Neighbors | Maichard

XLVI. - Here Comes Trouble -

The three went to the back of the house and sat on a bench. Richard kept his head down, mentally forming an earnest apology speech.

"Bakit po nandito si Lola?" Maine asked.

"Hindi ko alam ... pero sa tingin ko dahil nalaman niyang may boyfriend ka na." Mr. Mendoza uttered. Richard looked up and saw the stern look that Maine's father was giving him.

"Mabait ba lola mo?" Richard asked her.

"Oo naman ... medyo overprotective nga lang sa akin minsan. Tumira kasi ako sa kaniya nung elementary days ko eh."

"Oh." Richard answered, slightly getting nervous again.

"Pumasok na kayo .... Maine, alam mo na ang gagawin mo di ba?" Maine's Dad asked her.

"Opo. Richard, ako na lang mag-eexplain kay Lola ah?"

"Explain what?" he asked.

"Yung story natin. Matanong kasi yun, ako na lang ang bahala ah?"

"Okay." Richard replied.

"Oh sige na, pumasok na kayo."

Richard took a deep breath and held Maine's hand right in front of her Dad. She gave Richard a smile and they walked inside the house.

--

"Hello Lola!" Maine greeted as soon as she saw her grandma in the living room.

"Iha?! Ikaw na ba yan? Ay Meng!" Grandma Mendoza exclaimed. Maine released Richard's hand and gave her a tight hug. Her Dad's mother was a short and plump woman. She had a kind face and a sweet smile that could easily win the hearts of many.

"Ang laki mo na!" she told Maine. Gabbi and Ruru then snickered before they awkwardly excused themselves and went into the kitchen.

"Thank you po. Ah Lola? May ipapakilala po ako sa inyo. Si Richard po ... boyfriend ko." Maine said anxiously. Richard then took a step forward and gave Maine's grandma a boyish smile.

"Hi ... mano po." He told her.

"Boyfriend? May boyfriend ka na? Akala ko talaga tomboy ka, iha. Ang galang naman pala at ang pogi-pogi pa ni Richard ... marunong kang pumili Meng." Grandma Mendoza said, admiring Richard's face up close.

"Thank you po, Lola. Pero wag niyong masyadong sinasabing pogi yan. Magyayabang na naman yan mamaya." She said.

"Huy!" Richard yelled with cheeks as red as tomatoes.

"Ganun ba? Mayabang ka ba iho?"

"What? Hindi po! Wag kayong maniwala jan. Never po akong nagyabang, I swear." He said. Maine smiled and rolled her eyes away.

"Sus ... never daw ... mukha mo ... anyway, bakit kayo nandito Lola?" Maine asked before helping her grandma sit down on the couch again.

"Birthday ko na kasi next month, gusto ko sana magpatulong mag-organize." She replied. Maine smiled and looked at Richard.

"Ako na lang po mag-plan ng birthday party niyo. Libre na po. Part planner po ako." Richard said and Grandma Mendoza's face lit up.

"Talaga? Ay naku, salamat iho. Boto na ako sa'yo!"

"Lola, agad-agad?" Maine asked.

"Eh bakit ba? Mabait naman tapos gwapo pa at galante pa. Sigurado akong maganda ang magiging mga apo niyo." She said and Maine did a quick face palm.

"Salamat po." Richard said in a pleased tone.

"Speaking of apo. Meng, gusto ko nang magka-apo sa tuhod. Kelan mo ba ako bibigyan ng bagong aalagaan? Meron ka nang Richard oh ... pwede na." Grandma Mendoza said. Maine sat up properly and looked at her grandmother with wide eyes.

"Lola! Apo agad?!" she asked.

BUNTISIN NA YAN! BUNTISIN NA YAN!

Gabbi and Ruru chanted from the kitchen. Both Maine and Richard blushed. They turned and yelled at the two.

"HOY!"

"Sino yung bubuntisin?" a familiar voice asked. Maine looked at the stairs and saw her parents coming down.

"Wala! ... wala po!" Gabbi and Ruru said before they ran to the back of the house. Maine gulped and looked at the faces of her parents.

"Anong meron?" her mom asked.

"Si Lola kasi gusto na ng apo sa tuhod."

"Talaga? Ako din naman eh."

"Mommy!"

--

It was almost midnight when Maine's Dad and Grandma left. Richard felt relieved that both of them accepted his relationship with Maine. He already felt like he was part of the family.

"Thank you nga pala dun sa ginawa mo para sa lola ko ah? I really appreciate that." She said before walking him out of the house.

"Investment yun."

"Investment?"

"Para kapag niyaya kitang magpakasal , papaya sila." Richard said with a smile on his face.

"Aba ... eh bakit parang confident ka na papaya akong makasal sa'yo?" she asked, smiling at him coyly. Richard grinned and looked at the stars above them.

"Kahit di mo man aminin, babe. I know you can't live without me." He replied. Richard then inserted both of his hands inside his pocket and yawned.

"Ay confident, push mo yan." Maine said and Richard laughed.

"So ... goodnight?" he asked, unsure of what to say next.

"Goodnight ... I love you, Richard."

"Goodnight and sweet dreams ... I love you too, Maine." He answered. Richard then planted a kiss on Maine's forehead before they parted ways.

"Today was amazing ... thank you lord." He whispered before closing the front door behind him. Richard smiled and looked at Maine's picture in his phone. He really couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with her.

--

Maine woke up the next day to the sound of a huge truck and some people yelling. Baffled by where the noise was coming from, she left her bed and looked out of the window.

"Oh my ... a new neighbor." She whispered to herself after realizing that finally, someone was moving into the house right in front of theirs. Maine washed her face and quickly went downstairs, only to see Gabbi and another familiar face sitting on the couch.

"Clarisse?!" she asked. And after their eyes met, the two girls ran to give each other a tight hug.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" she asked.

"I'm sorry hah?" her cousin replied.

"Sorry? Para san?" Maine asked, getting more and more confused by the second.

"Lumabas ka dun and makikita mo." Clarisse uttered. The three girls then went out. Maine walked towards her mother and noticed a familiar face on the other side of the road.

"Something wicked this way comes." Gabbi whispered. Maine's heart dropped and she clenched her fists.

"Hell no ... bakit nandito yan?!" she asked.

"Ewan ko nga eh. Nagulat na nga lang din ako pinapunta niya ako dito." Clarisse told her. Maine gulped and approached her new neighbor.

"What the hell are you doing here ... Liz?"

--

uh-oh. stay tuned for more :) !