Everglow

June 9, 2009: Borrowed Time

A/N: To clarify: Richard / Maine. 😊

*******

Richard was extremely attentive that day. After parking her car, he told Maine to wait inside and he rushes over to the passenger side to open the door for her. He carried her extra books, opened the doors for her, and once settled inside the library, asked her several times if she needed anything.

Richard and Maine had classes at different floors today, and he uncharacteristically offered to drop her off at her classroom before heading to his.

"Rj, may something ba? You're being extra attentive today." Maine asked him as they walked through the halls.

They stopped once they reached her room, "Maine, there's nothing, I swear. Can't a guy just be nice to a girl?"

Maine threw her head back and laughed, and Richard found himself staring at her.

I could listen to her laugh every single day.

"Richard Faulkerson, Jr., yes a guy can totally be nice and chivalrous to a girl, but I can't see Rj being chivalrous to Maine.", she laughs.
"So ano nga? May kasalanan ka ba sa akin? I forgive you, whatever that is. You don't have to be all sweet and attentive to me anymore."

So is this how I actually made her feel all those years ago?

"Hay nako Maine, kung hindi ikaw to, sobrang na-offend na ako eh." Richard sighs, "Oh sya, go in already. I'll pick you up sa room mo after your last class later, okay?"

Maine gave him a look and bit her lip slightly before she replied, "Uhm, okay, Richard."

She's biting her lip--she's overthinking this. Faulkerson you are moving way to fast, too soon.

In the hopes of lightening the mood, Richard gently pinched her cheeks, "Good luck sa recitation, Menggay!!!!!"

Richard turns around, walks away and waives his hand above his head, leaving Maine confused, her mouth slightly agape.

Maine found herself staring at Richard's back as he walked away, and feels her own smiling threatening ripping her face apart. Maine's heartbeat was getting faster by the second and she had resorted to putting her hand on top of her chest to calm herself down.

Calm yourself down, self.

See what you do to me, Rj? You don't even know.

"Nako, nagsisimula na naman si Rj sayo ha!"

Maine was startled out of her daydreaming by Valeen who suddenly appeared beside her. "Huh? Anong sinasabi mo, Val?"

Valeen puts her arm around Maine and they both watched Richard walk away. "Don't play coy with me, Maine." Valeen smiles at her tenderly, "Just make sure he's ready to catch you, or at least meet you halfway, okay?"

*******

"Briiiiiiiiiiiiiing"

Richard turns around and reached for his alarm clock. He faced the ceiling and opened his eyes.

I'm still inside my old room. I guess it wasn't just a dream. I am really getting a second chance at everything.

He lifts himself up from the bed and grabs his phone. Today, he planned to pick Maine up from her house so they could go to school together.

Maine has always said that it was the little things that mattered to her the most. The small gestures.

Richard smiles to himself. This whole second chance thing was damn near impossible, but it was happening, and he did not plan on wasting it.

Just when he finished texting Maine, he saw the calendar and almost dropped his phone.

November 18, 2009.

"What the hell is happening?!?"