In Between Takes

new project: take 1

Epilogue

His forefinger and right thumb kept on repeating the slow motion and followed the same routine on his chin, as few stubbles had started to grow in place. Palagi nya iyong ginagawa whenever he's in deep thoughts, but today - today was the day.

He was finally shooting the last scene for the last project.

Hindi natuloy ang pagtigil niya sa pag-aartista. Well, that's a part of what they've talked about that wasn't shown to public. Na dapat ituloy nya ang pag-aartista, na dapat ituloy nya ang ginagawa kung saan masaya.

Do not quit acting. She had told him. At least you get to keep one thing that you love.

Because he didn't get to keep her.

Alden Richards, at thirty-two, kept his handsome face, and if possible, was made even handsome. He had grown and matured finely with age. The Alden-Zianne loveteam, which was labeled many, many names like ZiDen, AlZi, and sometimes, if one was humorous enough, AlAnne (which infuriated many ALDUB fans because it was Allan K. who first teased the two). 

Napapangiti na lang sya ngayon kapag naiisip. ALDUB. 

Probably the phenomena that changed his whole life.

At thirty-two, Alden kept his life stable, and could even keep a few tenants in. He invested in real estate projects and had now five different houses. He doesn't mention how many cars he owns, though.

Anyway, he had approached Nicolette for the past four years, even Nicoleen. Noong una, hindi pa nya alam kung paano kakausapin ang magkapatid, considering kung ano ang nangyari sa kanilang dalawa. But the two had been understanding, and even welcomed him in their humble abode.

She was happy with you. They had told him. Some things just have limits... and she could only take so much pain.

Was. He had noticed the usage of past tense. He smiled to himself; of course they were happy. Nothing could ever keep the lomi-lugaw tandem apart...

...except from themselves.

He had manage to convince Nicolette to continue the business, though, with him supporting it financially. Wala namang problema sa pera. Kailangan nga ba sya namroblema sa pera? He just wanted to complete what she had dreamed of. Obviously, her sisters had contact with her. Nakakita nga sya ng picture ng mga ito sa Instagram account ni Coleen, when the whole family once visited her.

They were happy.

She's happy.

And that's without me, he bitterly thought to himself. Sometimes he'd go selfish and succumb to the temptation. Magkano nga ba ang isang round ticket to New York? He could even probably ride a private plane and fly all the way to where she is today and beg her to come back. Beg her to give him the nth chance she was never tired of giving. Beg her and promise her he wouldn't make the same mistakes again.

But she was happy now, he'd tell himself, and if she was happy, then there would be no argument.

Nicomaine Mendoza was giving herself what Alden Richards couldn't.

Going back to the business, Nicomaine's had already extended to Nicodeim's, Nicoleen's, Nicolas', and finally, they opened Nicolette's up. During the ribbon cutting, he saw Coleen, talking with her through the phone, and although he was two seats away, he tried to get a glimpse of her face. Sadly, he didn't.