"Why do you never reply to my text messages, Maine?"
"I don't text, Gov."
"Ah kaya pala you broke up with me through text."
"..."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up—"
"I broke up with you through text because I can't say it in person,"
"Because you don't really want to break up with me, right?
"..."
"May feelings ka pa rin ba sa akin, Miss Maine?"
"WOWWWW."
"Can we have one more chance, Maine? Pwede bang ako na lang ulit?"
"Ano ba Gov!"
"Sorry na kasi. Dapat talaga pinagdrive na kita. Your ex-boyfriend just wanted to know if you've arrived home safely."
"Ex-boyfriend?"
"Ako. I know you broke up with me, but we still had a one-minute relationship, remember?"
"Hahahaha. Okay."
"So ano, nakabalik ka na nga sa hotel?"
"Still driving. I'll probably be home in fifteen minutes."
"Ingat ka sa pagddrive ha,"
"Opo. Gov."
"Nakaseatbelt ka ba?"
"Opo."
"Okay...traffic ba?"
"Gov, it's 3 in the morning. Walang traffic,"
"Okay. Madilim ba yung daan?"
"ALDEN!"
"Sorry, sorry. Concerned lang ako sa ex-girlfriend ko, okay?"
"Hahahaha. Ang cute mo,"
"Did you just say I'm cute? YOU SAID I'M CUTE, RIGHT? DO YOU WANT ME BACK, MAINE? CAN I BE YOUR BOYFRIEND AGAIN?"
"GOVERNOR WILL YOU PLEASE CALM DOWN,"
"Hahaha. I love hearing your voice."
"Bakit hindi ka pa natutulog?"
"Kasi nga. I just want to make sure that you get home safely."
"You should sleep, Gov."
"Are you tired of talking to me, Miss Maine? Am I annoying you yet?"
"Hindi naman. I know you still have to go to work in a few hours, so you should rest. Masama bang maging concerned din sa ex-boyfriend ko?"
"Maine?"
"Yeah?"
"You're the sweetest ex-girlfriend,"
"Ah, poets. Hinay hinay lang sa keso please,"
"Feeling ko talaga magkakabalikan rin tayo eh."
"Hmmmm..."
"Feeling ko talaga, I'm destined to be yours..."
"That's it. I'm hanging up."
"HOOOOY!"
"Hahahaha,"
"It's so nice to hear you laugh, Miss Maine."
"And that's why I don't text, Gov."
"Huh?"
"Because I'd rather hear your voice and your laughter too."
***
Four days after the scandal broke out, Maine and Alden were invited as guests on a live entertainment talk show. Maine adamantly refused it at first since she didn't want to further worsen the hype and drag Alden's name, but Jerald intervened and secretly spoke with Alden to convince her that this was the only way both their names would be cleared from further misconceptions. The catch was they still had to keep up with the 'engagement' act.
A few minutes before the show aired, they were left alone inside the backstage room. Maine was starting to skim through the sample questionnaire provided in advance when she noticed that Alden was just sitting in a corner, lost in thought and looking upset.
"Gov, kinakabahan ka ba?"
"Medyo."
"Here's the list of questions—"
"Hindi naman ako diyan kinakabahan."
"Huh? Saan?"
"Sa ano...sa damit mo. Baka di ako makafocus."
Maine rolled the questionnaire sheet and playfully smacked him on the arm with it, smiling. In response, Alden tried to snatch it away but they ended up ripping the paper in half.
"It's not destined to be scripted, Miss Maine." Alden smirked.
"Oh my god, this is so much worse than a pageant Q&A portion," Maine uttered worriedly as she paced back and forth.
"Relax, Maine. Just leave it to me when the question is too tricky."
"How can you be so calm?"
"I'm calm because this is not play-pretend for me. Gusto naman talaga kitang mapangasawa. I'm going to work so hard until you say yes to me, so essentially, it's the truth."
"My goodness. Half-politican, half-poet. I am doomed, aren't I?"
"I've watched your beauty pageant stints on Youtube, you know. You can totally rock this. "
"That's a totally different scenario. That was a fight for the crown."
"But Maine, you are not here to fight anymore..."
"Huh?"
"Kasi...nanalo ka na." He stated, pointing at his heart.
They just stared at each other, flustered once more at how they were desperately trying to keep their feelings from resurfacing out of their comfort zones.
They were both relieved when the silence was interrupted by a knock on the door. A regal woman dressed in a casual gray dress peeked at the room and walked towards Maine, her face aglow with a smile.
"I am such a fan of yours," the woman held her hand tenderly.
"Mommy..." Alden muttered, scratching his nape and shrugging his head.
"Hala, hello po, tita! Pasensya na po I was not able to introduce myself sooner. Kumusta po?"
"Masayang-masaya, hija. I couldn't have wished for a better wife for Alden."
"Mommy!"
"And Alden is going to be a good husband to me because you and tito raised him very well. Salamat po."
Beside Maine, Alden could only clutch at his chest to pacify the swooning of his heart at her words.
"Anak, can I call you my anak? Can I hug you?"
The two most important women in Alden's life embraced each other. He wanted a word to describe the feeling of that moment but the love and gratefulness in front of his eyes was too precious to describe or define.
Rosario fished a black velvet box from inside her bag and opened it to reveal a well-kept family heirloom, the wedding ring of Alden's great-grandparents. She took the ring and handed it to Alden's palm.
"Sometimes we think that we cherish things to preserve a memory, but the truth is, we keep those so we can pass on our stories to someone else who will remember it for us when we're no longer here. This ring, anak, it is a story. A love story. Someday you will give Maine a ring of her own, but for the mean time, I hope this ring would suffice," Rosario told them in a hushed whisper. As if she understood exactly what was going on between the two.
And with a solemn, low voice, she told her son: "Kaya anak, pangalagaan mo ang ikalimang brilyante dahil dito nakasalaylay ang kaharian ng—"
"MOMMY!"
"Eh ang seryoso niyo kasing dalawa masyado! Loosen up, loves. Smile," she laughed.
Maine smiled and exhaled a sigh of relief. She noticed that Alden got his eyes from his mother. She wanted to tell the woman how grateful she was, but all she could manage at that moment was a tearful 'Salamat po, Mommy."
As Rosario motioned to exit the room, she turned around and gave them one final glimpse and reminder before heading out the door.
"Sa front door na kayo dumaan sa susunod, ha?" She winked.
***
"We are delighted to have you today, Maine and Alden. You two are both positively glowing!" The host exclaimed upon welcoming them at the beginning of the interview.
"Thank you po. Masarap po kasi mag-alaga si Miss Maine," Alden smiled.
Maine secretly pinched him on his side.
"Masarap po kasi siyang alagaan," she played along, smiling naturally because even though their setup was fake, their affection for each other was real.
"Grabe, it's been a while since I've seen a couple very much in love. You are such a stunning pair, nakakainggit! Can you tell us about your first impressions of each other?"
"Alden...Governor Alden looked like...someone who will willingly help anyone in need. He looked like someone I could trust," Maine answered in a heartbeat.
"And Alden, what was your first impression of Maine?"
"She looked like a mermaid,"
"Ano ba, Alden!" Maine smacked him on the arm.
"Sorry na love, sorry. Hahaha." Alden apologized, taking her hand in his.
"Maine looked like...everything I want in a woman," he finally answered earnestly.
The studio audience collectively squealed and gushed.
"And how did you know when to take your relationship to the next level? How were you sure that she's the one?"
"I rarely admit this, but I've always been jealous. Of people who bravely commit themselves into relationships . It's a lot more terrifying than working for the government, actually. A governnment position has a term limit, but relationships? It's a lifetime deal. And Maine...was the first and only person who changed my perspective about it. Suddenly, it's not so scary anymore. She makes me look forward to the future. I cannot picture anyone else to spend anniversaries with until we grow old. She's the one for me. Parang di ko na maimagine yung buhay ko pag wala siya." Alden stated, looking directly into Maine's eyes.
"Oh my goodness, that was very romantic of you, Governor Alden! And what about you, Maine? What made you decide that you want to spend the rest of your life with Alden?"
Maine took a deep breath and held Alden's hand even tighter.
"Pag kasi kasama ko si Alden, I feel that I am a better, stronger person. He makes me feel that I am more important than whatever happened in my past. He believes that my failures do not define me. I learned to love and appreciate myself more after getting to know him. All those struggles and bad memories I had in the past, I can now leave behind with a grateful heart. When I look at Alden, I think: buti na lang, I held on. Buti na lang kinaya ko. Buti na lang, I waited and kept the faith. Kasi, whenever he looks at me, naiisip ko: sulit lahat ng hirap. Kasi nandito na siya."
"I think that's even better than your answer during the Miss Universe Q&A, Maine. In love talaga kayo sa isa't isa no? My gosh," the host commented.
They both blushed, realizing that even though they were well aware of each other's attraction, they've never really explicitly exchanged 'I love you's yet.
"How is Maine Mendoza as a girlfriend, Alden?"
"Medyo nakakafrustrate siya as a girlfriend, to be honest po."
"And why is that?"
"Kasi hindi niya alam how beautiful she is. How smart she is. How strong she is. How proud I am of her. She's her own worst critic, so she can be ruthlessly harsh with herself at times. Nakakainis kasi alam niyo po yung ganung feeling? Parang hindi niya naiintindihan kung gaano siya kahalaga sa akin,"
"Puso mo, Gov. Sorry na...love." Maine jokingly calmed him down.
"Let's hear it from Maine, this time, then. Paano magmahal ang isang Alden Faulkerson?"
"Mas nakakafrustrate po siya!"
"Competitive siguro kayong dalawa, no?" The host laughed.
"Eh kasi po eh. Grabe siya magmahal. I feel so overwhelmed at times, parang, will I ever be deserving of him? Minsan parang unfair na, kasi I want to do things for him too...pero nakakafrustrate kasi parang I cannot equal his efforts. He takes care of me so well. Sana he'll let me do the same to him."
"I'm pretty sure a lot of people are swooning right now in front of their TV screens at your beautiful love story. Pero there are also some people, alam niyo na, yung mga bitter who can't be happy about other people's happiness. Do you guys have any message for them?"
"You can hate me all you want, but if you say anything hateful against my fiancee, ito lang: I pity you. Because you've never had a chance to see upclose and witness personally how wonderful a woman she is. She's hot , but she's more than that. She's got the warmest heart I've ever known. You don't know Maine, you will never become Maine."
"And Maine, what about those girls pining after Alden? What do you like to tell them?"
"I'll just keep it short and sweet na lang po since Alden and I really have no time and energy to give these haters attention, honestly. They can say whatever they want, pakielam namin? We're happy, and that's what matters. Hindi lang ako nagsasalita pero, sa mga ano dyan...know your limits!"
And with a beautiful flip of her hair, her pretty smile and a straight eye on the camera, Maine concluded:
"Please don't take it personally po pero kahit agawin niyo man sa akin ang buong universe, akin pa rin ang Laguna."
Alden kissed her on the cheek proudly.
**
The next couple of days flew by, punctuated only by Alden's periodic unrequited text messages to Maine. He calls her in the mornings and in the evenings to check how her day was, and to tell her he misses her, always interjecting the possibility of reconciliation at every chance he gets.
He always tells her before hanging up, that he'll wait for her no matter what.
Every day, Maine was one step closer to believing that she could get used to this.
7:16 AM
Good Morning, Miss Maine. Ti Amo.
7:23 AM
Nagbreakfast ka na ba?
12: 02 PM
Miss na kita, Miss Universe. Kain ng marami for lunch, ha? Je t'aime
12:03 PM
I'm eating pizza right now and I remembered you. I think pizza will always remind me of you
4:37 PM
Merienda! Eating isaw right now and thought of you again
4:38 PM
Alam mo I just remembered this place that serves really good Turon. We should go there sometime.
4:39 PM
Pwede ba ako tumawag ulit, Miss Maine? Gusto ko lang marinig boses mo please.
"Hello?"
"Hello. Saranghae!"
"What the hell is that, Gov?"
"It's the Korean word for I love you,"
"Oh. So ano 'to, United Nations of I love Yous, ganun?"
"Parang ganun na nga. Para di ka maumay hehe."
"Speaking of umay, why do you keep texting me about food?"
"I don't know, Miss Maine. Why does food remind me so much of you?"
"Kasi masarap ako?"
"ANO???"
"Shit, sorry, wala."
"Miss Maine. Masama bang mamiss ang ex ko?"
"Namimiss din kita..."
"Tayo na lang kasi ulit."
"Malay mo. Soon."
"NAKAKAINIS KASI BAKIT AYAW MO MAGTEXT, HINDI KO TULOY MASCREENSHOT YUNG SINABI MO!"
"HUMINAHON KA GOV!"
"Miss Maine..."
"Alden...would you like to go on a date with me next Thursday?"
"MAGKAKABALIKAN NA BA TAYO SUSMARYOSEP????"
"Pag di ka kumalma, irereport kita sa police."
"Sorry na, sorry. Jusko. I just can't contain my excitement. Gusto na rin kasi kitang makita ulit."
"Three days ago pa lang since huli tayong nagkita, Gov."
"Three days ago na akong kalahati, Miss Maine."
"Three days na rin akong...kalahati, Alden."
"So...Thursday?"
"Thursday."
"Okay. Ingat ka lagi, Maine. Thank you for letting me hear your voice."
"Thank you, Alden. See you."
"Oh, and Maine...before you hang up..."
"Yeah?"
"Oo. Masarap ka."
An hour later, Maine's photoshoot wrapped up and she began packing up her things along with the rest of the staff. Just as she was about to step out of the studio, Jerald told her that someone was looking for her outside.
For a brief moment, Maine's heart throbbed in sheer panic at the thought that Alden might've dropped by to visit her. But her hopes were swiftly dashed because it was the person she was least expecting to see.
Lianne walked towards her with a hostile, artificial grin on her face.
"Can we talk?"