Note: Please exercise discretion when reading.
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The following day, Alden found Maine's schedule to be free after taping. He was sitting in her condo, checking everything and nothing on her laptop and her notebooks. Hours passed as he read everything she had been researching - different apps that had been launched, studying how models do their poses, studying the lighting and the angles the photographer chose to use for a shot, learning how the other comedians did their work, reading the news to keep abreast with current events, searching for websites and getting numerous people gifts just because.
He was amazed. He usually gave her a lecture on how she could spend her time better with work and not wasting a single minute being unproductive. It is just now that he realised how much she had been trying to grow and find herself in the time she was not working with him.
A note in her handwriting caught his eye. "Maybe if I find what I'm good at, he'll finally start thinking I'm worth everything he sacrificed."
Not knowing what to make of it yet, he decided to drive and see Lola Linda.
His mind wandered to a moment when they were again fighting about his schedule. She was asking him to refuse one fiesta because he was already booked to another event at the other end of the country for that day. He got mad at her. He has said things like, "Hindi mo kasi naiintindihan why I work like this, kasi ikaw hindi mo naranasan magutom" or "Kaya nga balewala sayo hindi magtrabaho; sinasayang mo lahat ng offer."
Yes, he finally admitted that when they fought, he felt some bitterness at how easily fame came to her while he had to work hard for it, and yet he couldn't push forward at the pace he wanted because he was waiting for her. Then, on the next breath, he would feel guilty at this thoughts. He never wanted her to go hungry and didn't want to be by anyone else's side in this fame. But sometimes, he just wish she understood him more.
Then, it him him. She didn't have to. They weren't together anymore.
Just as he parked in front of the house in Laguna, he broke down and cried.
Lola Linda tapped on the window. "Menggay?"
"Lola."
"Pasok ka." Lola Linda ushered him into the garden, where she spoke to Maine the other night. "Dapat bang Rj ang itawag ko sayo?" She explained her conversation with Maine, and while she does not know how much to believe, she was taking it for now, though it was difficult to understand. "Bakit ka umiiyak?"
"'La, hiwalay na po kami ni Maine."
"Ginusto mo daw yan. Pumayag siya. Bakit iiyak iyak na ngayon?"
"Lola, masakit."
"Eh bakit mo gusto magbreak?"
He sighed. "Kasi Lola ang gulo na namin. Nakita niyo naman po parati kaming nag-aaway. Hindi na kami magkasundo."
"Ah ganun. Ngayon, pumayag na siya maghiwalay kayo di ba? O, bakit nag-iinarte ka naman ngayon?"
"Lola..."
"O? Ang gulo ano? Alam ko mahal mo siya. Napamahal na din sa akin si Menggay. Kaya Rj, kung ibang babae lang din ang pakakasalan mo, wag ka ng uuwi dito. Ay teka, pwede naman pala umuwi ka. Para araw araw kong pipingutin yang tenga mo."
He smiled through his tears. "Lola naman eh. Pero, papano ko aayusin 'to? Baka hindi na siya maniwala sa kin."
"May chance. Paghihirapan mo ulit. At kung bibigyan ka niya ng pagkakataon, utang ng loob, wag mo ng pakakawalan ulit." They were silent for a moment. "Ayusin mo, ha? Kausapin mo. Mahal ka pa nun."
He nodded. He didn't know how to fix things yet, but it should start with talking to her.
"Rj."
"Yes, Lola."
"Iyang pagpalit niyo ng katawan ni Meng... Gawin mo lahat para manatili ang pagka-gentleman mo ha? Kapag nalaman kong nagpapaka-manyak ka, iaalay ko yang ulo mo sa Tatay niya. Yung ulo sa taas at sa baba. Kay RD at Riza nalang ako maghihintay ng apo."
***
"Open up! Let me in, R... Meng. Let me in! Bilis."
Alden opened the door to see his disgruntled face. Maine was frantic. "Rj, someone leaked the break up. My social media, texts, calls haven't stopped since this morning."
"Pano?"
"I don't know yet! Sam is looking into it. Gahd. Rj, I haven't told my family yet na hiwalay na tayo. And with our situation, I just... I just don't want to deal with this right now."
They were called to an urgent meeting with their management teams and the network.
"Give it to us straight," Mr. Tuviera said. "Are you still together?"
"No." They replied and both teared up at the same time.
The GMA PR Head spoke up. "This is good for Alden's next project. We planned to start a rumour anyway, so here it is. It will generate press for the teleserye that's ongoing and start the news for the movie. Maybe it would be good to get some 'candid' shots of Alden kissing another girl?"
"Ako hahalik? Kagatin ko kaya labi ng ibang babae na yun?!" Maine protested at the same time Alden said, "Ayokong mag-kiss ng ibang babae!""
Everyone gave "Maine" a strange look. "Maine, of course hindi ka magkikiss ng ibang babae, we're not going for a change-of-your-preference angle here. But, we were thinking of a bad boy image for Alden this time around. His image has always been goody-two-shoes, walang magawang mali... For the new project, we need him to be darker, sexier."
"I can play the role without -" Alden said, but Maine interrupted. "I can play the role without that kind of stupid news. Kung gusto niyo talaga ng bad boy image ni Alden, I mean 'ko', maglalabas nalang kami ng scandal. Halika na, Mahal, gawa tayo ng sex video."
"Susmaryosep, magtigil ka nga." Alden said, which Mama Ten caught. He gave both of them a look but said nothing.
"Look, it will be good for you, too, Maine. There are already so many actors who want to work with you. I've been telling Mr. Tuviera just before you came in, many of our talents want to be your new love team. You can use this to be edgier as well, you know, kiss someone new onscreen -"
Alden grabbed the PR head by the collar. "Don't." He warned.
"MAINE. MY GOODNESS. RELAX. Bigla kang nagiging macho pag-galit."
Alden realized that he was still in Maine's body and her tiny frame was still holding the guy by the collar. "Sorry. Hayaan niyo muna kami mag-usap."
"Alden, Maine, what do you want us to tell the press."
Maine replied. "Nothing po, Mr. T. If it's all the same to you, we'll post something on social media. Dun naman kami sumikat talaga and whatever we decide, we'll put it there."
"Please trust Maine that she is the best to handle this on social media." Alden put in.
Mr. Tuviera's brows furrowed. "I don't know why you're suddenly referring to yourself in the third person, but yes I trust you, Maine."
"We need to go," Alden said to Maine. "Usap muna tayo."
She agreed. "Yes, pagusapan natin yung proposal ko na sex video."
