Boomerang

Alden [4]

July 16, 2016, 6:37 pm

"Well, yeah. Divina said I keep comparing her to you. And maybe I was."

"Why would you do that?" she asks him, genuinely curious.

"I don't know. I guess all along ikaw lang ang hinahanap ng puso ko. And she was right. It's always been you." Alden explains, gazing at her.

Maine meets his gaze with anguish as his eyes pleads with her. "Ok, so anong gusto mong mangyari, Alden?"

Alden is mildly surprised at her question. He doesn't expect their conversation to get to this part this early. "Well, Maine, if you would have me again, I'd like to have another chance with you. With us." He prayed for this moment since Divina made him realized the truth. He hopes he is not too late.

Maine's eyes widen at this but she quickly regains her composure and clears her throat. "Alden, getting over you was the hardest thing I ever have to do. It took me two miserable years to move on from you. To get to where I am now." She speaks matter-of-factly. "I had to pick myself up again without anyone to help me because you dropped me just like that, Alden," Maine says, snapping her fingers. "We were best friends, for God's sake. Ganon na lang yun after mong sabihin na di mo kayang wala ako sa buhay mo? Ang bilis magbago ng isip mo. What the hell happened?"

Alden looks at her with beseeching eyes. Maine gazes back at him, waiting to know the answer to the question that has haunted her for years. Alden opened his mouth, hesitates and closes it back again. He takes another deep breath then speaks, "Maine, I'm sorry. I never wanted to cut ties with you. Pero pinapili ako ni Divina. It's either you or her. And I chose her kasi alam ko maiintindihan mo ako in the end," he says, bowing his head in remorse. Siya ang pinili ko kasi akala ko sya ang mahal ko. Now, I realized na tama ka noon. Duwag ako."

"Just as I thought," she chuckles then shakes her head. "Have you ever felt that you were never enough?" She pauses and looks at him, waiting for him to answer. When he doesn't, she continues. "Ganon yung naramdaman ko nun. And I was right. I was never good enough for you kaya mas pinili mo sya."

"Of course not. You're more than enough for me. I just too stupid to see it then." He counters and reaches out for her hand on the table.

"Well, that's over and done with. Honestly, I don't think I could ever go through that again. Di ko na ata kakayanin yun, grabe. And thankfully, I don't have to anymore," she said with a certain happiness in her voice.

"Talaga?" He says astonished, as he stands up a tad too quickly that his chair almost toppled over. "Yes. You don't have to anymore because I'm back. I won't ever leave you again. Thank you, thank you! You're enough. You're more than enough! I'm sorry if it took me this long. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. I'm sorry. Thank you for giving us a chance. For giving me this chance to prove that's it's been you all these years. Thank you." He exclaims, almost without pause, almost at the brink of tears. He's so happy that he pulls Maine up to embrace her. Maine, however, does not respond, keeping her hands to her side.

"Alden..." Maine says hesitantly.

"I love you. I always have. I'm sorry I took you for granted. I'm sorry." He hugs her tighter, grateful at the second chance he thinks he got. He's already thinking of ways to make up for all those wasted years.

"Alden. No, that's not what I meant. Wala na. Hindi na magiging tayo. Wala namang tayo eh," she softly tells him. Alden pulls away, his eyes full of questions. "If you had told me this five or even three years ago, I would have said yes in a heartbeat. In a heartbeat, Pre."

"What? You said you don't have to? Hindi na talaga. Kasi andito na ko ulit, Pre. We're perfect for each other," he tells her, pleads with her, confused at what is happening. Alden can't hold back his tears anymore. He's stupid to think that she'll wait for him, that she'll want him back. Like she always used to back then. "Hindi na ba natin maibabalik yung dati. Am I too late?" He pleads again, tears shamelessly rolling down his cheeks.