The Bridesmaid [MaiChard AU]

Double Take

RJ
He finds himself inside his car, his knuckles white from gripping his steering wheel too tight while his other hand rubs his face frustratingly. He’s been there for the past five minutes and the building guard is already eyeing him suspiciously. He combs his fingers through his hair, deep in thought. He has already taken a few steps away from her doorstep but what he heard from behind her door, his feet wanted to do a double take and run back to her.

But seriously, RJ. Kung babalik ka, anong gusto mong mangyari?

Hindi ko din alam. Basta gusto ko lang syang mahawakan ulit.

After minutes of talking himself down and a few more deep breaths, he finally convinces himself that he made the right decision and drives off into the highway, muttering to himself repeatedly, “RJ, wag ka nang bumalik. Nagpapahinga na yun malamang. Wag na. Wag na. Malayo ka na. Just drive.”

He brakes for the red light about five minutes later. He looks around his car as he waits for the green light and a ghost of a smile graces his lips as he finds on the passenger seat his jacket that Maine used as her blanket earlier. It still probably smells of her. He takes his duffle bag from the backseat and blindly pushes its contents to one side to make room for the jacket when something rough meets his fingers. He furrows his brows and takes the item out of the bag and realizes it’s Maine's crystal studded clutch, the one her mother gave her on her birthday, remembering that she asked him to keep it for her earlier before they left the hotel. He beams, as if he just discovered that there's a real life Tony Stark and picks up the keychain dangling from his ignition.

“Do more of whatever makes you happy.” He reads out loud. He smiles widely, his dimple deepening, his heart beating too loud that he could almost hear its every thud echoing inside his car. With a renewed sense of hope, he frantically shifts gears and zooms his car forward as soon as the traffic light turns green and accelerates to the nearest U-turn he can find.

Driving faster than he normally does, he gets there a few minutes faster than when he left and haphazardly parks his car. He hurriedly grabs her clutch and his keys before sprinting back into the building, tapping his feet on the elevator floor as it travels up to where she lives -- 10th floor, unit 24. He practically runs all the way to her door then stops abruptly, feeling beads of sweat run down the sides of his face, his breathing erratic. He wipes them off then fixes his hair and straightens invisible creases on his shirt.

He paces back and forth a few more times in front of her unit as he catches his breath before he forms a fist and lifts it up to her door.

***

Maine
“Okay self, ikalma mo na. Kalma, kalma.” She takes deep breaths as she hovers her palm up and down a few inches away from her face repeatedly.

She knots her hair into a bun and brushes her teeth. She couldn’t help but smile in front of the mirror as her eyes zero in on her lips, still plump from all the kissing they did since this morning.

“Ganda ka?” She says to her reflection in the mirror.

“Naman!” She replies to herself, caressing her cheeks, stroking her imaginary Rapunzel hair. “Baliw! Maligo ka na. Amoy sunset ka na, kanina pa.”

She strips down to her underwear and dons a robe, preparing for a quick shower, when she hears someone knocking at her door. She furrows her brows. She isn’t expecting anyone.

“Baka si Patty. Talaga naman, atat sa kwento.” She shakes her head as she walks to the door. She peeks through the peephole and her heart starts beating wildly against her chest.

“Oh my god. Shet, shet, shet.” She clutches the neckline of her robe tightly and takes a few deep breaths before opening the door. Her ribcage almost hurts from the way her heart is jumping around her chest right now.