Melodious

Refrain 5

Recap:

RJ sang Maine a song in gratitude of saving him and his friends from Mr. Yolaba's wrath. Maine thanked him through text as the attention unnerved her in front of those people.

***

"Ang pabebe mo naman kasi," Val was telling her, while she was busy arranging her food. Isang bagay yun na nakasanayan na ni Maine panoorin-- hindi kasi kumakain si Val nang hindi nakasalansan ng maayos ang pagkain, kutsara, tinidor, at inumin niya.

Maine rolled her eyes and started picking on her chicken. Totoo naman, she had no excuses for her behavior. But still... she's not used to be shoved in the limelight like that.

"May pawalk-out walk-out pang nalalaman," pang-aasar pa ni Val. "Parang nadisappoint tuloy si RJ sa'yo. Nako."

Maine cringed. "Nagsorry naman na ko tsaka nagthank you..."

"Saan? Sa text? Menggay please," Maine chortled at Val's deadpan look.

"Val, you know how I am around strangers," she mumbled under her breath. "Himala na yun kapag kinaya kong makipag-usap sa kanya nang hindi nauutal, namumula, o pinapahiya ang sarili ko. O all of the above."

"Well, you'd have to deal with that," Val suddenly whispered. "Meeeng yung RJ mo papunta dito!"

"Ano?" Nanigas si Maine at halos hindi na nakagalaw sa pwesto niya. "Papunta talaga dito? Dito? As in?"

"Oo nga!" Val hissed back in reply. Maine slightly shook and lifted the cup, almost forgetting that it was gravy and not the drink she originally intended to have.

Calm down, she told herself. Hindi ka naman papatayin. O kakainin. Kalma. Kalma lang. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exh--

"Maine?"

Inhaleexhaleinhaleexhaleinhaleexhale

Valeen kicked her under the table. Maine gulped and peeked at RJ, who stood by the table between her and Valeen. "U-uy. Hi po."

"Ehem hi din po, hello. Ako nga po pala si Valeen, kaibigan ni Maine," Val interjected, and Maine shot her a look of relief as the former shook hands with RJ.

"Hi," ngiti ni RJ dito, bago luminga kay Maine. "Okay lang bang makishare ng table?"

Maine nodded mutely. Kahit na pagtingin niya sa paligid ay madami pa rin namang bakanteng upuan.

"Ayy, nako, gusto ko bigla ng ice cream," simangot ni Val, tsaka lihim na ngumiti kay Maine.

"Akala ko ba diet ka at hindi ka muna magmamatamis?" Tanong ni Maine, na pinanlalakihan ito ng mata.

"May sinabi akong ganun?" Pa-inosenteng tanong ni Valeen, tsaka natawa.

"Ako na bibili," presenta ni RJ. "Libre ko na. Ikaw Maine gusto mo ng ice cream? Fries?"

"Fries! Paborito yan ni Meng!"

Sinipa ni Maine si Val. "W-wag na Kuya RJ. O-okay lang naman a--"

"I insist. Please."

Maine shyly nodded her head.

"Sige, sandali l--"

"Ako na bibili, ako na. Maupo ka na lang po diyan nang makapag-usap kayo ni Menggay," inabot na lang ni RJ ang pera kay Valeen na kinindatan naman si Maine. "Sige po, babalik ako. Meng."

Hindi nadaan sa nangungusap na mata ni Meng ang kaibigan at tuloy-tuloy na itong umalis. Naiwang magkasama si Maine at RJ na kapwa di makatingin sa isa't-isa.