My MaiChard Drabbles And Short Stories

Missed Chances

Happy 2nd AlDub anniversary! Owkay, ang nangyari meron sana akong ibang balak na gawin para sa 2nd anniv. I already started a crochet portrait sa dalawa, but the thread that I bought was way too small sumakit ulo ko. At wala pako budget para bumili ng yarns hahahaha, opo purdoy ako na fangirl cheret. Pero promise mag post ako ng photo when I finish it. Yung isa ko pong balak na gawin, mag post sana ng audio (yep, audio lang keshe neheheye eke se fez ke hahahaha) ng uke cover ko ng To Be Yours, I am Destined. Pero yung chords kasi hahaha, di kaya ng rayuma ko. Pero pordalab, papraktisan ko yan. Kaya heto po, ang aking munting handog. Richard and Nicomaine, aylabyu sagad.
('._.')

Richard
We've been friends since we were babies, our mothers are BFF's. We lived in the same village, we went to the same school. We basically did everything together. One fine morning on our highschool freshman year, we were having breakfast at your home. Walang makakatalo sa adobong luto ni Nanay Ann. Pero biglang may bwisita, este bisita, ka. Si Josef. Tss, ang aga aga nanliligaw. May pabulaklak at pa tsokolate pa. Officially, sira na ang araw ko. You kept asking why I was awfully quiet, I just shrugged. Then Trish, our neighbor and one of the popular girls in school, came to say hi. Sana may dala akong camera that time, the scowl on your face was just epic. What, with your flaring nostrils and pouting lips, ang cute lang. Gusto kitang lamutakin, pero pinipigilan ko lang sarili ko. Then we went to our favorite spot in the park, under the big acacia tree. We just sat there, basking in the breezy Saturday morning. Then you started strumming your guitar, the familiar tune of Rocksteddy's Mahal Kita Pero Di Mo Lang Alam came on. I couldn't help but smile, kung alam mo lang. Much later, I was lying on the grass with my head on your lap. You read to me Everyday by David Levithan, your favorite book. Gusto ko tong part nato sa book, "I want love to conquer all. But love can't conquer anything. It can't do anything on its own. It relies on us to do the conquering on its behalf." After you read that, I sat up then turned to you.
"Uh, Meng?"
"Hmm?"
"Kelan pa nanliligaw si Josef?"
"Mag-iisang linggo na ata. 3rd time na yang may pabulaklak at patsokolate. Kainis nga e, aga aga pumupunta sa bahay.
"Do you like him?"
"Woy fishing ka ha!"
"Ano nga?"
"Hindi. May iba akong gusto e."
Alam mo yung pakiramdam na nagja jumping jack ang puso mo, ganun ang pakiramdam.
"S-sino?"
"Fishing ka talaga e noh!" I just stared at you. "Ikaw ang gusto ko. Jooooke! Hahahaha. Woy grabe amputla mo, Doy!"
"Gusto rin kita, Meng. At hindi yun joke. Pero ayaw kita i-girlfriend kasi baka may gawin akong kalokohan tapos mawala ka. Ayoko mawala ka sakin."
I was waiting for your response. But then you just smiled and said, "Why do you think I've been singing that Rocksteddy song to you? Hay tara na nga, nakakagutom tong profession of love natin ha. Kain tayo kila Aling Lucing?"
After that conversation, we never talked about it again. Pero yung kilos natin parang tayo, pero hindi naman natin inaamin sa sarili natin. Naging tayo yata nang di natin nalalaman. Pwede ba yun?

Maine
Years passed pero ganun pa din tayo, we never defined our relationship. Kahit friends natin sila na ang gumagawa ng move  para maging tayo, pero wala rin.
Sabi ni Rona, "Ano ba naman kayo? Nung nag birthday ang baby brother mo, Maine, yung party hats ninyo pangalan ng isat-isa ang nakalagay. At suot niyo yun buong party!"
Ang sabi naman ni Joy, "Tapos may pa breakfast dates pa kayo, kada umaga yun ha. Saka--teka nagmo MOMOL na kayo noh? Yung mata mo, Nicomaine, parang luluwa na. Ito naman, nagtatanong lang naman. Kasi sobrang close niyo, parang nasa MOMOL levels na kayo e."
Ito naman ang sabi ni Em, "Ang tindi niyo talagang dalawa noh? Yung girlfriend ni Tisoy, Tita ang tawag sa Mommy nya. Pero ikaw, Mommy ang tawag sa Mommy ni Tisoy. Niloloko mo ba kami, Maine?"
Pero shookdttt ata sila sa sagot ko, "Takot din kaya ako. Kasi baka nga maging kami eh pano pag nagbreak kami? Pati friendship namin nun affected db?" Ayoko rin na mawala ka. Napapa facepalm nalang sila. I still loved you, though.
3 years after college, I got pregnant and got married. Yung barkada mo ang napangasawa ko, si Jacob. I know you were happy for me, we even had our picture taken kasama ang anak ko, tayong tatlo lang. At sabi nila Rona, family photo daw. They were still rooting for us kahit nag-asawa nako.
You went away to pursue your dreams. We havent kept in touch, because we were busy with our lives. You didnt even know that Jacob passed away when our son was 6.
I was walking hurriedly with my then 10 year old son going inside the school premises, as he was running late already.
"Maine?" I smiled at the sound of your voice.
"Tisoy! How have you been? Oh my, it's been years!"
"I'm doing good, I just got back. Ito na ba si Jacob Jr?"
"Wow, what a coincidence! Yes, ito na si Jacob Jr. 'Nak, say hello to Tito RJ. He was Mama's bestfriend."
"Ito naman, kung maka was. Di mona bako bestfriend ngayon?"
After all these years, Tisoy, you still make me laugh sa mga hirit mo.

Richard
"Teka, ihahatid ko lang tong si JJ sa class niya. Sobrang traffic kasi, kaya malelate na."
"Hali na kayo. Are you in Miss Patricia's class, JJ?" JJ nodded.
We made sure JJ had seated in his class before we left.
"Uhm, Meng?"
"Hm?"
"Pwede ba kitang yayain mag breakfast? Just like the old times?"
You smiled. Didnt I tell you your smile is the most beautiful I've seen in my life?  My heart skipped a beat.
"Oo naman! Saan tayo? Uy air conditioned na yung pwesto ni Aling Lucing, pero sobrang sarap pa rin ng lomi."
And just like the old times, we enjoyed our 2 orders each of Aling Lucing's special lomi. Wala pa rin nagbago, Maine, parang construction worker pa rin ang appetite mo. Which is the cutest thing, by the way.
"Huy bakit? Tulala ka kasi."
"Wala. Naalala ko lang nung dati."
"Nakakamis kaya. Palagi kong kinukwento kay Jacob yung mga adventures natin. Tapos he was diagnosed with stage 4 bone cancer when JJ was 3, it was tough seeing him like that and our kid was still very young then. But on his deathbed, he had a request."
I looked at you with curious eyes, waiting for you to continue.
"He asked me to look for you after he dies. Sabi nya mas matatahimik daw siya if I would find you again." Your eyes were brimmed with tears. "He loved you, you know. And you were at your happiest when you were with him. He used to say. But I didnt do it, baka may pamilya kana magkakagulo lang. I havent heard from you in years." I didnt know what to say, Maine.
And just like the old times, we walked hand in hand to our favorite spot in the park. You smiled when you heard me hum the Rocksteddy song. You stopped walking then turned to me.
"Takot kapa rin ba na mawala ako, Jay?"
"We have wasted too much time on missed chances, Maine, and letting our fear get the best of us. I love you, very much. I am really hoping we could give us a chance."
Just like the old times, you poked my dimple before pulling my face for a kiss. Antagal kong hinintay to. Mamaya tawagan natin si Joy, MOMOL levels na tayo.

('._.')
A/N: Naaliw ako sa old school emoticon ko hahahaha.
Our Bunsoy, mchrdwht, provided the prompt. Thank you, Sophy. Saka sounds pemily ba tong bff keme? Hahahaha