Fanboy

Chapter 7

Richard

Maine finally stopped avoiding him and he couldn't be any happier. During shooting days, he would sit beside her during her prep time and in between takes. They don't see each other everyday because RJ is also busy with his own work at the office but he makes sure to see her every chance he gets. He understands that she's not someone who easily warms up to people so just being able to talk to her, no matter how shortly, makes him happy. In the times they were together, all they do is talk. Even if he does most of the talking, he doesn't really care. He flirts occasionally but they have done nothing too sweet, nothing too romantic. At least not yet. He's content with being her friend. At least for now.

The shoot ended at around one in the morning and RJ volunteered to take Maine home.

"Ha? Uhm, nakakahiya naman. Okay lang, I'll just call my driver. Charlie Puth naman yun eh," she says nonchalantly.

"Charlie Puth?" he asks, not immediately getting her joke.

"You know, cause he's," she forms a telephone sign using her hand and presses it to her ear. "One call away."

He bites the inside of his cheeks to prevent himself from laughing at how corny her joke was, clearing his throat and trying to maintain a straight face.

"Yihee, tatawa na yan," she teases him, poking his dimple that was threatening to show up fully. He softly swats her hand away to feign his annoyance. "Ah, ganun ah? Okay, I'll call my driver na-"

"Eto naman," he grabs her wrist and laughs sarcastically. "Hindi mabiro. Ang funny kaya. Hahaha!"

She just glares at him in return and proceeds to type on her phone.

"Hey," he snatches the phone from her hands and raises it in the air so she wouldn't reach it. "Please let me drive you home. I told you I want to make it up to you. Tsaka para na rin hindi mo na maistorbo yung driver mo. Malay mo tulog na yun kasi pagod tapos ngayon niya lang makakasama yung pamilya niya tapos yun yung tangi niyang kaligayahan sa buhay tapos-"

"Oo na. Ang OA mo. Pinapaguilty mo pa ako," she says before standing on her toes to reach her phone from his hand and he gives it back to her. They were just standing in front of each other, her glaring at him, forehead creased and eyebrows furrowed, him showing off his megawatt smile.

Ugh, cute mo. Sarap kagatin.

He touches the spot between her brows and runs his finger along the bridge of her nose, something he has learned to do whenever she had her grumpy face on and it works every time. When he feels her muscles relax, he pinches her cheeks. "Ang cute cute mo talaga."

From afar, they didn't notice Direk Mike and Direk Pat watching them fool around with each other.

"Sila na ba?" Direk Mike asked.

"Friends daw eh," Direk Pat says, shrugging.

"Sus, yan din sinasabi namin ng asawa ko dati," he laughingly shakes his head, observing the two friends bickering over something only they know.

-

The drive to Maine's condo was smooth and quiet. There were almost no cars on the road and it took them only half an hour to arrive at their destination. After parking his car, RJ insisted on helping Maine carry her stuff to her room. She knows he would still insist even if she says no so she doesn't protest anymore. Besides, the sh have the energy to argue any. The lobby was quiet as they walked to the elevators.

"I'm leaving na. Would you be alright here?" he asks, carefully placing her duffel bag on the couch once they were finally in her room. Her room was at the top floor of the building for privacy, just like those of the other high profile people who lived in the condominium.