After Us

8.

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dedication for the next chapter will be depending on the comments!

8.

HIM

If there was anything that Alden was used to, it was rejection. From pageants, to TV projects to endorsements... to Maine. He was used to people saying 'no' to 'him and choosing someone or something over him. It hurt, yeah but eventually Alden just got used to it. Life's just like that. You win some, you lose some. Even though it's kind of hard to believe that people would still say 'no' to him despite being the Alden Richards. He kind of just expected the worst with people because that's much better than being let down and disappointed.

He received his invitation for the Asia Film Awards the same day he was told that his most recent movie (which was almost two years ago too) was nominated for 6 categories: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Film, Best Original Story and Best Original Soundtrack. Alden was ecstatic. It has been three years since his last movie with Maine, When We Were Young was made and a year since it was shown to the public. It took the movie almost three years because it had to give way to other mainstream films made by Maine and Alden. When We Were Young was a semi-independent film, written, directed and produced by none other than Tonet Jadaone. It was Tonet's baby since college and she just wanted to do this movie by herself and just a small circle of people. When the movie was shown to the public, Aldub was no longer a love team and the two already broke up. Maine was already an author and she attended the international premiere while Alden attended the local premiere alongside the other casts. Neither of them read any of the reviews for that movie. They knew that it broke records: 85 million on the first day and that Tonet was over the moon happy for the result of the whole film but other than that, they both tried their best to stay away. When We Were Young was their most favorite (and last) movie that they've ever done and it just hurts too much to remember. The movie was intimate and close to their hearts. Asia Film Awards is one of the biggest film festivals in Asia and it's a privilege to be invited—let alone be nominated. This year, the festival was going to be held in Manila. MOA Arena was going to be the venue and not only was Alden excited to be nominated; he was excited about the whole Asia Film Awards being set here in the Philippines.

Alden called Gabby an hour after receiving the invitation and learning about the nominations. He was excited to tell her the good news. Gabby was out and about in Batangas, hiking up the mountains with her friends from the States who was paying her a visit. He was giving her some time alone with her friends since they spend almost every day together when she's in the city but he couldn't help it; she was the first person he wants to tell the good news to.

"Hi, Jay. I'm cooking rice on a stove." Gabby said first thing as she picked up. Her voice was giggly, obviously finding the whole rice and stove thing pretty amusing.

For a split second, Alden forgot what he was going to say. The sound of Gabby's giggle distracted him like always.

"How are you?" He asked, sitting down on the couch in his living room. "At bakit ka nagluluto sa stove? Walang rice cooker?"

"I'm good. We're already at the top of the mountain. My friends are setting up our tents and I've been assigned to food—aw fuck that burns you little shit—but it's—"

"Ano nangyari? Are you okay?"

He can imagine Gabby rolling her eyes at him for being such a worry wart. Gabby let out a light chuckle and he heard some clinking of utensils on the other line.

"I'm fine but get this—we've managed to create fire through wood and now we're cooking rice on a stove. The locals let us borrow stuff along the way and it's just the coolest thing."