You Belong With Me

Nineteen

DISCLAIMER: -see previous chapters-

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I haven't abandoned or forgotten this story. July was a busy month with two things happening: (1) Camp Nano [which I joined & almost reached my goal] & (2) an uncle of mine came for a one-month visit; those two alone occupied a lot of my time. Anyway, I will try & make up for not updating sooner. Thanks for your patience and hope you enjoy this chapter.

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Six months later...

RURU TRIED TO STAY OUT of whatever rift Maine and Alden have, pero hindi na niya matiis na hindi magsalita. Alden was still professional when dealing with him; the odd times na he met up with him he was with Maine and he can't help from noticing how awkward things were between the two. He asked Maine what was wrong, but she insisted na walang problema.

He let that flimsy explanation go. He thought whatever the two disagreed on would be resolved right away, but it has been months and things between the two's just getting worse. And hindi lang siya ang nakakapansin na merong alitan yung dalawa; the odd times he was invited to hang out with their small group of friends they too noticed the sudden shift in the twosome's relationship.

"So, what's the deal with you and Alden?" Ruru brought up the subject during a BBQ party he was hosting to celebrate. He invited Maine and his now adopted group of friends - Alden included - for a weekend getaway to Tagaytay.

Maine looked up from the sisig she was watching cook on the grill and frowned. "What are you talking about? Alden and I are fine."

He cocked an eyebrow telling her he didn't believe what she just said and faked a cough that sounded like 'bullshit'.

"Maine, please don't insult my keen sense of observation by telling me you and Alden are right as rain because I'm not the only one who noticed that you two are not okay," he pointed out.

"I'm not."

He continued giving her a pointed look.

Maine glared at him and shoved a plate full of fresh-off-the-grill sisig. "One hundred percent okay kami ni Alden," she insisted.

Ruru accepted the plate shoved towards him, but he didn't take the hint to leave. "I'd talk to the guy if he and I are close--"

"You two worked together for weeks on end on your campaign," Maine cut in.

"--but we're not," Ruru continued on as if Maine hadn't butt in. "But whether Alden and I are close or not, it's obvious not just to me but to everyone else you two hang out with a lot na merong alitan between you two."

"Ru--"

Ruru held the plate with one hand and placed an index finger against her lips, stopping her from saying whatever it was she was about to say. "I never asked because I respected your privacy, and I was under the impression na you will come talk to me when you feel it. Pero ang tagal na Maine, eh, and I think I've been patient enough. Now I want answers so we can get to the damn root of whatever problem you two are having." His tone didn't brook room for argument. He seldom used the take-charge tone with Maine, but this time enough was enough; kung kailangan niyang ikulong sa isang kuwarto si Maine at si Alden until they resolve whatever this is na pinagaawayan nila gagawin niya. Of course Maine will probably kick his ass to the next century for doing that, but he did it all for the sake of friendship.

# # # # #

ALDEN?"

Alden looked up from the coffee cup he's been staring it since he sat down at one of the corner tables inside the coffee shop. He was supposed to be at the barbecue party Ruru was throwing to celebrate the success of the ad campaign he worked on with him; he made it about three-quarters of the way to Tagaytay, but just as he was about to make the final two turns that will take him to where everybody was gathered, he couldn't do it. He found a cafe along the highway and parked his car there.

"Mandy?" He was genuinely surprised to see her here of all places. He never kept in steady touch with her after they reconnected, pero from time to time he receives messages from her telling him kung anong plano niya and kung nasaan siya.

"Hi," Mandy smiled and sat down across from him without waiting to be invited. "Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

"Uuhh...I'm meeting up with my friends," was his vague reply.

"Late ba sila?" Mandy looked around in search of his friends before settling her gaze back on him.

"No. Ako nga ata ang late na eh," he replied.

Mandy frowned. "What do you mean?"

Alden didn't reply right away. Mandy was his ex for a reason. When they were together she was more concerned about herself than about him or their relationship. They never talked like the way he and Maine talked. Heck, he and Mandy never had a serious discussion that didn't revolve around her and her wants or needs. He has had more interesting conversation with Maine and Jules and Aicelle than he had with Mandy.

"Never mind," he smiled and took a sip of his now cold coffee. He nearly choked on it. Wow, he must've been sitting here a while dahil lumamig na ang kape niya. "I better get a move on here or else talagang late na late na ako," he pushed his barely touched coffee cup away from him and got up from his seat.

Mandy stood up too and followed him out of the coffee shop. "Are you sure okay ka lang?" She sounded sincere when she asked, but Alden didn't want to dwell on her sincerity at the moment.

He has tarried long enough he was surprised hindi pa sumasabog cell phone niya sa text messages and calls from his friends who expected him to be at the party already an hour or so ago.

"Oo, okay lang ako," he reassured Mandy. He stopped outside his car and turned to look at her. "It's nice to see you, by the way."

Mandy took a step closer, raising her hand to cup his face while she kept his gaze locked with his. "Alden, I know I was never Girlfriend of the Year nung tayong dalawa pa, kaya naman I lost you. But I'd like to think na whatever we had before meant something sayo, and that eventually you'd see me as a friend if not more than a friend."

"Mandy--"

Mandy cut him off by placing her index finger against his lips.

"I tried to win you back since our paths crossed again, pero alam ko na I already lost whatever chance I might've had of reconciling with you years ago. At alam ko rin kung sino talaga ang gusto mo. I should've known. It's always been her anyway."

"Mandy, I--"

"Shhh," she pressed her index finger slighlt harder against his lips. "Diba siya naman lagi ang dahilan ng pagaaway natin noon? I thought she was just a passing fancy for you, but after seeing you again and watching you with her, I knew na I can't really compete sa kanya. It took me a while to accept it, pero ngayon tanggap ko na," she confessed.

Alden was speechless. She wasn't wrong about Maine being the main cause of their arguments back when they were together. Selos na selos si Mandy kay Maine noon kahit na hindi na nga niya laging nikikita at nakakasama si Maine once he started his senior year sa high school.

"Now that that's been said, is there a chance ba, kahit katiting, of us ever being friends? I'm not proposing maging mag-BFFs tayo dahil alam ko naman na si Pao ang BFF mo, and maybe after seeing how you and Maine interact, siya na rin BFF mo. But if ever you need a shoulder to cry on, or someone's ear to bend, just know na andito lang ako anytime you need to unload and ang reason ng pagaunload mo is the one person you consider your BFF," she offered.

Alden wasn't expecting that offer, especially from her. Mandy wasn't known for being selfless, pero na-touch naman siya sa offer niya.

"Thanks, Mands. I'll keep that in mind." And he actually meant it.