The Man in Strings

XIV. Rejections

"Ikaw kasi pinakamalapit."

"Excuses. Crush mo nga ako nu'n."

"Hala! Hindi ko nga alam 'yung crush nu'ng mga panahong 'yun!"

"Weh."

"Oo nga!"

"Sus."

"Rj!" Natatawa na talaga sya, pinipigilan nya lang. "Naiinis na ako! 'Wag mo akong asarin!"

"Naiinis ka or hindi mo maamin na totoo? Maine, okay lang talaga. Crush mo ako 'no?"

"Hindi nga!"

"Pero gwapo ako sa paningin mo dati?"

"Oo!"

"E 'di crush mo nga ako."

"Kailan pa naging basis 'yun?" Sumimangot na sya pero halatang nakangiti pa rin. Hayy, Maine. You cute little thing. "Ikaw kaya 'yung general na gwapo."

"Anong general na gwapo?"

"Iyong gwapo para sa lahat. 'Di ba may mga gwapo na sa ilan lang gwapo kasi basta, 'yung appeal nila, sa iba lang striking. Ikaw, kahit hindi ka type nu'ng tao, established na gwapo ka. Hep! 'Wag mo ako pangunahan. Kasama ako du'n. Gwapo ka pero hindi kita type."

"Eh bakit nagkagusto ka sa'kin?"

"Ang egoistic mo! Gustung-gusto mo yata laging naririnig kung bakit ako nagkagusto sa'yo!"

I quickly kissed her nose and smiled. "Yeah, I do." I held her hand. "I wear it everyday as a badge of honor."

"Ang taas talaga ng tingin mo sa'kin," she replied. "Rj, ako lang 'to, okay?"

"Lang? Ikaw lang 'yan?" I made exaggerated gestures. "I am loved by the great Nicomaine Dei Mendoza. Sinong hindi mapa-proud du'n?"

"Feel na feel mo naman! 'Wag ka nga!"

"De, Maine," hinatak ko 'yung kamay nya at ako mismo ang nagpulupot ng mga braso nya sa baywang ko. Hindi naman sya pumalag, kaya naman nagbunyi ako silently. She rested her head on my chest and just listened to what I'd be saying next. "People like you... are different. Hindi ka mag-isa. I mean, we're here. Us. People who chose to compromise. We adjust with societal norms. We live up to the world's standards. Kapag sinabi ng mundo na hindi kami magaling, hindi kami magaling, and we always try to live up with expectations. And there's nothing wrong with growing up like that."

"Pero ikaw," I ran my fingers through her hair. "Kayo.. who have the weirdest thoughts... ilang beses ko ba sasabihin 'to? Golden. I like how you are so un-boxed in this round world enclosed in tight corners."

"Anong gusto mong sabihin?"

"Never change."

"Even if the whole world is telling me to?"

"It's not the whole world, Maine," I kissed her head. "I'd never tell you that. So hindi pa sya whole world."

"Ang cute." She laughed and wrapped her arms around my middle tighter. "Seryoso ka? Kahit annoying na ako minsan?"

"Kailan ka naging annoying?"

"Sus, alam ko na 'to eh," sabi nya. "Sabi ni Valeen, nasa honeymoon stage pa raw tayo. So sweet and cutesy stuff pa lang. Hala. Baka mag-away tayo ng matindi soon."

"Sweet and cutesy stuff tayo until forever."

"Talaga? You can live up with my minions?"

"Oo naman. I can endure walking yellow capsu-"

"Don't go there, Rj."

"Okay, okay," I surrendered. "But no matter what happens, I'd always be here, okay? Even if the world's telling you negative things. Palagi kang magiging okay sa akin, Maine."

"Really?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "We'd grow together. We'd grow up, we'd grow old. Together. Kapag may hindi tayo pinagkakasunduan, we'd meet halfway."

"Ang swerte ko talaga sa'yo," she smiled. "I am loved by a Richard Faulkerson Jr. I'd wear it as a badge of honor."

"Gaya-gaya. Writer ka 'di ba? Gamit ka ng sarili mong words."

"Ayoko nga," she teased me back. "Baka ma-inlove ka pa lalo."

"Nicomaine, alam mo ikaw?"

"Ano?"

"Nakakalasing 'yung kalandian mo."

"Hala, nilalandi ba kita?"

I pointed at her. "'Yan! You're playing naive again!"

"Hala? Eh ikaw nag-brand nu'n sa'kin? Naive and innocent?"

"Hindi sa lahat ng oras!"

"I'm not doing anything."

"Maine will you stop teasing me -" I stopped. "Binabalik mo ba sa'kin 'yung ginagawa ko sa'yo kanina?"

She giggled. "Oo. Ngayon mo lang nahalata?"

"You evil woman." I sighed. "I love you."

"Ang lalim naman ng buntong-hininga bago 'yung declaration of love! Grabe ka, parang utang na loob ko pang minahal mo ako ah!"

"Hindi ah. That sigh was a sign of surrender. White flag, kumbaga."

"You're surrendering what?"

"My whole self. To you."

She frowned. "Tingnan mo. Ikaw ang malandi kasi."

"Kanina, hindi ko alam ang gagawin," I confessed. "Nu'ng nakita kitang malungkot."

"Pero okay na ako ngayon," she beamed at me. "Thank you."

"No worries," I told her. "Kasama 'to sa job description ko as a boyfriend."

Tinaasan nya ako ng kilay. "Come again?"

"Sabi ko, kasama 'to sa job description ko as a caring housemate."

"Good," her lips broke into a smile, tapos ay tumayo na sya sa kama.

Maine suddenly kissed me on the cheek. "Kasama sa job description ko rin, as a caring housemate."

I was once again speechless.

Hayy, Nicomaine. You make me so crazy for you and just all and all of you.

"Tara na!" Nakalabas na pala sya ng kwarto nang hindi ko namamalayan. Why do I always space out?

"Saan tayo pupunta?"

"Hindi pa ako kumakain," she pouted. "Nagugutom na ako. Don't starve me, caring housemate."

Hindi pa man ako nakakasagot nu'ng may inihabol pa syang statement.

"Or else I'd eat you."

I froze momentarily, before shouting at the top of my lungs. Sinusubukan talaga ako ng babaeng 'to!

"Nicomaine Dei! Saan mo na naman nakukuha 'yang mga linyahan mo!"

"Sa internet!"

"Saang site?! Malapit na ako mag-report ng site!"

"Secret! Baka i-visit mo maubusan na rin ako ng pick-up lines!"

"Pick-up lines lang 'yun sa'yo?! Do you even know what pick-up lines are?!"

"Oo!"

"Ano?!"

"I throw them at you and you pick me up in return because I had you triggered!"

"Nicomaine Dei!"

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