"Y-You what?" Ivan asked in disbelief after RJ admitted his feelings for Maine. Even RJ himself couldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth. Two weeks ago, he hated Maine with his guts. But after seeing how kind and caring she was, things inexplicably changed. RJ couldn't explain it, but there was something about Maine's kindness and imperfections that drew him in. Her personality was infectious and her presence became like a drug he couldn't get enough of. Maine turned out to be RJ's personal brand of cocaine.
"I .... I like her," RJ answered before glancing at the two who were still inside his car.
"Since when?"
"I ... I don't know ... I was in denial I guess." He replied.
"Does ... does this mean I'm no longer allowed to see her?" Ivan then questioned him. RJ removed his hands from his friend's shoulders and threw them up in the air.
"No ... of course you can. It's not like she's my girlfriend or anything ... the only condition I have for her is to finish all her chores before she could do whatever she wants." He answered and saw how Ivan's face lit up.
"Nice ... wait, wouldn't it be weird that she's still working for you even though you like her?" Ivan asked RJ. The other guy got into thinking and confessed to his friend that he still hasn't opened his feelings to Maine.
"Why?"
"I don't know ... I guess I don't have the guts to do it."
"You? Richard R. Faulkerson Jr. aka KAMA's resident womanizer ... tongue-tied and all shy about his feelings?"
"Yes, Ivan. Maine's got that effect on me." RJ said with a half-smile on his face.
"She really is something, then."
"I agree. Remember when our mates used to call me Superman back then? I think I found my kryptonite." RJ uttered, referring to Maine.
"Dude, I'm still here you know ..." Ivan then whispered in a more serious tone.
"Oh yeah ... Ivan, bro ... you can come here anytime you want, okay? I don't think I have the guts to tell her the truth anytime soon. But when that time comes ... you should know that I won't back then." RJ told him.
"Cool ... may the best man win then."
--
After RJ and Ivan talked, Maine's boss opened the gate and drove the car into the driveway. She and Kirby then hopped off the vehicle and walked straight to the front door. Maine glanced at the two guys and noticed a bit of awkwardness between them. It made her realize that whatever it was that they talked about must have been serious.
"Watch ka muna ng T.V. Baby Kirbs ... may gagawin lang ako, okay?" she told Kirby. The little boy then nodded and so Maine went outside to be with Ivan. She sat next to him on the garden bench and asked what he and RJ talked about.
"I can't tell you ... its top secret," Ivan replied and Maine scowled.
"Sus ... kahit naman English yung pinag-usapan niyo eh maiintindihan ko pa rin naman eh. Sige na ... tell me." Maine insisted.
"I'm sorry, I can't ... I promised Richard. Uh, Maine ... did you think about it? Can you give me the answer now?" Ivan then asked her. Maine straightened up and looked at the orange sky above them. It was the question she has been trying to answer for the past two days. And finally, she came up with one.
"Okay ... pumapayag na akong ligawan mo ako." Maine said, making Ivan show his smile that immediately turned her knees into boneless lumps
"You won't regret it ... I promise!" He said happily.
"Promise yan ah? Baka mamaya ... peeyeken me leng eke, emeghed." She said, making him laugh.
"No ... I promise you, I will do everything to show you how much I care for you."
"Uh ... Ivan?" Maine then asked back.
"What?"
"Ano yung pinag-usapan niyo ni Sir?"
"Maine, I would love to tell you but I can't."
"Naman eh!"
--
"Dude, what the fuck ... just tell Maine you like her, okay? What's so hard about that?" Carter asked him through the phone.
"I can't ... I don't know why ... I hate it." RJ admitted. He settled in front of the window and watched the two on the garden below. He saw Maine laughing at something that Ivan said, the sight of them irritated RJ even more.
"Then you need to think of a way on how you can do that ... baka maunahan ka ni Ivan. Sige ka." His friend told him.
"I'm doing my best, okay? Maine is unlike any girl I've ever met before. She's different ... way too different."
"I agree ... you used to go for girls that are sexy. Maine's a bit ... you know ... how do I say it without offending you?" Carter asked, teasing him.
"Oh shut the fuck up ... she's beautiful inside out and that's what matters."
"My boy Richard's in love!" Carter exclaimed, causing RJ's heart to flutter and his cheeks to blush. He then looked away from the window and closed the door to his room.
"Fuck it, Carter. I guess I am."
--
A few minutes after they started eating dinner, Maine decided to ask RJ the same question he asked Ivan earlier. He stared at her for a moment before he answered the question.
"None of your business,"
"Eh ... ito na lang po, Sir. Bakit po kayo pasulyap-sulyap sa amin kanina?" she questioned him and RJ almost choked on the hotdog he was eating.
"W-What? No ... I wasn't looking at you two." He replied defensively.
"Echos mo, Sir."
"I swear ..."
"Okay po." Maine said just to end the conversation. A few seconds later, Kirby started poking her elbow. She turned to her side and asked him if there was something wrong.
"No ... I'm going to say something." Kirby answered.
"Okay ... what is it?"
"Daddy likes you ..." he said and her heart dropped. Maine looked at RJ and saw the shocked look on his face.
"Baby Kirbs ... yung Daddy mo at ako ... friends kami, okay? Di niya ako like." She immediately told the little kid. Kirby scowled and moved his head from side to side.
"Buddy, that's enough," RJ said. Kirby hopped off from his chair and ran towards the living room.
"I'm sorry, Maine. As you can see ... nagmana siya sa akin ... madaming mood swings."
"Oo nga po eh. At least halatang mag-ama kayo ... parehong may topak."
"What?!"
"Ay wala, Sir! Wala po!"
--
"Bud, you need to go to sleep ... para maging big boy ka niyan." RJ told Kirby after tucking him in bed.
"But I can't sleep," Kirby replied, pouting his lips.
"Okay ... what does Daddy need to do para mag-sleep ka na?" he asked his son patiently. Kirby then did his thinking pose, his then smiled at his Dad a few seconds later.
"Sing me a song!"
"The three bears," Kirby replied and RJ's heart jumped a beat. It was the same song that Maine sang to Kirby several nights ago, also the same song that RJ's mom used to sing to him when he was little.
"Yung tatlong bear? You really want that?" He questioned the little boy, hoping he would change his mind.
"Yes!" Kirby yelled and RJ just sighed. He took a deep breath and stood up. Though he never danced or sang the song for someone else, RJ managed to memorize the steps by watching Youtube videos of it whenever he was bored.
"Okay ... ah .... I'm going to sing and dance then you will go to sleep. Do we have a deal, bud?" RJ asked and Kirby nodded. He then readied himself and started singing the song.
May tatlong bear sa loob ng isang bahay ...
RJ's heart fluttered at the sight of Kirby's smiling face. Knowing that his son was enjoying himself made him the happiest father in the world right at that moment. RJ just continued singing and dancing for Kirby, unaware that Maine was already taking a video of him from right outside the door.
--
"Sus ... ang sungit sungit pa eh ang cute mo naman sumayaw." Maine whispered while watching the video of Richard singing and dancing inside Kirby's room. She smiled when he leaned in and planted a kiss on Kirby's head. That gesture convinced Maine that under the proud and sometimes arrogant bravado of RJ, there was a kindhearted man who only wanted nothing but to give his son all the best things in the world.
All of a sudden, she heard knocks on her door. Maine left her bed and opened it, only to see RJ standing on the other side. Thinking that he knew she took a video of him, Maine immediately hid the phone behind her.
"Hello Sir? Bakit po?" she asked.
"Gabi na ah, why are you still awake?"
"Ah ... hindi po kasi ako makatulog eh." She replied awkwardly.
"Gusto mo kantahan at sayawan kita?" he asked her directly.
"PO?" she asked, clearly shaken by what he just said.
"Chill ... I'm just kidding. Go to sleep, please. Hindi ka makakpag-trabaho kapag puyat ka." RJ told her. Touched by his concern, Maine smiled and nodded at him.
"Okay so," she said, RJ then smiled and started walking away. Halfway back to the house, Maine uttered something that made him stop on his track.
"Goodnight, Sir!" she yelled. He turned around and smiled at her.
"Goodnight, Maine. Sweet dreams"
--
Lala was busy putting on some night cream on her face when her phone started ringing. She wiped her hand on a clean towel and answered the call.
"Hello? RJ? Bakit gising ka pa?" she asked.
"Lala, I need your advice."
"Tungkol ba sa love?"
"Ah ... opo eh." RJ answered in a slightly hesitant tone.
"Oh sige na ... tell me."
"It's about Maine ... Lala, may crush ako sa kaniya. What do I do?"
"ANO???"
--
*insert busina* lol
stay tuned for more! x