Bakit 'Di Na Lang Totohanin? (ALDUB-inspired)

Twenty-Five

DISCLAIMER: — see first chapter —

AUTHOR'S NOTE: At long last, after quite a long hiatus I finished this chapter. I know, I know, it's short so what's my excuse for delaying updating it, right? Let's just say that this past few weeks was a trying one since my muse is all over the place. Anyway, hope you enjoy this latest chapter. Thanks for your patience and as always read, review & share! hehehe

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

XXV.

Omnipresent POV

MAINE ARRIVED AT WORK THE NEXT DAY and was greeted by yet another gift from her anonymous admirer sitting right in the middle of her desk. This time it was a bouquet of fresh red roses that already came with a clear glass vase and beside it was a cute pink and white teddy bear with red hearts on its paws.

"Wow Maine ha, I'm in awe naman sa admirer mo. Hindi na pinadaan via the mailroom and diretso nang dinala sayo," she heard Ryzza say from behind her.

Maine jumped when she heard her spoke. She frowned and glanced at her watch. It was still too early for Ryzza to be doing her mail delivery run.

"What are you doing here?" Maine asked after she got her heartbeat back down to normal. She hates it when people just pop out of nowhere and scaring the life out of her.

"Napadaan lang to drop off a last-minute gift from yesterday," Ryzza answered.

Maine frowned. "Couldn't it wait until you start your usual round to be delivered?"

"I would've done that, pero inabot sa akin personally nung tao on my way out yesterday. Eh ayoko ng bumalik pa ulit sa mailroom so I just took the gift home with me and decided to drop it off as soon as I get in to work today," she explained.

"Makes sense," Maine agreed. "I take it the recipient is on this floor?"

Ryzza gave her a chubby-cheeked dimpled smile. Something about the way the younger woman was looking at Maine made the hairs at the back of her neck stood up.

"Bakit mo ako tinitignan ng ganyan?" Maine suddenly felt self-conscious because of the way Ryzza was looking at her, and that smile she had plastered on her face was nakakaloka. "Ryz?"

"As a matter of fact, the gift is for you," Ryzza answered and handed her another gift box, this time it was wrapped in gold with red ribbon wrapped around it.

Napatunganga lang si Maine whe she saw what Ryzza was handing to her. Napalingon siya agad to check on the present currently sitting on her desk then turned to look at the gift being handed to her.

"Are they from the same person?" Maine asked out loud.

"Malay ko," shrugged Ryzza.

"But you saw who gave this gift," Maine grabbed the box Ryzza was holding and held it aloft in front of the other woman, "can you tell me who gave this to you?"

"Sorry Maine, pero hindi yung admirer mo mismo ang nag-abot sa akin niyan. Napagutusan din lang yung tao," Ryzza answered.

And the plot thickens, Maine thought after she placed the second mystery gift on her desk. She thanked her co-worker and chatted for a bit until Ryzza was the one to cut off their chitchat to return back to the Mail Room.

Like the day before, Maine went about her day as usual, setting both mystery gift boxes aside and ignored it as much as possible. When Ike came in an hour later, he eyed the boxes on her desk quizzically but said nothing, and for that Maine was thankful. Ike's reaction to her mystery gifts were a bit curious; kahapon when he saw the first mystery gift he didn't say much about it, just inspected it then placed it back on her desk, tapos ngayon naman he just gave the gifts a funny look before disappearing in to his office.

Close to lunch time Maine was ready to leave for her promised lunch date with Jules when Ryzza surprised her for the second time today. She wasn't pushing her mail cart this time, but she was obviously holding a gift bag and based on the dimpled beaming smile the other woman was giving her, Maine guessed the gift bag was for her.

"Please tell me that's not for me," Maine begged.

"Sorry, Maine, but you seem to be a popular girl today," Ryzza grinned and dropped the glittered heart-shape gift bag on her desk. "And before you ask, a different person asked me to give this to you. And hindi rin siya ang person behind this gift," she said before Maine peppered her with questions as usual.

Maine eyed the gift bag and the other two gifts still sitting on her desk. She still hasn't opened the one she received the day before, and now meron na siyang tatlong idadagdag doon sa nakuha niya kahapon.

# # # # #

SA TOTOO LANG HA, nakakaloka kung sino man itong secret admirer ko," Maine confessed sounding frustrated and very much irate over this whole secret admirer thing. Jules and her met up for lunch at one of their favourite restaurants a block from the office.

"Buti ka nga eh merong secret admirer, ako lang ata ang walang natatanggap na gift from anyone sa department namin," Jules pouted as she opened the leather bound menu book.

"Gusto mo ipadala ko sayo yung mga gifts na pinadala sa akin?" Maine asked hopefully.

"Baka magalit yung nag-bigay sa iyo nun."

"So? He gave it to me so it's mine to do as I wish with it," sagot naman ni Maine.

"Taray," Jules teased.

Maine met the other woman's gaze and they both dissolved in girlish giggles.

"But seriously, do you have any idea who sent you those gifts?" Jules asked once they stopped giggling.

"Nope. At first I thought si Alden ang nagpadala, but he was insistent na hindi siya ang Secret Admirer ko."

"Sure ka?"

"Sure na sure," Maine nodded. "Besides, Alden and I agreed na we are not giving each other anything for Valentines kasi it's just a propaganda filled holiday created by Hallmark and flower shops to earn extra bit of cash around this time of the year."

"Baka nagpapalusot lang yon."

Maine cocked an eyebrow. "And why would he go through such lengths to hide the fact na siya ang Secret Admirer ko? And more importantly, why would he start it now eh samantalang we've been working together for two years na," she pointed out.

"He finally grew a pair and realized he better move now before someone else snags you from him?" Jules hazarded a guess.

Maine a face at her attempt at teasing her. She don't particularly enjoy being teased to Alden, granted she likes the guy, pero minsan nakakasakit na din lalo nang alam niyang hindi naman maibabalik nung tao yung pagtingin niya sa kanya.