breaking free (completed)

6. cry

One afternoon, Rj saw Maine walking to the park with Coleen, her older sister. He knew the members of her family by now because he always saw one or two of them with Maine at the park. Maine and Coleen were having a conversation as they walked to Maine's favorite bench. Rj was still by the basketball courts chatting with some friends after their game. Maine and Coleen went to the benches and sat down.

"Dun muna ako sa store....may gusto ka?" Coleen stays as she stands up.

"No thanks, I'm okay.....ay wait! Bilhan mo ako ng juice please...." Maine replied as she reached into her pocket for some money.

"What kind?"

"Orange....yung malamig..."

"Okay..." Coleen replied and walked toward the store.

Rj followed Coleen.

"....ako na magbabayad...." he said as Coleen went to the counter with some snacks and drinks.

"...uy wow! Salamat!"

"....dalawang juice?"

"Akin saka kay Maine..."

"Ahh....may cookies akong dala....tara!"

"Sige...sige...."

Because the store was a ways off from the benches, Rj asked Coleen about Maine while they walked.

"....nakita ko kayo kanina....nag-s-sign language kayo?"

"Ahh oo....diba nga pag kami lang, nagsasalita naman yan e.....I mean, talking with words.....kapag nasa labas na, mas madalas nag-s-sign sya sa amin....sabi ni Nanay, mas okay na rin yung ganun kesa di talaga sya "magsalita"...."

"....hmmm....pwede mo ba akong turuan?"

"....hahaha! sige...sige....." Coleen laughed.

"Hi Maine..." Rj said when he and Coleen approached her.

She looked at him.

"....si Rj nagbayad nung snacks....may dala din daw syang cookies..." Coleen said.

"...yes....here o...may chocolate chip and spiced ginger....." Rj opened the container he brought and put it beside Maine.

"....kuha ako ha?" Coleen picks up several cookies. "....dun lang kami...." she points to a bench a few yards away, near the playground.

A while later, Maine watches as Coleen teaches Rj the alphabet.

"Paano? Paano?" Rj asks, laughing.

"Ganito kasi..." Coleen fixes Rj's fingers. "yan...ganyan..."

"Ganito?"

"Ayan....o sige nga, finger spell mo name mo..."

"R.....j......" Rj laughs.

"Hahahaha! Daya! Dadalawa lang kasi letters ng name e.....yung mas mahabang name mo...."

"R...j....F...a...u...l....k....e....r....s....o....n....." Rj fingerspelled.

"Hahahaha! Mas mahaba nga....yung apelyido!" Coleen laughed.

".....ang baho ng totoo kong pangalan e...." Rj scratched his head.

"Ano?"

"Ikaw ba? Ano bang real name mo?"

"Nicoleen Dyann...."

"Ay!.....eh si Maine?" Rj tries to catch if Maine is looking at them. He saw her glance at them when Coleen was teaching Rj the alphabet.

"Nicomaine Dei...."

"Oh wow! Ang ganda! Teka.....lahat kayo may "Nico" sa name nyo?"

"....oo....Nicolas...Nicolette....Nicoleen....Nicomaine....Nicodeim..."

"Ayos!.....pero yung parents nyo....wala naman sa kanila may Nico sa pangalan kahit na i-combine mo pa..."

"....ewan ko din....basta lahat kaming magkakapatid, may Nico sa names namin....eh ikaw?"

"Kami ng kuya ko, pareho kaming Richard....si kuya, Richard Daniel.....tapos, yung sisters ko, Riza Christine at si Angelica..."

"Di naman mabaho ang 'Richard' ah....pero bakit 'Rj' ?"

"....junior ako ng Daddy ko....si Kuya, nakuha nya yung Daniel sa lolo namin....ang nickname naman nya, RD...."

"Hmm....mabalik tayo....sige nga, i-finger spell mo nga yung Richard?"

Rj finger spells his name amidst laughing at the difficulty he's having in moving his fingers. In the distance, Maine is smiling.

A long while later, Coleen and Rj's laughter is cut by Maine's scream.