The lead cast of I Love You Goodbye has just arrived. Their float has been ready since that afternoon. The crew made sure that it was classy and glamorous, fit for the two princesses of ABS-CBN, but not too loud. All four sides are covered with flowers of different colors. The main attraction is the simple yet elegant backdrop. A huge, slightly lopsided, antique-looking and brass-painted frame looked like it has been suspended on air. It stood imposingly at the back of 4 high Victorian chairs unevenly distributed within the frame. At the top leftmost side however, was an illusion of a broken glass made out of hard plastic and paint. If one would look at it from the front or the left or right sides, it would seem that the characters were pictures in a frame. The backboard which supports the frame looks like a very large poster of the movie, just like the one used in promoting it, that’s facing the float right behind it. All the MMFF movie entries’ floats are lined up along the CCP Complex. The parade will start in 10 minutes.

The first one to climb up to the float was Gabby Concepcion, followed by Derek and Angelica. Kim was the last to go, still hesitating a bit before stepping up the make-shift ladder. She was looking from side to side, then at her back before looking in front of the float, as if she was looking for something, or someone. The people watching her would probably think that she was just greeting the fans who were calling her name, but Matt and Melissa knew better. They have been watching their friend since she arrived 10 minutes ago from the make-shift stage not very far from where the floats have been lined up.

“Matt, ready na ba yung surprise ni Ge?”

“Yes, Mel. Kanina pa. Ali is just waiting for my signal. Siguro, a minute before the parade starts, para settled na sila sa float.”

Kim has been holding on to her cellphone, like it was a lifeline or something, for the last 15 minutes since she arrived. She’s trying her best to hold back her tears and forge a smile for the people around her. Nervous as she is, she’s quite oblivious to everything else except for her phone which she had been willing to ring or at least give a message alert for the last hour or so. Gerald hasn’t called nor texted her this morning. It was quite unusual considering that, despite his absence, he never forgets to text her every morning for the last 3, almost 4, years that they’ve been together. She thought that after they have chatted for more than 3 hours last night over the internet, everything’s almost back to normal. But she must’ve jumped to conclusions again. She missed him so much, especially now. This is the first time she’d be riding a float without him by her side, and it just feels so wrong for her to be there without Gerald.

“Kim…” Angel is calling her name excitedly.

“Ha? Ano’ng sabi mo?”

“Look!!! Ang sweet nya talaga!” As she points at something up in the air, Angel turns to Derek and says, “Hon, bakit ako walang ganun?”.

Kim tried to concentrate amidst all the cheering fans. Suddenly, she became aware that people around her are chanting Gerald’s name! “Oh my God, is he here?” She frantically looked everywhere all at the same time, but she couldn’t find him. She looked up again, and there it was. A streamer held by hundreds of pink balloons, the end of which was tied to the rear of a helicopter hovering slowly in front of their float. She read the message as tears fell down her cheeks.

“Kimmy, Congratulations! I’m so proud of you. – A.RJ<3”

Deep in her heart, Kim knew it was from Gerald. The A stood for Anderson, and RJ is, unknown to many, his nickname at home. And ofcourse, the <3 is a secret sign they share with the KWers, globies, lukaretz, kimnation, geraldnatics, kgg and all their supporters.

“Uyyyyy, s’ya yan ‘no? Asan ba ‘yun, bakit di ka sinamahan dito…” Angelica can’t stop teasing her. But when she saw that Kim is already crying, she hugged her and cried with her. “Why? What’s wrong? Happy tears ba yan o sad? Asan ba kasi si Gerald?”

Kim found herself telling Angel everything that happened since her interview with Tito Boy. Just as she was finishing with her story, the helicopter door opened, and Ali, Gerald’s friend, started showering her with pink petals. People couldn’t get enough of this display of affection. Everyone around her, it seems, including Angel, is now teary-eyed but is still smiling at her.

“Mahal na mahal ka nya, girl. What’s holding you back? Hihintayin mo pa bang mawala sa’yo? I've been a witness to a lot of moments, on and off-cam, between the two of you, and I swear, if he's not head over heels in-love with you, I'm going to give all my TF in this movie to charity!  My God, kung ganyan ang boyfriend ko, hihilahin ko na sa church ano!” Then realizing that Derek is looking at her, Angel smiled coyly and said, “Ay, hon, sorry ha? Na-carried away lang…”

Derek smiled at his girlfriend, then turned to Kim. “Kim, I thought I was already a sweet boyfriend, but hat’s off ako kay Gerald. It takes too much love and guts to do what he has just done, considering the constant denials about your relationsip. Kung naging girl ako, aagawin ko sya sa’yo.”

Kim smiled at Derek and Angel. Her chest felt like exploding with so much emotion. She covered her face and started crying again. Then, she felt her cellphone vibrate in her hands.  There was a message from Gerald.

“Hi, baby…did you like it? I’m sorry for risking my anonymity. I just want to let you know that despite the distance, I’m still very much with you, especially today. I’m so proud of you. I’m sure the reporters would be hounding you for the rest of the afternoon, for that I apologize. But then, you only have to say you don’t know who it was. Ofcourse, they would try to find out. Whatever they do or say, don’t admit it was me, for your own good. Except for Ali, Matt and Rayver, and probably Mel, nobody knows I orchestrated everything. Oh, except for the Airforce officer I borrowed the chopper from. Don’t worry, he wouldn’t squeal.”

Kim heard her name being called through the loud speakers on top of the make-shift stage. She looked up and realized it was Matt.

“Kimmy, uuuuy, sino yan ha? Alam ba ni Ge yan?” Matt teases. Mel nudged him with her elbow to make him stop.

Kim was already on her way down the float. She called Ate Tata and Kuya Fredo and asked them to pick her up. She needs the privacy of her van. Once inside the safety of her vehicle, Kim looked at the time before dialing Gerald’s roaming number. It just kept on ringing for what seemed like an eternity for Kim. “Baby, pick up the phone, please, pick up the phone….” Kim kept on mumbling as she scratches the side of her left thumb with her left pointer.

After several attempts, she gave up and called Ali instead. “Ali, tumawag ba si Ge? Bakit ayaw nya sagutin ang tawag ko?” Kim asked Ge’s friend as she held back her tears.

“Di ko alam, Kim. I haven’t talked with him since the day before yesterday. Si Matt lang ang nagbibigay ng instruction saken kung ano’ng gagawin. Why don’t you ask him?”

After talking with Ali, Kim called Matt’s number. She kept on getting a busy tone so she called Mel, hoping they’re still together at the make-shift stage.

“Hello, Mel, si Matt?”

“Ha? Ah, eh, bumaba na ng stage eh. Why? Ok ka lang ba?” Mel sounded uncomfortable and she was babbling. Kim wanted to ask her but changed her mind.

“Not really. Gusto ko talaga makausap si Ge. Kaso di sya sumasagot sa tawag ko eh.”

“Baka naman tulog pa. Di ba madaling araw dun ngayon? Hayaan mo na, tatawag din yun,” Mel tried to appease her. “Oy, may dinner daw mamaya sa Le Souffle. Punta ka, importante yata yun. Kita na lang tayo dun ha.”

“Ok, thanks,” and she clicked the END button as she gave instructions to Kuya Fredo to bring her to Gerald’s house in Vista Real.

On the way to Ge’s house, Kim was still thinking about what happened during the parade. It was more than she hoped for. All she was asking was for Gerald to text her, and she got much, much more. Now, she felt as guilty as ever. In his own way, he still tries to show the world how much she means to him.