Perfect For You

Opportunity

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?! 'Yun talaga ang sinabi niya sa'yo?"

Valeen Montenegro, Maine's best friend ever since they were in diapers, said right after the latter had shared to her what exactly happened during her date with Jake. 

"I'm sorry, but he is such a dick. Anung akala niya sa'yo? Assistant niya? Sidekick niya? Baka nakakalimutan niyang ikaw ang girlfriend niya."

Maine sighed as she put several pieces of popcorn in her mouth. 

She invited Valeen over for their usual weekend movie marathon, but of course, she couldn't hide how upset she was after what Jake had told her this afternoon. 

Maine had such high expectations with Jake after all, for back when he was still courting her, he had so many plans for the both of them.. so many promises that had blinded Maine from the very fact that maybe he had just said this for her to give him that sweet "yes", when actually, he had no plans of fulfilling any of them. 

"All these years, ikaw nalang ang parating nagsasakripisyo para sa kanya. Ilang high school reunion ang hindi mo pinuntahan para lang sa mga events niya. Ilang beses ka ng na-late sa mga birthday celebration ko dahil parati siyang may 'emergency' at sinasabing kailangang kailangan ka niya. Tapos ngayon, wala siyang plano para sa inyong dalawa? Akala niya okay lang na sumama ka sa mga business ventures niya, tapos ano? Tutunganga ka nalang ulit." 

"Uy.." Maine tried to calm her best friend down. "Wag ka ngang OA."

"Anung OA?" Valeen scoffed. "Meng, I'm your best friend at siyempre hindi ako papayag na ginaganito ka lang ni Jake." 

"Well, he must have a valid reason naman.."

"Ayan ka naman eh." Valeen said. "Alam mo na ngang tinatapakan ka, pero mahal mo pa rin."

What Valeen had said hit Maine right in the gut. 

Yes, she was upset with Jake. But at the end of the day, she would always end up loving him more than hating him. 

Sometimes, he deserved this kind of love. But most of the time, she knew that he didn't.

"Aamin ko sa'yo na nung una, kilig na kilig talaga ako sa inyong dalawa. I mean, you seemed like the perfect match." Valeen started. "Maganda ka, gwapo siya. Mabait kayong dalawa, walang kaarte-arte."

"Pero nung naging kayo na, I really felt that something changed.. that Jake changed. Hindi siya yung Jake na kilala natin noon na super happy go lucky at masayang kasama. Parang mas naging focused siya sa business nila, sa career niya, up to a point na kinakalimutan ka na niya."

"Imagine, ilang beses niyang nakalimutan ang mga anniversary niyo."

Maine felt a sharp stab in her heart as she remembered the many times she had prepared for their anniversaries, but Jake would never show up because he was too busy or worse, he forgot. 

All these years, she had been so understanding of him, that she had forgotten to pay attention to her own feelings. 

Whenever she felt bad about Jake forgetting such significant events like their anniversary, she would feel guilty because it wasn't as if he purposely "forgot" about it. He was just too busy with his work as his father's right hand in their company that he couldn't really think much about them. 

But still.. Maine is his girlfriend, right? No matter how busy he got, he was supposed to have time for her. 

"Siguro, pressured lang talaga siya sa dad niya." Maine said. "Alam naman nating, sa kanilang magkakapatid, siya lang yung inaasahang mamahala sa kumpanya nila."

"Maybe.." Valeen nodded. "But I think it's unfair that he's not giving you what you deserve just because he feels 'pressured'. At saka ang selfish niya ha. Remember that internship at The Ritz Carlton Hotel that you had to turn down dahil ayaw niyang mawalay ka sa kanya? You were supposed to be gaining new experiences in New York and he made you stay here for what? Broken promises of doing this and that, going here and there.. I mean, in the months that you could've been doing something great, you were stuck here, waiting on him."

"Meng, you could've been in New York, living your dream of working as a chef in one of the most prestigious hotels there, but your boyfriend was selfish enough to have you give up that dream for nothing. I know it hurts, but that's the truth."

Maine couldn't help but shed a tear. She couldn't believe that all these years, Valeen had said it right.. she was waiting on nothing. 

"Ang pathetic ko.." She laughed bitterly, wiping more tears that were flowing down her cheeks. 

"No hun, you aren't." Valeen gently placed her hands on her best friend's arms. "Jake is."

Valeen sighed as Maine continued to tear up. She felt so bad seeing her best friend in pain. 

All these years, she had always kept a watchful eye on her, but Maine continued to be so stubborn about her relationship with Jake. The latter must've loved him so much, to a point that she was willing to just play blind and deaf to the reality that the relationship wasn't going to work out at all. 

"Ayoko ng nakikita kang umiiyak, kung kaya't may surprise ako sa'yo." Valeen said, gesturing to her best friend to wait a minute as she went through her bag. She slowly pulled out a crisp, white envelope and handed it to her. 

"Buksan mo." Valeen smiled. 

Maine didn't know what this crisp white envelope was for, but she opened it. 

When her eyes had focused on the letter head, she felt as if all her tears had dried out.

"The Ritz Carlton Hotel Internship Program", it read.

"Val..." A huge smile crept up Maine's face. "Ano 'to?"

Valeen couldn't help but laugh as she shared her best friend's excitement. 

"Last year, you had to give up your slot because of Jake, hindi ba? Alam kong masakit 'yun para sa'yo dahil matagal mo nang pinapangarap ng maging intern sa The Ritz Carlton Hotel, so I found a way to get you back in." Valeen smiled. 

"It just so happened na may kilala ako dun at sinabi niya sa 'kin na they still want you on their internship program, kaya.. boom! You're back in the game, Ms. Nicomaine Mendoza!"

Both Maine and Valeen squealed as they hugged each other tight.

"Val! You're the best!!!" Maine said. 

"Pero sandali lang." Valeen instantly broke off their hug. "In two days na ang alis mo papuntang States."

"TWO DAYS?!"

"Oo, two days." Valeen nodded. "So you're going to have to formally say goodbye to your entire family and-"

"Jake." Maine finished. 

"Wag kang mag-alala," She added. 

"Handa na akong magpaalam sa kanya."