The Devil Who Danced At Midnight

Landing on the Moon

Hindi ako nag-eexpect na makita si Maine.

I was supposed to watch IYAM for the second time around with my friends (made bc of ALDUB). 'Yun lang. Hindi rin ako updated kung anong meron sa Oishi event. Basta alam ko dadaan lang sya du'n. Pinadala nila sa akin 'yung libro, just in case daw. I remember the term they used nga, eh. "Ha-hunting-in" daw namin sya sa Oishi event, baka makasingit pa kami.

Andu'n na kami, magtu-twelve pa lang. Nasa may unahan kami pero malayo pa rin sa stage. Parang kung lilinya ang mga tao, pang-sampung row pa kami ng mga kaibigan ko. Natutuwa pa nga ako sa Oishi eh, ang daming pakulo. Naglaro pa ako du'n sa isang station, 'yung kukuha ng tsitsirya within a minute tapos sa 'yo na lahat ng makuha mo kahit gaano kabigat.

Then we decided to settle. Kumbaga, tumambay na kami du'n sa spot na 'yun (near the stage) after playing kasi dumadami na 'yung tao, sumisikip na. I wasn't aware of what was going to happen. Masaya lang ako today kasi kasama ko 'yung mga kaibigan ko and they're my favorite people in the world. 'Yun lang talaga ang dahilan kung bakit ako nag-byahe ng ilang oras at manood ng IYAM. I just wanted to be with them.

Then finally, nu'ng nakatitig na ako sa stage, it dawned on me.

Tangina.

Makikita ko si Maine Mendoza.

It doesn't matter to me kahit gaano kalayo; I just realized that I was going to see her today - in person. Siguro kahit nasa taas pa ako at wala sa loob ng event, siguro kung nakikiusyoso lang ako sa taas, sobrang saya ko na.

What more pa if malapit ako sa stage.

I started getting emotional; my friends can stand up as witnesses. Hindi ko alam kung sobrang OA ko lang talaga as a fan pero sobrang saya ko na. I started shouting, "I love you Maine!" every now and then kahit wala pa sya sa mismong venue, kahit hindi nya naririnig. Wala lang. I just wanted to proclaim my love for her loud and clear. I just wanted everyone to know that I love her too much, even if she doesn't know me.

Lalo na nu'ng lumabas 'yung host. Malabo 'yung mata ko, but I can see her face clearly and realized, again...

Shet. Ganito kalapit si Maine Mendoza sa akin. Hindi ko kaya. Feeling ko sasabog 'yung puso ko. Ayaw kong lumapit sa harap; baka hindi ko kayanin. Baka bigla na lang akong tumalon at tumakbo papunta sa kanya tapos mapagkamalan akong baliw. Tsaka scary 'yung mga Rogelio.

Hindi kasi ako talaga nag-eexpect na makita sya. Hindi ko naman alam na ganito 'yung event na mangyayari; hindi ko rin akalain na ganu'n ako kalapit sa stage (oo, malapit na sya para sa akin) kaya sobrang... ugh. Hindi rin naman ako uma-attend ng mga mall shows ng artista dati. Ngayon lang talaga ako ganito. Kahit 'yung pawis ko pwede na makapuno ng balde, wala lang para sa akin.

Makikita ko si Maine Mendoza.

And I did.

I freakin' saw her.

Her. The phenomenal star. The Maine Mendoza.

Because she's not just the Maine Mendoza who took the country by storm. She's not just everyone's sweetheart; she's not just Alden Richards' better half. She's not just the woman who owned a thousand faces.

I am seeing Maine Mendoza in flesh.

I am seeing the reason why I finished two novels in Wattpad. I am seeing the reason why I spend hours in Twitter every day though I have other things to do. I am seeing the reason behind my smiles. I am seeing the woman who inspired me to publish the story though I don't have the guts to. I am seeing one of the women I treasure and love so much even though she doesn't know I exist.

I am seeing the woman who unconsciously handed me my letters back, because I haven't finished a multi-chaptered story for a long, long time.

I am seeing the main reason why I continue to write and for a writer-wanna-be like me, seeing Maine Mendoza in flesh...

...is everything.

Natulala lang ako. I was right. Hindi sya nakaka-starstruck for me. Hindi sya 'yung tipong mapapa-tangina ka na lang sa sobrang ganda.

Sya 'yung tipong mapapatulala ka na lang kasi iba 'yung ganda nya.

Iba 'yung ganda nya, eh. Hindi lang magandang mukha; okay, given na 'yon. The cameras love her face already; magazines and IYAM itself proved it to us. Pero shet, guys. Ang sarap-sarap titigan ni Maine Mendoza. Ang sarap nyang tingnan. I don't blame Alden Richards if he stares at her longer than he should.

Hindi man lang ako nakapag-phone. Doon sa mga nasa unahan ko, tip lang, 'wag nyo syang kunan ng video tapos sa phone kayo nakatingin kasi parang nanood lang din kayo sa TV. Savor the moment, because I did. I can't take my eyes off her face. Kada sulok ng stage na pinupuntahan nya, nakikipagsiksikan 'yung ulo ko sa mga phones. Yes, phones ang kalaban ng ulo (mata) ko kasi ang daming nakatutok.

Nag-try syang maglaro sa station. Sinundan namin. And because of @Maichardology's (Justine Nunez) tiyaga, nagka-nilaga kami. Afritada. Sinigang. Menudo. Lahat-lahat na.

Because she held my story (book) in her hands.

Nakita ko with my very own eyes how she got surprised with the sudden intrusion, like, naglalakad lang sya tapos someone shoved something hard in her hands. Maine asked, "Ano 'to?" and I swear I had the chance. I had the chance to shout, "That's my story! Basahin mo dahil para sa'yo 'yan at kay Alden!" and she'd hear it because she's so close to me.

But no – because once again – I got smitten by her.

Alam mo 'yung sobrang okay lang na hindi nya mabasa kasi solve na solve na akong nahawakan nya? 'Yung buwan ko, hawak 'yung sinulat ko. 'Di ko alam pero sumabog na talaga 'yung puso ko kanina at hindi ako nakapagsalita.

Bumalik na sya sa stage and I'm sorry for TDWDAM readers bc she came back empty-handed. Naglaro kasi sya sa isa pang station ng Oishi. Hindi ko alam kung nasaan na 'yung book, hindi ko sure kung inuwi nya. Hindi ko rin alam kung natandaan nya bang nakakuha sya ng book kasi sobrang busy nya kanina at nagtatrabaho sya. Baka naipahawak nya sa assistant nya or what. We could only hope. Kung hindi nya nakuha, at naiwan, sa nakakuha, paki-ingatan kasi bigay 'yan ng readers ko.

But today, guys, I realized how much I love this woman – this simple girl who doesn't even know I exist.

I love you, Maine Mendoza. I have never done this for anyone in my entire life but for you, oh just for you –

I did.

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Visit Maichardology's twitter account to see the actual video of Maine Mendoza receiving and holding the book.