In Between Takes

take 31

A/N: Change in chapters. Chapter 35 onward would be five years later. A lot of changes. Just warning you beforehand. Those chapters aren't all nice. 

Ps. Alden really does this. *sigh*

--

They have another EB episode to shoot, kaya naman nasa Broadway si Maine, and was having lunch along with the other Dabarkads. She was seated across Alden and next to him sat... Philip.

She can't forget the banana incident, and she stopped herself from staring at Alden as he ate with the dog. Okay, she gets it. Alden loves dogs to the point he can forget everything else around him - including her, sadly - if he started cuddling and playing with them. Para ngang bunsong kapatid kung i-trato nya ang mga ito.

So Maine shrugged, focusing on her food. Everyone was chatting happily and she could only stare how Allan tell Pia and Ruby how his day yesterday went smoothly, as if they were family bonded by blood.

But she knew they were family already; slowly and sweetly, she's becoming a member.

"Meng, ang sama ni Alden, 'no?" Allan teased, causing her to look his way. "Pinagpapalit ka sa aso."

It looked like the culprit didn't hear anything. "Oo nga po eh," nakisakay sya. "Mas mahalaga yata 'yung aso."

"Okay lang, hindi naman nya ninanakawan ng halik 'yung -" Allan stopped midway, seeing how Alden nuzzled Philip's face, getting licked in the process. The host gave an awkward smile, realizing how wrong he was. "Joke lang pala."

Although it was a bit inappropriate for her side to see Alden being kissed by a dog (with the same cheeks that rubbed with hers a while ago), she kept on chewing her food, only to choke herself as Maine saw Alden commit the deed. In front of her, Alden just used his own fork to feed Philip a small chunk of meat from his meal... and resumed eating, like nothing happened.

Like he didn't use his own fork to feed his pet. Like his pet and him had the same taste buds and tongue and the enzymes in their saliva were the same.

Like he wasn't eating in front of other people.

She slammed her utensils on the table, surprising everyone else present. "Alden," she exclaimed. "Anong ginagawa mo?!"

"What?" The man blinked at her innocently. 

"Oh my gosh," she huffed. "You just don't confuse people with dogs, Alden!"

Silence followed, until Allan, Ruby, and Pia's face broke into laughter. "Kita mo na, Alden!" Allan commented. "Pati si Maine nawe-weirduhan na sa 'yo!"

He stared at them one by one, and finally, stopped to stare at her face, his own still void of any emotion but naivety. Tiningnan nya lang ang dalaga na parang wala syang ginagawang masama. Ano bang ginawa nya? Ginamit lang naman nya 'yung tinidor niya para pakainin si Philip. And?

"Bakit?" Kumunot ang noo nya. "Masama ba 'yun?"

"Hindi," Maine glared at him. "Kung hindi ko nakita."

Alden almost pouted, but went back to his food. Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto na namang pakikipaglaro sa aso habang kumakain, nakita ni Maine na akmang gagamitin ulit ng binata ang sariling tinidor ang aso - and to stop him, she used her own fork to lightly hit his forehead.

"Ow!" Marahan nyang hinawakan ang parte ng noo kung saan sya tinamaan ng tinidor. "Para saan 'yon?!"

The young woman smirked. "Ikaw kasi, ang kulit mo! Isusubo mo na naman sa aso 'yung tinidor mo!"

"But it was Philip!"

"Philip's a dog!"

"And?!"

"And he's not your younger brother or sister na pwede mong pakainin gamit 'yung gamit mo anytime!" That would be the last, Maine thought, and she stood up as she finished her meal. Naglakad sya papunta kay Alden at kay Philip, at agad na kinuha ang aso. "Kumain ka dyan. Ako bahala dito sa aso."

Nginitian nya lang ang mga co-host na nakangiti rin sa kanilang dalawa, and Maine left Alden sulking.

"Wala ka pala 'nak, eh," she heard Ruby say, followed by a mocking laugh.

"Wala po talaga, 'nay Rubs," Alden finally surrendered. "Nagsalita na si Madam, eh."