In Between Takes

take 33

Maine was a strange being, Alden knew that... but he didn't know she would be this hard.

Naka-ilang padaan na kasi sya sa ibang tao kung anong gusto nito sa Valentine's. Knowing her, she wouldn't answer properly. Baka nga hilingin pa nito ang buwan at mga bituin sa kanya just to play around, and he had sent almost everyone possible. Nagtanong na si Miss A. Si Nay Rubs. Si Miss Pia. Pati si Tito Sen, nagtanong na! And what answer did they get?

Sorry po. Full po ang sched ko. May date po kami ng bed ko.

Sino namang matinong lugaw ang makikipagdate sa kama nya ngayong may special lomi sya, 'di ba? Like, hello? Alden almost waved his whole existence in front of Maine's face dahil malapit na ang araw ng mga puso tapos wala pa rin syang nakukuhang matinong sagot mula sa dalaga.

Kaunti na lang talaga. Gagamitin ko na 'yung pandang pampaswerte ko.

The only problem he had with Baste is (aside from being his rival when it comes to Yaya Dub's/Maine's attention) the kid's words are still unclear... at bakit naman magtatanong ang isang bata na nasa ganoong edad kung anong gusto ni Maine sa Valentine's?

Nope. Wala si Baste sa checklist ng mga Dabarkads na pwedeng magtanong.

Ngayon lang naman kasi sya ulit magse-celebrate ng February 14 after years. Last last last last year, wala syang dahilan. Last last last year, he was booked by an event that endorsed a date with the Alden Richards. Last last year, he didn't have the nerve to ask Julie out because obviously, the girl had plans with Elmo. Last year, he didn't bother and now this year... parang tinatakbuhan naman sya ng dalaga.

Ano bang meron sa mga puso at parang nilalayuan sya ng mga ito?

Hindi naman sa pinipilit nyang magcelebrate sila... hindi naman sila official, legal, lahat na ng may -al sa dulo. But then again, he wanted to do something special for her, even when he wanted to do it everyday.

Oh, kaya mo naman pala gawin araw-araw, bakit gusto mo pang gawin sa 14, Alden?

He shook his head. All this like-relationship they had is making him arti-arti than the person he usually was. E 'di kung gusto ng dalaga na sa bahay lang sya... e 'di okay.

Isa pa, he had let go of the dolphin necklace issue. (A/N: I'll post a picture soon so you'll have an idea what it looked like.) Hindi na rin sya nagsalita, at baka sabihin pa ni Maine na sinusumbat pa niya iyong mga binibigay nya... eh hindi naman sya pinilit.

Humingi pa nga sya ng tips kay Sam, eh... which is not a good idea at all. Smooth lang, Papi. Smooth. Casual na tanungan lang 'yan kung anong gusto ng babae sa Valentine's. Tingnan mo ako. Tinanong ko na lang sya bigla kung may free time sya sa Sunday.

Bakit? Anong sinagot sa 'yo ni Miss Patricia?

Wala raw syang balak na samahan ako kung saan ko gustong pumunta. Tawa.

Oh, tapos? Anong sinabi mo?

E 'di kung ayaw nya akong samahan, ako na lang ang sasama sa kanya. Para fair.

Tumawa rin si Alden. Parang sira talaga 'to.

Of course, Maine was another different story from Patricia. Ni hindi nga nya alam kung bakit may gumagawa ng kwento tungkol sa kanilang dalawa. Sige, kunwari, gusto nga nya si Patricia. Does he have the guts to steal the girl Sam had his eye on? Sobrang labo talaga ng mga ganu'ng tao.

But before noon, he ended up asking her. "Maine," he tried to hide the worry in his voice. Bakit ba sa lahat na magiging third party, kama pa nya? "Are you free on Sunday?"

Tinaasan lang sya ng kilay ng dalaga. "Alden, nandu'n ako kanina nu'ng tinanong ni Sam si Patricia... so that's not gonna work on me."

All his hopes fell, at parang hindi pa nakuntento ang dalaga sa pagsira sa kakarampot na pag-asang natira. "And no, I'm not free," she said nonchalantly. "I have plans."

"A-ano?" He almost choked. Akala ko ba magii-stay lang sya sa bahay maghapon?!

"With my bed," Maine added, as if pausing made her answer more dramatic. And it did. Just by looking at his reaction, she mentally gave herself a high-five. "Sorry, Alden."

"Ano bang meron sa kama mo?!" He can't help but to ask. Pinag-igib ba sya nu'ng kama nya?! Tinakbo ba nu'ng kama na 'yon ang EDSA? Nilabanan ba nu'ng kamang 'yon ang TSU?! "Why can't you even cancel your date?"

"Kasi nauna 'yung kama ko," Maine said, as a matter-of-fact. "E 'di kung ikaw ang naunang nagtanong, sa 'yo ako um-oo. Ikaw sana ang nag-occupy ng February 14 ko."

He can't forget the flirtatious smirk he almost missed when she turned around and playfully flipped her hair.

You'll see, Maine's bed. You'll see.