That Thing Called "Kilig"

Chapter 9.1 - Closer

Alden's POV

It has been 2 days since I last saw Maine, and the segments on Eat Bulaga were actually good and awesome. Since then, I stalked Maine's instagram and Twitter in the middle of the night, probably at 1 am. I accidentally pressed the 'like' button on her tweet 4 months ago. Hay Alden. Pahamak kang gwapo ka, inis!

I tried to unlike it, but it would just seem like I was playing with her. I-ooff ko na sana ang phone ko, when someone messaged me on twitter.

DM: @mainedcm
Hi stalker.

This is it.

@aldenrichards02: I am? Woah.

@mainedcm: Stalkerrr!!!

@aldenrichards02: Ok fine, I give up.

Come on, Alden. You need to get her number, or else, ikaw rin ang magsisisi.

@aldenrichards02: Ay Maine. Ms. Dianne said that I should ask for your number, since... nawala daw phone niya. And I need to pass it to her..

And she didn't replied. Ok, I lied. Ms. Dianne's phone is perfectly fine, and nothing has been robbed. I went downstairs to drink some water, and went back to my room again. I stared at my phone blankly for merely a minute, and then it began to rang. On the screen, an unknown number was calling me. And so I answered it.

"Hello?"

"Oh! Um. Hello! It's me -- " It was obviously Maine. Ay ang ganda ng boses niya. But, how did she knew my number?

"Hi Maine. How are you?" It felt like music to my ears. Her giggles and chuckles, Oh God.

"I'm in California --- " Ano? Bat siya nasa California?

"Hoy Dylan! Patayin mo nga yung music! Nakita mong may kausap yung tao eh." I heard Maine scold her brother.

"Ate naman eh! Si Adele to oh! Grabe siya!" Her brother teased, and he seem to like Adele's Hello.

"Hello, Alden? Sorry ha! You know my brother is really annoying. Are you still there?"

"Yes, still here. So. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For giving me your number." I uttered and she laughed.

"I just called you." She laughed again. And yet, there was still awkwardness in between. I was about to speak when she talked in all of a sudden.

"Did Ms. Dianne really lost her phone?" She sounded worried from the other line.

"Uhhh, yeah. It was um... told to me by Nate. Oh. It was horrible." My voice became shaky and all. Lord, I am really sorry for lying.

"That was sad. I was just talking to her a few hours ago. Iba talaga ang iPhone. Kakaiba ang charm. Hahaha." She giggled.

---

I told Maine that I still have a photoshoot tomorrow, perhaps today, so I needed to call it a day. She also said that she has a schedule later morning, and so I slept after we both bid our goodbyes.

I woke up and straightly went downstairs like a lad who got his favorite toy car. I was merely happy, and no intentions of having the qualm feeling passed my way. Dad was eyeing me, and I guess he also noticed.

By the time I finished my daily rituals, I bid my goodbyes to Riza and Dad. I immediately swoosh in the car and drove like nothing's gonna stop me now.

"Hoy Alden!" Nate screamed in a whisper while I got off from the car.

"Wazzup, manager?" I smiled.

"Kaloka ka! Anong pinagsasabi mo kay Maine? Na sinabi ko na nawala yung phone ni Ms. Dianne! Huwaw!" He imitated Lola Nidora's babalu-voice. And that's when I remembered it.

"Eh.. Ms. Nate, sorry na. Gusto ko lang naman makuha number niya eh."

"Ganoin?! Sana man lang tinawagan mo na lang si Ms. Dianne para nalaman mo diba?"

"Ayoko ng ganun. I mean, I want our communication to be private." I defended, but Nate sighed deeply.

"Teka lang! Pano mo nga pala nalaman na nag-usap kami ni Maine about that?" I went curious.

Nate's eyes widened. Sabi ko na nga ba eh. "YOU HAVE HER NUMBER?!" I screamed to the top of my lungs, causing other people to look at us. I pulled him under a tree in the venue, and there we talked.

"Di mo man lang sinabi sa akin, Ms Nate?"

"Hoy! Fyi, kung tunay kang lalaki, dapat, nagtatanong at nagiimbestiga ka! Hindi yung kung kani-kanino ka nalang aasa!"

"Pano na yan! Kaloka ka, Alden! Buti nalang natuwa pa si Ms. D sa ginawa mo at kinilig kilig pa." He added.

"Talaga?" My eyes squinted. Akalain mong may natuwa sa pagsisinungaling ko.

"Oo! Sabi niya okay lang daw, since ang benefit is for the both of you and Maine. But sana daw, hindi talaga mawala ang phone niya!"

"Well, I guess everything is fine na pala. Tara na Ms. Nate?" I willingly smiled and showed off my dimple.

He tried to feel irritated, but he just walked before me. "Kung di ka lang gwapo, pinagsasampal na kita." I heard him say and I just chuckled.

---

"Okay... Breaktime, 30 minutes!" someone shouted, probably the head. Ay malamang Alden, alangan namang janitor ang magsisisigaw nun.

I took my phone out of Nate's bag: with permission, of course. Then I saw a text from Maine.

From: Maine

Stalker na nga, liar pa.

I smiled like an idiot and typed.

To: Maine

I'm sorry.

I sent and I didn't noticed that Nate was actually beside me. "How sweet naman yan." He whispered into my ear that gave me cold chills to the spine.

"Ay nako. Chismoso." I teased him and made a bleh face to him.

"Di ka pa nasanay sa 5 years nating pagsasama? Huwaw naman oy!"

We both laughed and hit each other's arm like it's the end of the world.

"Well... well... well... if it isn't you again, Mr. Richards." Upon hearing that voice, Nate and I started to glanced at each other. We were on different phases. Nate was facing me as he is leaning his back on the desk, and I am facing him, standing still.

When I mouthed Nate Who is that? , not trying to look at my back, Nate mouthed yung Gaga!

And without a doubt, I knew it was her.

Julie Anne.

A/N: THANK U SO MUCH FOR MORE THAN 2K READS! ALDUB YOU GUYS. BELATED MERRY CHRISTMAS AND ADVANCE HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)