Just Live

Chapter 7

"RJ, ano gusto mo?"

"Ikaw." He looked to his right and saw Maine stick her tongue out at him.

"Seryoso kasi!"

"Seryoso naman ako eh, kelan pa kita biniro. I just tease you coz you're cute when you're annoyed."

She shot him another look before turning back to check the menu. "Dali, gutom na ako."

"Wow, surprising," RJ sarcastically said while checking the choices.

"I'm always hungry."

"For me?" And with that, he earned another smack on the arm from Maine.

They were standing on the side of the highway where a shrimp farm was located. They're on the third day of exploring the island and after driving by and visiting numerous beaches, a stop at the shrimp farm sounded perfect for a satisfying late lunch.

It was only meters away from the highway and a small shack served as the counter and kitchen. Right behind the shack, just shifted a bit to the right, were about twenty picnic tables under a make-shift roof. Customers dined out on the tables beside the ponds where shrimps are harvested daily to be cooked and served on the same day.

"I'll get the coconut shrimp."

"What? You're in Hawaii, right off the highway, the shrimp is cooked straight from the farm tapos you're gonna get something you can buy frozen from the grocery store?"

"But at least it'll be fresh from the farm like you said. Ayoko nag-babalat ng shrimps," Maine told RJ who gave her the are-you-serious-look.

"Susmaryosep, Maine Mendoza. I'll order for us, just go find us a table."

Maine walked away with a chuckle to find them a picnic table while RJ ordered and waited for their food. She saw him carrying a few stacks of styrofoam but he stopped her just as soon as she stood up to help.

"Nope, stay seated. Ako na bahala," RJ said to her.

"Bakit parang ang dami mo yata inorder?"

"Here you go, your coconut shrimp with a bottle of coke as you requested."

"Thank you, RJ."

"You're welcome," RJ replied with a failed wink, making Maine laugh.

"What did you get for yourself?"

"Hmm, let's see." RJ opened each of the other packages that he carried and the smell of the garlic, butter and other spices made Maine's mouth water. "I have here, two orders of butter garlic shrimp, spicy garlic shrimp, and chicken katsu. And a bottle of coke for myself too."

"Wow, gutom lang? Four orders? Kelan ka huling kumain, last week?"

RJ laughed and walked over to the faucet to wash his hands. "Nope, we're sharing."

"Kainin mo lahat yan, ayoko nga mag-balat," Maine laughed while RJ took a seat across from her.

Each meal came with a side of salad and pineapple, and the rice was topped with the sauce from the butter garlic dish.

"Diba nga, ako bahala?" RJ peeled a shrimp and mixed it with rice before scooping it up with his fingers to feed Maine. "Try," he said as if that gesture was the most natural thing in the world.

Maine looked at him, a little surprised not because of the gesture but because he hasn't even eaten yet and he was already feeding her. "Huy, di ka pa nga sumusubo eh."

"It's okay, eto oh subuan muna kita. Kakain din ako, don't worry," RJ laughed, still holding the food up in front of Maine.

Maine leaned forward and ate the food from RJ like it wasn't something foreign to them, like it was something they've done over and over before.