The Voices You Hear

... when the ice cream melts

He was standing outside her door for a few minutes already, playing a dialogue inside his head on how he would greet her. A bouquet of carnations on one hand, a tub of ice cream on the other, beads of sweat already forming on his forehead, and he keeps staring at the door.

If this door were one of those that talk back to us, I would've been busted soon as I'd parked my car. Shit, I should've brought Bel with me.
He took several deep breaths before raising his hand to knock on the door. And just then the door opened.

"Richard?"

"Maine! Uhm, I was just ah...I'm... Hi!"

He tried to act cool but he felt his ears getting red, and his whole face getting warm. He casually handed her the flowers, making her raise one eyebrow. She was trying not to laugh. Bic was already whispering to her inside that he had been standing outside her door for five minutes.

"Thanks! How'd you know I like yellow carnations?"

"You said your favorite color was yellow, and these carnations looked so bright when I saw them online, it reminded me of you."

It was her turn to blush. They looked like two teenagers acting silly on a 1st date, and for a few seconds that air of awkwardness hovered.

"Aww don't you two just look cute! Now get in. What do you have there, Mallows? It's dripping."

"Oh, sorry. Ice cream. As promised."

"Let me get that for you. Please, come in."

He looked around her apartment as she took the ice cream from him and put it in the refrigerator. He saw another door which he assumed to be her bedroom. A bunch of papers and folders were stacked on the center table, seemingly a replica of how her office desk looks like. He looked over to her as she arranged the carnations in a vase. He could hear her murmuring, and concluded she was talking to Bic.

"Girl, those look nice."
"I know, they're lovely. And he said it reminded me of him. Bic, he's been thinking of me!"
"You do know he can hear us, right?"
"Shit."

She turned around and saw him with a sick grin on his face, and she couldn't have turned any more redder.

"Uhm, are you hungry? I hope you like salmon."
"Great. Anything I can do to help?"
"Nope, I got it. Let's eat."

She was worried that he might not like the pan-fried salmon, but he was eating with so much gusto that she couldn't help but feel proud of herself. Not bad for someone who cooked salmon for the first time, she thinks as she gives herself an imaginary pat on the back.

"Hey, Mallows. You can breathe, you know."
"Bic..."
"When was the last time you've eaten?"
"Bic, I am this close to flushing you in the toilet."
"You won't. You have bad plumbing in this apartment."

He was laughing so hard that he had to pause and calm himself. Richard almost choked hearing the exchange between Maine and the pen. She was blushing so bad again that she had to cover her face, embarrassed to look at him.

"Don't cover your face."
"Can't you tell I'm too embarrassed right now?"
"It's ok, I enjoy hearing you two argue."
"Well, then come here often, Mallows, you'll see a lot more."
"Bic! Please! I swear!"
"Ok, ok, I'm shutting up. I'm just speaking for Binky, I'm telling yah..."
"Oh yeah, you mentioned a Binky. Do I get to meet her? him?"
"Not yet Mallows. Maine girl here and Binky had an agreement, so it's just me you have to deal with. For now."

If it weren't too rude to just get up and throw a very chatty pen, she would've done it. Taking a deep breath, she looked back at Richard, looking more gorgeous if that were possible, but now with a worried look on his face.

"Uhm, Maine? Should I be scared about Binky? Is it going  to jump at me any moment?"
"Don't mind Bic. Pretend the pen doesn't exist because pretty soon it will get evicted, I'll make sure of it."
"I can take a hint, girl, sheesh. Go ahead with dinner."

He was shaking his head in amusement, but a lot of thoughts were already running through his head. He's been figuring out what this Binky is, but he decided to just enjoy dinner and learn more about her.

"How long have you been in this unit?"
"About two years now. I used to just rent bed space in one of the boarding houses near the office, but I needed the privacy because, well, you know..."
"Ah, yes, of course. But you live here alone?"
"My brother used to stay with me, but he's graduated already so he moved back home for a while."
"Does your family know about your friends?"
"No. No one in my family knows. I've always been regarded as the odd Mendoza kid because I'm the introvert and I never really socialize. But I love my family, even with all the pressure growing up..."
"Pressure?"

She played with the vegetables on her plate while contemplating on what to tell him. She's never opened up to anyone like this. She's never had real human friends that stick around for her to confess her deepest thoughts, but she is certain of this connection with him. Regardless of how short they just known each other.

"I come from a family of achievers. My parents are always going up the stage every graduation day because they would be pinning a medal on my sisters or my brothers. But I never got any medal while I was in school. Oh, I did get a Loyalty award but every kid in my class got them so it's nothing special."

He was listening to her intently and he could feel her struggling as she told him her story. He wanted to reach out and hold her hand but she kept her hand occupied with the fork, the other gripping the side of the table.

"My eldest sister is now the CEO of my parents' company, my other sister's the head of finance in an international firm, my brother is starting his own company, and our youngest, my brother who used to live here, he just graduated summa cum laude and has lots of job offers, yet he decides to take it slow and wants to travel first."

She takes a sip of water.

"While I, well, I have Bic."
"Hey! You make it sound like I'm just some consolation prize."
"Sorry, Bic."
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Maine. Besides, you have a gift, remember that."
"Yeah, well, that gift doesn't make it any easier for me. I can't just tell my family that, right? I'm already the odd one, if they knew about Bic and Callie and Binky, they'd think I'm crazy. But then again, maybe I am."
"Then that makes two us."

He smiled back at her, his dimple deepening and she can't help but smile back. She noticed that both their plates are already empty. Now would be a good time for wine. Then she remembered the ice cream he brought.

"You ready for dessert?"

She scooped the ice cream onto two bowls, handed him one and led him to her couch. There was a comfortable silence around them as they ate.

"Thank you for trusting me, Maine."
"Huh?"
"What you told me awhile ago. I know it's never easy to open up, especially since we've just met."
"You're different, Richard."
"We both are, and that's special. You're special."

He inched closer to her, a bowl of ice cream on one hand. She looked at him, aware of how a small amount of space is just between them. He placed his bowl on the center table, on top of the stacked folders. She was trying to breathe normally as he took the bowl of ice cream she was holding. She was still holding the spoon on her other hand, melted ice cream dripping already. He moved closer, his eyes focusing on her lips. She unconsciously licked her lips, biting it, then closed her eyes as he kissed her. She dropped the spoon with the melted ice cream on the couch.

"Oh kid. Your snot I can handle but ice cream is a little too sticky!"

Richard jumped as he heard it. They were sitting on an old, frayed blanket. Maine laughed.

"Richard, this is Binky. My security blankie."