Mister Villain

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

She was a grown woman, revered in writing circles, adored by legions of fans, she could make a mean cup of coffee, and she had her life together.

"Hindi ka dapat nagtatago" Maine told herself, took a deep breath, and then decided that she should not allow Patring to face the Dragon for her.

His car arriving at Pat and Sam's house triggered all kinds of alarms in her head and she almost got frozen in the middle of the kitchen kaya si Pat na mismo ang nagsabi na huwag na itong umalis doon at ito ang makikipag-usap sa"bisita" nila kuno.

Pero alam niya bago pa man ito makapasok sa salas ay siya ang ipinunta nito dito.

Hindi na siya magtataka paano siya nahanap nito because the man was the most resourceful son-of-a-gun she ever knew.

Pwedeng mga kapatid pa niya ang nagsabi dito kung asan siya.

Minsan, ang hirap din nang very active sa buhay mo ang mga nakatatandang kapatid mo e.

"Lahat nang sinabi mo tungkol sa akin, tama" RJ admitted after the longest bombardment of insults and invectives na ibinato ni Pat at any person since time immemorial. Her bestfriend did not hold anything back and regaled RJ with her knowledge of how he planned to destroy Maine by using her feelings for Sam to break their friendship up.

Natigilan si Maine mula sa balak niyang lumabas sa kitchen.

"I'm an asshole. I'm a leech. Walanghiya ako. Manggagamit ako. Sira-ulo ako..."

"Kulang pa!" her bestfriend admonished.

RJ heaved a sigh. "Wala akong kwentang tao at malala pa ako sa tae at dapat akong ilibing nang paulit-ulit hanggang madurog ang mga buto ko at kainin ako nang uod."

"Buti alam mo!"

"Matagal ko nang alam yun Patricia" there was sadness in his voice and Maine felt it even through the wall that hid her "I'm not a very good person and what I did to your bestfriend, what I planned to do to her, what I continued to do to her... mali lahat yun. Nandito ako para aminin yun sa kanya, sa'yo, at sa kung kanino pa man na kailangan dahil gusto ko humingi nang tawad."

"AKALA MO MALOLOKO MO PA – Ah! Wait! Hihingi ka nang tawad?!?!?!"

Hindi alam ni Maine kung tumango ba si RJ o kung ano man ang nangyari because there was a stretch of silence before Pat spoke again.

"Nauntog ka ba?"

Trust the other woman to relate the biggest epiphany of RJ's life to him hitting his head.

"Muntikan na pero hindi naman kinailangan na iuntog pa ako para maintindihan ko na I have gone beyond what I should have –"

"You shouldn't have even gone to that AT ALL!" Pat cut him.

"I really want to talk to her. Pwede mo ba siyang pakiusapan na pumayag na kausapin ako?"

"I'm not sure" her bestfriend sighed "Pakiramdam ko sa inyong dalawa e kahit maayos ang maging simula nang usapan niyo, magiging magulo lang din sa huli at mag-aaway kayo pareho. Tapos masasaktan lang siya ulit."

"I can't promise na hindi siya masasaktan Pat pero I can promise you na she will know how sorry I am for it. Please..."

Maine decided it was time for her to show herself to him.

He had his back turned to him pero agad niyang naramdaman bumilis ang tibok nang puso niya pagkakitang-pagkakita pa lang niya sa pamilyar na stance nito, that really cultured and well-mannered air that almost bordered on being aristocratice emanated from him even when she couldn't see his face.