Just Live

Chapter 22

Note: Kaway kaway from my lungga! Thank you so much for all the comments you all left in the previous chapter. One thing for sure is that you all continue to inspire me and make me smile. For that, I will always be grateful. Maraming salamat! 

Here's a chapter written with nothing but a smile on my face. Laban. Enjoy! ❤️😊

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"You're awake," he said with a smile when he took a quick glance beside him.

With the passenger seat reclined to its lowest, Maine turned to her side to face him. "Di, love, tulog pa ako," she answered with a wide smile and a chuckle.

RJ glanced at her and let out a rapturous laugh, making her giggle even more. He reached for her hand and laced his fingers with his while he drove with the opposite hand. She watched him drive, intrigued with the smile on his face that didn't fade even in their silence.

"What is it?" She finally asked, curious of what was making him smile.

"It just brought me back to when we met. Nag flashback lahat ng nangyari from the moment we met at the lake, and you were furious with me, hanggang sa you finally agreed to come to Vancouver with me," he said and smiled at her before looking at the road again. "Naalala mo ba yung hinabol mo ako after I left the bakery?"

"Tuwang tuwa ka naman na ako ang humabol sayo eh noh, love?" She said with a tease.

"Aba, syempre! Habolin ba naman ako ng napakagandang Maine Mendoza noon, hindi ba ako matutuwa?"

"Ewan ko sayo," Maine replied with a giggle. "Oh, tapos?"

"Tapos sabi ko sayo, 'You came.' Naalala mo sagot mo sakin?"

Maine thought about it before answering. "Oo, I gave you a sarcastic answer."

"Parang kanina lang," he said, quickly glancing at her.

They laughed and teased each other, their hands still tightly laced together.

"It just feels nice to be back on the road with you, love," RJ said when they turned quiet again. "Namiss ko toh."

"You have no idea how much I've missed this, love," Maine replied. "Thank you for this."

"You're always welcome, love, and it's always a pleasure going on a road trip with you. We were strangers when we went on our first road trip together and now we're at it again as a couple. Ang galing, noh?"

Maine smiled even more and brought their hands to her lips to kiss the back of his hand.

The drive was steady and smooth. The light snow that fell in the morning painted the highway nicely, leaving them with snow covered pine trees on either side of the highway in addition to the snow capped mountains in every direction they looked at. It sure was a beautiful winter drive.

After more than eight hours on the road, with a couple of stopovers for gas and bathroom breaks, RJ and Maine finally turned onto a road that leads to the ski resort where the Faulkersons own a vacation property.

He looked at her as Maine looked outside the window with a huge smile on her face when they entered the village. It must have just snowed in town too because the streets, pine trees and houses were covered in light, fluffy snow.

"We're here," she heard him say.

This. This, right here, she said in her mind. Away from it all. Thank you, Lord.

With a deep breath and a smile on her face, she was ready to make more memories with the man seated to her left.

The cabin style property was situated in the heart of the village with houses looking similar, yet different, all throughout the street.