After the "CUT!"

Lucid Dreaming

Exhausted – if you ask him now how he is feeling, he will immediately answer you that he is exhausted beyond any exhaustion he ever felt before. The time difference is not that big, but if you couple that with all those late night / early morning facetime dates plus rehearsals – well it's bound to take its toll on his body. Add to that the emotional crap he is getting from all those negative critics from various social media sites...

Yes, he is exhausted, drained, dead tired. And he just can't wait to get home, see his girl, get lost in her eyes, and just cuddle with her. Her skin against his, just the two of them – just like what they always promise with each other. Ikaw, ako, tayong dalawa lang – it's their mantra whenever they feel like it's 'us against the world', everytime they get tired of this hush hush set-up, everytime their sleep deprived minds starts hallucinating and they start doubting themselves... Actually, just everytime. 

"RJ, andyan na yung van. Bilisan mo." Mama Ten broke off his thoughts. Van? What van? She is supposed to pick him up today, that's what they talked about before he boarded the plane earlier. What they've been talking about since he said his goodbyes before going to Dubai. Did she buy a new car? Why is there a van?

"Van po? Wait, sabi ni Meng siya susundo sakin. Bakit may van?" he asked. He was really curious about the van.

Maine never breaks promises, she hates broken promises. So when she promised that she will pick him up, he is sure that she will be there. But maybe, Maine was too tired to drive. Her schedule is pretty much like his nowadays. Packed from morning until night, and sleep - what was once a necessity now just precious commodity. They were both stubborn, no matter how tired they are and how much chastising they get from each other and the people around them – rest seems like a foreign word to them for now. So maybe she is just tired and asked someone to drive for them.

"Anak, sakay muna tayo sa van. Medyo kumapakapal na ang tao, nahihirapan na din yun crowd control team"
He followed his team to the van; he was half expecting to see her when they opened the door. But she was nowhere in sight. Maybe she is hiding at the back, just waiting to surprise him. He scanned the van, but no Maine was to be found.

So she really isn't here? What's with the change of plans? "Ma Ten, anong nangyayari? Nasaan si Maine? Diba ang usapan siya ang susundo sakin?"

"RJ, please mamaya na lang yung mga tanong mo. Uwi muna tayo." His long time PA and friend quipped. The way she said it sounded alarms in RJ's mind. Was Mama Ten evading his questions? What is happening here?

"Teka Ma, kinakabahan ako. Ano ba talaga nangyayari? Nasaan si Maine? Pagod ba siya? Nakatulog ba siya sa condo? Kinailangan niya ba umuwi ng Bulacan?" There's already a tinge of panic in his voice.

"RJ – "

"I need answers now! Ano ba?!?" he stopped and took a deep breath; he needs to control his self. He is being unfair to Mama Ten "Sorry Ma, medyo natutuliro na ako. This is not according to the plan, and you know how I hate deviating from plans. Bakit po hindi si Maine ang sumundo?"

"Nak'... nasa hospital kase si Meng ngayo – "

Hospital? he didn't let her finish his sentence. Her is now on full blown panic alert! "HOSPITAL? Anong hospital? Sinong nasa hospital?"

Mama Ten sighed; when RJ starts acting this way there is no way to fool him or hide what is happening from him. She pities his alaga, he needs rest. He is already drained from his back to back concert then this. A true manifestation of Murphy's law indeed.

"Dinala si Meng sa hospital kanina. Medyo nagkagulo ng konti sa barangay, hindi nacontrol ng security yun mga tao. Madaming nasaktan, isa si Meng dun."