July 16, 2016, 6:37 pm

"Well, yeah. Divina said I keep comparing her to you. And maybe I was."

"Why would you do that?" she asks him, genuinely curious.

"I don't know. I guess all along ikaw lang ang hinahanap ng puso ko. And she was right. It's always been you." Alden explains, gazing at her.

Maine meets his gaze with anguish as his eyes pleads with her. "Ok, so anong gusto mong mangyari, Alden?"

Alden is mildly surprised at her question. He doesn't expect their conversation to get to this part this early. "Well, Maine, if you would have me again, I'd like to have another chance with you. With us." He prayed for this moment since Divina made him realized the truth. He hopes he is not too late.

Maine's eyes widen at this but she quickly regains her composure and clears her throat. "Alden, getting over you was the hardest thing I ever have to do. It took me two miserable years to move on from you. To get to where I am now." She speaks matter-of-factly. "I had to pick myself up again without anyone to help me because you dropped me just like that, Alden," Maine says, snapping her fingers. "We were best friends, for God's sake. Ganon na lang yun after mong sabihin na di mo kayang wala ako sa buhay mo? Ang bilis magbago ng isip mo. What the hell happened?"

Alden looks at her with beseeching eyes. Maine gazes back at him, waiting to know the answer to the question that has haunted her for years. Alden opened his mouth, hesitates and closes it back again. He takes another deep breath then speaks, "Maine, I'm sorry. I never wanted to cut ties with you. Pero pinapili ako ni Divina. It's either you or her. And I chose her kasi alam ko maiintindihan mo ako in the end," he says, bowing his head in remorse. Siya ang pinili ko kasi akala ko sya ang mahal ko. Now, I realized na tama ka noon. Duwag ako."

"Just as I thought," she chuckles then shakes her head. "Have you ever felt that you were never enough?" She pauses and looks at him, waiting for him to answer. When he doesn't, she continues. "Ganon yung naramdaman ko nun. And I was right. I was never good enough for you kaya mas pinili mo sya."

"Of course not. You're more than enough for me. I just too stupid to see it then." He counters and reaches out for her hand on the table.

"Well, that's over and done with. Honestly, I don't think I could ever go through that again. Di ko na ata kakayanin yun, grabe. And thankfully, I don't have to anymore," she said with a certain happiness in her voice.

"Talaga?" He says astonished, as he stands up a tad too quickly that his chair almost toppled over. "Yes. You don't have to anymore because I'm back. I won't ever leave you again. Thank you, thank you! You're enough. You're more than enough! I'm sorry if it took me this long. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. I'm sorry. Thank you for giving us a chance. For giving me this chance to prove that's it's been you all these years. Thank you." He exclaims, almost without pause, almost at the brink of tears. He's so happy that he pulls Maine up to embrace her. Maine, however, does not respond, keeping her hands to her side.

"Alden..." Maine says hesitantly.

"I love you. I always have. I'm sorry I took you for granted. I'm sorry." He hugs her tighter, grateful at the second chance he thinks he got. He's already thinking of ways to make up for all those wasted years.

"Alden. No, that's not what I meant. Wala na. Hindi na magiging tayo. Wala namang tayo eh," she softly tells him. Alden pulls away, his eyes full of questions. "If you had told me this five or even three years ago, I would have said yes in a heartbeat. In a heartbeat, Pre."

"What? You said you don't have to? Hindi na talaga. Kasi andito na ko ulit, Pre. We're perfect for each other," he tells her, pleads with her, confused at what is happening. Alden can't hold back his tears anymore. He's stupid to think that she'll wait for him, that she'll want him back. Like she always used to back then. "Hindi na ba natin maibabalik yung dati. Am I too late?" He pleads again, tears shamelessly rolling down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry Alden," she steps away from his embrace and sits back down. "And, yes. You're two years too late. I'm happy with RJ now."

"RJ? Boyfriend mo?" he lashes out, his brain refusing to believe what he heard. "Mahal mo ba sya?"

"Yes, I love RJ. So much," she says, her eyes taking on a soft light as she fondly recalls her new-found love. "He found me when I was at my worst and loved me even if I wasn't perfect. To him, I was enough, more than enough," she tells Alden, smiling. "And I love him. Akala ko di ko na kakayaning magmahal ulit. Umikot kasi mundo ko sayo e. Pero I moved on and maybe God has plans for me. Looking back, I'm actually thankful that you broke my heart." She pauses, giving Alden that smile that used to belong to him. "Because if you didn't, I wouldn't be this happy."

"Two years..." he whispers.

"Oh, and I'm getting married in October." She adds almost giggling, holding out her hand to show him the diamond engagement ring on her finger.

"You're getting married?" He croaks, in the hope that saying it out loud will wake him up from this nightmare. He's sobbing now, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

"Alden," she coos. "Wag ka nang umiyak," she sighs. "I'm sure you'll find someone just like I did. Yung para sayo talaga. I promise you, darating sya."

"Pero ikaw ang mahal ko," he said in between quiet sobs. Outside, the steady drizzle of raindrops has turned into a downpour.

"Pre, mahal ko si RJ. I'm sorry. Siya lang. Siya lang talaga." She sincerely tells him.

Maine then holds out her index finger when she hears her phone ring. "Hold on, I have to get this." She steps away to take her call but she is only a few steps away that Alden can still hear her.

"Hi Love. How are you?... Sunduin mo ko?... Are you sure?... Sige, Love. I'll wait for you... Malakas ang ulan ha. Ingat sa pagdadadrive... I love you too."

Hearing the happiness in Maine's voice as she talks to him feels like a thousand daggers stabbing his chest all at the same time. He can still vividly recall how Maine used to sound like that whenever she talked to him. Now, he'll never have the chance to hear that sound again.

Maine returns to her seat and apologizes for the interruption. "Sorry about that. That was my fiancé, si RJ. He's picking me up."

"Ok, I might as well meet the man who dared to stand where I stood," he says, not minding that Maine is shaking her head at his words. "Mahal mo talaga sya 'no? Kausap mo pa lang sya, pumupuso na mata mo," asks Alden. She giggles in response. "Tell me honestly, happy ka?"

"Oo nga kasi. Mahal ko talaga siya, sobra. And I'm really happy. I feel like I'm right where I'm meant to be." She answers with a smile that reaches her eyes and lights up her whole being.

"Well I'm happy that you're happy." He finally concedes. Maine raises an eyebrow at him. "At least I'll try to be."

Both of them laughed, one nervously, one in relief - effectively clearing the air and dissipating the tension between them. Well at least - on Maine's side. On Alden's - well, he'll get there. He puts his hand on his chest, hoping to ease the pain threatening to burst his heart into a million pieces at the truth - that now, he can never have her. The knowledge that the heart of this amazing woman in front of her already belongs to someone else felt like a sledgehammer is pounding at his chest. He chose Divina over her before because he wants to keep both in his life. He ended up losing both. That's how selfish he was. And maybe - he still is.

They then catch up on the years they missed. Maine is telling him about how she met RJ and how he proposed when RJ comes into the café and walks towards them. Alden knows it was him by the way his dimple deepened and his face beamed at the sight of Maine.

"Hi Love," RJ greets Maine with a kiss on her cheek. Alden feels a pang of jealousy at how they seem to have a bubble of their own, momentarily forgetting that he is still sitting there. He tries very hard to find one wrong thing about him but he only sees how RJ is as in love with Maine as she is, with the way his eyes light up upon seeing her. Alden clears his throat.

Maine blushes as she stands up. "Eherm, sorry. RJ, Alden. Alden, si RJ, my fiancé. Remember the bar that Divina rented for your despedida 5 years ago? He owns it." She says proudly.

"Pare." Alden stands up and holds out his hand that RJ shakes firmly. "Congratulations."

"Oh, she told you then?" he inquires, smiling. "Thank you, Alden. Nice to finally meet you."

"She told you about me?"

"Yeah. She tells me everything. Love, are you ready?"

"Saglit, Love. Could you wait for me by the door? Papaalam lang ako kay Alden." Alden is alarmed at her words. Goodbye? So is this really it? he thought. He sighs, bracing himself.

"Sige, Love. See you in a bit. Nice meeting you, Pare." RJ waves a hand as he walks outside, while Alden smiles in reply. He can see why Maine fell in love with Richard. He has the aura of strength and security that he can never seem to possess.

Maine put both her hands on his cheeks. "Be happy, okay. That's what I did. You should too." Alden leans his head on her hand, fresh tears flowing unchecked down his face. "Pre, wag ka nang umiyak. You'll find her, trust me. Just like I found RJ, okay?" she smiles as she says this to him, wiping his tears in the process. All he does is nod, wrapping his hands on both her wrists.

"Goodbye, Alden."

Alden pulls her close and gives her one last tight embrace with Maine rubbing his back and cooing at him. "Tama na, Pre. Wag ka nang umiyak, please. I have to go."

Alden nods once again, finally resigned to let her go. "Goodbye, Maine. I love you."

Maine doesn't reply. She looks at him one last time before wiping his tears away with her thumb and gives him a smile. She turns and walks away. He claps his hand to his mouth to muffle his sobs as he watches her walk towards the man who deserves her love, the love he threw away five years ago. He sits back down and tries to console himself with the truth that she's happy now even if he's not the reason why anymore.

At least one of them is happy. Even if it isn't him.

-THE END -