Firsts

VI. Proposal

As she requested, they would have an early dinner to avoid traffic so Rj picked her up around 5pm and he brought her to a nearby condo.

"I own a unit here and rented the pool area sa roof deck. Sorry ha? Para may privacy. Marami lang kasi nagpapa-picture sa akin lately and ayoko sana ma-interrupt yung pagkukwentuhan natin."

"Pool area? Pwede tayo mag-swim?" Maine asked, excited at the thought.

"Yup! I got you some bikinis, sana may magkasya. Punta muna tayo sa condo. Nasa spare bedroom yung pang-change mo."

Soon, they were swimming laps and sharing bits and pieces of stories while playing around in the pool.

"May naging girlfriend ka ba na taga-showbiz?" She asked.

"Hindi mo ba talaga ako pinanood?! As in wala kang alam about my showbiz career?"

"Nope. Wala. Sa kabila kasi ako nanunuod, kung naging Kapamilya ka, baka nakita pa kita."

"Grabe siya." He teased. "Walang girlfriend, pero may nagustuhan ako." He told her.

"Ito ba yung ka-loveteam mo when you were starting?"

"No. Iba. Madalas ko makasama sa mga shows and we became friends tapos nagustuhan ko na." She asked him to continue. "Wala, hanggang dun lang."

"Why?"

"She had bigger plans for her career and being with me didn't fit into that plan. Then, we drifted apart and eventually wala na."

Maine was quiet for awhile. Okay, that won't be a good segue into what I want to ask, she thought.

"Ikaw? May naging boyfriend ka ba after us?"

"Wala din."

"Bakit naman?"

Maine bit her lip. "This would sound weird after what you just said but, well, may nanligaw and we got really close. When he asked me to be official, ewan ko, biglang naisip ko ayaw ko and I wanted to focus on my work. Friends pa din kami and he's the one who took me out nung 13? Sabi niya he'll wait, but I don't know."

Rj frowned. "Wait, so hindi mo pa siya binabasted? Aren't you stringing him along?"

"Sometimes I do feel guilty na parang ganun," she sighed. Leaning on a corner of the pool, with Rj encasing her in his arms, him standing in front of her, she continued, "In my defense, I've told him numerous times to stop and I decline some of his invitations. But, he asks me out so often, nahihiya naman ako decline all. Ayokong saktan yung tao more than I already have."

"Menggay, I'm overstepping here but what you're doing is just making it worse."

He saw the play of emotions on her face and knew the exact moment her guard went up. He was thrilled to know he could still read her, at the same time, saddened to know that he said something that may make her push him away.

She started swimming again and he caught up with her stride. "Sorry."

She said nothing, just continued doing laps. "Jay, it's getting cold. Can we change and have dinner indoors nalang?"

He agreed. "Sige, tara. Okay lang ba if sa condo ko?"

While she showered and changed, he moved everything from the pool side to his place. Then, got changed as well.

She was still quiet when they settled in. They were seated at the couch, deciding to check what was on TV when Maine spoke again, "Can I ask you a personal question? Pero okay lang din if you tell me ayaw mo sagutin."