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

Twenty-Seven

DISCLAIMER: - see previous chapter -

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm striking while the iron is still hot. Thanks so much to everyone reading & supporting this story. I really enjoy reading your comments and yes, "nakakabitin" yung ibang chapters, but I strive to update as often as I can, like what I'm attempting to do right now...

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XXVII.

Omnipresent POV

ALDEN WAS IN A PANIC shortly after he got off the phone with Maine. At the time when he invited her he wasn't thinking straight, but after he got off the phone with her he realized what he just got himself in to.

"Ang tanga-tanga mo," he scolded himself under his breath. "Hindi ka muna nag-iisip, basta-basta ka na lang nagiimbita."

Alden was still silently berating himself for his stupidity when Ryan swung around his cubicle. He quickly noticed his colleague's irate state and made sure to address it right away.

"Okay ka lang, pre?"

Alden looked up when he heard Ryan's voice. He schooled his face to neutral and cleared his throat.

"Okay lang, bakit?"

Ryan cocked an eyebrow at his obvious brush-off. Normally he'd drop it, but something nagged at the back of his head so he pursued the subject.

"Your annoyance has nothing to do with Maine having lunch with Ike, right?"

"You know about that?" Alden couldn't control the slight raising of his voice.

So much for being cool, calm, and collect. Ryan knew which buttons to push to get the truth out of his friends.

"Nakasabay ko sa elevator yung dalawa. Galing ako ng Layout," he explained. "Nagkausap kami ni Maine, then I asked her if she's got nothing planned for lunch eh feel free to join me, it was then that she explained her boss' presence in the cart with us."

"Did she happen to tell you where they're going?" pa-simpleng tanong ni Alden.

"No, and I didn't ask. I just wished them a happy lunch then I got off the elevator. "Anyway, ano bang problema mo kasi?'

"Nothing," Alden denied.

"Yeah, right. Eh bakas na bakas diyan sa mukha mo na merong napakalaking problemang bumabagabag sa iyo."

"Bumabagabag?" Alden frowned.

"Yeah, don't ask," Ryan suddenly looked uneasy.

"Oh, but I do ask," Alden grinned mischievously, turning the table on his friend unexpectedly.

"And I said drop it," Ryan insisted.

"What if I don't?" Alden challenged.

"Edi I will leave you alone," Ryan straightened up and made a move to walk away, pero masyado siyang curious to know what was wrong with Alden that he took his time in case his friend changed his mind and stopped him.

But Alden didn't. The jerk.

"Hindi mo ba talaga ishe-share whatever's bothering you?" Ryan asked when he doubled back to Alden's cubicle.

Alden was torn between asking for help and figuring what to do on his own. But it was already almost one in the afternoon and Maine was expecting to be taken some place for dinner after work, which was happening in four hours' time. He pulled out his cell phone and started texting to Ryan's dismay.

"Seriously? You're gonna be rude to me?" Ryan couldn't believe he was being dismissed like that.

"Shh! Check your text," Alden said without looking up from his cell phone. A second or two later Ryan's cell phone text message went off.