AMA-Con: The Compilation

Fix You

Written by: annamacarena

Prompt: 1920's, Coldplay Song, Stockholm Syndrome (you can choose two out of the three elements given)

Prompt by: @thefangirlbynight

***

"Alden? Alden, ano ba! Buksan mo ang pinto!"

Maine Mendoza said, continuously hitting the door in front of her with the palm of her hand. Her ex-boyfriend, Richard "Alden" Faulkerson Jr., was holding her captive for reasons she knew nothing about.

Maine has been in isolation for over two days already, and she couldn't help but worry about her safety, even if she knew that Alden would never do anything bad to her. She knew him long enough to realize that maybe, him taking her into captivity, was all because of the sudden break up that had happened over a week ago.

Alden and Maine have been in a relationship ever since they were in high school. Everybody was so jealous of their relationship because it was close to perfect. They were always happy, they never really fought over anything they couldn't fix and they were just great for each other. The people around them actually thought that the wedding bells were coming soon, but they were wrong.

Maine had decided to call it quits because she was planning to go overseas to look for a job, and being in a relationship while doing so, wasn't going to give her an upper hand on things. Though it hurt her to end a relationship she has treasured ever so dearly, it was the right thing to do. She didn't want to keep Alden waiting her, most especially with her knowing that anything can happen overseas. Maine wanted to spare him from all the hurt.

"Alden? Alden, alam kong nandiyan ka. Please, pakawalan mo na 'ko dito. Nag-aalala na ang pamilya ko sa 'kin. Alden, please. Pauwiin mo na ko.." Maine was close to tears.

"Huwag kang mag-alala." Alden said. "Hindi naman nag-aalala ang pamilya mo sa'yo dahil tinawagan ko na sila. Alam nilang magkasama tayo."

Tears flowed from Maine's eyes. She couldn't take this anymore.

"Alden, ano ba talaga ang gusto mo!" She stood up and kicked the door. "Ano ba talaga ang gusto mo sa 'kin? Akala ko ba mahal mo ko! Bakit mo ko pinahihirapan!"

Alden stood up from where he was seated and approached the door that was separating him and Maine.

"Ang lakas naman ng loob mong sabihin sa 'kin 'yan." He said, bitterly. "Pagkatapos mong tapakan at durog-durugin ang puso ko, ikaw pa ngayon ang may lakas ng loob na magtanong kung bakit pinapahirapan kita."

"Maswerte ka nga't nandiyan ka lang sa kwarto eh. Aircon, makakanood ka ng tv. Hindi nga kita sinasaktan, o ano."

"Hindi naman 'yun ang punto ko." Maine said. "Bakit ba kailangan pang humantong ang lahat sa ganito? Na kailangan mo pa akong kidnapin?"

"Dahil kung dinadaan kita sa matinong usapan, hindi ka naman sumasagot."

Maine was silent for a while. She knew Alden had a point. He had constantly been sending her text messages and calling her, asking if they could talk about everything that had happened recently, but she would always act as if he didn't exist in her world. It was then that Maine realized that maybe she had brought this captivity to herself.

"Hindi mo ba naiintindihan? I'm trying to move on." Maine said. "Sa tingin mo ba, kung makikita kita, makaka-move on ako?"

Suddenly, Alden could take the frustration that was starting to build in his chest. He opened the door that was separating him and Maine, and looked at her, with anger and sadness in his eyes.

"Pagkatapos ng lahat ng pinagdaanan natin, is this how we part?" Alden said, tears forming in his eyes. "Sa totoo lang, hindi ko talaga alam kung saan ako nagkulang, kung saan ako nagkamali. Minahal naman kita ng buong buo. Binigay ko ang lahat ng gusto mo, I changed what you didn't like about me, pero hindi pa ba talaga sapat ang lahat ng 'yun para hindi mo ko iwan. Ha, Maine?" He added, gently shaking her.

"Ang lahat ng sinabi mo, Den.. 'yun ang dahilan kung bakit kailangan kitang iwan." Maine replied. "Kailangan kitang iwan, dahil ayokong masaktan ka pa. Alden, aalis ako papuntang States para maghanap ng trabaho, to find my niche. Den, hindi ko alam kung anung mangyayari sa 'kin dun, kung marami akong makikilala, kung magiging maganda ba or mahirap ang buhay ko 'dun, at ayokong hintayin mo ko, dahil baka.. hindi na ako bumalik."

Alden's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Ano ba ang nangyayari sa 'yo? Hindi ito ang Maine na kilala ko. Ang Maine na kilala ko masaya sa buhay niya dito sa Pilipinas, masaya sa piling ko. Ano ba ang nangyayari sa'yo?"

Maine had to look away. She didn't even know herself enough to answer Alden's question. She has never been this confused in her entire life, and there was one thing that she had to do to find herself again, and that's to go away. Go far, far away.

"Alden," Maine said, caressing his face. "Alam kong ang hirap kong intindihin ngayon. Kahit ako nga, nahihirapang intindihin ang sarili ko. Siguro, hindi lang talaga ako masaya ngayon at kailangan ko lang talagang hanapin ang sarili ko. Den, hindi ikaw ang may problema, kundi ako. Sorry kung hiniwalayan kita. Sorry kung sinaktan kita. Pero ito lang talaga ang natatanging paraan na naiisip ko para hindi ka na mahirapan, dahil habang hinahanap ko ang sarili ko, hindi ko maiibigay ng buong buong ang puso ko sa'yo. And that would be so unfair to a man who has loved so much. Pero, Alden, maniwala ka man o sa hindi, mahal na mahal talaga kita." Maine sobbed.

"Sssssh.." Alden said, wiping the tears that were running down Maine's cheeks. "Wag ka ng umiyak. Naiintindihan na kita ngayon." He added. "Pero ang desisyong tuluyan kang mahalin kahit na hindi mo maiibigay ang puso mo ng buong buo, nasa akin na 'yun."

"Pero Alden.."

"Maine, makinig ka." Alden said. "I will give you all the time that you need. Kung kailangan mo talagang magpakalayo-layo, ibibigay ko 'yan sa'yo. You won't hear a word from me. Ang sa akin lang, hayaan mo kong mahalin kita. Hayaan mong hintayin ko ang tamang panahon para sa ating dalawa. Kung darating man 'yun, everything was worth the wait. Pero kung hindi, at least masasabing kong minahal ko ang isang babaeng, minsa'y nagpasaya sa 'kin at nagparamdam kung ano talaga ang ibig sabihin nga langit dito sa lupa."

"Alden," Maine said, caressing his face. "I hope I find my way back to you."

"I know you will, Maine." Alden said, leaving a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I know you will."