Intertwined

Prologue

HIM

Hi, my name is Richard Faulkerson Jr., but you can call me "Rj" for short. I'm a 26 year old script writer who specializes in romantic comedies. Yes, you read that right. All the cheesy stuff that you see in those mainstream chick flicks are mostly from me.

Even if my friends often tease me about it, I see absolutely nothing wrong with what I do. I mean, in this crazy world that we live in today, love seems to be that one thing that continues to keeps us sane, you know? And I think that it is absolutely beautiful, which is why I can't seem to stop creating endless stories revolving around it, despite the irony that in my 26 years of existence, I've never had a girlfriend.

Well, I've dated two girls in the past, but they were never really girlfriend-material. Whenever our eyes would meet, my heart beat wouldn't race nor would I feel any butterflies in my stomach. There was no "electric shock" that would surge into my body like I had written in my scripts, and I just couldn't find it in myself to continue seeing those women, when I knew that I would just be forcing myself to do so.

So here I am, trying to sit through an agonizing 16-hour trip from the United States to the Philippines with a pen and paper in hand. I know that it sounds extremely baduy, but I'm planning on writing a relationship bucket list.

I'd just figured that maybe, just maybe, if I knew what I wanted to do and achieve in a relationship, I'd know what kind of woman would be most suitable for a guy with zero experience in love like me.

So yeah, wish me luck. I hope this bucket list gets me somewhere.

HER

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine being on this trip heading back to the Philippines right now. Well, first and foremost, I was supposed to be married this afternoon, but my groom had other plans. All he needed was to say those two words. I freakin' do, but he screwed it up. He screwed it all up.

You want to know why? Well, here's why! He's madly in love with my best friend and not with me. I know right? I thought those things only happened in the movies, but I guess not.

When he told me that he couldn't lie to me anymore, that he could no longer hide his true feelings for my best friend, I wanted to slap him so hard that my hand would create a permanent scar on his cheek, but I didn't. I didn't because, his happiness truly mattered to me, and it was only right for me to let him go.

I watched him walk out of the church doors with my best friend that afternoon, and everyone present at the venue was completely puzzled as to why I had just allowed them to ruin what was supposed to be the best day of my life, but all I muttered was a "Sorry you had to see that". I guess there are just some stories where the princess doesn't get the prince charming nor the happy ending, after all.

To save face, I put up a facade that I was okay and that I had everything under control despite the fact that my world had been completely shattered by the one man I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with.

When everyone but my family left the venue, it was there that I felt so vulnerable and I couldn't help but cry. It was also there that I decided that I needed to get away from all the pain, which was why my brother had booked the first ticket back to the Philippines just like I had asked.

So here I am, sitting through this agonizing 16-hour trip from the United States to the Philippines, as a single woman. As a single woman who had decided that she was no longer believing in love.

Oh, and before I forget, I'm Nicomaine Mendoza, but I prefer that you call me "Maine". A 23 year old girl who has decided to take a break from everything for a while.

After all that I had been through, I knew that I deserved this break. This really long break.