"Gusto mo pa?" Alden asked Maine.
"No, thank you. Super busog na," she answered.
"Di mo nagustuhan?"
"Huy... nagustuhan ko kaya. Ang dami kong nakain."
"Hon, alukin mo nga ako," Dennis teased, shaking his head.
"Umayos ka nga," Jen laughed.
After dinner, they went to the garden to drink. A couple of shots later, Maine started loosening up.
"So... Mr. Sungit, magkwento ka naman," she said, turning to Alden.
"Ayan... Mr. Sungit ka tuloy."
"Sorry na..."
"Kwento...." Maine repeated.
"Anong ikukwento ko? Ikaw nalang, bakit dumalaw si JM?"
"Ayan tayo, Alden eh..." Jen commented.
"Dalaw?" Maine echoed him.
"Kanina, nakita ko s'ya palabas sa bahay mo pagdating ko."
"Ah... pinadala si Val yung nga flash drives. Val is my boss. JM lives sa Lilac... malapit lang dito."
"Ikaw, Alden, kailan ka lilipat?" Dennis teased.
He slid a bit from his position and drank from his bottle, never breaking eye contact with her.
"Nanliligaw ba sa 'yo si JM?"
"Dati..."
"Binusted na n'ya ng sampung beses, wag ka na mag-alala," Jen answered.
"Baka umaasa pa," Alden said.
"JM is a good person. He's got my back and everything, but I just don't find him..."
"You don't find him what?" Alden asked.
"Sexy," Maine said, making Dennis cough.
"Ano bang sexy sa 'yo?" Alden asked, looking her straight in the eye.
Maine laughed and shook her head.
"What?"
"Basta..."
"Anong basta?" Alden probed.
"Wala... 'yung ano..."
"Ano?"
Jen and Dennis were waiting too, both elbows on the table, anticipating Maine's answer.
"Yung parang wawalanghiyain ka," she blurted out.
"Apir tayo d'yan," Jen seconded.
"Hon, halika na, wawalanghiyain na kita sa taas," Dennis joked.
"Walangya ka," Jen threw a tissue at him.
"Pero hindi nga... ayun... di ko naman s'ya binusted ng todo todo. But he asked me out twice... the first-time nag-excuse lang ako, second time I really said no I don't want. Tapos tinanong n'ya ako ng diretso and I said I don't see him that way. Pero good friends kami... naghahanap nga ng date sa akin."
"Sana nga," Alden said under his breath.
"Eh ikaw naman?" Dennis asked Alden.
"Anong ako?"
"Ano naman ang sexy sa 'yo?" Jen followed through.
"Bakit napunta sa akin 'yan?"
"Sagutin mo...." Dennis insisted.
"Hmmm..."
"Ano na?"
"Yung, soft features, pero lalabas sa gabi may dalang kutsilyo sa dalawang kamay," he answered, making Maine cough while drinking.
"Langya, kailangan nangyari ito?" Dennis asked.
"Wag ka maniwala d'yan," Maine said defensively.
"Anong 'wag maniwala? Wala naman akong sinabi."
"Ayan na tayo eh... sige na. Ituloy n'yo na 'yan sa bahay ni Maine. Inaantok na kami ni Hon," Dennis said.
—————
"What do you want to drink?" Maine asked as they entered her house.
"Inom ka pa?" Alden asked.
"Depende... ikaw ba?"
"Game."
A few minutes later, his arm was around Maine's shoulders, and she was resting her head against his arm.
"Wag ka munang mag-boboyfriend ah..."
"Yes, Dad," Maine said, laughing. "Ano ka ba? Bakit ka ganyan magsalita?"
"Sorry na..."
"We can be good friends too, you know?"
Alden did not respond. Instead, he rested his well on the sofa as well and closed his eyes. The truth is, he knew friendship is the last thing on his mind, but he could not bring himself to ask for more than friendship.
"Okay ka lang?" she asked.
"Yup..."
"Umiikot ang mundo," Maine said.
"Naparami ka ng inom."
"Kaya mo bang magdrive?" She asked.
"Ako pa," he answered.
"Wag na muna... dito ka na lang sa isang room. Baka ma-checkpoint ka pa, meron sa may libis 'di ba?"
"Dito nalang ako sa sala..."
"Doon na sa taas."
"Bakit ba?"
"Ano, matutulog ka ng nakapants?"
He laughed at her.
"Di ba ako pwedeng maghubad dito?"
"No!"
"Joke lang... message ko si Dennis. Pag sumagot, lilipat ako sa kanila."
"Okay," Maine said and tried standing up, but failed.
"Ikukuha kita ang tubig," Alden said and walked to the kitchen.
Ten minutes later, Maine was able to stand without falling, so she went to the restroom to freshen up. She came back and cleaned the table up.
"Sumagot si Dennis?" She asked.
"Walang reply."
"Halika, akyat ka na."
When they got to the room, she took a blanket from the cabinet and a clean white shirt.
"Give-away shirt. Sana kasya," she told him. "Dito 'yung restroom."
"Thanks."
He was about to switch the light on, but she turned the opposite direction, she got trapped between Alden and the door frame.
She let out a funny sound.
"Nasaktan ka?" He asked, stroking her hair away from her face.
"No," she answered, looking at his dark eyes.
He slowly inched closer to her, closing the gap between their lips. It was a quick peck, but it sent shivers down his spine. With eyes still closed, he claimed her lips for the second time, making her moan in his mouth, it drove him crazy, he had to pull away.
"I'm sorry," he said, before letting her go.
