Somebody Waiting

She

She walks and opens the door; breathing nerviously as to what kind of confidence she'll have to muster within to show outside.

Raine, we can do it.

She finally entered the room ducked head, careful with every move as to not make her presence known. For there she is again ladies and gentlemen: Raine, the girl in highschool everyone uses as an example of unrequited love.

"Hey there Raine! How's it going?" A woman with a red dress hugging her body called after getting some drinks from a roving waiter.

Maggie.

"Ay hi. Hello. Kamusta? Okey naman ako." Raine replied a little nervous.

But what makes her nervous after all?

2 hours before the event (A.K.A HS Reunion)...

"Bakit ba kailangan nating pumunta pa don Louie Ann?" Asked by an irritated Raine.

"Uhmmm... una kase grumaduate tayo kasama nila. Pangalawa, kase invited tayo...pangatlo, pinakamahalaga, nagbayad ako girl ng isang libo without refund! Intiendes?" L.A said while apply her blush on.

Raine slumped on the sofa and sarcastically messes her hair in frustration.

"Don't you get it L.A? Mapapahiya na naman tayo. For sure, hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin sila nakaka-move on sa issue ko."

L.A stopped on her tracks.

"Girl, pwedeng tantanan mo ko? Bulag ka ba o ano? Nakikita mo ba asawa mo everyday, my coffee! Ke gwapo gwapo! Kahit si Pocholo minsan nakakalimutan ko pag nginitian na ko ng jowa mo."

Pillows flew in the next second.

"Hoy! May asawa ka na bakla! Wag mo ngang paalala si Rj ngayon, namimiss ko tuloy."

"Kelan ba uwi girl?"

"Bukas daw..." Raine said with a ghost of smile she can't hide.

"Arte...virgin...?"

L.A looked at her for any reaction she got from before to confirm some 'personal' information.

"Ay oh! Hindi na virgin si bakla!"

"LOUIE ANN!!!"

Back to the present...

"Do you want to join our table?" Maggie asked. "You and of course L.A."

Raine and L.A gave in to the invitation and joined the group of what it seems to be 'mean people'. They ask her as though they want to know the details of how miserable her life had become, how loser she still seem to be.

"I heard what happened to Sam and Pat, do you have any news about them?" Inigo, Maggie's suitor asked.

"No."

"Maybe you and Sam are really meant for each other after all, don't you think?" Clariza, maggie's bestfriend voiced out.

L.A's brows furrowed in irritation in the line of questioning this is heading.

"May asawa na si Raine."

It gained silence on the group.

"Oh, really?" Maggie said while playing with her drink. "Is he a back up plan?" She said plainly. And that's all Raine needs to hear to lift her brow toward this gossip girl.

"Pasensya na Maggie if I'm not miserable as you thought I would be today. Sam was my first love but my husband is my greatest love. And no, he's not some some back up plan. Actually, he's the plan."

With her saying this, a clamour near the entrance is starting to get everyone's attention.

"Maggie! You know doctor Richard Reyes jr.? He's here!" A girl from another table said. And with that every girl in the room keep their composure while squealing inside.

Rj?

Raine and L.A looked on each other. Raine with confusion, L.A with a glint of smile.

"Actually girl, his the real back up plan."

Everyone seem to look and behold the man that is wearing a white body hugging shirt and a straight cut pants. All of them are gushing to each other and secretly admiring his features but much more his profile.

"Shocks! He's really something." Althea, Maggie's friend gush as she elbowed her.

"Alam mo ba na he's the most sought after bachelor in the Philippines pero puro stolen lang ang shots na meron sya because he's a very private person? Top doctor in our country, mas gwapo pa sa artista! Grabe ang gwapo nya pala talaga sa personal!" A girl on the same table shamelessly said.

Raine

Alam mo kung ano yung nakakainis? Hindi ko alam kung bakit nakikifan girl ako sa kanila sa pagtulo ng laway ko habang pinapanood kitang maglakad in this sea of people. Teka, nawala na ata sa isip ko na asawa kita.

"Girl!!! Yung jowa mo parang superman. Ako na lang! Ako na lang si louise please!" Impit na bulong nitong katabi ko.

Pinanlakihan ko ng mata para magising sa katotohanan. Pero teka, bakit ka nga pala nandito?

All of a sudden the emcee introduced you to everyone and you smiled shyly. Hindi ka talaga sanay sa maraming tao na nakapalibot sayo.

And in that moment, nakilala na ulit kita. Ikaw si Rj ko. Ikaw si mallows ko. Ikaw si baby boy na mahal na mahal ko.

The emcee called you to the stage to interview you i guess.

"Wow! Richard Reyes jr is in the house!" He said in amazement. "What brings you here man?"

Ngumiti ka tapos kinuha yung mikropono.

"Ah eh," hinahawakan mo yung tenga mo sa hiya. "Hinahanap ko yung asawa ko di pa umuuwi sa bahay namimiss ko na."

With that everyone in the room was filled with, 'Ohhhhhh'.

"Married ka na pala doc. Ka-batch namin si misis?

Nililibot mo ang mata mo hinahanap ako. And when you saw me, your face lights up like you found your home, and My heart skipped a beat by kmowing that today, I fell in love deeper for you again.

Richard smiled and said to the emcee.
"Found her." And hurriedly he came running towards Raine. In a sea of people she's all he could see.

Everyone seem to hold their breaths as he walks to this familiar girl they knew in highschool as a girl with a sob story to tell; a woman whom they think will never be granted anything good in life——-Raine.

Richard stopped in front of her and kneeled as he smiles so warmly.

"Uwi na tayo?"

Raine nods as a tear escaped from her eyes.

"Uwi na tayo."

—————