

Except, that didn't happen.

I found myself walking away from Maine...as if the words I spoke were true. Like she didn't change my life. Like she never made me smile. Like she never made me fall in love with her, and only her.

If only I knew how to stop this from happening. I would have gone to my knees and begged God to let me just have one more moment with Menggay.