DISCLAIMER: — see first chapter —
AUTHOR'S NOTE: First of all I want to thank all you wonderful readers who commented and left a suggestion on who you'd want to see have a different love interest. It was clear that everybody wanted 'Maine' to have a love interest so we can see a jellybean 'Alden'. I was already thinking of throwing in a potential third-party to capture our heroine's eyes, but I wasn't quite sure until I read your suggestions. Now things will get way more interesting (I hope) with the impending entry of a third party that will shake-up our male and female protagonists' "budding" romance...
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IX.
Omnipresent POV
MAINE WOKE UP TO THE MISHMASH SCENT of bacon, eggs, ham, fried rice, freshly brewed coffee and probably fresh toast. At first she thought she was just dreaming, but after a while she came to her senses and realized that she wasn't hallucinating; someone was cooking breakfast in her kitchen!
She sat bolt-up, throwing her blanket to the side and swung her legs to the side of the bed. She was about to bolt off her bed when she heard someone sputtering hidden underneath the blanket she just threw aside. Frowning, she twisted sideways and pulled the blanket off to reveal an almost suffocating Jules underneath it.
"Ano ka ba? Ganyan ka ba mag-greet ng good morning?" Jules complained and pushed herself upright. "Nasaan ba ang sunog at parang nagmamadali ka ata?"
Maine was momentarily disoriented when she saw Jules in bed with her. Slowly events of last night came back to her and she remembered.
"Sorry. Nagulat lang ako," she apologized. "Napasarap ang tulog ko and then na-amoy ko yung niluluto sa labas and nagulat ako when I realized I wasn't dreaming," she explained.
Jules stuck her nose out and sniffed. "Mmm...ang sarap naman," she cooed.
"I think one of the guys is awake," Maine said and slowly got off her bed. She looked around for her robe and found it hanging on the knob of her closet. She quickly dons it on and tied the belt securely around her waist.
"Where are you going?" Jules frowned sinking back under the still warm blanket.
Maine stopped from opening her bedroom door and looked at her guest. "Titignan ko kung sino na yung gising and maybe help," she answered.
"Ah, okay. Wake me up when it's time to eat," she yawned then covered her head with the blanket.
Maine chuckled and rolled her eyes skyward. She stepped out of her room and made a beeline towards the kitchen, slowing down when she passed by the living room to check who was awake. Sam fell off the loveseat he claimed last night and was now sprawled on the floor with his blanket wrapped around him. Ryan moved from his place on the floor and claimed the couch that Alden claimed last night. Once she knew who was awake she continued towards the kitchen where she found Alden, still dressed in his jeans and his now dishevelled shirt from last night, labouring over the stove. On the counter she saw the plates he prepared with what he already finished cooking.
"Need help?" she asked, surprising Alden when she spoke.
"Good morning," he smiled, his famous dimple making yet another appearance. "Kanina ka pa anjan?" He was mixing the fried rice in one of her deeper woks that he found.
Maine pushed away from the doorway and stood by the counter to inspect the food he prepared so far.
"I just woke up. Na-amoy ko niluluto mo," she answered, then frowned when she realized she didn't have bacon, ham or the longganisa Alden plated for serving. She only had eggs in the fridge, but even the eggs weren't enough to feed five people. "Saan nanggaling itong mga ito?"
"I bought it last night when Ryan and I went for a beer run when we ran out," Alden answered without looking at her.
Maine cocked an eyebrow. "You were certain na you'll be having breakfast here?"
Alden looked over his shoulder at her then. "Not really, but since you mentioned na hindi ka pa naggo-grocery shopping, and I felt guilty for offering your place for us guys to hang out last night, I did a quick grocery shopping for you para meron kang ma-breakfast," he explained.
"You know you shouldn't have."
"I know," he nodded, and then waited until his eyes locked with hers and smiled slowly, "But I wanted to."
Maine was rendered speechless as she felt a sharp tingling sensation ran up and down her spine after receiving that slow smile from Alden's. She couldn't help but be mesmerized by his dimples and his bedroom eyes.
Unaware of the small crowd gathered outside the kitchen doorway, Jules, Sam and Ryan quietly backed away while containing their giggle after catching Maine and Alden alone together in the kitchen. Ryan and Sam were awake when Maine passed by the living room and checked on them before heading to the kitchen. They waited until she was in the kitchen before they got up to investigate. Jules just stepped out of the bedroom when she caught the duo tiptoeing towards the kitchen.
"Ano? Merong 'something' yung dalawa no?" Ryan grinned.
"Nakita mo naman yung pag-hold hands nila last night," an uncontrollable giggle escaped Jules before adding, "Parang natural lang sa kanila yun."
Sam frowned at Jules. "Anong holding hands? Alam ko magkatabi sila sa sofa, but I didn't see them holding hands."
Jules and Ryan made a face at their lovestruck friend.
"Busy ka kasing nagiisip kung papaano mo makakausap si Patty to pay close attention to what was going on around you," Jules scolded. "Pero mabalik tayo dun sa dalawang nasa kitchen. Paniniwalaan ba natin yung mga rumours na kumakalat sa office about Alden and Maine?" she frowned.
"Which one? Ang dami atang iba't ibang versions ang kumakalat," Sam pointed out.
"The one about Alden and Maine being a couple."
"I don't think there's a truth behind them being an official couple," Ryan pondered.
When Sam and Jules just gave him a look, he continued with his explanation. "Yes, obvious ang closeness nung dalawa especially lately. And yes, sometimes they act like a couple, but that could be because they've known each other since they were kids."
Sam and Jules considered Ryan's explanation and had to agree with him.
"Are you sure?" Jules was really gunning for a possible Maine-Alden hook-up since they look perfect together.
"Who knows? Siguro sa tamang panahon natin malalaman if meron ngang forever for the two of them or kung hanggang pangarap lang," shrugged Ryan.
"Hay, nakakabasag trip ka naman so early in the morning," Jules growled, but she couldn't help but see his point as well.
"Oi, bakit si Maine at si Alden ang pinoproblema natin eh ako itong merong potential girlfriend problem dito," Sam broke the mood by inserting his own person problem.
"Eh mas madali yung kay Alden at Maine kasi obvious naman na meron silang chemistry," Ryan pointed out.
"Yeah," agreed Jules. "Yung sayo eh parang shot in the dark. Hindi natin alam kung merong chemistry or wala kayong dalawa ni Patty," she added.
"Aray, ang sakit mo namang magsalita," Sam pretended to be hurt by Jules' words and placed his hand over where his heart was.
"I think Jules is just telling the truth," Maine answered.
The trio jumped when they heard her spoke from behind them. They weren't expecting her to be there and wondered how much of their conversation she heard.
"Kanina ka pa anjan?" Jules asked.
"Not really. I was just on my way to check if you guys are still asleep, pero gising na pala kayo so pwedeng tulong naman setting up the table for us? Alden's done cooking breakfast and I got a pot of coffee brewing already," Maine answered.
"Yun lang ba? No problem. Help is on the way," Ryan made his way to the kitchen to help set the table up. Sam followed close behind him while Jules joined Maine in the dining room to setup placemats for them.
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Maine's POV
HINDI AKO SANAY NA MAG-ENTERTAIN ng mga bisita ng Sunday, especially if said guests spent the night at my place. I was thankful that Alden took the initiative and prepared breakfast for us this morning. When I invited them to spend the night last night kasi alam kong marami-rami na rin silang nainom I didn't think about what to serve for breakfast. Merong mga leftovers from last night's dinner, pero baka sawa na sila doon, but Alden saved the day.
"Salamat nga pala ulit sa breakfast," I thanked him for the umpteenth time. Nasa kitchen na naman kami after everybody finished eating. Alden offered to wash the dishes while the others went back to the living room to chill dahil nabusog sa breakfast.
"Okay lang 'yun. I really feel guilty for putting you on the spot, kaso wala lang talaga akong maisip kahapon and Sam's really obsessing over Patty," sagot naman niya while soaping the plates.
Tumabi ako sa kanya and turned the faucet doon sa side ko. Thank goodness double sink ang kitchen ko so madaling maghugas. I started rinsing and placing the rinsed dishes doon sa patuyuan para mapabilis nang matapos maghugas.
"Okay lang 'yun. Ako nga dapat magpasalamat sayo kasi for the first time in a very long time naiba ang usual Saturday routine ko."
He stopped soaping the last of the plates and turned sideways a bit to look at me. "Don't tell me you don't have a social life."
I continued rinsing the dishes he already soaped, but I avoided looking at him when I answered, "Don't act surprised. You know I was never much of a partygoer even when we were younger."
"I get it nung bata pa tayo and strict ang parents mo when it comes to you hanging out with your friends, but Meng, you're already in your twenties and living by yourself," he pointed out.
"So?"
"We gotta rectify this situation ASAP," he announced.
I looked at him then. "What are you talking about?"
"You need to get yourself a life outside of work."
"But I do, it's just...not exciting," sagot ko feeling self-conscious all of a sudden dahil I know I'm lying through the skin of my teeth here dahil talaga namang wala akong life outside of work. My weekends are boring. I barely go out to hang with friends dahil lahat kami busy with work and other personal matter life threw at us. Jules and I hang, but we barely go out; mostly we order in and vege-out on the couch watching TV or a movie. Pao and my folks visit me from time to time, but they were family so they don't count much for my socializing.
"You're too young to not have an exciting social life!" he scolded. "Dibale, leave it all to me. Before you know it you'll be having a hopping social life." He sounded so sure na kayang-kaya niyang baguhin ang takbo ng aking super boring na social life.
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Alden's POV
I DON'T KNOW WHAT PROMPTED me to make that promise to her, but when I found out that Maine's weekend mostly consisted of her staying at home instead of enjoying life like every young woman her age were doing didn't sit well with me. Alam ko merong pagkamahiyain sha when we were younger, but I thought she outgrew that shyness, yun pala magaling lang shang magtago.
We stayed at Maine's place for a while, then the guys announced they were heading out and Jules said she was meeting some old friends of hers for lunch so they left. I stayed behind since I drove myself to Maine's place last night while Sam and Ryan car pooled.
"Wala ka bang plans for today?" Maine asked when it was just the two of us left at her place.
I stretched out on the loveseat Sam claimed as his last night and smiled up at her. "Not really. Sundays ang relaxation day ko usually."
"I see," she nodded, sitting on the sofa I slept on last night and tucked one leg underneath her. She pulled the square throw pillow with tassels and hugged it close to her chest. "Hindi ka ba magsisimba?"
"Magsisimba."
"Anong oras?"
"Siguro evening mass na," I shrugged. I always go to church really early in the morning. Gusto kong i-catch yung first mass kasi halos lahat ng kasabay kong nagsisimba eh puros mga seniors so talagang tahimik yung church, walang mga batang maiingay o magugulo. "What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Hindi ka ba magsisimba?"
"Mamaya na rin siguro," sagot niya.
"Gusto mo sabay na lang tayo?" I offered.
Maine's eyes widened. I surprised her with my invite.
"Sigurado ka?"
"Oo naman. I wouldn't be offering if I wasn't."
"Oh, well, if you insist then sure. It's been a while since I attended mass na hindi ako mag-isa," she smiled.
"Good, then we'll attend the evening mass. Now, since mamayang gabi pa yung misa, we need to keep ourselves occupied between now and then."
She cocked an eyebrow. "What are you suggesting we do?"
A slow grin started creeping on the side of my lips. I remembered that promise I made to her about making sure she gets a social life. Looks like we're starting finding her a social life early...
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Maine's POV
TO SAY I DIDN'T HAVE FUN TODAY would be an understatement. I had no idea what Alden had in mind when he planned out the rest of our day together leading up to us attending the evening mass. He suggested that I get myself ready and he will wait for me to finish up, then we'll head back to his place so he could change out of the clothes he wore yesterday. We only stayed at his place for an hour tops. I didn't know na malapit lang pala talaga place niya sa place ko, no wonder he didn't mind offering to give me a ride to and from work. After he was finished getting ready we left his place and headed to the mall. Neither one of us was looking for anything; he just said we might as well kill time window shopping or we can watch a movie.
I opted to window shop instead. We were in and out of almost every store at the mall that caught our fancy when Alden suggested we grab something to eat first since after noon na and kumakalam na sikmura niya. He dragged me towards the food court and asked me kung saan ko gustong kumain.
"My treat," he said when he thought nagkukuli-kuli akong pumili kung saan kami kakain.
"You don't have to treat me. If you already know what you want to eat, go and order kasi ako hindi ko pa alam what I want to eat," I told him.
"Sure ka?"
"Yeah, and mukhang alam mo na ata what you want to eat so susunod na lang ako sayo for now while I'm trying to decide," I told him and pushed him so he'd start walking again.
I was right and Alden already knew what he wanted to order. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to eat. Alden found us a table while I fell in line at the place I decided to eat at. Medyo busy yung place so natagalan ako sa pagpila. When I reached the table Alden found for us I was surprised that he waited for me.
"You know you didn't have to wait," sabi ko as I slid in my seat across from him.
"I know," he shrugged. "Pero mas masaya kung meron akong kasabay kumain," he added, his dimples making another appearance.
Since we were sharing a long table at the food court, there was a group of girls on the other end of the table and all four of them were clearly smitten by my companion. I heard a chorus of soft sighs and giggles when Alden smiled and his dimples appeared. I glanced at the group, then back at Alden before looking back at the foursome who seemed like they were in high school still. They kept on stealing glances at Alden who was either oblivious to their stares or he perfected the art of ignoring people who kept on staring at him.
Throughout our entire meal the girls didn't leave the table even though they were already done eating. At one point I heard wisps of what they were talking about. I guess one of the girls was dared to introduce herself to my companion, exchange names and probably get a phone number. I looked at Alden to make sure he heard the girls were planning, but he was preoccupied by the text message he received from Sam to actually pay attention. When the girl finally worked up the courage to stand up and started walking towards Alden, I was tempted to warn him, but an evil side of me wanted to see him in action without any forewarning.
"Excuse me," kinalabit nung girl si Alden sa shoulder then stepped back to wait for him to acknowledge her.
Alden was focused on the text he was reading hindi niya narinig or naramdaman yung kalabit nung girl. I had to give him a kick under the table to get his attention. He glared at me after I kicked him, but before he could say anything I gestured at the girl standing behind him. He turned sideways and acknowledged the poor girl's presence.
"Yes?"
"Uhhh...hi," the girl nervously giggled.
"Hi," Alden smiled and gave a slight nod.
"Uhm, ako nga pala si Jamie," she reached out her hand for his.
"Nice to meet you, Jamie," Alden shook her hand, but he didn't provide her with his name.
Jamie gave a nervous smile. "Uhm, nice dimples," she said.
Alden smiled at the compliment, showing off his dimples some more and caused poor Jamie and her other friends to nearly faint. I knew Alden was showing his dimples off on purpose to distract the poor girl some more. Ewan ko lang if he enjoys seeing girls make complete fools of themselves, but I think deep down defense mechanism niya lang iyon kasi nahihiya rin siya.
I actually enjoyed watching this little scene before me. I felt bad for Jamie because I knew Alden wouldn't give her his name or his number (if he was interested in her he'd be flirting with her full-on, but he was pretty tame and indulging with her), but at the same time I was cheering her on for having the courage to approach the guy herself kahit na hindi niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin niya.
Suffice to say Jamie didn't get Alden's name or his phone number. Without being outright rude and mean about it, Alden let poor Jamie – and her friends – down by using me as his damn scapegoat. I should've seen it coming, but I was far too entertained seeing him in action to realize na isasama pala niya ako sa plano niya.
"Thanks. 'Yun din ang sabi ng girlfriend ko eh," he told Jamie and without looking over to me he reached for my hand and laced our fingers together, surprising not only me but Jamie and her friends as well.
Now I really felt bad when I saw Jamie's crestfallen face when she realized he's already off the market. Alden gave my hand a squeeze, warning me to not say anything and just play along.
"Must be nice," Jamie said when our eyes met. "Uhm, sorry to interrupt your lunch," she apologized and backed away slowly. She returned back to her friends who all filed out of their seats, casting us weary and crestfallen smiles before they hurried away from the table.
I waited until the girls were out of sight before I yanked my hand from his.
"Sira ka talaga. Sinasama mo pa ako jan sa kalokohan mong 'yan," I snapped at a very amused Alden.
"But it was worth it," Alden grinned. "And bago ka pa dumating I kinda picked up on what Jamie and her friends were working up the courage to do, kaya pretend akong busy checking my phone," he explained.
"So you were aware of your small fan group on the other end of this table ogling you the whole time?"
"Oo naman. Hindi naman ako completely oblivious sa surroundings ko no."
I didn't dignify his answer with a response. I just rolled my eyes at him and finished eating my lunch. At one point he did receive an actual text message from Sam asking him for my phone number. Gusto daw kasi ni Sam na makipag-coordinate sa akin in case my path crosses with Patty again, and also he wanted to make sure that I have his number just in case to give to Patty if and when our paths crossed.
Alden wasn't too keen on sharing my phone number to Sam even though I already told him Sam can have my phone number. Pinahirapan pa niya muna yung tao bago niya binigay number ko. Within seconds of him texting Sam my phone number I received a text from Sam double checking if Alden wasn't playing with him. I responded with a 'yes' and included a selfie of myself that I took just before sending him as proof na ako nga yung may-ari nung cell number na binigay ni Alden sa kanya.
Alden wasn't a happy camper after I sent Sam a selfie of mine. Throughout the rest of the day I was texting back and forth with Sam. I think medyo nainis ata yung kasama ko kasi I kept on snickering every time I read Sam's text reply sa akin.
"Uuyyy, baka nanliligaw na 'yan sayo ha," Alden said on our way to church. We were stuck in traffic after leaving the mall and Sam was still texting me.
"No, Sam's just being crazy," sagot ko naman. I texted Sam what Alden said, and his reply made me laugh out loud, which caught Alden's attention yet again and this time sobra na ang pagkakunot ng forehead niya.
"What did he say?" he asked.
I had to calm myself down first before I could answer him back. I wasn't expecting to receive that answer from Sam.
"I told him what you said, about him courting me na 'coz of our non-stop texting," I started by explaining to him what I texted Sam. "And yung reply niya eh nakakaloka."
"Anong sabi niya?" Alden frowned.
"He said, and I quote, 'Jealous lang sha kasi ako I got the guts na ligawan ka unlike him na totorpe-torpe', end quote."
Alden slammed on the brakes hard after I finished reading Sam's reply. Akala ko hahalikan ko na yung dashboard nang sasakyan niya sa sobrang lakas nung impact ng pag-brake niya.
" 'Da hell?" I frowned at my driver.
"Nag-stop yung nasa harap and I wasn't paying attention," he answered and pointed at the car in front of us.
"Why weren't you paying attention on where we're going?" I demanded.
"Kasi I was paying attention to what you're saying," he replied, but he sounded like he was just making excuses.
"Whatever," I rolled my eyes at him and started typing my back to Sam.
Alden made a sound na parang inis, but he didn't say anything. He slowly stepped on the gas when traffic started moving and we made our way to church without any further near-accident incident. I told Sam nasa church na kami so I'm turning my cell phone to silent so I can concentrate sa mass.
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Alden's POV
I KNOW WALA AKONG KARAPATANG mainis kay Sam dahil sa non-stop text-a-thon nila ni Maine. Single naman sha, single din naman si Maine, and I haven't publicly put it out there na interesado akong ligawan si Maine so really wala talaga akong karapatang mag-selos.
Pero nagseselos talaga ako.
As soon as I gave Sam Maine's cell number and they started texting I regretted opening that door for them to keep in touch outside of work. Clearly they got along so well given their non-stop texting since lunch time. Tumigil lang ang sagutan nila during mass, but as soon as mass was over and Maine checked her phone on our way out back to where I parked my car simula na naman ang sagutan nila via text. I didn't have to ask who it was kasi si Maine mismo nag-sabi na Sam sent her at least six text messages during the mass.
"Wala bang ginagawa yang mokong na 'yan?"
Maine looked up from her cell phone and looked at my direction. I already merged on to the main road headed back to her place.
"Selos ka?"
"Bakit naman ako magseselos? Meron bang dahilan?"
"Uuyyyy, denial king peg mo," she chuckled and gave my shoulder a light push.
"Hindi ah!" Deny ko pero tama naman siya. Maski nga ako naiinis dahil nagseselos ako eh wala naman akong karapatang mag-selos nga.
"Aminin! Gelli de Belen peg mo!" Maine continued to tease me, laughing as she said so.
"Sabi na ngang hindi eh," I snapped. "Makipag-text ka na nga lang jan kay Sam. Kung anu-ano pang iniisip mo e hindi naman totoo."
"Uuuyyy, King of de-Nile ka talaga." She gave me another push and to my relief she put her phone away and turned her whole attention to me. "Sam can wait. Masyado lang desperate yung mokong dahil sa lakas ng tama niya kay Patty," she explained.
"Lilipas din 'yon," sagot ko.
"You sound so sure."
I gave her a quick sideways glance before returning my attention back on the road. "I've known Sam a bit longer than you. Trust me, Patty the Model will be his Flavour of the Week until someone new catches his fancy then Patty the Model will be all but forgotten."
"Wow, you make Sam sound so superficial."
"The day Sam falls madly in love will be the day his bachelorhood ends."
"Ganoon niya ka-mahal ang pagiging single niya?"
"More like his player ways," I corrected.
"Trying hard na maging player ang sabihin mo," she corrected.
For the rest of the ride back to Maine's condo building we debated on why she thinks Sam's trying hard lang na maging player instead of him being an actual player talaga. It was a fun, healthy debate na walang proper ending 'coz both of us wouldn't be swayed by the other's reason.
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A/N 2: I'm still reeling from the events of the "Sa Tamang Panahon" concert last Saturday, how about you wonderful readers you? And then they followed it up with today's KS episode where Maine's allowed to talk now, so the 'kilig' factor's been upped another notch between Yaya Dub & Alden's scenes – and didn't Tinidora just introduce a potential rival for Alden??? Oh the never ending twists and turns on KS just keep us fans giggling for more. And on that note, I hope you enjoyed this more Alden & Maine-focussed chapter.
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