You Belong With Me

Eighteen

DISCLAIMER: -see previous chapters-

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ALDEN STAYED OUT ON the balcony for the rest of the evening. He didn't bother bidding everyone good night when they left. Maine let him be while she cleaned up whatever was left to clean up (Jules and Aicelle helped put the karaoke machine away while the guys took the dishes to the kitchen; Pao offered to wash them before he left). Once she was done cleaning up she waited for Alden to come back in. Surely he heard everyone's left already and siya na lang ang natitira dito.

"Late na," Maine said when she joined him sa balcony, but she didn't step out , she just stayed sa doorway. "Umuwi na sila," she added.

"I heard," Alden replied. He was standing against the balustrade, his forearms resting on it as he leaned slightly forward. His gaze was fixed on the horizon instead of looking down. "Are you kicking me out?" He looked over his shoulder at her then when he asked.

"Should I?" Maine shrugged.

"Kung nakakasagabal ako sa inyo ni Ruru, then yeah, I think you are kicking me out."

"Wala na si Ruru. He left along with the others. It's just you that's here," she informed him.

"Bakit mo sha pinaalis? He could've stayed if he wanted to and you could've kicked me out."

"And why would I do that? Besides, nakapag catch up na kami ni Ruru Friday night and Saturday as well," she told him.

Alden scowled at the casual way she said that she spent Friday and Saturday with another guy. And the way she talked about him, para bang isang napakaespesyal na tao ni Ruru sa buhay niya.

"Nanliligaw din ba sha sayo?" Alden decided enough with the pussy-footing. He wants a straight up answer and the only way he'll ever have one was to aak her directly.

"Excuse me?" Maine was giving him the deer caught in headlights look.

Alden slapped a hand to the back of his neck and gently massaged it. He has been patient enough with her, but enough was enough. He wasn't giving up, but unless Maine takes his pursuit seriously, walang patutunguhan itong ginagawa niya. And kung si Ruru ang gusto niya at pinili niya, then he'll do the gentlemanly thing and stand down. He won't like it, but he wouldn't want to be an ass and ruin a budding romance between the two.

"Aminin mo nga sa akin, and this time seryoso ako walang halong biro. Just give it to me straight: do I have a chance?" Ayan, diniretso na niyang tanungin. Sana naman diretsuhin na rin siyang sagutin.

Maine didn't pretend to not understand what he was asking. He has been asking her the same thing over and over again, it was kinda hard not to remember what it was.

"Alden," she began, taking a deep breath and slowly expelling it. "I've known you since we were kids. Palagi mo akong pinagtitripan noon. And then we entered high school, and I saw you went out with different girls almost every semester if not often than that. Tapos sa trabaho dala mo pa rin ang pagkababaero mo. I don't recall seeing you being serious with any of the women you dated."

"Okay, I know ang track record ko eh hindi spotless, but those women...they don't want a serious relationship," he explained.

"And you do?"

"Not with them," he admitted.

"Eh kanino?"

"Sayo," he deadpanned.

Maine would be lying kung sasabihin niyang hindi siya kinilig doon sa sagot ni Alden. Once, a long, long time ago, she dreamt of being that one who's make Alden realize na she was all the woman he needs, but he never once looked at her the same way he looked at his previous girlfriends.

"Alden, ayokong masaktan," she confessed. "Ayoko din umasa. Alam ko you've been doing everything para lang maniwala ako na seryoso ka. Ang sweet ng mga gestures mo, pero para sa akin hindi ko sha feel, 'lam mo 'yun? Hindi ako sigurado na this is not just a whim sayo; a challenge dahil bored ka or dahil sa hindi ako naloka sayo unlike most of the women at work."

"Maine," Alden took a step forward until he was standing an arm's length from her. "I can't promise you na hindi kita masasaktan dahil alam kong imposibleng mangyari yun. But I can promise you that I will try not to hurt you, if you'll just give me the chance to prove to you how serious I am. I care for you, Maine. Yeah, I kept on teasing you when we were younger, and yes, babaero na kung babaero ako, pero none of those women I dated received the teasing and attention I give to you."

Maine met his gaze then and saw the sincerity in them.

"Hindi ko alam, Alden," she answered.

Alden was silent for a while. He took a couple of deep breaths then slowly expelled them.

"I think alam mo na, pero takot ka lang sabihin," he cajoled.

"Al--" Maine didn't get to say what she was about to say as Alden kissed it away. She stiffened at first dahil hindi niya expect yung kiss, but then she relaxed and leaned in to his kiss.

Alden deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing her lips to part. He placed his hands on her hips, gripping them tight before pulling her closer against him.

Maine's arms moved on their own, wrapping them around his neck as she opened up to his kiss. There was something different about this kiss, however. It was gentler than the previous two kisses they shared. But before she can further mull over what else was different about this kiss it was over, and Alden was pulling away, setting her back at arm's length away once again.

"Alden?" She frowned at him, cocking her head to the side slightly as she looked at him.

"You win," he whispered.

"Ano?" Now she was more confused.

"Sabi mo hindi ka sigurado kung seryoso ako o hindi, kahit na anong gawin kong pangkumbinsi sayo hindi mo ako paniniwalaan. So, para hindi na kita maistorbo at magulo, I'll stop.  Besides, mukhang alam ko naman kung sino talaga ang mas gusto mo. Dibale, I'll keep it professional dahil client ko siya."

Maine was at a loss kung ano yung pinagsasabi ni Alden, until he mentioned 'client' then she realized na he thought si Ruru ang gusto niya.

"Alden--" Again he cut her off.

"I can take hints, and obvious naman na mas gusto mo siya, so I'll back off," he took another deep breath, expell it slowly then forced a smile on his face. "Sige na, late na. Aalis na ako. I'll just see you at work. Pick up kita bukas, unless you already made plans regarding sa ride mo to work tomorrow."

Maine was confused and a little winded sa sobrang bilis ng kabig niya. What the hell was he talking about? Anong backing off? Titigil na siya sa panliligaw niya? Ano, friends na lang sila?

"Teka, teka, ano?" She frowned at him.

"I said I'll pick you up bukas like always, unless you made plans to get a ride from someone else."

Okay, she heard that part. Pero hindi yun yung tinatanong niya.

"I didn't make plans to ride with anyone else bukas," she answered.

"Okay, so I'll pick you up same time as usual bukas," he smiled then planted a quick kiss on her forehead. "Sige na, alis na ako para makapagpahinga ka na." He led her back inside, closing and locking the sliding door behind him then he walked to the door.

He bid Maine a quick good night and left without waiting for Maine to say anything.

Maine was unsure exactly what just happened. How can he kiss her like that then tell her he was backing off to give way to someone else?

"Nakakaloka!" She growled.
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AUTHORS NOTE: Thanks to everyone who left a comment regarding how this next chapter should unfold. A confrontation of sorts did happen, but do you think Alden's done all he can to prove to Maine how serious he is or can he still do something else to make her reconsider?