Intertwined

The One With The Towel

HER

"Maine, you are just returning a freakin' flash drive! What's with the racing heartbeat and the nervousness?" I asked myself as soon as I had arrived at the building where Mikee's condo unit was in. 

I could've just handed the flash drive to the woman at the front desk, but I didn't. For some reason, my feet led me to the elevator that would bring me to the 5th floor. This was what Mikee wanted anyway. That I return this flash drive to her older brother. 

"Sana gwapo yung kuya niya." I muttered, laughing off my nonsensical nervousness as soon as I had found Unit 3. "Hmmm eto na yata 'yun." I added, knocking on the door three times. 

I waited for about 2 minutes before I finally heard someone's voice. It was her kuya's probably. It was quite odd how it seemed so familiar to me, though. Like I've heard that voice before. 

Suddenly, when the door had finally been opened, my cheeks turned into a bright shade of red, as I saw a man in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. 

I was shocked at the fact that there was a shirtless man standing before me, but I was even more shocked that the man was none other than.. Rj. 

"Maine?" He said, looking genuinely surprised. 

"Rj?" I replied.

"Sabi ko na nga ba eh. Magkikita tayo ulit." Rj smiled, then pulled me into a tight embrace. 

I know I should've pushed him away, because technically, he was only a stranger I had met on a plane, but the fact that he was shirtless and that I could feel his soft skin against mine, was distracting me to a point that I didn't mind being this close to him at all. 

I mean, setting these lustful thoughts aside, Rj's embrace felt so.. comforting. Like it was all I needed to turn a bad day into a good one in an instant. 

"Kamusta ka? Saan ka ba nakatira ngayon? May trabaho ka na ba?" He asked, as soon as he pulled away. 

"Um, are you planning to talk to me with just a towel wrapped around your waist?" I asked, trying my best to stay focused on his face and not on his body. 

In fairness naman sa kanya ha. Kahit wala siyang abs, ang ganda pa rin ng katawan niya. Oh the things I'd want to do with that body. HOY STOP IT MAINE. FOCUS. YOU'RE HERE TO RETURN HIS SISTER'S FLASH DRIVE. 

"Oh, sorry. Kaka-shower ko lang kasi." Rj blushed. "Anyway, come in. I'll just go change." He added, ushering me into their condo unit. 

As I walked in, feeling more like an intruder than a guest, the first thing I noticed was how neat and orderly everything was. I didn't know if it was Rj or Mikee that had the OCD, but wow.. just wow. Parang mas maayos pa ang condo unit nila kaysa sa buhay ko.

I tried not to roam around the living room, but I just couldn't help it. There were white picture frames with beautiful photographs of the Faulkerson family in them, writing awards and certificates that Rj had won ever since he was in grade school and.. a picture of Rj with a woman who looked my age. 

By the way his arm was draped over her shoulder, I could tell that she was probably his girlfriend.. or ex-girlfriend.

"Hi, andito na ko ulit." I heard him say. 

As I turned around, I couldn't help but admire how handsome Rj truly was. Despite donning that simple pambahay look, he just had the aura of a Prince Charming from those Disney story books. 

And that bedimpled smile. Oh that bedimpled smile. Don't get me started on that. 

"Uh.. anyway," I said, pulling myself back to reality. "Nagpunta ako dito para isauli 'to." I added, handing him the pink flash drive. "Naiwan kasi 'yan ni Mikee sa The Chill Place." 

"The Chill Place?" Rj's forehead creased in confusion. "Nagtratrabaho ka ba dun?" 

I nodded in reply. 

"It's a long story, but maybe I can tell you some other time." I smiled. "Um.. medyo late na no? Mauuna na siguro ako."

"Wait," Rj  said, gently holding unto my hand. 

As I looked into his eyes, he didn't need to utter the words, "Don't go", for they spoke what his mouth couldn't. He seemed so desperate for me, as if he had been looking everywhere, and now that he's finally found me, he just wanted and needed more time to spend. 

But these were all just assumptions. Something I had thought about by just looking at his brown eyes. I could be wrong.. or maybe not. 

"Can you stay? Even just for a while?" Rj said. "I know medyo weird dahil nagkakilala lang naman tayo sa isang eroplano, but there's just something different about you. I can't seem to pinpoint what it is, but.. you're different and I like it that you are."

I couldn't help but blush at Rj's words. What reply could I possibly give to something like that?

"Um.. sige. Dito na muna ako." I said. "Wala namang maghahanap sa akin eh." 

"Don't worry, safe ka dito." He assured me with that bedimpled smile that made my knees jelly. "And.. Dei? Bakit mo ginagamit ang second name mo?" He asked, noticing the nameplate that I was still wearing. 

"Uh.. wala 'to. Kaartehan lang na pinag-isipan ko. Parang bagong simula ganun." I shrugged. 

"Dei's a unique name, but I'll always prefer Maine. Nicomaine actually." Rj said. "It's a beautiful name fit for a beautiful girl." 

AY MEGANON?!

When he noticed that I couldn't find the right words to say, he let out a laugh. A laugh that was adorable and infectious. A laugh that made everything seem so light. A laugh that had my heart beating like a young girl who had just been noticed by her crush. 

Why, Rj, why? You're supposed to be just a stranger that I had met on an airplane. Why can't you remain that way? Why is someone like you creeping into my life again? Why, Rj, why?