Melodious

Verse 16

Recap: Nagkabati na rin (sa wakas!) si RJ at si Maine. Ano na kayang mararating ng heartfelt apology/confession ni Papi RJ?

***

Patricia watched Valeen pace back and forth with her eyebrows scrunched. She was the only one standing from the six of them-- Jordan was sitting on the long couch with Jerald sprawled beside him, Aaron on the other couch with his arms around Tori who was squished against him. Patricia sat on the other one-seater, refreshing her phone now and then to check if Maine had replied to any of her texts.

She turned to the boys sharply, who were watching her with a wary eye but at the same time whispering amongst each other. "Hindi pa ba sumasagot si RJ?"

The three boys exchanged glances. It was Jordan who answered, shrugging apologetically. "Wala pang reply eh."

"Asan na napunta 'yung dalawang 'yun? Hinayaan lang magkasama hindi na sumunod? Aba mag-aalas singko na ng hapon!"

"Baka na-traffic," Aaron supplied lamely, wincing when Valeen directed her ever-famous glare on him. "Traffic buong araw, traffic? Gaano ba kalayo ang Laguna mula Maynila? Kala mo naman Baguio yung pinuntahan sa tagal nila eh."

"Baka nasiraan sa daan."

"O kaya masyadong nasarapan kaya natagalan," Jerald snickered and wiggled his eyebrows, earning a whack to the head courtesy of Jordan.

"Napoles ah," Valeen threatened, and it was a wonder to Patricia how Jerald was surviving this. "Kapag 'yang kaibigan niyo may ginawang masama sa best friend namin..."

"Hindi naman siguro gagawin ni Alden 'yun," mungkahi ni Tori. "Hindi naman siya ganun."

"Oo nga," Aaron seconded. "At least, hindi niya gagawin sa sasakyan. Dadalhin niya sa hotel si Meng or something."

Jerald laughed at this and high-fived Aaron, and even Jordan snickered. When Aaron leaned back Tori elbowed his stomach, glaring, that he immediately shut up.

"Ewan ko sa inyong lahat! Kapag ang Lola ni Meng bumalik at wala pa sila, pare-pareho kay--"

Valeen's rage was cut off when two laughing voices had reached their ears-- and the staircase from downstairs finally spewed out Maine and RJ, who were both looking at each other and laughing. The rest of the six stared at them, intrigued. Patricia wanted to generalize that maybe the two were just on a truce and was laughing on a joke, but their body language completely stated the opposite.

"Ehem!" Jerald interrupted, and the two of them finally stopped, looking at the others with their eyes still laughing.

"Ano?" Maine asked, blinking in confusion.

"Pinagsama lang kayo ng dalawang oras kung makadikit kayo ngayon sa isa't-isa parang wala nang bukas."

To be fair, ni hindi nga nila napansin 'yun until Jerald pointed it out. Immediately napahiwalay si Maine kay RJ at napasimangot naman nang kaunti ang binata.

"Hoy Faulkerson!" Sabad agad ni Valeen. "Saan mo dinala 'tong kaibigan ko at anong oras na kayo nakarating?"

"Dumaan lang kami sa bahay nila, nangamusta," Maine defended him. "Sorry natagalan."

"Umabot kayo ng halos kalahating araw, Meng," Patricia supplied. "Hindi daan ang tawag 'dun. Stop over."

"Wala ka ring sinasagot sa mga tawag o text! Asan ba cellphone niyong dalawa?"

"Nagdadrive ako!" RJ was quick to reason out. Maine elbowed him and sent him a half-hearted glare.

"Ikaw, Meng? Nagdadrive ka rin? Ano kayo, magkakandong?"