My Heart Is Yours

Chapter 116

Richard just looked at him but kept silent.

"So," Alden continued. "Why are you keeping me here, Arge? I'd have thought that when you and Maine finally got together, I'd be free from all this? But apparently, I still have unfinished business here. So why are you keeping me here? What else do you want from me?"

Richard remained silent. Alden scowled and cocked his head to one side as if trying to figure his twin out. Finally, his brows shot up and he began to laugh. Richard was taken aback by his brother's reaction.

"What's so funny?"

"You," Alden answered in between laughter. "Seriously RJ, how dense can you get?"

"It's not being dense," Richard said defensively. "I was just being cautious."

"We're brothers," he replied. "Twins even. Why would you be cautious around me?"

"We didn't really end our last conversation on good terms," he replied softly.

"I'm sorry," Alden said. "But I've also given you every opportunity to tell me that you liked her. I gave all the openings but you never said anything. It was really frustrating. All I needed from you was for you to just admit it. I was just waiting for that."

"I haven't really met her yet, Rich," Richard said. "Would you have believed me if I said I liked her? When all I ever saw was a view of her from the webcam? What I knew of her were bits and pieces of what you share with me and what I saw from my small window to your room. We never talked, except for that one time on the phone. And she called me 'Alden'."

"She did have that distinction between us," Alden remarked with a smirk. "You were after all 'crush Alden'. I'm just the 'bestfriend'."

"But would you have believed me?"

"Geez, Arge!" Alden exclaimed. "I'd be too dense or very much in denial if I didn't figure out that you liked her."

When his twin kept silent, Alden continued, "let me count the ways. 'Rich, don't forget to bring water for Maine on your walks.' 'Rich, tell mom to make the ice cream extra creamy for the Mendozas.' 'Rich, why didn't you give her the formula for question 5. She was struggling!' 'Maine looks a bit pale today, is she okay?' 'Rich, have the back seat of the bike reupholstered. Maine needs to be comfortable.' 'I'd marry that girl for her music taste alone.' Should I go on? The list is a bit long."

Alden saw Richard's ears turned crimson, and his face started to redden as well.

"You and Maine are two peas in a pod," Alden laughed. "Maine was pretty obvious too. I mean, she's more talkative when we were on the radio than when we're talking face to face. And she would always ask for you to sing for her. As in, always. 'Alden, can you sing for me?' 'You have such a wonderful voice, Alden.' 'I would love to hear you sing again.' 'Do you have a song for me?' 'Do you have your guitar with you?'"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Richard gave a suppressed chuckle as Alden tried to mimic Maine's voice and did a pretty decent job with it.

"I finally got a laugh from you," Alden said, relieved. "It's good to see that shadow of a smile on your face. I missed it."

"You were the only person who could really make me laugh, bro," Richard said.

"And Maine."

"Yes," Richard smiled. "And Maine."

"You guys are an annoyingly cute couple, you know?" Alden sniggered. "I've always known that."