Intertwined

The One With The Dimsum

Author's Note:

WARNING! SPOILER AHEAD!

Hi everyone! 

I know that most of you were shocked because of last chapter's revelation, but don't worry. The real Miggy Villapando will not be playing himself in this fic. Hahaha! Instead, the guy who will be portraying him is Tony Labrusca. 

For those of you who don't know him, he's the guy who broke Elisse's heart in that McDo ad. Wala lang, parang he looks like a paasa kind of guy. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA sorry Tony!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Love lots,
Annette

HER

Rj visited me at work today, bringing dimsum, my late night craving made known on Twitter just a few hours ago.

Our original plan was to meet up at a nearby cafe, but he decided to "hit two birds with one stone" by visiting me at my work place for the very first time and satisfying my craving for Chinese food. 

So here we were, sitting at a table near the window, surrounded by nothing but empty tables and chairs as The Chill Place had already been closed for the day.

"Kamusta pala yung meeting mo kanina? " I casually asked, before shoving another piece of dimsum into my mouth. I couldn't help it. Ang sarap. 

Oo na, ako na ang matakaw. Uunahan na kita.

"Okay naman." Rj answered. "I'll be working on a new movie soon. Parang rom-com lang for the summer." He added. 

"O, talaga? Congrats." I smiled, gently nudging him. 

"Thank you." He smiled back. "Pero hindi lang ako scriptwriter, magiging teacher na rin."

"Bakit?" I asked.

"Eh kasi may pinsan yung direktor na nandito daw sa Pilipinas ngayon. Parang aspiring scriptwriter ata, kaya ayun, gusto niyang turuan ko daw ng basics yung pinsan niya. Kaya lang... nakalimutan ko na yung pangalan niya eh."

Aspiring scriptwriter. I used to know of one in the past, but he ended up breaking my heart because he was in love with my girlfriend, not me. Bitter na kung bitter, pero masakit eh.

"Hay nako. Kung sino man 'yun, sigurado akong mas magaling ka pa rin sa kanya." I said. "Pero excited na ko for the rom com ha. In fairness." I added. "May mga possible storylines ka na ba?"

"Oo."

"Wew. Eh di ikaw na." I replied. "Pero pa-share naman. Sige na."

Rj's bedimpled smile made an appearance again. 

"Isang storyline lang naman ang nasa isip ko eh." He said. "It's about a boy and girl who fall in love at the most unexpected place at the most unexpected time." He added, looking into my eyes. 

"Talaga? Eh saan sila nagkita? At anong oras?" I asked gently.

"They meet in a plane at 8:35 pm, Los Angeles time."

Suddenly, chills ran down my spine at the memory. Rj was referring to the place and the time we had met. 

I had to admit that some of the memories from that day already seemed so blurry to me, but for him to remember it, even the exact time, meant so much to me. 

Rj was just a stranger to me on that plane, but to him, I wasn't. I wasn't just some stranger, some passenger, and it was truly amazing how our paths had crossed.. how that serendipitous meeting would lead us to where we were right now. 

I wasn't quite sure what we were. We weren't boyfriend and girlfriend, just two people who liked each other and wished that maybe that simple and uncomplicated feeling would lead to something more. 

"Sounds familiar." I uttered. "Sigurado akong magiging hit yang pelikula mo. And I assume... magkakatuluyan sina boy at girl hindi ba?"

"Oo naman." Rj smiled. "Because their love story will be a beautiful one that brewed out of trusting and falling for the right person."

"Tama na." I laughed, breaking off our long stare. "Kinikilig na 'ko eh." I added. "Basta sigurado akong papanuorin ko 'yan. Maine nalang din 'yung pangalan ng girl para swak."

"Sige ba."

"Hoy, nagbibiro lang ako!"

Rj laughed.

"Siya nga pala. Naalala ko na yung pangalan ng pinsan ng direktor." He said, awkwardly holding the chopsticks that he left on the side of his plate. "Miggy. Miggy Villapando."

And in that moment, I felt like a huge and heavy block of cement had just been dropped on me.

Just when I thought that the Philippines was my safe haven, that I could finally forget about the heartbreaking things that happened in the past, fate decides to be cruel yet again. 

My ex was slowly finding his way back into my life and I hated it. I hated it so much. 

"Maine? Are you okay?" Rj asked, noticing my silence upon the mere utterance of my ex's name. He was worried, and I couldn't quite blame him. Ever since we had gotten into each others' lives after all, I had never been this silent.

"Oo, okay lang ako." I replied, gently squeezing his hand as a sign of assurance. 

"Kilala mo ba siya? Si Miggy?"

I looked into Rj's eyes, feeling worried. I didn't want him to get intertwined with Miggy anymore. 

As a matter of fact, I didn't even want them to meet each other, to work with each other, because that would mean that they'd have get to know each other and they'd probably have to reach that topic, the common denominator that they had in their lives, and that was... me.

But I couldn't stop the inevitable, so I had to try to think of a way to stir clear of my ex and only one thing came into mind; to lie.

"Hindi. Hindi ko siya kilala."