In Between Takes

take 14

Approximately twenty-four hours.

Approximately twenty-four hours had passed since he kindly asked Dean to give that necklace to Maine, and begged him not to say his name. Kunyari, anonymous.

But what he hated is the fact that Maine didn't even call him to confirm.

Hindi ba ako ang unang pumasok sa isip nya?

Of course. Bakit nga ba sya ang iisipin ni Maine na nagpadala noon agad? Sa kanya ba umiikot ang mundo ng dalaga? Hindi naman, 'di ba?

But you wanted it to.

That was so selfish on his part, though. Ni hindi nga ito nabanggit ni Maine during one of their photoshoots... that's why he wasn't talking to her. 

Really mature, Alden. Ang mature mo sa ginagawa mo.

She greeted his... hair. Iyon na nga eh. Pinansin lang ni Maine na may isang hibla na wala sa lugar. Iyon lang ang tanging binanggit ng dalaga sa panahon na magkasama sila.

Buti pa iyong buhok.

Samantalang sya? Wala.

He really sounded like a selfish bastard right now who wanted to hog all of her attention. What was wrong with him? Kay Julie naman,  kuntento na syang masdan ito mula sa malayo. Talking wasn't necessary. 

But with Maine? He wanted everything that she could possibly give.

He doesn't want to bring the dolphin necklace issue up, though. E 'di anonymous kung anonymous. If she hadn't mentioned that, even at least once, he'd rather be the silent fan of hers. Kunwari fan na lang na ayaw magpakilala.

Creepy stalker?

He shook his head. Nope, not that. Siguro stalker, because he's always wondering what Maine does, but was that considered creepy already?

He hoped not.

"Uy," Maine sat beside him. Finally. "Ang tahimik mo yata?"

"Hindi naman, pagod lang," he answered shortly, but in reality, his heart was slamming hard against his chest knowing she noticed him sulking. "Pagod lang talaga."

"Uminom ka ba ng vitamins mo?" She eyed him like a mother would, and he chuckled. Maine teased him about being overprotective, but now, she's the one who looked like a mother hen. "Baka nakalimutan mo na naman."

"Okay lang, nandyan ka naman," he teased. "Okay na 'yung Maine intake ko."

That was real, though.

"Parang sira 'to," Maine rolled her eyes. "I know I can be amusing at times but I can't give your body what it needed."

He knew she referred to his vitamins, but something about that sounded... hot.

Parang biglang uminit sa kwarto. 

Yes, there were lights around, and some were halogens. Nakakatakot talaga ang init kapag napadikit ka sa isa... but then Alden suddenly felt uneasy. Niluwagan nya ang suot sa bandang kwelyo, and Maine noticed his discomfort.

Uh-oh.

"Okay ka lang?" She scooped closer, and her right palm landed on his forehead. "Namumula ka."

And then suddenly it was just her, like when they did their first kiss during MBL. No one around seemed to be clear in his vision - just Nicomaine Dei Mendoza, her beautiful face, and her... lips.

No matter how hard he tried to control his gaze, it fell automatically on her plump lips. Asset 'yon talaga ni Maine, eh. Although the woman had constantly voiced out her insecurities about her abnormally huge lips and that she can't smile without looking like a horse, he thought otherwise.

He thought she was too gorgeous, a goddess, even - who descended the heavens in all her magnificent glory.

Or maybe a little devil, spawned from hell, who owned that sinfully good-looking face that makes him want to sin.

Maybe he stared at her lips a little too longer, because she moved away.

Now you're making her awkward. Way to go, Alden.

"O-okay ka lang ba?" Maine sounded nervous too, this time.

Did she feel that way, too?

He nodded, though, and excused himself. Good thing the shoot won't start in the next ten minutes, at nagpaalam sa staff. He needed time to think. He had almost kissed her and if she didn't move away, he could have done that in a split second.

Where's self-control when you needed it the most?

Napahilamos na lang sya sa mukha. Bahala na kung pagalitan ng make-up artist, pero frustrated sya, eh. Ano na lang ang susunod na mangyayari kung hinalikan nga nya si Maine? How would he explain himself? Wala naman syang excuse. They weren't shooting a kissing scene. 

And he groaned inwardly, because even the self-composed Alden Richards had started to lose himself around Nicomaine Mendoza.