Serendipitous

Outtake Num. Cinco: The Layover

Disclaimer: I really don't know how airports and airlines procedures work. Just pretend i know what i'm talking about. :) 

- Eris

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Dadalawa lang ang 8:15 flight papuntang Manila galing JFK. Sa dami ng beses na pinagtagpo sila ni Maine, akala ni RJ makakasabay niya rin ito sa eroplano pauwi. And what a glorious 20+ hours of opportunity it would have been!

Pero hindi, sa 50-50 chance na binigay sa kanya, hopia ang nakuha ni RJ. He booked the wrong flight. Walang Maine Mendoza sa sinakyan niyang eroplano.

RJ was mulling this while on his layover in Vancouver.

Fate is fickle b*tch.

One second, kakampi mo siya and the next, mortal enemies na kayo.

Para siyang Kuya mong lagi kang inaasar pero ipinagtatanggol ka pag may ibang umaaway sa'yo tapos binu-bully ka ulit pag-wi n'yo.

Fate is also pilyo.

That or the universe likes playing a joke on him.

So the story goes like this.

One fateful evening, while RJ was waiting for his delayed connecting flight in Vancouver International Airport, he bumped into Maine on the last 10 minutes before her flight.

He was in comfortable hoodie, she was in large coat and a large hat. They looked like an unlikely pair and he'd never been so ecstatic.

There was a desperate tight hug from him and a confused stare from her.

Really? You're that happy to see me but not enough to call me?, she petulantly thought.

"What flight are you in? Come on, I need to switch to your flight!" Clueless, RJ dragged her running to one of the booking counters.

Unfortunately, they'd have difficulty transferring his already checked in luggage because Maine's plane was leaving soon. Hindi na kakayanin.

"Uy! Hindi mo sinabi ba-byahe ka rin pala", said Maine.

He was dejectedly slumped on the counter still. "Uwi na ko. Ano namang gagawin ko pa sa New York, wala ka na dun."

"Yan tayo e. Breezy ka na naman. Hindi mo nga ako tinawagan man lang bago ako umalis", she mockingly pouted at him.

"I have to have your number to do that, Miss Mendoza."

"And I gave it to you."

"Uh, no you did not. I would have remembered that. Hindi sana ako nababaliw kakaisip ng paraan paano kita mahahanap sa lawak ng Pilipinas."

"I wrote it in a receipt and I put it on your pocket, ano ba?"

"What?!" He hastily checked his coat pockets. "It must have fallen out. Phone ko lang ang nasa bulsa ko pag uwi, I swear."

"Hmm..."

"Huy, wag ka namang ganyan! Mag-usap tayo!"

"This is the final boarding call for passengers booked on flight ATP24 to Manila, Philippines. Please proceed to gate 3 immediately. The final checks are being completed and the captain will order for the doors of the aircraft to close in approximately five minutes time. I repeat. This is the final boarding call for passengers booked on flight ATP24 to Manila, Philippines. Thank you."

"That's my flight." Maine sighed.

Maine was only a little miffed with the lost number thing. She wasn't totally upset with him. Mukha naman genuinely sincere si RJ na hindi niya talaga nakita ang number na binigay niya. And she would have love to clear things with him pero tapos na ang oras.

"I guess our time is up. Uwian na." 

She turned away from him and started to walk towards the boarding gate.

"Maine..." Sinabayan ni RJ ang mabilis na lakad ng dalaga. "Mag-usap tayo please?"

"I really need to go, RJ. Pag iniwan ako ng eroplano, baka languyin ko ang Pacific Ocean pauwi. Ang mahal ng ticket no, non-refundable pa naman to. Pag ako siningil ni Nanay, sisingilin din kita!"

"Okay, I admit, it's my fault- missing your number when I promise I wouldn't lose it. Ganito na lang, this time, ako na lang magbibigay ng number ko, ikaw mag-decide kung gagamitin mo or hindi. No pressure."

Before she could even agree, RJ took hold of her hand and hurriedly wrote his number on her palm.

They were in front of the boarding gate. The attendants were assisting the last of the passengers.

"Uwian lang pero our time is not yet up. Hindi pa. Ayoko pa."

"Ma'am, are you joining us in this flight? The gates are closing soon." One of the attendants called to Maine.

"Yeah, just give me a moment."

Without warning, Maine grabbed RJ's face, stood on her tippy toes and gave his lips a peck.

It happened too fast. She didn't give him to recover or respond.

When RJ finally snapped out of daze, she was at the far end of the gate bridge, running away like the guilty thief that she is.

"HOY BUMALIK KA DITO! GAGANTI PA 'KO!"

He spent the rest of his layover with a ridiculous grin on his face.

That is, until his granny seatmate on the plane pointed out the smudged ink on his cheek.

It took him an entire confusing minute to figure out where it came from.

When he finally did, he bit off a curse so loud, he's sure the entire plane heard him.

"Damnation! F*ckin' smudgy sign pens!"

His granny seatmate smacked him.

Meanwhile, Maine was in stupor; frozen in her seat, staring at the smudged unreadable line of numbers on her palm.

May problema ba tayo, universe?

That was the last time they laid their eyes on each other.