"How does he look? Mukha ba siyang masaya?"
"Hmm oo. Nakikipagtawanan dun sa best friend niya ba yan?"
"Bakit siya masaya? Doesn't he miss me?"
"Hmm mukhang may konting sadness din sa mata."
"Ha?! No. No. Ayoko siyang nalulungkot."
"Ay leche ka, Menggay," Trina threw a napkin at her friend. "Ang gulo mo ha!"
They were seated across each other at a cafe in their office building, when Trina spotted Alden going in the opposite cafe, with a friend.
Alden was Maine's boyfriend.
Sorry, ex - for about two weeks now.
"Sorry! It's just... I miss him. Hindi pa din ako makakain ng mabuti since we broke up. And sleeping is difficult without him," Maine pouted.
Maine and Alden had been together since college and when they both got jobs in offices in Makati and had sufficient savings, they decided to move in together, deciding to defer marriage.
It was a concession on Alden's part because he wanted them married first, but Maine had hesitations. "What if it doesn't work out? Can you imagine how bad the legal stuff is going to be? This way one of us can just move out!"
"Meng naman. Walang break up, break up with us! Aayusin natin lahat."
"Alden, I'm just not ready to get married."
They both, however, wanted to be together and Alden compromised and they moved in.
Three years into it, Maine turned to Alden one night while watching TV on the couch. "Ummm mahal?"
"Hmmm?" Alden asked, distracted with the news.
"I think I want to make this official."
"What?"
"This. Us."
"Ha? Halos ten years na tayong mag-boyfriend hindi pala tayo official?"
Maine chuckled. Climbing on top of him, "I've enjoyed being the rebel/bad girl living in sin with you, Mr. Richards, but I'm ready to be legally yours."
Alden's eyes widened at what she said.
That night ended with both of them very exhausted and Maine sore and marked in the most intimate places, basking in their bliss.
They didn't know that engagement would only last for two weeks. Their last two weeks.
*
"Nakatingin pa ba si Trina?" Alden asked Jerald, flashing his friend a toothy grin.
"Hindi na umalis na sila. Pwede mo na burahin yang fake smile mo."
Alden's shoulders slumped. "Gusto ko na umuwi kay Meng."
"Eh di umuwi ka! Sino ba naman kasi nagsabi sayo na gusto kitang ka-live in?" Jerald protested, jokingly.
Alden didn't laugh. He missed her - heck, he loved her still. But, after all he had compromised for her, she couldn't even concede on one thing.
"None? Not even one?!" He asked incredulously that night, two weeks ago.
"Alden naman. I don't think I'd be a good mom. You know how I worked hard for what I have and I like that we can travel when we can... a kid just doesn't fit in this picture. You know this!" Maine insisted.
To be fair, it was something she had always been transparent about. But, he thought, like with her stand on marriage, it was just something she would eventually change her mind about.
Alden understood her, but a child is something he has always wanted. A child with Maine.
"Alden, hindi ba talaga pwedeng tayo nalang? Just the two of us for the rest of our lives?"
"I want a child, Maine."
They were quiet for a few minutes before Alden said, "Sa guest room muna ako matutulog. I'll... I'll make arrangements to move out tomorrow."
"You're leaving me?"
Alden teared up at the memory of Maine's face that night. He hated hurting her but they were at odds on this important thing and he felt he needed to take a step back.
Especially because it was something he cannot compromise on.
"I miss her," he whispered again.
Jerald stared at his friend, whose eyes were cast downward. "Wala na bang pag-asa?"
—-
Note: Surprise!
Cheret.
So yeah, I'm no longer on Twitter and have unpublished a number of books here but suddenly wanted to write this prompt given a long time ago. (I don't know na her username here on WP so I'll update when I've found it)
Please be happy everyone! 😊
Update: changed the title and Prompt is from @nothilts
