Payb Takes Book 3

Red Coronas

August 24, 2am:

"Woooh!" You shout a couple of feet away and laugh heartily at a joke told by Ate Patch.

Yup. You're drunk. Your eyes are getting heavy, your cheeks and ears are all red, there's a sway in your step, and you keep yelling my name.

Nope. Not drunk. Wasted. On your fourth Corona now when two light beers usually get you tipsy, I definitely know what's coming. So even though I am admittedly a little woozy myself from a few glasses of wine, I still keep a watchful eye on you.

Amazingly though, no matter how rowdy and slightly disoriented you have become, you still have the ability to zone in on me like a ship to a homing beacon.

"Maine! Maine! Maine!" You shout over everyone's head in your thunderous voice as you mindlessly sway to the music and wave at me.

I can't help but giggle at the sight of this big, adorable, drunk, five-year old waving at me with a silly grin on his face.

I smile back but stay on my seat and with a little pout, you make your way to me. "Bakit di ka lumalapit?" You ask.

"Ang kulit mo kasi." I answer.

"Tawag lang naman kita, Maine. Ano gusto mo itawag ko para lumapit ka? Love? Mrs. Faulkerson? Asawa ko? Menggay ng buhay ko?" You tell me, talking over the loud music.

"A little bit louder. Mukhang walang nakarinig." I laugh. "You're drunk. Tama na yang apat."

"Love, let's enjoy the night. Minsan lang to." You say as you put an arm over my shoulders.

You see that's the kind of thing I would normally tell you, not the other way around. So, yeah, you're drunk.

"I'm happy na nag-eenjoy ka but we still have work tomorrow and who's driving us home?" I frown.

"May driver tayo." You grin. "Smile na, Love. Wag na masungit. Masama bang mag-party kasama ang asawa ko?"

"No pero masama malasing na hindi na alam ang ginagawa. Bakit hindi natin i-broadcast dito na we are secretly married para tapos na." I roll my eyes at you.

"Pwede? Asan ang mic? Akyat ako sa stage!" You proclaim giddily.

I can only let out an exasperated sigh and scowl. Again, amazingly, you zone in on that, still sensitive to my feelings despite the crazies the booze is giving you.

You sigh and cradle my face in your hands. You look at me intently and say. "Sorry na. Bad na ako? Di mo na ako love?"

How can I resist that? You turn from five to twenty-five to five just like that.

"Love." I tell you and you smile.

You lean in and almost kiss me on the lips but I stop you with a reminder.

"You do know kung ilang tao ang nandito and how many cameras could be pointed at us at this very moment, right?"

You nod your head. "Right. Sabi ko nga. This is the us that's just for us." You say before kissing me on the forehead.

"Alden!" They call you on stage for a song and we look in that direction.

"Halika." You tell me as you hold my hand and start walking to the stage.

"Ayoko. Dito na lang ako."

"Sama ka. Kanta tayo." You beam.

"Ikaw na lang. Ichi-cheer na lang kita."

"Sama ka pa din. Dun ka sa harap. I want to sing to you."

"Sing to me? Eh rock song yun. Bamboo. Hallelujah." I laugh.

"Eh di. Let me rock your world, Mrs. Faulkerson." You whisper seductively in my ear and smirk.

And with that, I have lost all the will to resist and let you lead me in front of the stage.

You sing the song and true enough, you rock it out and rock my world. It's like a movie scene where the rockstar spots a groupie in the crowd, time slows down and suddenly it's just the two of them alone in a world of their own.

When you get off stage, you go straight to me and never left my side. I wonder if that groupie in the movie I imagined feels as wonderful as I do at the moment, if she feels like luckiest and the most beautiful girl in the world because the most handsome guy in the room is beside her and only has eyes for her.

I'm neither blind nor or dense, I am well aware of the longing stares, the playful smiles and the lingering conversations other women throw at you. I also aware that despite all of those, you never paid them unnecessary attention, just enough to be polite and to somehow let them know you're not available. It's incredible how in your most uninhibited moments, you are still faithful to me.

You have said my name often enough for everyone to get the message.

A few more drinks and we are off. On the ride home, you cling to me, hugging me by the waist and leaning you head on my chest. You look up to me and keep repeating how much you love me and that you love only me then pull me down to kiss me on the lips, neck and cheeks.

If I am to record your voice every time you tell me you love me, I will be able to produce an entire 12-track album.

And then you ask me.

"Happy ka?"

"Oo naman." I smile at you.

"Happy ka tonight?"

"Happy ako palagi basta kasama ka."

"Happy ka sa akin?"

"Sobra. You are my happiness."

"No. You are my happiness." You say and poke my nose. "You are my life. Dito ka lang ha? Wag mo akong iiwan. Di ko kaya yun."

"Saan naman ako pupunta? Mas lalong di ko kaya na wala ka." I reply.

Your eyes tear up and you look like you're going to cry.

"Hay naku. Lasing ka na nga. Iyakin ka na." I giggle.

"Iyakin ako kahit hindi lasing pero mahal mo ako, di ba?"

"Mahal na mahal na mahal." I smile.

"Mahal na mahal na mahal din kita." You sigh and hug me tight.

"Love?" You whisper after a while.

"Yes?"

"I love you." You yawn.

"I love you more."

--

I wake up some time later when I sense the vehicle stop. I open my eyes and find you beaming down at me, awake and refreshed as if nothing happened.

"Good morning, Love. We're here. Kaya mo ba bumaba? Buhatin na lang kita?" You smile.

"Hala! Taas ng energy ah. Wala ka nang tama?"

"Meron. Tama sa'yo." You grin.

"Di ka na nga lasing. Corny ka na ulit." I laugh. "Where is my rockstar RJ?"

"Gusto mo nang rockstar?" You ask, raising an eyebrow. You then get off the  van and lift me into your arms. You then speak in a determined voice and say. "Halika. Umuwi na tayo. Dun tayo magrak-rakan sa taas." 🍻💛🍃

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Unbeta'ed and not proofread. Thank you for reading.