Present.
Same night.
"Hi." He said.
"Hi." She said.
They stood there, two feet away and gazing at each for the last ten seconds before Richard finally decided to break the ice.
"Hindi na ako magha-hi ulit kasi nakakadalawa na tayo." He let out a faint giggle.
Nagjo-joke na sya ngayon. She thought. The Richard Faulkerson Jr she remember would need a miracle just to throw out a joke even as simple as that one.
"Ahhhh.. Hehehe.."
Awkward. Very awkward.
"So, kamusta? Welcome back."
"Ahh, thanks. Okay naman. Ikaw?"
Funny, you asked. It took him five seconds to answer.
"Me? I'm all good." A faint smile plastered on his face, dimples barely showing.
"Ahh, good."
"So, what brings you here?"
"Ano kasi.. Ah, crowded kasi sa loob. Medyo kailangan ko lang ng magpahangin. Nabigla lang siguro ako sa dami ng tao na pinapunta ni Tita Helen. Hindi ko naman alam maghahanda pa pala sya. I thought we'll just have a dinner sa bahay and then --"
"Maine.."
"Ha?"
"I didn't mean here, HERE. I mean, here. In Marilog."
"Oh.. Uhmm.. Ano.. Uhhhh.."
Ten seconds ago she was practically blabberring, explaining him why she's outside because she thought he was asking about it and yet, it only took Richard to give her one touch - barely, actually - and a soft voice saying her name to make her stutter and have a hard time answering the easiest question he could possibly ask.
Wow naman sa poise, Nicomaine.
She lost it even more so when she heard him giggling -- obviously because how panicked she probably looked.
"Wag mo nang sagutin. It's fine. Sorry, I asked." Giving her a sincere smile.
"Hindi, kasi ---"
"Menggay! Tisoy!"
Once again, she was cut off.
Uggghhh!!
"Oh Kenneth, bakit?"
"Tara na sa loob. Nagsialisan na yung ibang bisita. Pwede na tayong mag-inuman."
"Ah talaga?" He turned to Maine, "Halika na sa loob?"
"Sige, mauna na kayo. Susunod ako agad."
"Okay."
"Sunod ka agad, Meng!"
Kenneth and Ric headed back inside the bar while she watched them from behind.
Inhale, exhale, Nicomaine. Umayos ka. Trabaho. Trabaho. Trabaho. GO!
After a few seconds of composing herself, she heaved a deep sigh, confidently walked back inside the bar.
"Eto na pala si Maine eh. Hija, mauuna na akong umuwi ha. Sumabay o magpahatid ka na lang sa pinsan mo kapag gusto mo nang umuwi."
"Actually, Tita, I feel really tired already. Pwede na po ba akong sumabay sa inyo?"
"Pinsaaaaan? Makijoin ka muna dito sa amin. Ang tagal naming hinintay na makainuman ka ulit huy." Nico protested.
Everyone is seated around the long round table with bottles of tequila all set in the middle.
It was such a nice view seeing them all. The entire barkada is there.
Including him.
"I would really love to stay and join you, guys. Pero sa sobrang haba ng byahe all the way from London, bigla kong naramdaman ang pagod eh. Babawi nalang ako. Two weeks naman ako dito."
"Meng namaaaaan.."
"Maine, magstay ka na kahit saglit oh."
"Oo nga, Meeeeng!!"
They protested in chorus and pleaded her to stay even for a few more hours. When she was about to give in, at the far end of the table...
"Hayaan nyo na muna sya na magpahinga. May ibang araw pa naman."
He said.
As if on cue, everyone went quiet and no one dared to protest again. Even Nico, who started it all, is now practically pushing her to go home.
"Ahh, natahimik kayong lahat ah." Nico said in between his laugh. "Sige, pinsan. Umuwi ka na at magpahinga, abswelto ka na. Next time na lang."
She couldn't help but smile and in a soft voice, she indirectly said,
"Salamat."
************
Maine wasn't able to get a good night sleep, but she woke up as early as 5:00 in the morning, anyway.
It wasn't because of the weather because the weather in Marilog last night was perfect.
For snuggling.
Tse! Shush!
It wasn't because of her work. Marilog is even more perfect than it was years ago. She couldn't wait to start painting.
It was because of him.
But she doesn't exactly know why.
Yet.
She felt the need to shake things off so she decided to go for a morning jog. Besides, back in London, it has always been part of her daily routine.
After almost half an hour of running, she decided to take a break. She took a stop and sat on a big rocky outcrop where she could see the city. One of the perks of being Marilog is the fact that it is on a highland. You can see everything from up there.
She closed her eyes and breath in the fresh air. She let the cool wind kiss her sweaty face. It was soothing, it was --
"'Musta?"
"Ay kabute!"
"Kabute pa rin?"
And there he is. The man of the hour. Wearing that fresh morning face and a bedimpled innocent smile. The same guy she's losing sleep for. The same guy who --
"Ano ka ba! Papatayin mo ba ako sa nerbyos! Kagabi ka pa nanggugulat!"
"Magugulatin ka pa rin. Sabi ko lang "musta", papatayin agad? Kung "hi" ba ang sinabi ko, hindi ka na magugulat?"
"Nangagatwiran pa 'to. Sinusundan mo ba ako?!"
"Good morning to you, too, Miss."
"Ha?"
"Ang aga aga, ang init ng ulo mo. Nakasigaw agad. At bakit naman kita susundan?"
"Eh bakit nandito ka na naman?"
"Nahiya naman ako sa laki ng Marilog para hindi tayo magkasalubong? I was out for a run tapos nakita kitang nag-eemote dito. Just wanted to say hi."
"Hindi ako nag-eemote."
"Weh?"
"Tse!"
"Sungit talaga. Ano, nakapagpahinga ka naman ba?"
"Ha? Ahh, oo naman."
"Hmm.. Mabuti naman."
Then they were enveloped in a few minutes of silence.
"Salamat nga pala kagabi."
"Para saan?"
"Kagabi nga. Nung hindi ka na nakipilit na mag-stay ako."
Ayyy, umasa ka na makigatong sya noh?
"Wala yun. You looked really tired last night at alam kong kapag pagod ka na, para ka na rin lasing." He giggled.
He's right, though. Once she's really tired and deprived of sleep, she could be as good as drunk. She didn't notice herself smiling with the fact that he still remembers.
"Nice to see you smile."
She couldn't find a word to say. Five long dreadful years ago and she still have this moment of running out of words to say whenever she's with him.
"So, what brings you back here in Marilog? Five years is a long time."
Out of nowhere, he brought that up.
Ignoring the fact that he voiced out "five years", she decided to answer the question.
"Uhm, work. I have an exhibit in London in four months. Medyo one month na akong nahihirapan na magpaint. So, Marcus suggested that I should go on a vacation here in Marilog to find an inspiration. You know, the beautiful place and all. Kaya eto, I'm here for two weeks."
Silence.
Silence.
She decided to continue.
"Medyo hindi ko na nga alam kung saan pupunta eh. Nakalimutan ko na ang mga perfect spots dito sa --"
"Marcus?"
"Ha?"
"You said Marcus."
"Yes, Marcus. He's my b----"
"I can help you."
That tone. Sounds familiar.
"Ano?"
"You said you need to find an inspiration to paint, right?"
"Right. And--"
"And nakalimutan mo na ang pasikot sikot dito sa Marilog."
"Oo nga eh. Kaya --"
"Kaya hindi mo na alam kung saan pupunta so, kailangan mo ng kasama."
She paused. Tilted her head.
Sinabi ko ba yun?
"Oh. Uhm, I guess so. Mabuti na lang at --"
"Nandito ako. Kaya yes, I can help you."
"Really?"
"Yes. Really. Sige, mauna na ako. Daanan na lang kita sa inyo mamaya, after lunch. Okay? Ingat."
She was left in awe and was still trying to process whatever just happened. Before she could say anything, Richard has run off.
So, she will start painting for her exhibit this afternoon, with Richard as her tourist guide in her own hometown.
It may sound absurd bit it doesn't seem so bad considering that she honestly forgot all painting-worthy spots in Marilog.
She only have two weeks to work on it so, she might as well take all the help she can get.
She smiled, shrug it off and run back home.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Pero wala talaga akong sinabing ganun eh.