"YOU KNEW?! YOU KNEW?!"
Rj's held Jerald by his collar but the threats didn't have the desired effect on Jerald, who just kept laughing at his friend.
"Alam mo?! Alam mo tapos hindi mo sinabi sa akin?!"
Jerald continued to laugh.
"Bakit hindi mo sinabi sa akin na si Maine yung bago nating chef?!"
"Kasi nga, surprise! Paanong magiging surprise yun kung sasabihin ko na sa'yo?"
Rj let Jerald go, then took his seat. "Tawa pa, sige lang, tawa! Anong klase kang kaibigan? Hindi mo man lang ako binigyan ng warning."
"Ano bang hindi mo maintindihan sa surprise?!" Jerald shot back. "At saka, ewan ko ba. Kampi kita, bro. Siyempre, hindi maganda na broken-hearted drama ka kay Maine. Pero... Hindi ko kayang magalit kay Menggay. Weird 'no? Samantalang yung isang babae na dinate mo lang, ang init ng dugo ko."
Rj sneered at him. "Fake friend. Alam mo naman yung pinagdaanan ko."
"Oo nga, pero alam ko din na nasaktan din si Maine nung naghiwalay kayo."
"Kasalanan niya. Siya nakipagbreak eh."
"Ang mature mo 'no? Ano ka? Kinder?"
Rj was about to retort, but an elderly voice called them to attention. Looking at his doorway, he saw his grandmother had arrived. "Hi Lola!" He said, kissing her cheek and taking her hand to touch his forehead.
"Rj, what are you griping about?"
"Nothing, Lola."
"Why are you bringing up Maine again?"
Jerald butts in. "Dito po kasi siya nagwowork. Nagkita sila kanina."
Lola Linda's eyes lit up. "Is this true? That's fantastic! I was able to visit her a number of times in that hotel in New York, and I've seen how her cooking has gotten better over the years. We're really lucky to have her."
Rj rolled his eyes. "I can't believe you kept going to see her, Lola. Ako po yung apo niyo."
Lola Linda pinched his cheeks. "Uy tampo naman ito. You know how much I adore that girl, so, of course I was going to check up on her when she moved away. Besides, it's not like you didn't know every single thing about her. I knew you were checking up on her on that Internet slum book thing."
"Facebook, Lola." Rj corrected, before adding, "Lola, she broke my heart."
Lola Linda waved him off. "You never did get over her, did you?"
"No ha. I hate her with every fiber of my being," he said, crossing his arms.
Lola Linda gave him a disbelieving look. "You hate her, huh? Where in this was the getting over part?"
Jerald chuckled, "Madam, gusto niyo pong maglunch? Pwede pa yata tayong magpaluto kay Maine."
"She's still here?" Lola Linda asked at the same time Rj said, "Bakit nandiyan pa siya?"
Jerald explained that one of the other sous chefs was sick and Maine had to split that shift with another one who came in at a later time.
Rj nodded, "O sige, basta hindi siya overworked ha?"
Jerald and Lola Linda gave him a knowing look.
Rj added defensively, "Lahat sila, ayaw kong napapagod sila. At saka baka lalong sumama yung lasa nung pagkain na luto niya."
