AMACon 3: Oikos (30 Day Drabble Challenge)

Chapter 5 - (Mis)fortune

What's this supposed to mean? Maine flopped down on the couch in Alden's house, glaring at the small paper that she took out from the fortune cookie.

Love and happiness are but words in a dictionary for you. Give up and move on while you still can.

"Ibig sabihin ba nito hindi ako magiging masaya o mai-in love?" Maine muttered to herself. "This doesn't make sense!"

Her hand stretched out in front of her, taking one of the fortune cookies that lay scattered around the small table. Her heart pounded as she broke the piece and took out the small of piece of paper inside.

Love and happiness are but words in a dictionary for you. Give up and move on while you still can.

What kind of fortune is this?!? Maine was utterly terrified that the mocking words on paper will come true. While she wasn't entirely superstitious, she couldn't help but think that maybe there is some truth to the phrases she just read. Why else would she find it twice?

After a few moments, Alden arrived with a few bags of groceries in his arms. He glanced over at Maine and realized that she didn't even notice him. Instead, she was staring at the scrap of papers on her hands, lost in her own thoughts.

"Menggay, ano iyan?"

She jumped. "Ha? Wala ito. Ano lang...messages galing sa fortune cookies."

Alden's brows furrowed. He strolled towards her, taking one of the scrap of papers on her hands.

"Are you worried about this?"

"Medyo," Maine responded in a low voice. She couldn't get the despairing thought out of her head. For the past few minutes, she had already pictured the two of them in a number of scenarios that always didn't end well. She couldn't figure out what she should do.

"Menggay naman," Alden sighed, sitting beside her. "Alam mo namang Diyos lang ang nakakaalam ng kapalaran natin...hindi iyang mga papel na iyan."

"Pero RJ," Maine protested weakly. "Paano kung too pala iyung nakasulat diyan? Paano kung hindi tayo maging masaya? Paano kung ---"

"Paano kung nangyari na ang kabaligtaran ng sinasabi niyan?" RJ cut her off. "We're already happy and in love, Menggay. Worrying about this fortune cookie is a moot point."

Maine burst out laughing. "May pa-moot point, moot point ka pa ha!"

Alden groaned before smiling at Maine. "Lagi ka na lang ganyan! Basta, tandaan mo lang na hindi kita iiwan dahil lang sa mga papel na iyan. Okay?"

"Okay."

Suddenly, the front door banged open, and Mama Ten rushed in. She was flushed and out of breath.

"Ma! Anong nangyari sa iyo?"

"Mala-late na kasi ako sa lakad ko!" Mama Ten said, moving closer to them. Her eyes then zoomed in on the table where the remaining fortune cookies lay alongside empty wrappers.

"Susmaryosep kayo! Anong ginawa niyo sa mga fortune cookies ko?!?"

Maine and Alden jumped in surprise.

"Teka. Teka sandali, 'Ma," Alden got to his feet and stared directly at Mama Ten. "Sa iyo lahat ito?"

"Oo!" Mama Ten glared at him. "Hindi ba sabi ko sa iyo nung isang araw na may pagtri-tripan iyung isang friend ko? Bakit niyo kinain lahat?"

"Sigurado ka ba? Hindi ko maalala na sinabi mo iyan," Alden protested. "Baka naman si Leysam ang kausap mo."

"Sinabi ko kaya sa iyo habang naglalaro ka ng Pokemon Go! Oo ka lang ng oo!"

Maine guffawed quite loudly. "Sabi ko na nga ba eh! Dapat hindi ka na naglalaro ng Pokemon Go! Ayan tuloy."

"Paano pa ako tutuloy sa lakad ko? Hinihintay iyan ng friend ko!" Mama Ten continued.

"Teka. Saan mo ba ito nabili? Papalitan ko na lang."

"Anong binili?!? Susmaryosep, ako ang gumawa niyan! Ilang araw akong hindi nakapag-beauty sleep dahil inuna ko iyan!"

"Hala," Maine taunted Alden. "Lagot ka!"

"Menggay naman! Ikaw kaya kumain niyang fortune cookies," Alden whispered loudly before turning to Mama Ten. "Ma, sorry na!"

Mama Ten glared at him before walking away dramatically. "Tse! Bahala kayong dalawa diyan! Matutulog na lang ako!"  

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A/N: Thanks for reading! :)