Maine took a deep breath and entered her Mom's study room. It's been two days since she found out her once-long-lost Dad is also her professor for the subject Political Science, and she's still freaking out.
"Good Morning." she greeted.
"Good Morning. Wala ka bang pasok ngayon?" her mother asked.
"Wala po pag weekend. Anyway, I have to tell you something."
"Ano yun?"
"I saw Dad." she said, with heart pounding against her chest.
"What? Where?"
"He's one of my professors." she replied and saw the surprised reaction of her Mom.
"Your Professor?"
"Yep. Sa Political Science. Mom, what do I do??"
--
RJ took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The warmth of the early morning sunshine felt good against his skin. The young guy knows he's only delaying the inevitable. Each day, his feelings for Maine grow stronger and the longer it takes for him to tell Nicole about it the deeper he get in the hole filled with nothing but secrets and betrayal.
She called him two nights ago to catch up. They talked but he did not tell her his newfound feelings for her sister. RJ convinced himself that it's for the good but now he's no longer sure.
"Pareng Soyti! tara hatid na kita." Bogs said.
"Sige ba." RJ replied and got on to his trycicle. Almost half an hour later, he reached the Mendoza's mansion. He took a deep breath before he pressed the doorbell button.
"Baby! andito ka na agad. Enebe eng pege me ngeyen." Yaya said, doing her trademark pabebe face. RJ just smirked and walked past her.
"Nagluto na ako ng almusal." Yaya said.
"Ano?"
"Tender Juicy." she replied and RJ was quickly reminded of what he told Maine two days ago. He smiled and started readying the pool drainer.
"Kakain ka ba?" she asked.
"Hindi na. May Tender Juicy naman ako dito." he answered, joking.
"Talaga? Hala , patingin nga beke hende nemen tender."
"Yaya?"
"Oh? Yes ... my answer is yes!"
"Nasuntok ka na ba?"
"Ay grabe siya oh." Yaya uttered and quickly walked away out of fear. RJ then just shook his head from side to side and started working. A few minutes later, Maine walked out and his face lit up. It's too late for his emotions to turn back now. He already fell for her, hard. Love is a process, and whatever they have is the output.
"Good Morning." he greeted.
"Good Morning din, kain ka muna." she said.
"Di naman ako gutom. Okay ka na?"
"Yeah." she answered but he's not convinced.
"Kumain ka na ba?"
"Hindi eh. Tender Juicy yung niluto ni Yaya , naalala ko yung sinabi mo nung minsan." she said, trying to laugh off her own awkwardness.
"Yung akin na lang." he said, teasing her. Her eyes widened and her expression changed.
"Loko ka." she uttered.
"Joke lang!" he said and they both laughed it off.
"Nga pala ... I wanna say thank you for comforting me."
"Okay lang po yun ... ay este okay lang yun." he replied and she smiled.
--
Maine spent half of the day in ehr own room, wondering how she's going to deal with both Nicole and her own Dad. She's only delaying the inevitable btu she's still doing it to prepare herself enough for the brewing storm that is heading her way.
Mid-afternoon, she looked out of the window to see the rainbow shining from the distance. She then glanced below and saw an equally beautiful view. A shirtless RJ mowing the grass. Maine smiled, he's definitely a catch. However, falling for him meant taking him away from her sister. Maine did not want to happen but it still did. He's the magnet, she's the metal.
She stared at the perfectly chiseled bone structure and muscles all over his body. He could be a top model if he wants to. He's blessed and very confident. The exact opposite of how Maine sees herself.
About ten minutes later, she decided to finally come downstairs.
"Hapon na, magpahinga ka na." she told him.
"Uy, concerned siya." he replied.
"Baka may makarinig umayos ka nga." she uttered and the smile on his face faded. Maine is still keen on keeping what they have a secret for the moment.
Maine's heart started beating fast at the sight of how sweaty he is. He's still the walking temptation and she's still the half-willing victim.
He then walked away and sat on the bench. He followed him and they talked.
"Takot sa inyo nung una." he told her.
"Bakit naman?" she asked.
"Ang sungit niyo kasi tapos lagi pang galit."
"Ugh, broken pa ako nun."
"Eh ngayon?"
"Not anymore ... 'cause you brought all my broken pieces back together."
"Ang cheesy mo." he said and she laughed. Maine then asked him about the Starstruck preliminary audition in their place.
"Sumali ka?" she asked.
"Sa Starstruck payb? Hindi. Pero marunong ako magpakilala."
"Yun may matigas na naman niyan. Sige nga." she said and so he stood up. RJ walked up to the pool and started talking.
--
Yaya was busy chopping ingredients for the dinner when her phone started ringing. She pulled it out of her wallet and saw Nicole's name on the screen.
"Hello Ma'am Niknik!"
"Hi! Gising ba si Ate? Sinusubukan ko kasing tawagan pero hindi sumasagot. I heard from Mom na nakita niya yung Dad niya? Si Tito? Okay lang ba siya?"
"Ay okay lang po. Ayun nasa garden nakikipag-harutan kay Tisoy."
"Harutan?"
"Opo, wala pa ngang t-shirt si Tisoy eh. Eng serep nge niye ... enebe." she replied and the call suddenly ended.
"Ma'am? Ma'am Niknik? Ma'am? Anjan pa ba kayo?"
---
"Richard "Tisoy" Faulkerson Jr. po .... 17 years old from Barangay Maputing Itim. May MAHABANG pasensiya, MATIGAS na paninindigan at MALAKING tiwala sa sarili." he said proudly to a very amused Maine.
"Oh my Gosh ... that is so fuck boy-ish. Wait, if you're gonna be an actor and you get to endorse a product, what would be your first choice?" she asked.
"Tender Juicy Ma'am, yung extra large tsaka kung may chicken dog para maputi at accurate." he said, face as red as an apple.
"Push mo yan." Maine replied and they both chuckled.
"May talent ka ba?"
"Opo!"
"Ano yun?"
"Mag Magic Mike."
"Patingin nga." another familiar voice asked. RJ' s heart dropped and he quickly looked towards the direction of the door.
"Mamsie?"
---
That's it for this part guys ^^ Nicole will come back soon. Stay tuned for more :) xx
