Excess EXes

Episode 1: Why did it end?

"Good morning!" Bati ni Anikka sa mga college students na nagseset up ng filming equipment. She smiled to herself as she remembered the thought of her own college days. Magulo, Maingay, minsan may hindi pagkakaunawaan pero sa dulo, kailangang magkasundo. 

"Si Olivia?" Anikka asked, putting her sunglasses inside her bag. A short morena girl who's wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans came up to her, her eyes filled with Joy as she extended her hand. 

"I didn't know na pupunta po kayo," Olivia said, ngumiti naman si Anikka. Wala talaga sa plano niya ang pumunta, but someone knocked sense into her head. 

"I'm sorry, natabunan kasi yung email mo, and I can't find you on social media so... I went here nalang," Anikka explained, tumango si Olivia at ngumiti. Olivia lead Anikka into the studio, where there was two comfortable chairs and a pastel yellow backdrop.

"Malalate lang po ng konti si Sir Brent" Olivia explained, ngumiti si Anikka. 

Same old Brent, laging late. "Okay lang, sanay naman ako," sabi ni Anikka, sitting down and looking at her reflection. She was hoping na hindi siya under dressed, she's wearing a plain white top and a tight skirt that went under her knees. Sana nag heels man lang ako, Anikka thought as she stared at her dirty white sneakers. 

"Ma'am Anikka, do you need any refreshments or snacks po?" Olivia asked while she was putting the microphone in Anikka's top. Umiling si Anikka at ngumiti, fixing her low-bun, but of course leaving a little bit in the front to make it look casual.  

"Wag mo na lagyan ng ma'am, Nakakatita!" Anikka joked,  "Ate palang ako." Olivia nodded and somehow, to Anikka it seemed to lighten up the mood in the entire studio. Tense na tense kasi si Olivia and her groupmates while talking to Anikka kanina.

"Sobrang papasa na po kami dahil sainyo Ate Anikka," Seb, another groupmate of Olivia said, he was the one behind the camera.

"Bakit naman?" Anikka asked,  na sinuklian ng ngiti ni Olivia.

"Kasi makakapaglabas na po kami ng output because of you and sir Brent. May plus points daw po kaso yung maunna and our other classmates nahihirapan maghanap ng celebrity," Olivia said, she was comfortable with Anikka now, ngumiti si anikka.

"Hindi naman ako celebrity!" Anikka exclaimed. 

"But everyone knows Brent Paraiso and Anikka Perez, the lovers from UST." Anikka bit her lip to prevent herself from smiling. 

"Sorry I'm late, sorry talaga!" Brent said, rushing, he was wiping his hair with a towel at mukhang kakaligo lamang niya. Natulala si Anikka, Brent didn't change at all. Well except for his height which Anikka didn't know was possible. Brent looked mature and more handsome, not that Brent wasn't handsome when Anikka fell in love with him years ago. 

"Okay lang po sir." tumango si Brent, awkwardly standing in the corner,Olivia rushed, putting the extra microphone for Brent.

"Wag na sir, as if naman 30 years tanda ko!" Brent joked, his eyes getting smaller.

Naestatwa si Brent nang magtama ang mga mata nila ni Anikka. Anikka took a deep breath as Brent sat beside her. She definitely was over dressed comapred to Brent who was wearing shorts and a plain white t-shirt. 

 Lights were focused on them, Brent was tapping his microphone while Anikka sat properly, preparing herself mentally. 

Tinuro ni olivia ang red light which means na nagstastart na sila magfilm.

This is it, we're uncovering the past. Anikka smiled at Brent before looking at the camera.

Excess EXes, Episode 1: Why did it end?

"Hi, I'm Brent Paraiso."

"and I'm Anikka Perez."

Brent and Anikka smiled as they introduced themselves.

"Ako na kukuha?" Anikka asked Brent as she glanced at the cards with questions, tumango naman si Brent.

What was your relationship like?  Napangiti si anikka sa nabunot niya, she looked at the camera and ipinakita niya yung card.

"What was our relationship like daw?" Brent asked Anikka, ibinaba niya ang card sa table.

"Okay lang, masaya naman. We dated for five years," Anikka answered, ngumiti si brent at tumango.

"From La Salle hanggang sa UST kasama ko siya," Brent boasted, making Anikka smile wider.

"How is he as a boyfriend?" Olivia asked, tumingin si Anikka kay Brent.

"Laging late," simula ni Anikka, which earned a glare from Brent. "Pero sweet tsaka thoughtful, kind, caring, family oriented. Si brent yung tipo ng boyfriend na ipaglalaban mo talaga...Yung gugustuhin mo maging asawa at maging tatay ng anak mo." iniwas ni Anikka ang tingin niya kay Brent. 

"How is she as a girlfriend naman po?"

"si Anikka yung girlfriend na papakasalan mo talaga, siya yung girlfriend na gugustuhin mong ipakilala sa parents mo, siya yung kahit late ka, maiintindihan ka niya, laging may oras para sayo." nakangiting sagot ni Brent. "My parents and siblings loved her, as in she didn't need to change anything to change herself." 

"Why did it end?" Olivia asked the main topic for the first episode, napalunok si Anikka.

"Honestly, yung ending namin hindi ko maexplain eh," Anikka said, looking at Brent for help. 

Which Brent got and he cleared his throat ."Ako, personally, I think it was the people around us." Brent said, looking straight into the camera. "They wanted us to do a lot of things we weren't ready pa," Brent answered, ngumiti si Anikka.

"Actually, he was the only one who wasn't ready," Anikka said without looking at brent. "Alam niyo, akala niyo lang madaling mag boyfriend ng basketball player, but oh dear, it was the hardest, time at passion ang kalaban mo, but I endured it syempre mahal ko siya eh." Brent's eyes were glued on Anikka as she spoke and looked at the camera."I knew Brent had dreams, he wanted to make it to PBA, and a lot of people are saying na we should get married na and stuff... So I think na overwhelm si Brent," Anikka said with a smile. 

Tahimik na si brent, because she was right. He wasn't ready back then. 

"Were you willing to marry him back then? If he asked?"  The question made Brent uncomfortable, but Anikka smiled,

"Yes, I was willing to marry him." everyone was silent.

"Brent?" tawag ni Anikka kay Brent, ngumiti si Brent sakanya. "Kanina pa kita hinahanap," malumanay sa sabi ni Anikka, also grabbing the towel and she started helping Brent with his wet hair,

"Kuya Renzo wants to talk to you love," sabi ni Anikka, Brent sighed. "Bakit sad ang baby ko?" Anikka asked again trying to cheer Brent up, Umiling lamang si brent."No, seriously Brent, let's talk about this," Anikka placed her hand on Brent's cheek para tumingin ito sakanya.

"Anikka, tama na." sabi ni Brent.

 Nanlumo si Anikka, but she composed herself and gave Brent a small smile."Tama na ang alin brent?" Anikka asked to get some clarity.

"Tigil na muna tayo niks." At sa sinabi ni Brent ay parang tumigil na rin ang mundo ni Anikka.

"You were willing to marry me?" Brent asked, ngumiti si Anikka. She nodded, Anikka was more than willing to marry Brent. "why?" Brent asked again, needing more answers than her nod.

"Kasi mahal kita, and believe it or not, I used to see myself with you. I saw myself walking down the aisle with you, in the end, kaso maghihiwalay rin naman pala tayo." Anikka said with a smile, walang halong sama ng loob ang kanyang boses.

So why did it end?

"Brent ended it."