The Flight

Manila

"I'd love to."

"Idea. What? Really?" Maine said.

"I have nothing to do, Maine and seeing this is your big move, I'm pretty sure you don't know anyone in Manila besides your siblings. Just say your my neighbor in New York and we both happened to be in Manila. Here's my card. Just text or call me the details." 

And then Maine and RJ left the plane and parted ways at the airport.

***

"MENG! MENG!" Colleen shouted through the arrival area of the airport.

"COLLENGGGG!!" Maine rushed to give her sister the biggest hug ever.

In one side, there were banners of a certain Alden Richards from obsessed fans clubs being watched over by a security personnel.

"OMG AYAN NA SI ALDEN! ALDEN! ALDEN!" Some thirty something gay guy shouted through the barricade.

"Sino ba yun?" Maine asked not having a clue who this certain Alden Richards was.

"Ah artista! Let's go! Mang Ben is waiting, he can't wait too long." With that Maine and Colleen turned around and headed to their SUV.

As Maine turned around, her back against the visitor's entrance, RJ already saw her from a distance, but he was too busy being hounded by fans that he wasn't able to call her out.

Maybe she'll call, he hoped.

***

Two days later...

"Huy bes, gising! Samahan mo ako!" Colleen woke the still sleepy, jet-lagged Maine from her sleep.

"Ano? Saan?"

"To work. May shoot ako. Bagong endorser ng Amara Resort."

"Ikaw? Sa taba mong yan, huy, pang Lesofat ka lang, leche."

"Puta ka. Hindi, Amara Resort bagong resort ni dad. Today yung shoot, I have to oversee everything. Dad moved me to finance na, then you'll get my old job in marketing and advertising. So you need to familiarize yourself with the staff and the people and the project."

"Five minutes, please!"

Maine went back to her five minute nap, and got ready to go with her sister.

***

"Ms. Colleen, Dane is the director for the TVC, and this is his team. Lauren and Patrick will be the stylist for Alden. Galing EB lang po si Alden he'll be here daw po in an hour or less," her assistant Lia briefed her.

"Good. Lia, this is Maine. She'll be taking over this campaign. She's your new head na rin. She'll start pa on Thursday pero I brought her para familiar na siya."

"Hi Ms. Maine. Lia Uy po, Pat and Jenny are also your assistants. If you need anything po, call us nalang. We were also exchanging emails in New York to fix your transition po and moving in to your new post. So far this campaign po, you've been briefed naman po. AdCreate, the agency we got for the shoot, decided last minute to change the endorser. Ms. Colleen gave the go signal naman po."

"Thank you Lia. Maine nalang, no need for Miss. Sige, I trust what Colleen says."

"Okay po."

"Maine, punta po muna kayo ni Ms. Colleen sa holding room, aircon po dun. Nag text na po handler ni Alden, ten minutes daw according to Waze."

The Mendoza siblings have always been close. During their summers, Teddy would bring them to Europe or if he can't make it, they would go to New York to visit their Tita Mary Ann, Maine and Dean. During Christmas, Mary Ann, Maine and Dean would come to Manila discreetly and spend a week or two, before they start school. Out of all the sisters, Maine and Colleen were the closest being two years apart. Niki was the eldest, and was also the COO of the holdings company of Mendoza Corp, Nico was the VP for Business Development, Colleen was the VP of Marketing and Advertising, but was transferred as VP of Finance. Now, Maine was going to become the VP of Marketing and Advertising, while Dean chose to become a chef instead and veering away from the corporate side of the family business.

Colleen and Maine were in the holding room, picking out food when Lia entered the room.

"Ms. Colleen, nandito na sila Alden."

"RJ?" Maine said in surprise.

"Maine! What are you doing here?"

"You guys know each other?" Colleen said.

"Uhm, actually... RJ this is my sister."

"Ms. Colleen, a pleasure! Uhm... Yeah. We were neighbors in New York." RJ decided to go on with the lie they made up while they were on the plane.

"Yeah. RJ... Are you part of Alden's team? Are you the cinematographer of this shoot?"

"Uhm girl, okay ka lang? Si Alden yan noh, our endorser for this campaign! RJ ka ng RJ diyan. Wag feeling close uy."

"When you said you were working I didn't think you were the daughter of TM," RJ said.

"TM?" Maine sounded confused.

"Teodoro Mendoza. I've done a couple campaigns for his company already. Colleen here has actually been a friend already."

"You guys look like you need to talk, I'll go get Starbucks first. Maine make sure he feels comfortable before the shoot." Colleen left the room, and RJ was left with a very confused Maine.

***

"So Maine, small world huh?" RJ tried to break the awkwardness.

"RJ, I didn't know you were Alden. Sorry. I'm so embarrassed. I'm so out of touch with Philippine showbiz. Anyway, it's nice to see you. Let me know if you need anything."

"I don't want to be assuming but why haven't you called me?" RJ asked nonchalantly.

"Uhm, I was actually about to. But now that you're here... Would you still accompany me to the wedding? You can say no."

"Maine. I already said yes, and I'll keep my word."

As if on cue, Niki went inside the room and greeted her baby sister. "Meng!! Welcome back, baby sis!! Did you enjoy your flight? Daddy didn't want you to sit in economy. Masyadong matagal yung flight! Ano may date ka ba sa kasal ko?"

"Ehh, di naman ako choosy, ate!! Tipid ako!! Actually, meron..." Maine said.

"Who?"

"Me po." Niki turned to see who the voice was, but it was from the guy sitting on the make up chair.

"Alden?"

"Magkakilala kayo ni Maine?"

"Yes po, we're neighbors in New York. Then we were on the same flight going back."

"AYLAVET LAKAS MAKA-DESTINY!" Ate Niki excitedly said bringing out the inner fangirl of loveteams and teleseryes shipping her sister and the superstar endorser as her new love team.

"Uy ate naman oh! Wait, start na daw in 5 minutes." Maine said, and led RJ to the shoot.

***

"Okay pack up! Good take, Alden!" The director yelled.

"Maine, can we talk? Maybe get coffee?" RJ offered when Maine finished signing some documents.

"Uhm..."

"Go na, meng! I'll ride with Ate Niks. Take Mang Ben with you. Di papayag si Dad wala kang bantay," Colleen said overhearing their conversation.

"Okay."

Maine rode with RJ, while her bodyguards followed RJ's Range Rover to the nearest coffee shop, when Maine's stomach started to grumble.

"Are you hungry ba? When was the last time you ate?" RJ asked protectively.

"I only had a slice of bread from the craft service kanina. Haven't eaten all day."

"Susmaryosep naman, Maine! You better feed yourself. Let's have dinner nalang."

"Okay, pwede somewhere private? I mean it's not that I don't want to be seen with you, just that given the circumstances, I just don't want anyone to say something."

"Of course, I understand. I know where to take you."