A/N: Timeout muna sa mga ibang ongoing stories. Ginugulo kasi ako nito eh. Hahahahaha
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THE AFTER PARTY
"Excuse lang po, Sir."
I look up to the waiter who sheepishly nods his head. He looks apologetic for interrupting a conversation I was having with my costars but it was nothing important so I give him a reassuring smile. "Ano yun?" I ask.
"Sorry po sa istorbo, Sir, pero may bisita po kayo." He tells me in a discreet voice.
"Saan?" I look around and see no one new. Everyone who came with us from the premiere night to the after-party is here. It's also past midnight, I didn't think any newcomers would try to catch up to the celebration this late.
The waiter leans closer and almost whispers, "Sa office po."
An instant giddiness runs through my veins and tugs on the corners of my lips to a smile that I try to hide. He doesn't need to tell me who it was. My staff are trained to speak in such discretion only regarding one person.
"Okay. Pakidalhan mo siya ng kahit anong gusto niya. Susunod ako agad." I tell him. He nods and quickly follows my instructions.
I try to get back to the conversation as if nothing happened to avoid anyone's suspicion. I try to listen to the questions, try to give a natural reaction, try to respond casually or even laugh at some jokes, but my mind is already somewhere else and with every second I spend sitting on this chair, I get more disinterested, impatient and almost frustrated. I have to go now before I throw some inexplicable tantrum.
"Excuse me lang." I whisper to Kath in the middle of one of Jeffrey's jokes. "CR lang ako."
She briefly looks at me. I must look so desperately in need to go that she smiles empathetically and nods. "Sige. Go. Ako nang bahala dito." She says in her sweet voice.
She turns back to the group and I can see how everyone is so engrossed by Jeffrey's joke and little magic trick that nobody noticed me half-sprint to the exit that will take me to the office at the back.
I try to compose myself when I get to the door. I fix my shirt and my hair and wipe the sweat off my forehead as I try to breathe normally despite the rapid beating of my heart. I turn the doorknob slowly and push the door open.
There you are, sipping juice from a glass with your back to me. A breath gets caught in my chest in a gasp as my heart flutters. You're here. I didn't think you'd be here but you are.
You stand in the dim lighting of the room but your figure is unmistakable. How can I not recognize the expanse, curves and crevices that I have so passionately worshipped and caressed with all my heart all those nights until the break of dawn when we both stopped thinking about the consequences and just gave in to the strong feelings we had for each other that quaked our very souls?
"Maine?" I don't recognize my voice as I call your name. It was almost a whisper from the inner depths of my being that have longed to call out your name since the day began but can only whisper it in the confines of this room.
I watch as you seem to freeze mid-motion and your breath hitch. I feel a certain satisfaction in seeing how I still have that effect on you despite the choices me made for the sake of a more lasting relationship... a deep friendship that we both know will last more than the strong feelings and incomprehensible longing we have for each other.
You turn slowly and meet my gaze with a smile. "Hi." You giggle. You put the glass down on the table beside you and smirk shyly. "I was going to text you but that seemed too impersonal. Parang di naman tayo close." You chuckle and I laugh but my stare never leaves your face, enchanted by the sparkle in your eyes.
"I wanted to call but you might not answer because I know how busy this night is for you." You smile and I see a hint of pride in that smile.
"You know I'm never too busy for you." I say.
"You say that but..." You stop before you can say anything else. The weight of your unspoken words leave a heavy feeling in the air. "Anyway..." You bite your lip nervously and chuckle. "I just dropped by to say congratulations. Sorry kung medyo late na. Buti naabutan ko pa. Galing kasi ako sa taping kaya..."
Before I know it, I have crossed the short distance between us and have pulled you in for a hug, wrapping my arms around you and nuzzling in your hair. "Thank you. You don't know how happy I am that you're here. Akala ko hindi ka na darating."
I feel your hands slip across my back and your arms tighten around me. You sigh as you lean your cheek on my chest. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Congratulations, RJ. I'm so proud of you." You whisper the most important words that mattered most in the world to me because they came from you. We stay in the warm comfort of our embrace for some time until you start giggling. I inevitably start laughing with you.
"Bakit?" I ask as I look down on your face.
"Ang drama kasi nung 'I'm so proud of you' ko. As if may karapatan akong magsabi nun. As if my opinion matters." You chuckle but I couldn't find myself laughing at that.
I look into your eyes and cup your cheek. "You have every right to say that, Meng. Your opinion matters to me because YOU matter to me. Very much. Understand?"
You nod your head and your sullen eyes hold mine for a second. Just for a second before you giggle again.
"Bakit na naman?" I frown.
"Ang seryoso mo kasi pag nagi-English. Napapatango na lang ako." You laugh and I laugh with you. "You can easily boss me around with that tone, Sir Richard."
"Ikaw kaya ang mas ma-English sa atin, Ma'am Maine. At mas boss kita for your information." I grin.
"Yeah? Like how?"
"Sa sobrang daming beses mo akong napa-Oo sa mga gusto mo, aabot tayo ng umaga dito."
"Which you can't do." You give me a small smile but the sadness in your voice betrays you. You take a deep breath and sigh, nodding your head. "Sige na." You smile more easily. "You have to get back to the party. Uuwi na din ako para makapagpahinga."
I slowly nod my head, your body still enveloped in my arms. I never want to let go. The truth is the party has ended for me as soon as I knew you were here. I don't think I have the heart to go back there and smile and laugh and socialize when all I really want is to be with you.
I sigh and pull you closer then press my lips to your forehead. "Okay. But let me hold you for a little while. Please."
I feel your arms around me again as you hug me back and sink into my embrace. It's the comfort, the warmth, the home that I feel I couldn't live without but I know I couldn't keep without leaving a path of repercussions that could hurt us both.
So, finally, after what seems like forever, I let you go. With a gentle smile and a kiss on the cheek goodnight, you walk out the door.
