Love, Anonymous (COMPLETED)

Chapter Two - Splitscreen Chemistry

Stay With Me

Oh, won't you stay with me?

Cause you're all I need,

This ain't love it's clear to see,

But darling, stay with me.

-Sam Smith  

MAINE

Her alarm rang promptly at 6:00 in the morning, Maine stopped the alarm and got up, even if it was her day off. Today was the day she and Tonette would be watching Eat Bulaga live, as guests of Alden Richards. She fought the idea at first, remembering how awkward she felt in his presence. But Tonette convinced her to go through with it, they would be in the audience gallery just to watch the show, and with the chaos inside the studio, it was doubtful if they would even see Alden. This thought assured her, sort of. The less she saw of him, the less awkward she would feel.

It was beginning to get warm, so she chose to wear denim shorts, sneakers and a striped top. She tied her thick mane in a ponytail, applied some blush, liptint and finished off with some powder and was off to pick up Tonette.

Despite her initial hesitation to go to Broadway, the excitement was now creeping into her system slowly. She wasn't really an avid fan of Alden but she did find him handsome. His looks transcended cuteness, he exuded a quiet confidence that made him seem more mature than his 24 years. Meeting him on the Vancouver flight to Manila a week ago was a treat she didn't expect. Up close, he looked younger and more approachable than on TV. He was so unassuming and, for lack of a better adjective, normal.

Tonette was practically giddy when Maine slowed to a halt in front of her condo. She was garbed in slimfit jeans, a black halter top and black heels. Her raven hair was in loose waves, her face fully made up. For a moment, Maine felt insecure with how she looked. She was dressed so casually, with almost no make-up, her face adorned by a single zit on the forehead that powder could not conceal. Tonette frowned at how she was dressed.

"Friend, alam kong mainit pero bakit parang pupuntang outing ang peg mo???" She reached into her bag and brought out a tube of lipstick and eyeliner. Quickly before Maine could protest, she grabbed Maine's jaw and applied matte rose lipstick on her lips and masterfully lined her eyelids with liquid eyeliner. She surveyed her work with satisfaction.

"Yaaannnn, mukhang tao ka na. Di mo ba naisip baka i-flash ang mukha mo onscreen? Dapat maganda ka, malay mo makita pa ni Miggy face mo on TV diba?"

At the mention of his name, Maine bit her lip. Her relationship with Miggy was in limbo ever since he visited her last year in October. He visited to formally ask her to be his girl for real, no more of the exclusively dating or MU foolishness that Maine used to describe them. But she turned him down, even though she knew she loved him. She couldn't explain why, but she felt it was wrong to continue their relationship, whatever it was called. For one, she didn't believe a long distance relationship would work, especially for someone as clingy as she was. She also didn't believe Miggy would care for her enough to abstain from giving in to temptation, from girls who were more accessible than she was. As far as she was concerned, the relationship was doomed to fail.

"Hindi nanonood ng Eat Bulaga yun," She said quietly, turned to face the wheel and shifted her gear to drive.

"Uyyy, sorry na. Ang daldal ko talaga, sorry. Excited lang ako. Smile na, napaganda na kita oh. Mamya ilugay mo hair mo ha."

"Yoko ang init-init. Hindi naman tayo makikita, I'm sure sa dami ng tao di tayo mapapansin."

But that's where she was wrong.