Na-delay ang filming ng movie dahil na rin sa injury ni Josh, he needed at least 6 weeks to recover. At sa dalawang linggong bakasyon namin, Josh dropped by our rest house for almost every day. Nag-stay talaga siya sa probinsiya just for us! Each visit bringing something special, "Shet lechon!" wa-poise na pagkakasabi ni Eli the one time Josh brought one. He also gave me different kinds of flowers. All white. Friendzone pa rin!
"Di kaya nanliligaw na siya sa'yo anak?" tanong ni mama matapos ang isa sa mga pagdalaw ni Josh.
"Ay andyan na naman tayo sa topic na yan ma? Friend lang talaga tingin sa kin nun."
"Eh ikaw? Friend pa rin ba tingin mo sa kanya?"
"Allergic na ko sa mga guwapo."
"Di mo naman sinagot yung tanong," tinapunan ako ng makahulugang ngiti ng mama ko at sabay sabing, "mama knows best," saka tuluyang inawan ako bago pa ko makasagot sa kanya.
---
Naka-bonding rin ng todo ng mga kaibigan ko si Josh. Ada talked with him about a lot of stuff at nag-share ito ng words of God sa binata, and one time to my horror (and maybe also my delight?), she even prayed for him! Medyo malayo ako sa kanila, at pabulong ang prayer ni Ada that time kaya hindi ko narinig kung ano ang ipinagdasal ng kaibigan ko sa lalaki.
Eli relaxed a bit at unti unti bumabalik sa pagkaharot nito. Minsan sa isang dalaw ni Josh at may dalang sangkatutak na Pinoy delicacies humirit ito, "Sarap naman ni Josh laging nagpapatikim!" kinurot ko sa tagiliran ang luka-luka. But to my surprise sinakyan lang ng aktor ang double-meaning joke ni Eli.
"Basta tuwing dadalaw ako, may papatikim akong bago," sabay kindat sa min.
"Ay bet!" tinapik pa ng kaibigan ko ang gilid ng puwet niya.
Josh got along with my mom as well, shine-share ni mama yung mga naranasan niya sa pagsubok nitong pag-aartista na naudlot. "Ayaw niyo na po ba subukan uli?" tanong ng aktor sa mama ko, nasa sala sila at ako nama'y naghahanda ng mga plato sa mesa for dinner.
"Naku sa edad kong 'to? Napaglipasan na ko ng panahon."
"Ang ganda niyo po kaya, parang ate lang ni Nea!" Josh exclaimed, "I'm sure may mga roles na babagay sa inyo, Mama Mers."
Mama Mers? Did I hear that right?
"HAHAHA Ikaw talaga mapag-biro," may kilig na sagot ni mama, "pero sa tingin mo pwede pa ba?"
"Yes of course! Hmm maybe I can pull some strings, I'll talk to our director baka may matched sa inyo na character."
"Naku wag na ako, mas malaki ang chance ni Linea. Yung anak ko na lang ang tulungan mo."
Muntik ko na mabitawan ang platong hawak ko sa narinig kong hirit ni mama.
"Ma!" nag-signal ako sa kanya na sumunod sa kin sa kuwarto. "Ma, ano yun? Ayokong isipin ni Josh na tine-take advantage natin yung mabuting pakikitungo niya. Hindi maganda tingnan na humingi tayo ng ganung kalaking pabor sa tulad niya. Kahit ilang beses na siya dumalaw dito. It doesn't change the fact na kakakilala pa lang namin."
Tila natauhan naman ang mama ko sa mga sinabi ko. "Sorry anak, na-excite lang kasi ako dahil parang siguradong opportunity yung inalok ni Josh."
"I know ma, but still..."
Pinuntahan ko naman si Josh para kausapin, he looked confused. "Josh kung ano man nasabi ni mama, please kalimutan mo na. Hindi magandang tingnan na manghingi kami ng something na ganun ka-seryoso sa 'yo."
"But I willingly offered..."
"I know pero, mahirap kasi malagyan ng kulay pag nakapasok ako sa entertainment industry at ikaw pa ang backer," I explained to him, "And one more thing, I want to make it on my own, gusto ko na marating ang pangarap namin dahil sa effort ko. I hope you understand."
Ilang sigundo rin tila nag-isip si Josh, "I understand..." he finally said.
---
Bukod sa drama moment namin nila mama at Josh, each time the Pambansang Heartthrob dropped by was fun. Naglaro uli kami ng scrabble, this time with my squad, and this round nanalo naman si Ada, no one can beat the nerd in the group.
We shared a lot of stories at lalong nakilala ang lalaki bilang normal na tao, not his celebrity. I also noticed that Josh never badmouthed anyone sa mga naka-trabaho niya. Usually kasi, kahit sa mundo ng mga extra sa showbiz ay may chismax na agad everywhere. I admire that he's very respectful of his colleagues.
"Sige na spill mo na! What's the tea? Sino mabaho hininga sa mga artista!?" pilit ni Eli.
"Nope I won't answer that!" Josh said firmly.
"Okay eto na lang, sino tong nasa blind item na to?" pinakita ng beks ang isang sikat na gossip website, filled with horrible "insider accounts" about showbiz personalities, ang chismaxpulis.com
"Alam mo wala ka mapipiga sa kin!"
"Ayyy, feeling ko meron! 'Maramiiii ako mapipiga sa yo! Challenge me!" umandar na naman ang green jokes ng bakla.
"Eli!!!" sabay naming suway ni Ada.
"How can you make everything so dirty!" sabi ni Ada na may kilabot.
---
Last night na ng vacation, Josh asked me to walk with him sa beach it was 9PM. Panay ang tukso sa kin ng ni Eli pati na rin si mama habang inaayusan ako ni Ada.
"Ada, wag mo na masyado bonggahan, ayoko naman magmuka akong super eager, maglalakad lang naman kami," request ko sa kaibigan.
"Sana biniyayaan din ako ng ganyang ganda!!" sibat ni Eli.
"Eli, don't self-pity," sagot ni Ada. "Di ka naman panget eh... pero di ka rin maganda."
Humagalpak kami ng tawa nila mama. "Salbahe ka Ada!" I can't get over her joke.
"Ang sama mo sa kin, wait mo lang ako magka-suso at papa-singkit din ako. I'm sure mas maganda pa ko sayo!"
"Sige, pero until then..."
Inulit ni Ada yung styling sa kin that first night na nag-abang kami kay Josh.
"Hmmm bakit parang mas maganda ka ngayon with the same styling? Hmmm I wonder," Ako naman ang inaasar ni Ada.
"Baka dinagdagan lang ni God yung ganda ko?" sarkastiko kong sagot.
"Oi, don't use God's name in vain," suway sa kin ni Ada.
"Oo nga parang may iba," obserba ni Eli. He was rubbing his chin na parang ina-analyze ako.
"Parang may ningning mga mata mo anak," pati na rin si mama nakikitukso na rin.
"Would you guys stop."
"Be true to yourself Lins, and as they say, the truth will set you free," said Ada.
---
Pagpunta ko sa sala ay nag-aabang na di Josh. He was wearing sky blue shirt over a white t-shirt, cargo pants and sandals. So totoo pala talaga yung fashion tip na nabasa ko sa Facebook, blue makes men more handsome!
He looked at me, mouth opened and then suddenly breathed, "Whoa..." napahawak pa to sa dibdib, "For a split second, nakalimutan ko yata huminga... You're beyond gorgeous..."
"Yiiiih," nainig ko pa ang mga impit na boses ng mga kaibigan kong alam kong nakikinig right now.
"Thank you," di ko alam kung bibigyan ko rin ba siya ng compliment. Shy ang ate girl nyo!
"Ako how do I look?" I can see in his eyes that he's teasing me.
"Wow ha, Pambansang Heartthrob magtataong niyan?" natatawa kong sabi.
"Siyempre iba naman pag galing from someone special yung magsasabi," sagot Josh.
Special? Sa loob loob ko.
"Okay, you're so gwapo, blah blah blah" I said in a monotone.
"May feelings naman!"
"Seriously???"
"Seriously..."
My insides were like jello at that moment at sobrang nahihiya ako I couldn't look into his eyes. I was just looking at his forehead! But I mustered all my strength to say it.
"You're fine as hell Mr Josh Vergara."
"Yiiiihhhkgggkkk," my friends were dying.
Napasuntok sa hangin si Josh sabay sigaw ng, "YES!"
---
While we were walking by the shore. Tatlong tunog lang naririnig ko, the waves, the wind, at ang pagwawala ng puso ko. He broke those sounds and started saying...
"So last night na natin dito Nea, I'm sure we're both going to be tied up with work once we go back to Manila. Pero I really hope we can still keep being friends," nahinto ito magsalita at nakatitig lang sa kin.
"What?" tanong ko.
"Nothing," maikiling sagot ng lalaki, "nga pala I want to give you this."
He gets something from one of the pockets of his cargo pants. Isang maliit na velvet box.
"Oh my God, Josh..." nahihiya kong sabi, "You really don't have to..."
He opened the box and picked up the the thing inside, it was a sunburst charm bracelet.
"Your hand please?" he said and I just obliged, "The sun is a symbol of joy and of course, light. Things that you gave me in all two weeks na we were hanging out...." After he put the bracelet on me, his finger traced the back of my hand. I felt that all my senses shut down at sense of touch lang ang naiwan. Anytime now I felt bibigay na ang tuhod ko. He said in almost a whisper, "I'll miss being free, I'll miss this, I'll miss you," he then placed my hand on his lips.
I suddenly had the urge and caressed his cheek, he closed his eyes. "Honesty time, ma-mi-miss din kita. Ano ba yan para naman tayo di magkikita, I'll do my best and keep in touch, okay?"
"I'll do my best to also keep in touch... Heck I WILL keep in touch! I promise," he was looking at me straight in the eyes, tagus-tagusan. "And Nea, kahit anong marinig mo na paninira sa kin, yung mga intriga, fake news, I hope you'll always be on my side... "
I made half a step and hugged him, "Always."
"Thank you..."
Two weeks have past by. Everything was like a dream. A good dream. But then parang nag-e-echo yung sinabi sa kin ni Ada, "Be true to yourself."
Maybe that was the only regret that I had.