moirai

ramen

On a late Thursday afternoon, Rj was caught in line going down the Dela Rosa parking building when he looked up and saw a familiar figure walking along the bridgeway above. The car at the booth was taking forever plus there was a build up of cars on the road below making it a bit difficult to merge into traffic at this time. He watched the figure for some time. She was looking down at her phone but her face was all scrunched up and unhappy.

He scrambled for his phone and opened his facebook page. He quickly searched for her name then clicked on Messenger.

Rj Faulkerson

You need a ride?

Still looking at her phone, she stopped walking and looked around, confused.

Rj Faulkerson

Look down over the railings. Off ramp...

She looked down and saw a silver jaguar with hands on the windshield of the car. She waved at the car then walked towards the nearest stairs which was just ahead of her. She cautiously approached the car. First because she was on a ramp and it was quite difficult walking down in heels and a pencil cut skirt and second, she was a bit unsure of what she was doing.

When she got by the passenger door of the jag, the window rolled down and showed the driver, Rj, inside.

"Get in..." he unlocked the door and she opened it and got in.

"Thanks..." she said as she sat down and automatically pulled on the seatbelt.

"Where were you off to?"

"...walking to Greenbelt sana. My brother took the car e. So I was going to Greenbelt to hang out first before he picks me up.."

"Ahh...where do you live ba?" he asks.

"Bel-Air..." the car started to move and soon they were slowly moving along Ayala Avenue.

"Ah really, I live in Urda..."

"Oh."

"Do you need to be home na?" he asked. Just then, her phone rings so she excuses herself and takes the call. He lowered the volume of the radio that was blasting some dance tunes.

"....Yes...mapuli ko early...thanks, Ya..." (Yes...I'll come home early...thanks, Ya)  she said in a quiet manner.

"...mapuli?"  (going home?) He thought to himself, "She speaks Ilonggo...?"

He was looking straight at the road as she finished her call.

"That was my Yaya. No one's home pa daw..."

"Okay...so can, we have dinner first?"

"I guess so..."

He inched his way towards Makati Avenue then proceeded to park at the basement of Greenbelt 3.

"What do you feel like eating?" he asked her as they made their way up the escalators and towards the row of restaurants on the 2nd floor.

She really didn't give a specific answer so he chose Ramen Nagi. She secretly really enjoyed ramen so this was a fine choice for her. They both ordered as soon as they were seated. He was seated across her at the table.

"Uhm...Maine....very interesting name...haven't heard of it as a name for a person...I know of Maine in the States..." he began

"My parents liked giving us unique names....My older brother is Nikolos Dion then there's me, Nicomaine Dei and then my younger brother, Nicholas Dean..."

"Wow! So all of you have the same initials?"

"Yes...NDM...I guess my parents lost their creativity when it came to that..." she chuckled.

"How about you?" she asked.

"Well, I'm Richard, Junior...and then my sister is Riza Mae...that's it..." he explained.

"Ahh...so that's why you're Rj...you're your dad's Junior pala...."

"Yup!" "And, my surname's foreign...American actually...but my parent's are Pinoy...Dad and Mom are both from Bacolod..."

Her face lit up when she heard "Bacolod" but her thought was interrupted when their food arrived. Rj was about to pick up his chopsticks and soup spoon when he noticed that Maine had her head bowed down with her eyes closed. He replaced his chopsticks and bowed his head. A few seconds later, Maine looked up as he did and smiled.

"Let's eat!" he said as he exhaled heavily and smiled at her.