Next To Me

27. Parking

RJ: Pababa ka na? Malapit na ko. Hanap lang ng parking.

M: 5 minutes. May meeting lang pero patapos na din.

RJ: sige sige. Hanap na din ako ng makakainan. Dine in na lang tayo?

M: Sure. Mejo gutom na nga din ako e.

10 minutes passed and RJ hadn't heard from Maine yet. He already found a restaurant near the area that he thoyght Maine would like. The food looked good and were offered for a reasonable price. It was her first salary and she insisted she would treat him. He decided to text her again.

RJ: matagal ka pa? May nakita na kong resto. Baka magustuhan mo dito.

M: RJ, pasensya na. May pinapaayos pa kasing mga write ups sa amin. Napuna kasi sa meeting e kailangan na to i-submit bukas. Pero sandali na lang to. Ikot ka muna jan or tambay ka muna sa coffee shop. Sorry talaga.

RJ: ok lang. Di naman tayo nagmamadali. Text me kung pababa ka na. Mag-coffee na lang muna ako.

RJ went to a small coffee shop just beside the restaurant he found. The cafe's name is unpopular but it is crowded inside so he thought they must be regular customers. Different conversations can be heard everywhere and everyone seemed cozy at their spot.

Just as he was about to fall in line to pay for his Americano, he bumped to a girl who was about to fall in line too.

"Sorry Miss. Go ahead. Mauna ka na."

"Oh thanks." The girl gave a sweet smile at him.

After he paid for his coffee and asked to wait to be called, he saw the girl he bumped into waving at him from a small table not too far from the counter offering the seat across her.

"Dito ka na o, may seat pa dito." She said with a sweet, not too loud voice.

He took the offer since there really is no other seats available.

"Thanks." He said courteously back at her. He noticed the girl kept looking at him with that sweet smile not leaving her face.

"Hi. I'm Trina." She offered her hand out.

"Hi. RJ." He took her hand for a handshake.

"So, do you work around the area? Anong company  mo?" She started, still her gaze and smile not leaving him.

"No. I don't work here. Pero I'm an IT." He answered meekly. He found it quite awkward to be ogled at by a stranger.

"Oh. That's nice." She propped her head above her palm and stared at RJ directly.

"You're so gwapo no? Your face is like an angel's." She kept ogling at him, looking all over at his face.

Sweat started to form on his forehead. He wanted to escape this girl's piercing looks. He badly wished his name to be called from the bar's counter so he could stand up and get away from her already. He looked at the counter on his left side and accidentally faced his dimple on her.

The girl suddenly moved her chair beside him and leaned towards him. "Can I touch your dimple?"

He was taken aback from her request and before he could even protest, the girl was already poking her finger on his dimpled cheek.

"Eeeeeeeeeee! Finally my dream came true!"

She poked harder on his cheek and squealed more in delight.

"Uhm, please stop it na." His cheek started to feel hurt from the girl's long finger nails so he moved her hand away from his face. The girl kept pushing his hand to him as if she didn't heard his protest.

"RJ?"

"M-maine!"

He scrambled on his feet to stand up and immediately get away from the girl that he almost tripped on his chair.

With furrowed eyebrows and scrunched forehead, she tried to make out of what the situation was about and why was there a girl beside RJ.

"Uhm. What's this?" She asked.

"Hi. Oh, I'm leaving na." She looked at Maine first then her watch and stood up. "Thanks for the company RJ." She touched his arm then left her coffee on the table as if nothing happened.

The two were left with their mouths hanging open.

Just as Rj was about to explain to Maine about the situation, he heard his name being called for his coffee. He rolled his eyes from annoyance before he went back to get his coffee.

"Wrong timing." She heard him muttered.

She gasped from what he said. It stung her heart coz it seemed that RJ didn't want her there. Wrong timing. What was that about? Ako ba ang wrong timing? Dahil ba nahuli ko sila? Sino ba yung babaeng yun?

Maine felt hurt and betrayed at what she saw. There was a girl leaning on RJ and they were holding hands in front of their faces. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights when he saw her. What's puzzling more was that it seemed nothing happened and the girl just left. Oh, before she left she even touched RJ's arm. They seemed familiar with each other. Tears started to pool on her eyes which she wiped immediately. She didn't want RJ to see her crying.

"Maine, let's go na." He pulled her and held her hand as they walked towards the restaurant beside the coffee shop.

"Okay ka lang?"

She nodded as a reply. She couldn't look him in the eye so she kept her gaze on the floor. He wasn't satisfied with her answer so he faced her and held both of her hands.

"Huy, Maine. Okay ka lang ba? Ano'ng nangyari sa'yo? May masakit ba?"

"Wala. Uwi na lang tayo."

"Ha? Akala ko magdidinner tayo?"

"Next time na lang kita ililibre. May kailangan bayaran si Dean sa school e." She told him even though it was a lie.

"Ganun ba? okay lang naman. Ako na lang manlilibre. Nagugutom na ko e."

She couldn't protest anymore. She wanted to ask for an explanation about earlier but she knew she has no right. They weren't on a date either. Everything was confusing. She wanted to get away from him right now and cry but he kept on holding her hand. She wanted to pull away but his hold on her was tight.

"RJ, mag take out na lang tayo. Gusto ko nang umuwi, please?"

He saw her pleading eyes so he conceded.