"Meng, san ka pupunta?" Maine heard her mom ask the second she entered her room.
"Papasok na po ... may emergency po dun sa mansion eh, may sakit po yung amo ko walang magbabantay." She answered, lying to her own mother just so she could leave the house without answering a shitload of questions. Maine grabbed a couple of clean clothes from her drawer and stuffed them inside her bag.
"Babalikan ko na lang po yung mga labahin ko bukas o sa isang araw."
"Uy, hindi ba pwedeng iba na lang mag-bantay? Kakauwi mo pa lang kanina tapos aalis ka na naman." Her mother said in a concerned and slightly sad tone. Maine stopped moving and stared at her mom.
"Hihingi na lang po ako ng extra day-off sa kaniya next week." She said with a smile on her face.
"Sigurado ka?"
"Opo naman," Maine assured her mom.
"Oh sige ah? Tatawagan ko tatay mo, sasabihin ko na lang na ihatid ka niya."
"Sige po."
--
"Dude, are you still alive?" Carter asked Richard when he face-planted himself on the couch. The two guys were able to down more than a dozen regular bottles of beer before they started feeling drunk.
"Yeah ..." Richard moaned at his friend.
"Listen ... I called my driver to take me home but I'm not going until Maine comes here okay?" Carter questioned him. Richard just nodded and closed his eyes once more. He felt like everything was spinning out of control, both literally and figuratively. He tried to drink his thoughts away but they plastered themselves even tighter to his brain, making him even more confused with his feelings.
"Oh look! She's here ... that's great. Sit up, you fucker." Carter said but Richard just waved him away.
"Leave me alone ..." he told his best friend.
"You're not gonna be alone, you idiot," Carter replied. Richard smiled and used both of his hands as a pillow for his head.
"Yup ... I wish Maine is here."
--
"Mag-ingat po kayo." Maine told her parents as soon as they dropped her off in front of the mansion.
"Oo, ikaw din ah? Text mo kami pag okay na amo mo." Her father replied. Maine smiled and raised both of her thumbs at them. Her parents smiled back and drove away.
"Okay ... moment of truth." She whispered before opening the gate using her key. Maine then went inside the mansion and quickly noticed another car in the driveway. Suddenly, an unfamiliar face came out of the front door and walked towards her.
"You must be Maine, I'm glad you're here!" he said. Maine smiled awkwardly and took a step backward. The guy stopped right in front of her and quickly introduced himself.
"I'm Carter ... RJ's best friend ... that's my car ... the one with doors ... hehe ... your boyfriend, I mean your boss is inside ... he's passed out, he's drunk as fuck. The little kid is asleep in his room ... I don't know if he already ate ... oh wait, he already did. Now ... I'm gonna go, I will wait for me driver right outside that gate and I will leave my car here for the night .... Are we clear?" he asked her. Though confused, Maine just nodded to end the conversation. She also noticed that his breath was reeking of alcohol, and that they were indeed drinking their asses off before RJ called her.
"Okay po." That's all she told RJ's friend. Carter smiled and went out of the gate, leaving her even more confused than ever. Maine just shrugged and went inside the house, only to see RJ passed out on the couch. She touched his shirt and realized it was sticky and wet. Maine cringed and immediately wiped her hand on the back of her jeans,
