Mister Villain

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Dinner was painfully awkward.

Pero siguro para kay RJ lang.

His family interacted with Maine swimmingly. His Dad even had a few jokes for her and she laughed despite the tension he saw in her eyes. He realized belatedly that it might have been due to that tension that his own father wanted to get a smile out of her.

It was weird to feel left out with his own family but left out he was.

So he continued to eat and just be silent.

None of the others tried to talk him out of his current mood din naman and he was actually relieved about it.

Because... how do you interact with someone you wanted to hate but could not? How do you tell someone you don't want them around when your eyes can easily betray you?

How do you keep up the pretense?

He was trying to escape her by coming here and the fates decided to throw him in for a loop and have Maine present in their house.

It wrecked havoc in his heart to see her comfortable with his family.

He was happy about it.

And he was strangely proud of her for having such a good relationship with his parents already pero he was scolding himself about feeling that.

HINDI ITO ANG BABAENG DAPAT MONG MAGUSTUHAN RJ. THIS WOMAN IS A REMINDER OF THE DESTRUCTION OF YOUR HEART. That had become a mantra for the past hour.

He was alternating feeling hot and cold every millisecond.

"We'll have dessert in the lanai" his Mom announced and they all stood up to head to the garden "Masarap magkwentuhan habang nag-hahalo halo doon e. Medyo maalinsangan pa man din ngayon."

Maine asked to be excused to go to the CR for a bit and against his own mind, RJ found himself following her after a few seconds. He gave the same excuse and felt his sister's eyes follow him curiously.

He didn't care.

And he also didn't know ano ang sasabihin niya or ano ang gagawin niya pero he allowed his feet to lead him to the landing area near the restroom.

It took at least a minute before the door opened and Maine's eyes drifted towards his and widened.

He said the first thing that came to his mind. "Hindi ka ba masyado nang gagabihin sa pag-uwi mo sa Bulacan?"

Her eyes became the size of saucers. "Uhmmmm... oo."

She looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but in front of him – she looked caged.

"Ihahatid na lang kita." Pinagalitan ni RJ ang matabil na bibig. He had not meant to offer that.

"Ha?!?!" she stammered.

"Sabi ko ihahatid kita." It seemed his mouth had a mind of its own tonight.

"Ah... dala ko yung car ko, ok na kahit hindi. Kaya ko naman."

He cocked an eyebrow at her.

She was not agreeing with him yet there was no fire in her. She seemed so unsure. Inaasahan ni RJ ang angil o di kaya ay inis... hindi pag-aalangan.

Normally, she would have already told him off with "Hindi ako imbalido at makakauwi ako mag-isa" or "Ano naman sa'yo kung gagabihin ako pauwi?"

But she wasn't anywhere near feisty – more like lost and confused... more just like him these past days.

Bigla niyang naalala ang sinabi ni Kris na umiiyak ito nung talikuran siya after their fight. Posible nga ba na kaya walang talim sa pakikipag-usap nito ngayon sa kanya e dahil nasaktan ito sa huling away nila more than any of the other fights they had?