Gravity

3

MAINE's POV

Some say that in love, everything feels right when you're in the arms of the one who holds your heart.

I've watched countless movies, read tons of books and witnessed a number of lovers who proved that yes, when you're with the one you love, you'll feel like everything is set in the right place.

I love Alden. Of that, I am sure. I do my best to show him how much I do, in both my own little, subtle ways as well as the grand. My heart screams for him. It yearns for him. It longs for him.

But I guess it doesn't always work that way. Yes, I love him and it should feel right because everything seems to be all good between us, but why does it feel so wrong?

Why does my heart seem to be screaming in a different tune now?

My heart that was once shouting for Alden's name, now screams for freedom. Desperately screaming for it.

"Love.."

My train of thought was interrupted when I felt Alden unwrapping his arms around me and then stood up.

"Nagdala pala ako ng favorite mo. I passed by your favorite laksa place cause I saw your tweet hours ago that you were craving for it, so I bought you one. I also bought prosciutto kasi mukhang ang tagal mo nang ding hindi kumakain non,"

Alden placed the food he brought for me on the dining table. He was setting up the plates and he even reached for a small candle on my cupboard and lit it, giving off a romantic vibe.

But I don't have any appetite for food right now. Instead, I am craving for something else. I'm craving for space. Space where I can find the Maine Mendoza I lost these past few years. Space where we can breathe and figure out if this relationship, is what we really want.

"Alden, ayoko na."

"Huh?" Alden lifted his gaze and settled on mine, his face was unreadable, and had a mixture of confusion.

"Ayaw mo na ng laksa and prosciutto? Wow, bago yan ha." He chuckled.

"Ano na gusto mo? I'm sure may open pang resto or fast food at this hour.."

"Ayoko na.."

I repeated once more, shaking my head, testing the words as they rolled off my tongue.

Alden just stared at me. His eyes, which had confusion written all over them a moment ago, was now full of pleading, now that he realized what they meant.

"Maine, I don't understand.."

I stood up and slowly made my way towards him, haulting when I was just two feet away from him.

"This,"

I motioned between us.

"Ayoko na, Alden"

Silence.

Then after a few moments, he laughed. Bakit siya tumatawa?

"That was a good one, love. You almost had me there."

He placed his hand on his chest seemingly soothing his worry as he slowly shook his head.

He thought it was a joke. Oh Alden, how I wish this is all but just a joke. But it's not.

"Alden"

I murmured his name.

"Please." Seryoso ako, Alden.

"What do you mean? What does your 'ayoko na' mean?"

"Simple as ayoko na, Alden. We need to take a few steps back because I feel like we're too zeroed into the two of us. There's a bigger picture here. We're so into this relationship that we forgot about our own selves."