In Between Takes

take 48

Maine can't say no to a charity event.

Like Alden, she had chosen the charities she'll support. Sobra-sobrang dami ng blessings na dumating sa kanila noon and it's just right to give those back doon sa mga nangangailangan.

It just so happened that Alden brought someone else doon sa charity event na iyon... and well, she wasn't surprised that it was Zianne. Maine only agreed she'd go if there wouldn't be any journalist present. Walang column writer or magazine editor para magbato ng mga katanungan.

Well, she was wrong. The event was full of them at hindi na sya magkandaugaga. She thought there would be only photographers to cover the whole event. Turns out that the dinner was made public.

Wala na naman syang nagawa. Nauna syang dumating. Zianne pointed at her table (she was alone) when they arrived at doon naupo ang mga ito. So ang arrangement sa circular table would be Maine, Alden, and Zianne.

Hindi naman mahirap kausapin ang bagong katambal ni Alden. Just like the past meal, they would talk casually. Tungkol sa ganito, ganyan. But Maine can't help but to notice this: Zianne was calling him RJ.

It's her choice, actually. To stick with 'Alden' dahil doon naman nya nakilala ang binata, and there's no harm in letting it stay that way. Kaso nga lang, just by hearing someone else call him that... it feels different in an awkward kind of different. Iyon bang mapapatanong na lang sya kung bakit... hindi RJ ang tawag nya kay Alden.

Then in return, Alden calls Zianne 'Z'.

Ang sweet naman.

Hanggang sa dumating na sa punto na hindi na sya kasali sa usapan. She would occasionally glance at the two, but then she was forced to take out her phone. She kept on repeating to herself that it was work, work, work. Of course there would be pictures taken at ano nga bang kalalabasan ng teleserye noong dalawa kung sila ni Alden ang makikitang nag-uusap? That won't do him any good.

Iyon nga lang, syempre, hindi mo naman masisisi si Maine kung pakiramdam nya, iwan na iwan sya. She kept this half-smile plastered on her face para naman hindi sya mukhang napag-iiwanan nu'ng dalawa, just in case photos would be released (probably). 

Suddenly, she wished na sa bahay na lang sya nag-dinner with her phone.

It's for the kids, Maine. Usal nya sa sarili. It's for the kids. You're doing this for the kids who needed your financial support.

She didn't seem to have left the industry. The public's still hoping for their photos together. Paniguradong maraming pictures ang makukunan because ALDUB's together. Again. 

"Oh, Maine," puna ni Zianne. "Bakit ang tahimik mo? I know we dressed up for this but it doesn't mean we have to be stiff and formal about it!" She giggled. "Kamusta ka?"

Ito, kating-kati nang umuwi. "I'm okay," she answered simply.

Zianne snorted. "Hay nako. No one's gonna get interested with that kind of answer. Hindi ba nabo-bored si RJ sa 'yo?"

Maine gave no reply. P-paano nga kung nabo-bored na sya?

Leche naman Zianne, oh. Thank you, ha? Thank you for the doubts you've just planted on her mind.

"I'll never get bored of her," salo ni Alden. "Matagal na rin kasi since she attended this kind of events. Maine doesn't like cameras."

"She doesn't like cameras pero nag-artista sya?" Zianne rolled her eyes. "That was lame, baby."

Maine knew Zianne's kind of girls. Those smooth-talkers. They can call you babe, honey, baby and anything sweet but not mean it, but she felt her chest tighten. Iyon bang baby na ang sakit sa dibdib just because she doesn't get to call him that. Sure, they call each other mahal if they were joking around but they haven't decided on any permanent terms of endearment.