A Summer to Forever

26

From having a huge grin that connected from his left ear to the right, a frown suddenly appeared. He knew well enough whose voice called Maine.

"Mengmeng!" The voice called again.

"Oh my," Maine said in her softest speaking voice but he still managed to hear it.

"Mengmeng! Hello???"

She looked at RJ first, who was just looking at the ground, before he faced Baste.

"Baste!" She finally replied back. "Ano ginagawa mo dito?"

"Wala naman, dumadalaw lang," he reached for her face for a kiss, but she immediately turn the kiss into a friendly beso.

"Tara, doon tayo sa bahay," she suggested and she looked back at RJ.

"Sunod na lang ako, may titignan lang ako sa bahay," RJ replied. He acknowledged Baste with a fist bump and turned around to go inside their house.

Maine, on the other hand, was walking towards her uncle's house with Baste on the side.

"Saan ka galing?"

"Ah, gumala lang kami ni RJ."

"Ahhh. Kakarating niyo lang?"

She nodded and unlocked the gate. They headed to the main door of the house and went straight to the living room to sit down.

"Kumain ka na?" She asked him.

"Oo, katatapos lang. Ikaw ba?"

"Tapos na rin," she smiled. "Gusto mo ng juice or tubig?"

"Hindi, okay na ako. Thank you," he declined politely. 

"Bakit ka nga pala napadaan?"

"Na-miss lang kita. Masama bang dumaan?" He giggled.

"Hindi naman. Nagulat lang ako," she chuckled. "'Di ka naman nagsabi."

"Para naman surprise, 'di ba?" He stood up from where he was seating and transferred to the seat next to her. "Miss mo na ba ako, Mengmeng?"

She brushed his question with a laugh.

"Silence means yes?" He was confirming.

"Funny ka talaga!" She laughed.

"Eto naman, o." The tone of his voice changed. "Baka naman may boyfriend ka na, ha?"

"Wala pa 'no!"

"Wala pa."

She nodded.

"Sabagay, 'di pa naman kita tinatanong," he chuckled. 

He was reaching for her hand but she was quick enough to avoid his grab. She suddenly fixed her hair, a sign of her uneasiness. He reached for her other hand.

"Meng."

"Baste," she answered as she was looking away from him.

"Meng, please." He kissed her hand. "May nagawa ba ako?"

"Wala, Baste. Pero," she stopped and thought of the right words to say to him.

"Pero?"

"Pero ayokong masira ang friendship natin."

"Hindi naman masisira kung hindi natin hahayaang masira, 'di ba?"

"No. Baste, please." She felt uncomfortable with him and started to move away from him.

Luckily, the main door opened and there came her Tito Allan and cousin Sam.

"Tito!" She quickly stood up and greeted her uncle with a big hug.