GIRL FRIDAY (Completed)

Chapter 36 - Walk Away

Good morning my dears, I hope you're feeling good today. How did you find the twin chapters last night?

It's a painful moment for both, but I promise that we will transition back to the happy vibe soon. Hindi lang pwedeng abrupt, because a trust issue is never resolved quickly.

You'll be surprised and proud of Maine in this chapter, for being able to stand up for herself. And like most of  you expect, she will get hurt but she did not stumblw through it and remained dignified.

I know some of you will experience a break-up or falling out with someone at one point in your life. If and when that happens, please keep your dignity intact, chin up. Don't grovel or beg, hide the pain to protect yourself. You will have only yourself to protect you, so do it well.

Have a blessed day❤

Maine woke up at the wee hours of dawn to find him staring out the window. She admired his handsome profile, marveling at his perfection, even when somber. She felt she'd given him enough time to procastinate over talking about what bothered him, and with this she got up from bed and went to him.

His arm automatically opened to pull her into his embrace, he kissed the top of her head as she settled into the seat while he sat on the windowsill.

"Baby......don't you think it's time you tell me about what's bothering you?"

"Natatakot ako sabihin sayo. Feeling ko our relationship will change if we talk about this."

"But I feel the gap already between us. RJ, please. May kinalaman ba satin dalawa yung problema? May nagawa ba ako na dapat natin pag-usapan?"

"Maine.......ganito na lang. Is there something you should talk to me about? May dapat ba akong malaman about you, na baka matagal mo na gustong sabihin? Please, tell me the truth."

She recoiled slightly from him and felt a coldness wrap around her heart. She felt scared, afraid to confront the ugly truth that she should have told him about way back, when feelings were not yet running this deep.

"Meron akong dapat sabihin sayo.....pero mukhang alam mo na." She started to cry. "Sino yung ka-meeting mo kahapon?"

"Si Chona."

"Sasabihin mo ba sakin kung ano pinag-usapan niyo?"

"Wait lang."

He stood up and left the room, went out of the house to his car. He came back with the hateful brown envelope and gave it to her. She opened the envelope and paled when she saw the photos.

"Naaalala mo ba kung kelan nangyari yan?"

"Kanino galing ito?"

"Rex ang pangalan niya, dati daw empleyado sa RRF, may grudge kay dad. Binigay niya kay Chona yan. Maine, pinipilit kong isipin na wala lang ito. Pero nagkita kayo ni dad on a Saturday, may point na parang aalis ka pero pinigilan ka niya, tapos may check na binigay sayo. Sabay pa kayo umalis ng Coffee Bean. Do you see this through my eyes?"

She tried not to cry. She tried not to look guilty, but she felt it. That momentary lapse of judgment, borne out of necessity, was now going to haunt her.

"RJ, matagal ko na gustong sabihin sayo ito. Pero natatakot ako. Kasi baka mag-iba tinging mo sakin."

"Just tell me what happened, Maine. I will try to understand."

"Your dad asked if I could meet him on a Saturday and I agreed. He was worried about you, he said you were always alone and you took your break-up badly."

"Go on...."

"He said he wanted to help you recover from what Tania and Erick did to you. He asked if I was willing to help."

"How?"

"He....he......"

"He what?"

"He.....he told me to be friendly with you.....And....and he offered to compensate me for it."

"How much?"

"RJ—"

"How much Nicomaine?"

"One hundred grand."

He closed his eyes and laughed humourlessly.

"Wow. That's a lot of money to be friendly. Can't blame you for taking it."

"You don't understand—"

"No, BABY. I do."

"I returned the check."

"What?"

"I returned it. I never cashed it."

"Why?"

"Because I thought being friends with you didn't require me to be paid."

"From a well-paying gig to a charity case, real quick."

"NO! RJ......you're a wonderful person, I just wanted to be a friend to you. I wanted to help."

"Tama na. I knew we shouldn't have talked about this. This is not helping."

"Why? I'm opening up to you, hindi ako nagsisinungaling sayo."

"I know you and dad meant well. And yes, hindi ka naman talaga sinungaling. Maawain lang. I'm sorry my dad bothered you, para mamalimos ng attention for his pathetic son. I'm sorry you had to put up with me harrassing you, trying to win you over. Because I was so smitten, Maine. Unang kita ko pa lang sayo, nagustuhan ko na pakatao mo. Maybe that's what dad saw in you."

"Bakit ka nagso-sorry? Mahal kita, that part is true. Yes, naawa ako sayo nung simula because of what happened to you, but I fell hard for you. Hindi mo ba ramdam?"

"Bakit mo ko sinagot, Maine?"

"Kasi narealize ko mahal na kita. Ano ka ba?"

"Talaga? Hindi ba dahil sinagot ni dad yung tuition mo?"

"Anong sinasabi mo? I returned the check, wala akong nakuhang pera."

"He paid for your tuition," Richard said, his voice slightly raising. "Yung sinasabi mong bakit bayad na, remember? Siya nagbayad non. Tell me, bakit babayaran ni dad ang tuition mo?

"Hindi ko alam!" Her voice was also louder, more out of frustration than anger. "Hindi ko nga alam na siya pala nagbayad non. Ganon na ba kaliit ang tingin mo sakin?"

He didn't reply. He didn't know what to say. He was hurting for her and for himself, he was sorry he ever brought this up. He wanted to hug her but she seemed so distant now. He wanted to think straight, to backtrack some of the things he said but it looked like it was too late.

She suddenly started picking up her discarded clothes.

God, ang sakit. Bakit ang sakit? Sana hindi mo na lang kami pinasaya kung babawian mo din ng ganitong pananakit. Hindi na siya naniniwala sakin.

She silently went to the bathroom and cried, the sobs wracking her body, her chest feeling so tight and heavy. She tried to compose herself, took a shower, got dressed and contracted an Uber ride.

"San ka pupunta?"

"Uuwi na ko."

"Hahatid na kita."

"Hindi na, may sundo na kong Uber."

"Delikado umalis ng ganitong oras, ano ka ba?"

"Why should you care about a gold-digging bitch like me?"

"I wasn't thinking that. I'm sorry." He tried to grab her hands but she pushed him away.

"Itigil na natin 'to."

"Maine, hindi pa tayo tapos."

"Wrong. Tapos na tayo, RJ. Sadly, tinapos mo na. Nang dahil lang sa pera."