Shorts

IX. Exes? (4)

"Maine!"

They called out when she walked in. After a quick buss on the cheeks, Sam and Jerald took the bags she was carrying and placed the ice cream tubs in the freezer. Patty hugged her a little longer.

"How's work?"

"Okay naman, Patring. Ang daming meetings nga lang kanina."

"Dapat kasi nagpasundo ka na kay Tisoy," Patty said. "Tara dito tayo sa table."

"Wait lang," Alden interrupted. "Hindi pa ako bumabati! Mauna ka na Pat."

Alden accompanied Maine to the living room where she dropped her bags, then he gave her a hug and kissed her cheek. "Sabi ko na sayo susunduin na kita."

"O, di ba napagusapan na natin yan?" Maine replied. "Kamusta work?"

While the two of them caught up on each other's day, Sam, Jerald and Patty were observing from the kitchen.

"Bakit ganyan? Alam ko madami akong trip abroad lately, pero kelan pa nag-catch up yang dalawang yan na nakaakbay si Alden?" Patty asked.

"Matagal na!" Jerald replied. "Pag nalayo ng konti si Maine, akala mo hindi makakahinga yan si Alden."

"Tsaka bakit ang tagal mag-yakapan?"

Sam looked on. "Yan ang bago. Hindi naman ganyan ka-tagal at kadikit yung dati."

"Sabi nga ni Paps," Jerald put in. "Mahal niya like a sister. Baka ganyan ang sisterly hug."

"Utot mo, Je," Patty said. "May malisya eh." She paused before continuing, "At nakakainis yung pagka-clueless ninyong dalawa."

Once Alden and Maine made their way back to the table, Patty noted that Alden moved his chair so that he and Maine were seated side-by-side at the head of the table. She was getting more suspicious by the second.

After dinner, while they were having drinks, Patty decided to continue their earlier conversation, "So, Alden ano nga yung sinasabi mo kanina? Masaya ka kay Trish before and si Maine parang sister mo?"

Alden choked on his water and looked at Maine. "Umm, ano kasi... uh, Menggay... kanina inabutan ko silang nagrereminisce about our past. Ewan ko ba sa mga ito bakit tayo ang pinagchichismisan. Ayun na-bring up si Trish and Badong."

"When will you stop calling him Badong? You know that's not his name," Main reprimanded.

"Badong. Badong. Badong." Alden continued to tease Maine.

"You love Maine like a sister," Patty interjected.

Maine looked at Alden and raised her eyebrows. "Sister?"

Alden rubbed his nape. "Napagusapan naman natin 'to di ba? That was the time magkahiwalay tayo and we were with different people? At that time, talagang friendly tayo, nothing more. I cared for you and ayokong mapahamak or masaktan ka, but yung romantic love noon nasa ibang tao."

"So, mahal mo si Trish?" Patty persisted.

Alden looked uncomfortable. "Dati. Oo. Marami rin akong natutunan while I was with her so I can't regret that. Maganda yung mga kwento na once ka lang ma-inlove tapos greatest love mo na. Pero may mga kwento din na, hindi ka lang isang beses ma-i-in love, pero ang ending mo dun pa rin sa tao na para sa yo talaga. Tsaka ang important is that yung past, tapos na talaga and focused ka sa present. Uh, pwede bang wag na nating pag-usapan yan?"

"Bakit? Hindi ka pa over sa kanya?" Jerald asked.

"Hindi yun. Ano kasi -"

"Naalala niyo ba nung na-meet natin si Badong first time?" Sam suddenly said.

"Kailangan ba natin pag-usapan siya?" Alden complained.

"Sabi mo wag si Trish, eh di si Badong."

"Naalala niyo ba nung nag-break na yung dalawa?" Patty asked Sam and Jerald.

Alden groaned and looked at Maine. Looks like storytelling night was not done yet.

***

"Je, puntahan natin si Paps."

"Bakit?" Jerald asked, rushing to Sam's side as they walked to Alden's house.

"Nag-break na daw sila ni Trish. Baka depressed, tara check lang natin."

When they got there, Alden was playing with his dog. "Uy, bakit kayo nandito?"

"Dadamayan ka sana. Okay ka lang, pare? Break na daw kayo," said Jerald.

"Okay lang ako. Malungkot, pero ganun talaga. Lilipas din 'to," Alden sighed. "Mamimiss ko siya."

"Eh bakit kayo naghiwalay?"

"May kulang eh. Hindi ko ma-explain. Basta pareho kami na happy, mahal naman yung isa't isa... pero kulang. Hindi namin masabi ano, basta alam namin na we don't find it in each other. Sinubukan namin mag-work out pero nandun talaga yung feeling na something missing. Kaya in the end, we decided to try and figure it out separately," Alden shared.

"Broken-hearted nga. Ang haba ng english," Jerald noted.

"SAMUEL! GERALDO! ALDEN RICHARDS!" Patty yelled from the gate. "BUMABA KAYO NGAYON DIN!"

"Susmaryosep, Patring, ano ka ba?" Alden scolded. "Rinig ka na ng buong village."

"Do I look like I care? Halika na, aalis tayo at susugurin natin si Badong!"

"Bakit?" the three men asked in unison, instantly alert.

"HINIWALAYAN SI MENGGAY KASI AYAW PA NI MENG NA MAY MANGYARI SA KANILA! Gawain ba ng matinong lalaki yan?!"

"Patring!!!!" Maine ran toward them, blushing furiously. "Kailangan ba talagang i-announce yan sa buong barangay?! Nakakahiya!"

"Bakit ka mahihiya? Siya yung mahiya 'no! Susugod ako ngayon. Gugupitin ko yang balls niya!"

"Patring!" Maine turned to Alden. "Please stop her!"

"Patty, tama na, don't add to Maine's stress," Alden said.

Sam stepped in. "Patring, okay mali na makipag-break siya kay Maine just because of that pero mas mabuti na that we found out this early na ganyan siya kesa tumagal pa sila lalo ni Maine." He turned to Maine. "Menggay, sure ka bang hindi ka pinilit? Or sinaktan? Kasi ibang usapan yun."

"I'm okay, Sam. Sinapak ko naman siya when he attempted," Maine smirked.

***

"Si Patring sumugod pa din," Sam teased.

"Kinausap ko lang naman ha?" Patty said, defensively. "Anyway, so what now?"

"Anong 'what now'?" Maine asked.

"Matagal ka na ding walang boyfriend since Mig-"

"BADONG!" Alden, Sam and Jerald said.

"Fine! Maine, matagal ka ng walang boyfriend since you and Badong ended a few years ago. You want to date again?"

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Note: Yes, I know bitin!