Oplan: Love Me Instead

Mayen did not mind her aching back, neck and hands while typing non-stop in front of her computer. It was already past nine in the evening and she had no plans of leaving their office. Her whole being got used to working more than ten hours every single day. Passion at its finest. She truly loved her job. Since she was a little kid, she was already dreaming of becoming a famous writer when she grew up. She still could not believe that she was writing for one of the biggest and most renowned publishing companies in Asia. It had been six years since she joined Love Pages but the feeling was still on cloud nine. Certainly very thankful for the opportunity.

Financial Management was really the degree program she finished taking up in college as her parents advised. She preferred it than Engineering and Education. She was terrible in numbers but enjoyed it eventually. Proudly, she maintained her school standing and scholarship to help her parents a little in paying her school fees. They were far from being rich and that was very okay for her. Her family owned a small farm in the province of Bulacan. They were growing crops and selling them to markets in Manila for a living.

Whenever she had free time, she was helping them in packing their crops. They were scaling it and wrapping it using a thick plastic and rubber bands. Her parents always stopped her from doing any other stuff aside from studying. She never let herself out of focus because she wanted to finish her studies more than anyone else. That was the only way for a better life.

Her phone rang and took all her concentration away from the monitor. “Yes, Mom? Why did you call?”

“Where are you?” her Mom answered from other line. Her Mom, Myla, was on her fifties but still young looking. Unlike her whom you could consider tall, Myla was petite.

“Office. I’m just finishing my columns because the editors are behind me.”

“Nothing is approved yet?”

She sighed. “Nothing so far. Don’t worry. Just pray that this will be approved. I could say that this is good and timely. Millennials can relate.”

“Thanks, God! What kind of questions again my beautiful daughter will answer?” Yes, Myla love to compliment her. She was loving it.

Her lips widened. She might not be known for being a romance novelist, she was very famous for her “ASKM-ay” advice column in Love Pages magazine. Unlike most of the writers, she got no pen name. People knew her from her own nickname - “May”. Her column was one of in demand and most loved by readers that was why it lasted for almost three years now and counting.

“What is wrong with being a virgin at late 20’s?” she read the title of her column. She had been receiving a lot of questions from emails, twitter, facebook, instagram and especially on their page. She was writing relatable columns since the topics were being suggested by readers itself. Most of them were about love and sex. The funny part was, these two things were missing from her life. Life only gave her irony. She accepted the fact that she had no boyfriend since birth and a virgin at the age of twenty-nine.

What’s wrong with being a virgin at the age of twenty-nine? Nothing! For her, she had more exciting things to look forward to while waiting for the right person. She was more focused, independent and free. Though, temptations were everywhere, having a sex was still a self-choice.

And, she chose not to surrender her “cherry” until the right time and right man comes. Vocally, she believed in righteousness of marriage because she came from an old-fashioned clan.

She was not ready yet and maybe that made her look boring and tight. This could be the reason why men did not want to call her back after the first dates. No one wanted to take her seriously when she got a career. It was better when she was in college, at least there was quite a good number of suitors who tried. But, they got friendzoned!

“Is it your own question for yourself?” her Mom teased.

“You know what, you and Jepoy should sleep now and stop pestering me. Anyway, send my regards to Dad. I missed you all. I promise I will come home as soon as things get under control.”

“Sure. Wait, here’s your brother,” her Mom handed over the phone to her one and only brother - Jepoy. Not to mention that he was a bully and a pain in her neck.

“Do not come home empty-handed! You have a baby brother to spoil!”

“Grow up, will you?” Jepoy was already twelve years old. He might be a little mischievous but he never became irresponsible of his studies. His grades in school were still higher than the average. She was already proud of him. But, she could not stop wondering what would happen if he suddenly he introduces a girlfriend? Or worse, he gets someone pregnant at a young age? She was very protective of him and she only wanted what was best for him.

“Sus!" It was his favorite expression ever since. "You are really so stingy! Just shoes for basketball! Same size, yeah?”

She massaged her forehead down to neck. “Where are the shoes I bought you before?”

“Did you? That was long gone that I could not even remember!”

“Goodness gracious, Jepoy! Fine! Send me photos of what you want. Go for the cheapest, okay? But still, I will think of it. Do not keep high hopes,” she said. Knowing him, he will choose the most expensive one to irritate her. She never minded people especially her brother calling her “stingy”. Still he had no idea how hard it was to earn money and as a sister who came from scratch, she did not want him to know it the hard way. She wanted Jepoy to have a secure future so she was slowly saving for his education along with her other finances such as her car and condo unit amortization. Perks of being a Finance graduate! Everything was going well according to her plan.

“That’s why you should find a boyfriend now, Ate. Go for only rich ones so at least I can experience being a spoiled brat for once!” Jepoy added.

She rolled her eyes. “You are already a spoiled brat even before I get one!”

“See, Mom! Look at your eldest! How she can find a boyfriend with this bitter attitude! You will be an old maid!” A mixture of irritation and humor arose. She was about to fire him back but he passed on to their Mom. “Your brother is right somehow, Mayen. When are you going to have a boyfriend? We are not getting younger. Actually, we want to play with our grandchild.”

“I am already stressed with your son and you want me to find more pain in my ass? I told you, a perfect time will come for such things.”

“What if it never comes?”

Knock on the woods! So help me, God!

“See, look who’s negative? Have faith. But, let’s say it really did not come, I’m okay. I’ll repeat myself. I really feel that my purpose in life is to take care of my family, of you. I’m satisfied just to see you are all happy.” Wrong move! She should have taken it back. For sure her Mom was already crying from another line. Those words that were deep, sincere and genuine from her heart always made her Mom teary-eyed.

“Maybe you need to show more skin!” her Mom sniffed and revived her positive vibes.

She laughed. “Yuck! Are you hearing yourself?”

“Look at this virgin!”

Both of them laughed. It gave her tons of energy. “Alright, enough for this. Have a good night. Kiss Dad for me.”

“He fell asleep early. He got so tired of today’s therapy. Take care till you reach home.” It had been four years when her Dad got stroked. It took time for him to accept his faith and to recover from depression especially. No one expected it to happen. Everybody was in pain seeing him like a vegetable on the hospital bed for several months. They sold everything and borrowed money from everywhere to pay his Dad’s hospital bills. But, they did not lose hope and they rebuilt everything slowly. The doctor said that there was a big chance for his Dad to walk if he continued the physical therapy.

“Love you all,” she whispered when she glanced on her phone’s wallpaper - her humble family. She missed them so much. She missed her Mom’s chicken adobo with sweet potatoes, Jepoy's sweaty and smelly armpits after playing basketball and her Dad's words of wisdom. It had been two weeks since the last time she went home. Her whole got busy especially now that she needed to standout at work.

There was an editor who resigned as she will migrate to America. Since she was the most senior and has an excellent reputation, everybody was betting for her to get promoted. She had been waiting for this opportunity and she could not just simply let it go without a fight. She will fight for this promotion till her last breath. By hook or by crook!

Only Miss. De Padua, their Editor-in-Chief, was the only bone in her throat. She took a pen and started doodling on her notebook. She often called it the “notebook of sentiments.” She drew some unknown creatures! She was a columnist and not an animator! She drew devil horns on top of Miss. De Padua. “Just perfect! Will I look like you just in case I became an old maid?” Just the thought of it made her want to throw up. She did not want to be like her who was grumpy and poker faced. Miss. De Padua hated her as much as she did. They were very civil with each other from the beginning as this old maid never smiled at her and never joked with her unlike with other writers. Its eyebrows were always twitching whenever they were seeing each other. And, the reason behind it was unknown! It just happened. They just got used to not mingling.

She remembered before how affected she was with Miss. De Padua’s cold treatment. She cried. She felt out of place. She felt belittled. How many times she wanted to talk to Human Resources Department but she never did. Instead, she wrote all her sentiments on her notebook. At the end of the long run, it was still writing that saved her from that kind of shallow. Every time she ached, she writes. Every time she felt belittled, she writes. Her notebook was becoming like a comic book with all her funny drawings. That was why, she promised to guard her with her life. It had all her secrets.

Since then, she started to widened her understanding. She could not please everybody. Her co-writer, Kellen, was correct. Miss. De Padua only lacked a sexual intercourse. She burst into laughter!