Back to You || Maiden/Aldub

f i f t e e n

Everything about her was beautiful. From the way she crinkled her nose when she laughed to when she absentmindedly licked her lips and tapped on her chin when she thought about something way too hard. There was just something about the tiny details about her that he find oh-so-admirable.

For most people, they saw her as a beautiful girl with a quick thinking sense of humor. But he saw far beyond that.

He saw her as someone who had a timid personality, yet an outrageous sense of humor - not to mention her hidden talents, here and there. A beauty all in one package. And if that wasn't enough, he also took notice that this girl had a heart far too big to fit in that small body of hers - going out of the way for anyone she cared about. No matter how hard it was for her, just seeing a smile on another's person's face was enough to make her happy.

He saw every small detail of her, ones that she probably didn't know about herself.

Alden saw her as Nicomaine Dei Capili Mendoza. Not as Maine, Meng, or Maine Mendoza. He saw her for her true self, not the one that fans or the media have portrayed her to be. And he loved her - something he would never admit out-loud. He loved every bit of her down to the tiny strand of her on her precious head.

He had so many opportunities to tell her how he truly felt for her and he blew it. And as each day passed this feeling of regret would kill him more and more.

But in his defense, at the time, it was the right thing to do. He had the right intentions.

"Hoy!" His co-star snapped his fingers in front of him, trying to grab his attention.

Since his talk, and split, with Rachel, his mind has been filled with nothing but the thought of the girl that had captured his heart nearly four years ago. No matter what he was doing, his body and actions were there but his thought was far off - thinking about the one and only Maine Mendoza.

Though, today, his mind was preoccupied with something different. It was still about her, no doubt. But usually he thought about what he could do to win her back - or at least her trust. No, today it was regret and reminiscence.

He didn't know what it was that provoked his thoughts to wander off to the negative aspect of all his actions that lead to his current situations to now. All he knew was that when he woke up, he felt a wave of guilt - almost making him nauseous at the thought of his previous decisions.

"Sorry," Alden shook his thoughts away. "Paki ulit, Je."

"GMA is having a benefit basketball game, you wanna join?" Jerald asked, for the second time. "Celebs versus PBA."

"Uh..." He thought aloud, chewing on his bottom lip.

"Kasama si Justin, karibal mo." Jerald added with a smirk.

Alden couldn't help but roll his eyes at him, letting out a soft chuckle. "I'm okay with him. Wala naman ginagawang masama ang tao."

Jerald gave his friend a look, not believing the act Alden was putting up. This was definitely not something he was used to seeing. Especially not when it came to a guy being linked to Maine. "Weh." He replied in disbelief.

Since Jerald could remember, Alden was very protective over Maine. There were many times when he would witness his co-star mutter a snide comment here and there when the media would playfully linik the other half of the loveteam with another leading man, aside from Alden.

Of course, many times Maine would brush it off with a laugh but Jerald saw, that though Alden claimed it to be a joke, the serious side of it.

They do say that a joke is half meant.