ALDUB One-Shot Collection

CARE

--September 8, 2015--

Maine just got home from taping. Even though she didn't dance today, she still felt more tired than when she did. It was her first time to act like that and it drained her. She hasn't had any formal acting workshop, therefore it took a lot of her energy to let out the right emotions.

The scene today was the same as yesterday's. She was kidnapped. She was still inside a small room, wearing the gown she wore last Saturday during the Wildcard Round. She didn't even have a monitor inside so she couldn't see or hear Alden. She had only relied on the cues from the staff.

And that was more strenuous than dancing around like a lunatic and making faces in front of the camera.

"Have you eaten dinner?" Maine's Mom asked as Maine dropped a kiss on her cheek right after she dropped one on her father's forehead. Her parents were at the living room, watching 24 Oras.

"We passed by the McDo Drive Thru, Mom. I stuffed myself with fries, sundae, and burger," she responded with a tired smile. "Gusto ko lang po maligo and matulog, is that fine?"

Maine's Mom smiled. "Of course. Go ahead."

She waved at her dad before she climbed the staircase and into her room. She'd greet Matti later when she's freshened up and rested a little. She wanted to play with her nephew and she didn't want her eyes closed while doing it.

After taking a bath, she laid down on her bed and checked her phone first--- there was no message from him. Maine sighed before she smiled in understanding. He's really busy nowadays. The truth is, she pitied him. He's working 7 days a week now.

But she missed him. So much. Their last meeting was last Saturday, their actual first on-screen meet up. It had caused her to be emotional on national television.

Up to now, she can still feel the most beautiful shivers that had ran down her spine upon meeting his eyes from across that long hallway.

It wasn't their first meeting as Alden and Maine. But it was their first meeting as Alden and Yaya Dub. And despite what people think, it was Yaya Dub and not Maine who was there. It was Yaya Dub meeting her Alden for the first time.

Why?

Because Maine had met her Alden a few weeks ago. In a totally unscripted, fateful meeting.

No, it was not as dramatic as Yaya Dub's and Alden's. No, it wasn't planned by the management. No, they truly didn't mean to meet. It was totally fate's doing and it had caused a beautiful change in her life.

Maine wouldn't exchange that simple meeting with anything else.

She decided to type a simple Ingat ka pag-uwi. See you soon. message and placed her phone on her bedside table. She then closed her eyes and instantly fell asleep.

---

She was awakened by a slight tap on the cheek.

"Hmm?" she asked sleepily, eyes still half closed.

"Menggay, gising," the voice replied.

It took ten seconds before Maine finally opened her eyes.

"Ate?"

It was Coleen. She was smirking down at her as if she knew something. Maine rubbed her eyes with her knuckles and sat up, hair everywhere.

"Ate, anong oras na? Bakit mo ko ginising?" she asked, still sounding sleepy. She glanced at the clock on her wall--- it was 11:00 pm.