You Belong With Me

Twenty-Four

DISCLAIMER: -see previous chapters-

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The next chapter's being worked on as you read this. I'm hoping to have it uploaded and ready for your reading pleasure before the weekend's over (I hope!). Thanks for your patience as always and enjoy reading!

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MAINE STOOD FROZEN by the entrance the moment she saw the table where everyone was meeting tonight. Friday night na naman and as usual nagkatuwaan ang usual suspects na mag-unwind after work. Since she and Ike were working on a design revision for one of the newer campaigns, nahuli silang dumating sa restaurant. Ike, who was walking up behind her, ran into Maine since she was blocking the way.

"Whoa, bakit?" He frowned down at his companion.

"I...I..."

"Youuuuuu what?"

Maine tore her gaze from where she spotted her party and met Ike's gaze. "Uuwi na lang ako," she said in a rush and turned to leave.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Ike caught her arms and stopped her from leaving. "Bakit? Kakarating lang natin."

"I know. You don't have to leave because of me. I can grab an Uber or a taxi to take me home."

"Why?" he demanded.

"Basta," she shrugged his hands off her arms and slipped out before he can stop her again. She heard Ike call after her, but she ignored him. She kept right on walking until she was swallowed up by the evening crowd outside the restaurant. She whipped her cell out and called herself an Uber.

She came here tonight thinking she'd get a clean slate and patch things up with Alden. When she asked Ike and Jules kung kasama si Alden tonight, they told her yes but they seem to have forgotten one teensy-tiny detail: he brought a date along.

# # # # #

ALDEN: asan ka na?

MAINE: pauwi na.

ALDEN: bakit?

Maine frowned at the one-word question Alden sent her. She was halfway home already after the Uber she ordered picked her up almost a block away from the restaurant; she didn't want to take a chance on either Ike or Alden coming out to convince her to return back to join them for dinner so she kept on walking until she figured she walked quite the distance already and was ready to be picked up.

MAINE: pagod na.

ALDEN: all of us are, pero nandito kaming lahat.

MAINE: that's nice. Enjoy your dinner na lang.

ALDEN: I was, but then nag-disappearing act ka so how can I?

"Aba, pa-cute pa ang mokong," she huffed while typing her reply.

MAINE: I'm sure you'll find a much better reason to enjoy your evening.

"Duh! She was sitting right beside you tapos nakikipag-flirt ka sa akin? Sheesh!" she hissed at her phone.

"Okay lang po ba kayo, ma'am?" asked the Uber driver.

Maine lifted her head and gave the driver a sheepish smile. "Opo, kuya. Okay lang ako. Medyo naguguluhan lang dito sa ka-text ko," she explained.

"Boyfriend?"

"Muntik na," she answered the same time her phone vibrated again indicating she received another text. She read Alden's reply and frowned.

ALDEN: galit ka ba sa akin?

"Ano sa tingin mo?" she growled and typed him a response.

MAINE: paano ako magagalit sayo eh we barely talk or see each other. Heck, you even stopped car pooling with me, pero okay lang kasi Ike picks Jules up and sabay na ako sa pagpick-up niya sa kanya.

ALDEN: i would've continued picking you up every morning, but i was led to believe na meron nang ibang may hawak nung job title na yun.

MAINE: uuhhh, sino?

ALDEN: edi sino pa kundi yung secret admirer mo na hindi na secret ngayon.

Maine's fingers paused from typing a response after she read his response. Alam niyang na unmask na yung secret admirer niya? Nobody told her that he knew. Heck, ang nakakaalam lang about Ian aside from Ike is Jules and Aicelle, she doubt those two blabbed about Ian kay Alden.

"Nandito na po tayo, ma'am," announced the driver.

"Uhh, salamat," Maine fished for her wallet in her bag to pay for her fare. Hindi niya alam kung paano niya sasagutin yung text ni Alden so for now, she will leave it alone.

# # # # #

WELL?" MANDY DEMANDED.

"Well what?" asked Alden.

Mandy cocked an eyebrow and reached over to grab his phone. She scrolled up to read his text conversation with Maine, grinning when she read the part when Maine mentioned he'll find a reason to enjoy his evening.

"Jealous much?" she chuckled after she read that particular reply.

"Huh?" Alden frowned and grabbed his phone back from her. They were done with dinner and nag-decide sila Sam and Ryan na hindi pa nila gustong umuwi so naglalakad-lakad na lang muna sila while figuring out where they want to go next.

"Maine. Obvious na jelly sha," Mandy smiled.

"Jealous si Maine?" Pao walked up behind them and placed his arms around Alden and Mandy's shoulders as he wedged himself between them. "Kanino at bakit?" he whipped his head back and forth between Mandy and Alden.

Alden shrugged his friend's arm off and stepped away from him and Mandy. He pocketed his cell phone. "Chismoso ka talaga no? Ang lakas ng pandinig mo," he accused.

"I heard my cousin's name so siyempre concerned ako," Pao argued.

"Palusot ka pa."

"It's the truth!"

"Whatever."

"Hoy, 'wag mo namang ilabas ang inis mo kay Pao," chastised Mandy, then to Pao she said, "He was texting with your cousin asking her where she was kasi hindi sha nag-show sa resto."

"Okay, so bakit selos si Maine?" Pao asked still confused about the whole jealousy thing.

"Yung sagot niya kay Alden. Clearly she spotted me with him, kasi diba sabi ni Ike he arrived sa resto with Maine but last minute eh she bailed? Anyway, she most likely saw us and jumped to the wrong conclusion or whatever, but I think Alden's too clueless to pick-up the subtle hint of jealousy," she explained.

"At bakit naman siya magseselos eh diba she's dating yung secret admirer niya?" Alden argued.

Pao and Mandy exchanged wide-eyed knowing looks before dissolving to giggles.

"I think hindi lang si Menggay ang jelly," Pao chuckled.

"Korek," agreed Mandy.

Alden glared at his ex-girlfriend and probably-soon-to-be-ex-best friend, but instead of continuing to argue with them, he just walked away from them and joined Sam and Ryan who looked deep in discussion about something. Behind him he can hear Pao and Mandy chuckling at him kaya lalo lang siyang nainis.