Early the following morning, Alden spoke to the cameraman. "Can you give these later when I write to her that I have something for her?" The cameraman nodded and left the break room.
Maine made her entrance that particular Thursday episode dancing to Happy. And she was genuinely happy that day. On the ride to the location, she was counting her blessings, recounting the events the past month had brought her. By all accounts, she was very lucky compared to other women. She had steady work, but she never felt like she was working. She was paired with a really handsome young man, whom she had, at one point, pined for from afar. Now, he was aware of her existence. So many things had confused her in the past few weeks, but she vowed that she would just accept things as they are, and that she was to start today.
And she just wanted to dance! Enthusiastically, energetically, when she made her entrance at the show that noon, she was just a bundle of joy.
You know what, she thought. Let's let things take its course. Let's not overthink anymore. Let's not worry too much. Let's not read into things when there might be no meaning. Let's just enjoy the moment. Let's get lost in these moments that I have with him onscreen.
Today was supposed to be their weeksary. She knew that Alden had a gig in Bicol the day before, and she totally would understand if he weren't able to make it to their segment today. He's got to rest. She knew how it felt, she was starting to get the hang of being a celebrity, but she still doesn't let it get to her head. With how fast things had been churning out for her, she had not had a moment to stop and think things through. But she knew that it was still a taxing industry, taking early morning flights out of Manila, trying to catch the last flight back, and then catching up on sleep at any opportune moment - she would understand.
Nonetheless, she was still told that day to look out for a surprise. Mais oui, she thought. But of course. They still love keeping us on our toes.
Minutes into her and Wally talking about listening and trust, 2 huge baskets of pili nuts were brought in front of them by 2 burly men in black. You ask for pili, you get pili, she recounted that Wally as Lola Nidora asked Alden for pili nuts yesterday.
Wally took a jar of pili from one of the baskets, and started eating. She smiled. She still finds it funny that Wally, Jose, and Paolo can really incorporate eating in front of the camera to the comedic sketches they were doing.
Moments later, roses were shown on the screen next to her. Oh, she almost exclaimed. I didn't think he'd have the energy to work today.
And just like that, Alden stood up from around the roses and started "serenading" her. The genuine surprise registered on her face. You know what, she was telling herself, I don't care anymore if I get carried away.
She surmised, if this boy was willing to run to EDSA just for our love team, or to fly back, lose sleep, just to appear next to me on TV the following day, I am going to show him that he is appreciated.
Nobody has ever done that before for her. She has had interactions in the past with boys, but things like these - sacrifices that were made for her, if there were any, she always took for granted.
Who could blame her? What sacrifice did she have to endure? Everything was handed to her on a silver platter. She grew up with peers who had the same lifestyle she was used to, and if not for her Catholic school upbringing, she might not even be in touch with the realities of life. And she was noticeable now more than ever of sacrifices people make for her. Of the sacrifices that Alden had been doing for her. He may not realize that these things that he has done might actually mean something to her or for him, but I see these, and I will not take these for granted. I will not take him for granted.
He looked tired. He looked like he could use a couple hours more of sleep. She looked at her eyes, and even though he didn't seem to have energy, she saw a little spark of joy in them. She paused for a moment, the camera catching her, and she just smiled at him.
She stooped to pick up her paper and Sharpie and wrote:
I miss you.
She immediately lowered the paper out of the camera's view. Alden also started to write something on his end.
"Yaya," she could hear Wally out of the camera's frame speaking into his mic. "You're getting carried away." He also was getting carried away with what was happening to these two.
I'll show you how I get carried away, she smirked triumphantly. She wrote on her paper again, right below the message. It had already read, "I miss you."
She held the paper up again, and Alden read what she added.
I miss you. - Maine
The audience started screaming.
Alden peered into what was written on her sheet of paper. He was taken aback. She had written her name.
The other hosts in Broadway were also confused.
"It seems things are starting to turn real," one of them commented. "It seems the message is not from Yaya Dub but from Maine."
You have got to love her spirit, Alden caught himself smiling. I don't know if its her or not, if someone put her up to this. She better brace herself for her surpise then.
I bought you something. I have something for you. Alden showed his message for Maine.
Maine mouthed out, "What?"
Alden smiled so hard, his dimples made the biggest mini craters on his cheek. It's on its way, he wrote. He showed the sign proudly, beaming at her.
Out of the corner of the screen, a pink sun hat was given to Maine. Alden picked this out himself at the airport, and he didn't charge it to the petty cash of the show. It was from him.
The other hosts in the studio asked, "Who is that hat for? Is that for Yaya Dub or Maine?"
Maine heard this, and proudly wrote on a sheet of paper - ready to claim that there might be something there that wasn't there before between her and Alden. Maine. It's for me, and not for Yaya Dub, she exclaimed to herself.
Alden started writing on his paper as well.
It looks good on you, Maine.
It is true, though, Alden defended the written note to himself. I did buy it for her and not for her character.
Maine couldn't control herself. She was giggling uncontrollably while the camera was focused on her. All she could think of was that Alden had taken time out of his busy schedule while in Bicol to get her something. And it was something that was quite useful, since most of her location shoots were done under the blazing heat of the noon time sun.
She felt Wally push her a bit. "I think you're starting to show your true feelings already," he exclaimed.
The hosts in the studio were in agreement as well.
Alden started serenading her. The lyrics he was lip-synching to said, "You are the only person I will love."
She tried so hard to look straight into the camera, but her eyes tried to steal glances at the TV set up adjacent to her. She wanted to play it cool a bit, but she was failing miserably. There you go, Maine, now everybody can see that you're falling head over heels for this guy. Play hard to get even if for just a bit, why don't you?
"Yaya, I think you're forgetting that this is a kalyeserye. You're getting carried away already," Wally reminded.
Jose arrived in the segment, and Wally started conversing with him. Wally pointed out that he was worried that Yaya Dub was forgetting what was reel and what was real. "The lines are really blurred right now, it seems she's really falling for him," he opined.
Monica's Angel of Mine played on the television, and Maine smiled while she was singing to it. She felt the words that the song was expressing, especially the lines where it stated, "I never knew I could feel these moments as if they were new."
Everything was so new for her, as if she were experiencing these for the first time, when really, they weren't. Alden had that effect on her.
The screen cut to petals organized on the floor to read - Aldub you. It was their love teams ploy at saying 'I love you' to each other. Alden was sitting coyly at the corner of the screen with a sign that read that this was for her.
She smiled playfully and wrote - What about you? Are you the one for me?
Alden could not control himself from turning red. He hid behind his response to Maine - I am yours.
She was being forward. She couldn't believe where she was getting the courage. She knew that she was going to get the silent treatment from her parents when she got home that evening - to be actively chasing after a boy. A boy that might not even be acceptable by her parents' standards.
At the end of the day, she knew that her parents wouldn't approve of Alden. He did not come of the same stock as her family. Yes, it cannot be denied that he is very handsome, but his father would always point out - up until where can his good looks take him?
Good looks fade away. Popularity fades away. How is he to take care of me when all that he has going for him is gone? How will he find a job outside of this industry? Did he even graduate from college? These were what her parents would be telling her.
She shook these thoughts out of her, and looked at Alden again, sitting innocently, writing on his paper. He means well. At least she thinks he does. He could be doing this just to keep the romance and novelty between the two of them alive, or he could be doing this because he might actually like her. But she cannot subject him to the scrutiny of the world that she lives in, her reality. Because show business is a far less cutthroat reality from the world of the moneyed elite.
Even when I'm asleep, you're with me.
She frowned a bit at what Alden wrote to her. Then, he took out a pillow with a picture of her printed on it, and he hugged it. She melted. She quickly grabbed a pillow with Alden's picture on it, earlier given to her by the production assistant supposedly from Alden, and she hugged it too.
The audience screamed louder.
Not to be left out, Wally was also given a pillow with his picture as Lola Nidora printed on it.
Wally scolded Alden and Maine. They were going too fast, he said. They were forgetting that it was just pretend. He quickly turned to Alden and asked, "Are you serious with your feelings for Maine?"
He was put on the spot, and he could not answer.
The hosts all exclaimed, "Because Maine is serious about her feelings for you!"
Maine hid herself from view. The cat's out of the bag, I suppose, she thought.
Wally repeated the question, "Alden, are you serious with your feelings for Maine?"
He still did not answer. He hid behind the pillow he was holding.
"Are you serious with your feelings for Yaya Dub?"
He looked out from behind the pillow, and nodded his head.
He chickened out, he felt ashamed. He was put on the spot, and he could not answer straight.
On the other side of the Metro, Maine felt disappointed. He could have at least pretended. At least he didn't lie, she tried to console herself.