You Belong With Me

Three

DISCLAIMER: - see previous chapter - 

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III.

MAINE'S SUNDAY WAS OFF TO A CRAZY START. She was roused from her supposed sleep-in when her cell phone kept on alternately ringing to indicate she had an incoming call and buzzing indicating she had incoming text. She would've gladly ignored the ringing and the buzzing, but it went on for thirty minutes straight; she nearly ripped the caller's ear drums off when she finally answered the call.

It was Pao. He said he was coming over. He told her to get ready they were going for a run since she lacked exercise in her life.

That was over three hours ago. Now she was seated across one of the family restaurants of Pao's choosing waiting for their lunch order to arrive at their table.

"Ready ka nang umorder?" tanong ni Pao.

Maine scrunched her nose in contemplation. She was hungry but none of the food on the menu entices her appetite.

"Hindi ko alam what to order," she said and closed the menu book. "Pareho na lang tayo ng order," she added and placed the book on the table.

"Sure ka?" Pao asked while closing his own menu book.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I trust your judgement."

Pao cocked an eyebrow at her flimsy excuse, but he didn't question her about it. He looked up and signaled their server that they were ready. The young server appeared by their table within minutes after she was flagged and jotted down the orders Pao rattled off. She left taking their menu books and a promise of bringing their drinks soon.

"So, how are things?" Pao inquired once they were alone once again.

Maine cocked an eyebrow and studied her cousin carefully. She smelled something fishy when he showed up unexpectedly at her place and dragged her out for lunch.

"What do you really want to know?" Maine asked.

"What makes you think na meron akong gustong malaman?" Pao countered her question with a question.

"I know you, Pao. You won't go through all this trouble if you don't want to ferret something out of me." She grew up with him alongside Alden, so obviously kilalang-kilala niya ang pinsan niya.

"Seriously, Maine, can't I just be a good cousin who wants to treat his lovely cousin out?" Palusot niya.

Maine raised her eyebrow higher. Now she was sure he wanted to find out something.

"Pao, I've known you practically my entire life so please, let's quit beating around the bush and get on with it. Anong dahilan bakit mo ako inaya for lunch?"

"Kailangan ko ba talaga ng dahilan para lang makasama kong mag-lunch ang pinsan ko?" tanong ni Pao.

"You don't have to take me out for lunch, you know? I could've cooked us something back at my place or sa place me if you prefer," Maine suggested.

"True, pero gusto kong matikman food nila dito," was his nonchalant reply.

"Okay," Maine humored her cousin. "Why take me here instead of one of your friends or that girl na sabi mo sa akin na kursonada mo?"

"Kasi mas special ka," he answered without skipping a beat.

"Pao..."

"Maine..."

Maine rolled her eyes at her cousin in defeat. She had no time to play games with him and she wanted to know why she was out here having lunch with him. She wanted to go back home and relax before starting another crazy week at work.

"Bahala ka," she mumbled and leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you want to ask me something, just ask it already," she added.

"Eh ano naman ang itatanong ko sa iyo?"

"Malay ko sayo. Ikaw itong nag-invite sa akin dito," she shrugged.

Pao glared at his cousin. Minsan masyado shang marunong for her own good. Of course it didn't help na super close nga silang dalawa so she was able to read him like a damn book that she loved so much and must've read and re-read countless times before.

Their order arrived and that kept them busy for a while. Maine was still waiting for her cousin to ask her the real question he wanted to know the answer to. Meron shang idea kung ano ang gustong itanong sa kanya ng pinsan niya, but she won't budge until he start asking her the right questions. Wala naman siyang itinatago eh.

Pao finally worked up the courage to ask her nearing the end of their meal. Medyo busog na sila and dahan-dahan na ang pagkain.

"Do you know kung sino ang nagpapadala sayo ng mga chocolates and flowers?"

Maine folded her lips inward to prevent herself from grinning like an idiot. She knew that was what brought her cousin around to asking her out today.

"Do you?" she answered his question with a question of her own.

Pao made a face at her answer. "Magtatanong ba ako kung alam ko," sumbat niya.

"Same here," was Maine's honest answer. "Akala ko si Ike yun, but according to him and Alden, at pati na rin sayo, he dropped his initial intention of courting me again. And he asked Alden nung Friday if it was him who was sending me those gifts."

"And?" he prodded.

"It wasn't him."

"How do you know?" he frowned.

"Kasi I got this feeling na parang inis si Alden when he saw the recent gifts I received. Not to mention he didn't react when I gave Aicelle the truffles na kasama nung flowers."

Alden was a known penny-pincher by the two of them. Galante siya kung sa galante, but only when he wanted something, otherwise he won't be spending his money ng basta-basta lang kung wala rin namang rason for him to do so.

"Truffles? Bakit kay Aicelle mo binigay hindi na lang sa akin?" he pouted. He loved truffles.

"It was a spur of the moment."

"Kahit na. You could've kept it with you and gave it to me today instead."

"Are you seriously going to be pissed off dahil Aicelle got the truffles instead of you?" Maine gaped at her cousin's obvious displeasure over not being the one receiving the truffles. "Hayaan mo, next time I receive chocolates from whoever this secret admirer is, I'll make sure to send it your way," she promised.

Pao was appeased by that promise, pero hindi pa rin niya tinantanang usisiin ang pinsan niya kung sino ba talaga sa tingin niya yung secret admirer niya. Maine had no clue and as far as she knows, wala naman sa office nila ang may kursonada sa kanya, especially after they caught her and Alden kissing sa elevator. Although neither one of them admitted to going steady after being caught locking lips, maraming nagsususpetcha na sila na nga kasi lagi pa rin silang nagka-carpool na dalawa to and from work.