You Belong With Me

Four

DISCLAIMER: -see previous chapter-

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Happy New Year! Apologies for the delay. Got busy dealing with personal stuff so all my WIP are put on hold. Anyway, thanks to ya'll who are avidly reading and waiting patiently for updates on this one. Just a heads-up, I will be going on a much-anticipated vacation this month and I won't be returning until February, so chances of another chapter update after this one won't be happening until probably close to March. I'll try and see if I can sneak some writing time while on vacation, but I doubt it as my internet access while on vacation might be limited. Anyway, thanks for your patience and enjoy reading, voting and commenting as well as sharing this with others.

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IV.

SPECIAL DELIVERY FOR THE Office Heartthrob."

Alden looked up and found a smiling Ryzza dangling a small box with a gold ribbon tied around it. The box itself was nondescript and looked pretty plain, but the shiny gold ribbon made it stand out a bit.

"Kanino galing yan?" Alden asked as he took the box the chubby-cheeked chinita handing him.

"I dunno," Ryzza replied. "Nakita ko na lang yan on top of my mail cart while I'm doing my rounds already," she added.

Alden raised a brow and eyed the box he was holding carefully. "So this didn't come in the mail?"

"Looks like it," Ryzza nodded. "Meron bang card?" She asked trying to peer at the box.

Alden pouted as he looked at the box for any piece of paper that might be attached to it.

"Wala," he replied.

"Hmm, meron ka ring secret admirer?" she teased.

Alden frowned and glared at her. "Ano tayo nasa high school?"

"Why not? I heard Maine's got herself one as well, and she's been receiving gifts from said secret admirer for the past few weeks now."

As if he didn't know about that. Kasabay niya kayang umuwi everyday si Maine and almost every time he walks out of the building with her and in to his car, she tosses something in the back seat of his baby and often forgets it there for him to dispose of later. Minsan maaalala niya na merong siyang ibinato sa upuan sa likod, but that was only if she liked what she received, but most of the time she doesn't even bother looking over her shoulder to check if she left something or not.

"Sa inyong mga babae common ang magkaroon ng secret admirer," he argued.

"And it's uncommon for guys to have one as well?" Ryzza frowned. "Hindi naman ata fair 'yon," she pouted.

"Nothing's ever fair in this world," mumbled Alden as he continued to study the box, wondering on whether he should open it or not.

"Ano? You gonna open it now?" Ryzza sounded excited. She wasn't one of the notorious office gossip, but Alden prefer to open any personal mail or gifts he received without an audience.

"Mamaya na siguro," he answered and shoved the box in one of his side drawers. "Anything else for me other than the box?"

#     #     #     #     #

BALITA KO MERON KA DAW SECRET ADMIRER," Maine mused after she buckled herself in her seat later that day.

Alden looked at her incredulously. "Who told you?"

She gave him a wry look and cocked an eyebrow. "We work with a bunch of gossip lovers, Alden," she reminded him.

"Ryzza," he growled and started the engine.

"What?" Maine sounded outraged at his accusation. "Don't you be blaming that sweet girl for spreading the news of your secret admirer!" She defended the other woman vehemently. "If you must know, since everyone knew it was Ryzza who delivered your admirer's gift to you pinupog siya ng mga putakteng chismosas sa work. But she didn't betray your confidence. She was business as usual and told your legions of followers na wala siyang alam, she just did what she was paid to do - and that was to deliver everyone's mails to them - and that was it."

Alden felt like a complete idiot for suspecting that Ryzza would be the one to blab about the gift he received. She was one of the select few females at work that he can actually tolerate being around with and not itch to commit murder to their person.

"I deserve yang galit mo," he admitted.

"I'd demand you apologize to Ryzza herself for thinking that low of her," Maine mumbled irately.

"I would too," he readily agreed. "I should've known better than to jump to conclusions about her spreading the rumor."

Maine spared him a sideways glance then rolled her eyes skyward. "Hay naku, Alden, not everybody at work is out to gossip about you. Hindi lang naman ikaw ang considered heartthrob sa office eh."

"Oh?" He cocked an eyebrow and spared her a sideways glance before merging in to traffic as soon as they excited the parkade. "Marami ba kaming heartthrob sa work?" He teasingly asked.

"If you must know, ang nasa top ten Office Heartthrobs are - and this is said in no particular order 'coz it all depends on who you ask to rank - yourself, Ike, Ryan, Pao, Sam, Marv from accounting, Dennis from design, Edson from layout, Chuck from security, and I think Ram from HR also made it to the top ten."

"Wow, kasama talaga ako dun ha?" He grinned.

Maine gave him a playful shove on the arm and rolled her eyes once again. Something in the backseat caught her attention and before Alden could ask what she was doing, she dove behind to reach for whatever it was she saw. When she straightened up he noticed her holding the small box Ryzza delivered to him earlier.

"Is this it?" She asked while examining the box in her hand.

"Uh-hm," no point pretending not to know what she was asking about.

"Hindi mo pa binubuksan?"

"Wanna do the honors?" he invited.

Maine's eyes bugged out at the offer. "Are you serious?"

"Meh," he gave a nonchalant shrug. "I'm driving so I can't open it. Nakaupo ka lang naman jan so might as well make yourself useful," he teased.

"Sira ka talaga," she playfully shoved him again then tugged the ribbon to undo the tie. She lifted the lid carefully, pulling up the side first slowly to take a peek inside. "Oh wow," she let out a low wolfish whistle after she saw what Alden received from his so-called secret admirer.

"Bakit? Anong laman?" Na-curious si Alden based on Maine's reaction. She hasn't completely removed the lid yet, but he could tell from her tone na surprised siya doon sa laman nung box.

Maine closed the box's lid and turned her gaze to Alden who was trying to navigate the car without hitting anyone while at the same time wanting to have a peek at what was inside the box.

"Whoever this secret admirer of yours is, seryoso sha sayo talaga."

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A/N 2: Any guesses on what Alden received from his admirer? Leave a comment and who knows, maybe your guess gets picked and used when I next update.