A/N:
Commercial! Pasingit muna po nitong one-shot. Medyo makulit. 😅
Dahil sa tanong ni Bossing na "Kumusta na kayo?" at sagot ni Paps na "Okay na po." 😁
So kailan naging hindi okay?
Here's what my imagination told me. 😊
***
January 11, 2019, APT Studio:
While waiting for the next segment, Alden, Maine, Ryzza and Baste sit in the Host's area.
The girls are busy showing each other's phones for interesting posts on IG while sitting on a couch opposite the boys who are playing on Bash's tablet.
"Ate Maine, tignan mo to." Ryzza giggles and shows her phone, playing the video of A's interview about aiming to have 8-pack abs.
"Naks naman!" Maine chuckles. "Alden Richards body goals."
"Uy! Ano yan?" He calls. He would've walked over to check what she's watching but Bash is sitting on his lap.
"Wala. Yung interview mo about sa goal na magka-abs. Andito si Jak Roberto kanina, nagpaturo ka sana gumawa ng pandesal." She laughs but he's not amused.
"Paano ko tatanungin eh ang busy niyo mag-usap." He rubs his nose and quickly looks away, his eyes rolling to the side.
She knows that look. Why, Alden Richards, are you jealous? She thinks. Ikaw na talaga ang pinakaselosong friend sa mundo.
"Nu ba? Wala yun. Catching up ganyan. You know life, his show, my movie, his girlfriend." She tells him, putting emphasis on the last phrase.
Ryzza stops and watches the two adults talk while Bash continues playing on his tablet, unaware of the tension building in the room.
"Lam mo palang may girlfriend." He murmurs.
"Bakit? Di mo alam na may girlfriend? Friend mo pa nga yun si ba?"
"Of course I know. It's just that..."
"Ano?!" She raises an eyebrow.
"Wala. Close pala kayo?"
"Nag-usap lang? Close na? Di ba pwedeng makipag-usap lang sa bagong kakilala?"
"Right. Di nga pala kayo close. Si Ken Chan ka-close mo." He grits his teeth. He hates the seething feeling inside him. He's been trying to avoid it because it has repeatedly caused problems for them in the past but he can't help it.
"Bakit na naman siya nasama sa usapan?"
"Bakit? Hindi ba kayo close? Halos di mo nga mapansin pagdating ko kasi ang saya-saya niyo sa usapan niyong dalawa."
"We have a lot to talk about, okay? From Benilde days pa. We were laughing about stories about common friends in college." He's getting into her nerves and her elevated voice shows it.
"Oh eh di kayo nang may past!" He says in a loud angry voice that makes Maine wince while it startles Ryzza and makes Bash look at him over his shoulder before continuing his game.
"Ano bang problema mo? Ikaw? Did I ask you about your ex-crush Sam and how you acted like a googly-eyed school boy around her?" She speaks behind gritted teeth to avoid making a commotion that the other hosts outside the room can hear.
"Hindi ako ganoon." He says to his defense.
"Anong hindi? Panay kaya pa-cute mo. 'Sam, dito ka na umupo. Sam, na-try mo ba yung ulam sa catering? Masarap' habang pabebe ang boses mo. Arte." She rolls her eyes.
To her surprise, his face breaks into a wide grin, his dimple deepening and his eyes narrowing into slits.
"Wag kang ngumisi diyan. Seryoso ako. Ganoon ka talaga kanina." She tells him.
"That's called being nice to our guest." He states, a Cheshire grin still plastered on his face as he looks at her with wide eyes beaming with amusement. "Bakit? Selos ka?" He smirks.
"What?! No!" She croaks her answer and rubs her nose.
Bingo! Liar, liar, pants on fire! You are jealous, Nicomaine.
He already feels a hundred times more handsome. It's very seldom for her to get jealous and he celebrates everytime because that means he actually means something to her maybe as much as she does to him. Maybe but not quite because he believes that in all the wonders that is Maine Mendoza, she will never be half as scared as he is of losing her. For whatever their complicated friendship has.
"Ooookay." He chuckles. "I believe you." He smirks in sarcasm.
"Whatever. Labo mong kausap." She gets up and starts walking to the door.
"Uy! Saan ka pupunta?" He snickers, still basking in his triumph.
"Away from you obviously." She glares at him and stomps her way out of the room, scowling.
Bossing sees her as he is entering the room. "Anyanyare dun?" He asks Alden, Ryzza and Baste.
"LQ po, Bossing." Ryzza answers.
"LQ? Sila ba?" He scratches his head. "Kayo na ba ulit, Richard?" He points at the young man who is still grinning like a buffoon.
"Magulo, Bossing. Pero aayusin ko." He smiles.
