moirai

Sunday

The weekend passed like any other regular weekend. Maine heard mass with her family on Sunday before going to Power Plant Mall for lunch with her family. This was their regular Sunday. Rj, too had Sunday family get-togethers after hearing mass. Rj usually had lunch at his Lola's house in Dasmariñas Village but this Sunday, his Dad wanted to have lunch at the mall.

After mass, each family member went around the mall on their own. Maine settled for just sitting on a couch at Starbucks. Since her family was just going to meet up in the area at around 2:30pm before heading home, the spot was perfect. Besides, she didn't feel the need nor the urge to shop or walk around that lazy afternoon. She had her drink on the table and was curled up on the couch, reading her book. About an hour after she had been sitting and reading, she felt a 'presence' peering over her shoulder from the chair behind her. When she looked up, there he was again...Rj.

"Uy!" she was a bit startled by his presence.

"Interesting book you have there..." he said smiling at her, using his straw to point at the book she was holding.

"Ahh...yeah...I like John Green and Nicholas Sparks..."

"Ah ok...The Fault In Our Stars...wasn't that a movie?"

"Yes, it was...wait...what are you doing here?"

"I had lunch with my family...we usually have Sunday family lunch..."

"Ahh...parehas ta....we just had lunch...I'm just waiting for them..."

"Hmm...." he hummed as he took a long sip from his drink.

"I think I saw you earlier...." Maine said as she put her book inside her bag.

"Tu-od? Where?" he replied, a bit surprised.

"At church....San Antonio....before coming here...." she explained.

"Ah yeah...we go to Mass there on Sundays....kamo man?"

"Most of the time, sa park lang...but Mass there is usually on Saturday evenings...."

Dean came in the store and approached Maine.

"Nang, let's go na..." Dean said as he approached the table. Maine looked at the direction of the mall from where she was seated and saw her family. She smiled and nodded at her Dad who was looking at both her and Dean.

"Ok...Ah! Rj, this is my brother, Dean...Dean... Rj..." Maine introduced Dean and the two shook hands.

"I'll go ahead...see you around..." she said as she stood up to leave the café.

"Ok, halong. Bye!" he waved at her and watched as she exited the café doors. She looked back at him and they waved at each other. He caught Maine's parents looking at him and he gave them a smile.

"Sin-o to?" (Who was that?)  her Mom asked.

"Rj kuno..." Dean began...

"Friend ko...nakilala ko sya didto sa party sa Fort..." (my friend...I met him at the party at The Fort...) she explained as they walked out of the mall to ride their car.