Next To Me

17. Laguna

It's warm and comfy. It's like it's cold outside but you have a really nice sweater around you so it's okay to be out. Or a really warm soup your mother prepared for you on a cold rainy day. Very comforting and blissful.

----

Rj woke up first when he felt the sunrays hitting his face. He opened his eyes and found Maine inside his arms. Her face nuzzled on his chest as he felt her warm breathe rythmically against him. Her one arm on his side and the other under her cheeks. He watched her sleep with the morning sun illuminating her face, highlighting her features, her plump lips, her expressive eyes, her chocolate brown hair that glows as the sunlight hits it. He kissed the top of her head. Never minding the cold, hard floor they're lying on.

He moved slowly as to not wake her up abruptly. He sat up and nudged her on the shoulders.

"Maine, gising na... Umaga na, Maine."

"Mmmm...kay." She said half asleep.

"Maine, bangon na. Lipat ka sa kama mo. Malamig ung sahig."

She sat up with her eyes half open. She lazily moved to the bed and hid under the covers, continuing her sleep.

It was already noon when she woke up. She was alone so she thought RJ must have went back to his room to continue his sleep too.  She scanned her pantry for something to eat but she found a bowl of sautéed vegetables on her table. Her rice cooker with cooked rice in it, enough for the two of them. It's RJ. She thought. He fulfilled his promise to make sure she will eat a proper meal.
She decided to send him a text message.

M: good morning sleepy head! 😊

RJ: hey! Tanghali na, good afternoon na po. 😜

M: thanks for preparing a meal, Tara kain na tayo.

RJ: pakabusog ka. Hanggang pang-dinner mo na yan kaya dinamihan ko yung luto.

M:di ka kakain dito? Why, San ka?

RJ: Laguna po. Umuwi lang.

M: hala! Ang daya mo naman. Nang-iiwan. 🙁

RJ: ang sarap kasi ng tulog mo kanina kaya di na kita ginising. Sorry if I left you alone there.

M: it's okay. Sanay naman ako naiiwan mag-isa dito. 😒

RJ: nangongonsensya? Dalhan na lang kita pasalubong pagbalik ko.

M: Yey! Gusto ko ng buko pie.

RJ: sure! Haha. Ang cute mo! Buko pie lang pala katapat mo.

M: okay lang naman talaga ako dito. Uuwi din ako bukas ng Bulacan. Thanks ulit for the meal. Asahan ko ung pasalubong mo ha!

RJ: Oo naman! Malakas ka sa'kin e.

M: thank u RJ! 😘

RJ: uy may kiss! *kiss back* 😘😘😘

M: nag-eenjoy ka sa emoji noh?

RJ: mas enjoy kung totoo ung kiss na yan.

M: wish mo lang. 😜

RJ: grabe ka. Kanina kiss lang ngayon may tongue na? Wild ka pala ha.

M: Eeeww!!! I hate you! 😡

RJ: hahaha! Jk. Kain ka mabuti and ingat sa byahe mo pauwi. I'll be back Monday morning.

M: yeah yeah. Ingat din.

----

RJ was shaking his head upon her last reply. A wide grin forming on his face.

"RJ, nak, mapunit yang mukha mo. Todo ngiti mo dyan a. Sino ba yang katext mo?" His father said, Richard Faulkerson Sr.

"Dad, may girlfriend na ata yan si Kuya e! Kanina pa hindi mabitawan yung phone nya." It was Rizza, her younger sister.

"Wag ka ngang magulo Rizza. Ikaw nga ata may boyfriend na e. Ang bata-bata mo pa."

"Pa'no mo naman nalaman?"

"Nakita ko sa Twitter mo, ano ka!"

"Naku Dad! Malala na nga to si Kuya. Marunong na mag-Twitter! May finofollow ka dun noh?"

"Ano naman kung marunong ako magtwitter? Hindi ako sa kweba nakatira at may internet ako."

"Hay! Ang gulo nyong dalawa. Eh, RJ, Sino ba yang girlfriend mo? Pakilala mo naman sa'min nang makilala ko na mamanugangin ko."

"Dad, wala po akong girlfriend! Grabe naman kayo."

"E sino nga kasi katext mo at todo ngiti mo? Ha Kuya?"

"Oo nga 'nak? Kung Hindi girlfriend, nililigawan mo ba yan?"

"Dad friend ko lang po to. Si Maine."

He looked down at his phone and a smile creeped on his face again. The two looked at each other suspiciously.

"Weh? Friend lang talaga ha?" His father and sister said in unison.

"Hay ewan ko sa inyo! Ang lakas nyo mang-asar."

"Nak, wala naman masama kung magkagirlfriend ka. You have provided enough for us. Basta pakilala mo lang sa'min para alam namin kung magpapakasal ka na."
His father said in a serious tone as he tap RJ's back.

"Sige po dad, papakilala ko sa inyo. Pag girlfriend ko na po." He said smiling to his father.

"Baka naman pwedeng kwentuhan mo ko kahit konti tungkol kay Maine? Saan mo ba siya nakilala?"

"Eh dad, kapitbahay ko po. Mabait po sya, tsaka maganda. Makulit din." His smile became wider as he started telling about Maine.

"Mukang malakas na tama mo sa kanya a. Iba nga yung ngiti mo. Kelan ka ba sasagutin nyan?"

"Dad, di pa po ako nanliligaw. Di ko pa po sinasabi sa kanya e. Friends pa lang po kami."

"Pero may balak ka naman? Mahirap yan pag tinago mo lang."

"Kakalipat pa lang po n'ya dun sa kabilang kwarto. Nung una nga po di kami magkasundo e. Buti nalang friends na kami ngayon. Baka po mabigla siya pag sinabi ko agad."

"Sige ikaw bahala. Diskarte mo yan. Pero 'nak, ingatan mo ha. Sa isang bubong pa naman kayo nakatira."

"Dad naman. Di po nakakalimot to. Gentleman po diba? Turo nyo po ni 'Ma diba?"

"Hay, gabayan ka nawa ng mommy mo."

"Thanks dad. Asan nga po pala si Lola? Magpapagawa po sana ako ng buko pie."

"Yay! May miryenda tayo!" Rizza butted in.

"Hindi sa'yo yun Riz! Iuuwi ko sa Manila."

"Ay ano ba yan..."

"Ah, para naman pala sa nililigawan. Nasa kusina yata Lola mo, puntahan mo na lang.
Rizza, anak, hayaan mo na kuya mo. Ngayon lang ulit na-in love yan. Halika nga dito, kausapin kita tungkol dyan sa boyfriend mo. Ano yung pinost mo sa Twitter na picture nyong dalawa?"

"What?! Dad! May Twitter ka din?"

"Opkors!"