A Second Chance

Part 1 - NAIA - Terminal 3 July 16 2015

Richard's POV

'Where are you?'

'Be there in 15mins', Sam to Richard on the phone while driving.

'Papi, I've been here for 40mins!' Richard said with gritted teeth, exasperated pabagsak siyang umupo muli sa lounge chair. He asked Sam to pick him up since he is just within the area and he will also be attending the family reunion as well. But the main reason why he asked Sam is that he doesn't want drive all the way to Tagaytay and it will save his fuel.

He came from Batanes just in time for their annual family reunion. He's been in Batanes for almost 2 months now for some business venture and leisure at the same time. He co-owns several hostel slash bed & breakfast slash inn with his friend, Sam. Business is booming and they are now branching out to different provinces famous for tourist spots and Batanes will be their second baby outside Luzon after bringing their hotel in Palawan over a year ago. And if his meeting with the people in Batanes goes well, they are ready to go in four months. Yes....Batanes!!! The place holds a special place in his heart. Thinking about this made him smile and giddy with excitement & melancholic at the same time. Erase! erase! I shouldn't be thinking about it. He told himself. Remembering Sam, he looked at his watched for the nth time..

'I'm soo gonna kill you Sam!....ang tagal!!!' He's been milling around inside the terminal since his plane landed 30mins ago.

Tired of walking around, he sits on one of the lounge chairs situated next to the glass wall 15meters or so from the entrance. He wants to see Sam walk in when he arrive. He look to his right from time to time where the entrance is. 5mins through sitting, he stood up, walk back and forth. Stop, cross his arms and watch the people go in and out the door, going through the motion of security check. He face the glass wall to look outside but since dusk is setting in all he could see now is his reflection and the busy people inside passing behind him. He stood like that for a while, just watching. He could see people in a hurry to catch their flight, others just milling around waiting for their 'sundo' just like him. He sits down again and look up the ceiling and stare. He could still see the people at the entrance coming in on his peripheral vision...

'Grabe ang tagalll. Batong-bato na ko!' and counted the people coming in.. a technicolored something caught his eye and look at that direction..

There stood a woman with a funny hair. It made him remember the movie Rio which stars a parrot. He smiled and wonder what on earth is the woman thinking wearing a hair like that. The security said something to the woman. He could only see half of her face. The woman smiled and made a peace sign and reach out to her hair and pulled it off. Oh a technicolored wig! Her hair tumbled down. Her long black hair...no it's brown... is highlighted with red. She puts it inside her bag. She wears a bandeau topped with a floral kimono and black skinny jeans. She still wears her sunglasses. She's kinda tall, maybe 5'5. And just like any other guy, his eyes traveled from her head to...

....'hmmm...nice butt'... foot. Not bad!!

Boredom forgotten, he continued watching the woman. Through with the security check she stopped for a moment and removed her sunglasses, placed it on top of her head, took out her phone from her carry all bag and scanned the area. Upon seeing her next destination she resumed walking. And began talking on the phone.

Like a lion catching a prey, he watched her every movement. He doesn't know why but he can't take his eyes away from her. It's as if he was mesmerize by her mere presence. There is something with the girl that he just cant identify, something familiar. He cannot see her face fully as he was seated on the side next to the glass walls. He followed were her eyes landed and saw that its the check in counter. Going there she will pass by where he is sitting. She's still talking on her phone and he heard her voice faintly. She giggled from something the person on the other line had said. A familiar laugh echoed in his head and it cut through his heart. He immediately stands which startled the person beside him. He apologizes with a smile.