"I don't get you sometimes." Maine spoke after awhile. They just settled in their seats a few minutes ago and now they're just waiting for the other passengers to board.
He stopped tapping his fingers on his phone and turned to look at her.
"What?"
"I said, I don't get you."
"Yeah, well. That's how it's supposed to be." He shrugged, turning his attention back to his phone.
"That's stupid." She muttered, not really meant for RJ to hear but he did. He adjusted his seat so that he was completely facing her.
"You wanna talk stupid?" He said, his tone challenging her.
She raised an eyebrow at him as she was completely taken aback. She was about respond when a piercing shriek of a street vendor beat her to it.
"Tubig! Tubig diyan, oh! Ate, tubig?"
Maine politely declined as she already have her own bottled water stacked in her bag, along with Php500 worth of snacks she brought at a nearby 7/11.
She turned back to RJ and adjusted her seat so she can face him better. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. You just took me by suprise, that's all."
"Wouldn't blame you, though."
"And by the way, I'm not a runner. Whatever that is." She said, making air quotes on the word runner while she rolled her eyes.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, I mean. I don't know? It's kind of a long story, you know?"
"I don't mind."
"Really?"
"Mhm. Oh, and I'm sorry too, you know, for what happened." He apologized. Maine knew he was sincere and she admits to herself that she was just really hungry that time.
"It's alright. You're pretty fun to be with."
He tried to shrug it off but ended up smiling once he saw her face. He was about to ask her a question when the bus suddenly started moving. Huh, he thought. He didn't even realize they already started a movie. It was Mr. Bean, by the way.
"Well, how am I suppose to say this? It's just that, I don't know, I—" She struggled to find the words as her eyes traveled around the bus, before it finally landed on RJ's. Something about the way he stares makes you feel—safe? Like the look of someone you can trust yourself with.
And so taking a deep breathe, she starts: "I've always felt like I was never good enough, you know?"
"Why do think that?"
"You know what, it's stupid. I probably shouldn't—"
"No, it's alright. I'll listen, I promise." He smiled at her warmly. The way he said it sounds so sincere, Maine couldn't help but to believe him.
She smiled back.
/
"Sigurado ka na ba sa gagawin mo?" A voice interrupted her. She stopped packing and turned to see her Ate Niki leaning against the doorframe.
"Yes, Ate. I've already made a decision." She said, giving her a tight smile. She heard her sigh as she continued to stuff clothes in her bag. She felt her bed dip when her Ate Niki sat beside her bags as she silently watch her pack.
"I've spoke to Tatay. Sabi niya, mahirap para sa kanya. Ako daw kasi yung prinsesa niya. Pero sinabi rin niya na kung tingin kong kailangan ko talaga 'to, wala na siyang magagawa para pigilin pa ako." She spoke softly, as if that's what she was about to ask her.
