You Belong With Me

One

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I debated on whether to write a sequel of sorts to BDNLT or not, but in the end writing a sequel won because after I finished the last chapter I posted on BDNLT, it felt somewhat final to me and since Alden and Maine are entering a new stage in their relationship, I think that's a brand new story waiting to be told.

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I.

 Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
Chocolate's fine,
But my love's divine.
Never a day
That I wish I may
Have a say
For the sparkles in your eyes
That I deemed nice.

MAINE READ THE ATTACHED CARD that came with the gorgeous bouquet of vibrant red roses and a box of mouthwatering assortment of chocolates that came in a heart-shaped box that was delivered to her some time after regular work hours was over. Aicelle, one of the three regular receptionists who was a close acquaintance of hers, personally delivered it to her just before she left for the day.

"This is the third time this week that you received these gifts," she commented after Maine finished reading the card. "Are you sure you don't know who your secret admirer is?"

Maine gave the other woman a quelling - at least she hoped it was - look, then stared at the roses and chocolate on her desk. Valentine's Day was months away, and as far as she knows, Ike stopped trying to get win her back after he heard about Alden boldly staking his claim on her when they were caught kissing inside the elevator a few months back.

"Damn if I know," she huffed and stuffed the card back in to the bouquet. "Anong gagawin ko sa three dozen bouquets I received this week?" she added more to herself, but Aicelle heard her loud and clear.

"Patuyuin mo? Press it between the pages of one of those heavy encyclopedia books?" she suggested.

Maine made a face at the helpful receptionist.

"I already thought of those, and I did hang-dry the first bouquet although I dunno why I bothered considering the only time someone does something like that is if the arrangement has some sort of sentimental value to the recipient."

"And you don't hold any sentimental value to these gifts?" Aicelle asked in stunned disbelief.

Maine made a face at her again.

"It was cute the first time I received it, but to continuously carry on with this charade? How long before I lost interest in whoever this Romeo-wannabe is?"

"If you lose interest in this Lothario, then it must mean you don't care a fig about him or his feelings," was Ike's unsolicited comment. He stood by his office doorway, his tie loose and the first two buttons of his shirt undone. He looked cute in a rumpled sort of way with his usually neat hair in disarray, probably from running his fingers through them countless times since he locked himself in his office a couple of hours ago.

Both women turned at the sound of his voice. Aicelle stared in wide-eyed surprise (she has seen him come and go in to the office, but never once have they shared an actual conversation), while Maine gave her ex-boyfriend a bored expression.

"Eavesdropping is very unbecoming of you, Ike," Maine snapped.

Instead of taking offense Ike took it as a compliment and granted both women currently occupying his outer office with his trademark rakish grin. Aicelle's quick intake of breath indicated that she was charmed by the simple act, and Maine couldn't fault the other woman since she too once reacted the same way to Ike's charm. But not anymore. Now she just finds his charm annoying since he often used it to get what he wants; it usually don't work with her and he damn well knew it.