Next To Me

16. Maine's Room

After they cleared the table, they prepared for their movie marathon.

"Asan na yung pop corn?"

"Kinain ko na kagabi. Tinamad na ko lumabas para bumili ng dinner e."

"Ano?! Nag-dinner ka ng pop corn?!" His voice echoed through the four walls of her room.

"Makasigaw naman to. Corn meal din naman yun a. Katumbas nun parang kanin din." She reasoned.

"Processed food na yun uy. Katumbas nun junk food.
Hay, pasaway ka talaga. Mula ngayon, sasabay ka na sakin magdinner. Para siguradong totoong pagkain ang kinakain mo. Tingnan mo nga, ampayat mo na oh." He said reprimanding her of her actions.

"Ha? E Hindi ka naman dito palaging nagdidinner."

"Eh... Basta, sisiguraduhin kong maayos yung kinakain mo at hindi junk food. Kaya ka nagkakasakit e."

"Okay po 'Tay."

"Yan, ganyan nga. Susunod ka sa magulang mo." He said chuckling.

"Che! Ewan ko sa'yo."

"Teka, ano bang papanoorin natin?"

"Gusto ko sana panoorin tong horror movie nun, kasi maaga pa naman so hindi ako masyadong matatakot. E kaso nga..."

"Can you please stop bringing that up na? Eto na nga e di ba? Durog na durog na ko o."

"Hehe. Can't help it eh. Iba na lang panoorin natin. Teka,..."

She kept on scanning the list of movies on her laptop propped on a small table as they sit side by side on the floor. Their backs leaning on the side of her bed.

"Yung horror na lang. Hindi daw nakakatakot yun, promise." RJ said.

"Weh. Ba't ganyan mukha mo? Di kapanipaniwala."

"E ganito talaga mukha ko. Cute." He said wiggling his eyebrows at her inching his face closer to her.

"Sino may sabing cute ka?" She said chuckling and pushed his face away.

"Ikaw kaya."

"Kelan ko sinabi yun aber?"

"Nung natutulog ka nung may sakit ka. Ako yata napapanaginipan mo nun e. Sabi mo pa nga 'RJ, ang cute mo talaga!' "

"Imbento ka rin e noh? Hindi totoo yan. Hindi ako nagsasalita sa panaginip ko."

"Pa'no mo naman nalaman?"

"Basta alam ko, bakit ba?"

"Hahaha! Ang cute mo talaga pag naiinis."

He pinched her cheeks and leaned his face closer to hers again, crinkling his nose at her out of gigil.*

"Eeeehhh... RJ naman e." She swatted his hands away from his face. "Kitam. Ikaw pala nakukyutan sa'kin e."

"At least aminado ako. Aminin mo na kasi, cute ako. Di ba? Di ba?"

"Mukha mo RJ!"

"Mukha ko cute. Hehe. I-play na nga natin to. Ang kulit mo e."

"Aba at ako pa makulit ngayon ha."  This time, she's the one pinching his cheeks. Hard enough for him to feel hurt.

"Aaaahh sakit! Tama na."
He pulled away her hands on his face, holding it longer than she expected.

"Kamay ko."