MaiChard AU: Never The Strangers [Completed]

Hospital

Maine ran through the hallway of the 16th floor the moment the elevator door opened, leaving RJ trailing behind her. She was preparing herself to knock on the door of her mom's suite when RJ caught up with her and rested his hands on her shoulders for encouragement. Her back was just a few inches away from his chest that she can feel the warmth of his body. It surprised her that she did not even flinch at his touch or his nearness.

"It's gonna be fine. Trust me." And in that moment, she did.

"Thank you." She whispered then breathed a heavy sigh before lifting her hand to a fist and knocking on the door.

"Meng! Anong nangyari? Naputol yung call mo kanina.", Colleen asked as she opened the door.

"Si Nanay, nasan? Ok na ba sya? Anong nangyari?" She rattled on in a single breath, wanting to let out as much of the worry she felt earlier, wanting to dispel all those bad thoughts running through her head while RJ drove them to the hospital. She asked these questions as she walked closer to her mom's bed, RJ following suit.

"Ssssh. Natutulog na si Nanay. Binigyan sya ng painkillers. Nadulas sya sa CR. Nagkasprain yung paa nya tapos nalamog yung left na arm nya. wala na mang fracture, pasa lang. Tapos si---" Colleen stopped mid-sentence as she noticed a tall good-looking young man in white shirt, khaki pants and white Jack Purcells quietly observing them.

"Ay, Sorry! Ate Colleen, Si RJ. RJ, Ate ko. Nawala na tuloy sa isip ko."

"Good afternoon po.", RJ bowed his hed slightly in greeting.

"Meng? Boyfriend mo? Di mo man lang sinabi? Five years kang single tapos agad agad meron na? Di ko man lang naramdadamang nanligaw? Ano to?!"

"Ssssh. Ang ingay mo. Ate, Kalma please. Nakakahiya kay RJ. Baka magising si Nanay o. Tsaka hindi ko sya boyfriend. I just met him kanina, hinatid nya ko dito. Nataranta kasi ako akala ko kotse ko yung kotse nya."

"What? Tapos sumama ka kaagad? Pano kung budol-budol gang yan?"

"Ate, ssssshhhh. Baka magising si Nanay. RJ, pasensya ka na ha. Ate, ano ba?"

"No, it's fine. Naintindihan ko si Ms. Colleen. Weird nga naman if you think about it." Chuckling and shaking his head as he replied. Maine hadn't really had the chance to fully observe him until now that she'd calmed down. And her conclusion: RJ is a good looking man. Like really good looking.

"Ok, so just so we're clear. Nameet mo sya sa parking lot tapos sinamahan ka nya dito sa hospital?"

"Yes po, Ms. Colleen. Pretty much."

"Jusko Meng. Pasalamat ka at mukhang matino naman tong si RJ."

RJ rubbed his nape and smiled, his ears red with embarrassment. In retrospect, he also wasn't sure why he offered to drive her here. Yes, she was beautiful. But that was beside the point. There was something else about her.

Maine, also embarrassed, place a hand on his muscled arm and with her brown doe eyes, she looked at him, apologizing, making RJ smile even wider.

"Ahm, RJ. Nagpapahinga pa naman si Nanay and Tatay is still on his way, pahangin muna tayo sa labas. Ate, labas muna kami ni RJ."

"Wait lang. RJ, hintayin mo na lang si Meng sa labas. Saglit lang."

"Sige po."

Colleen watched RJ as he closed the door and grabbed Meng's arm.

"Huy, ano naman pumasok sa utak mo at sumama ka sa kanya? Pano kung dinala ka nya somewhere?"

"Ate, wag kang OA ng taon. Eto naman o at buong buo naman akong nakarating dito. Tsaka he's seems a gentleman naman."

"Seems?"

"Basta Ate. Sabi mo nga, mukhang naman syang matino. I know I can trust him. And you know me, I don't just trust people so easily."

"But he's a total stanger." Colleen reasoned out, frustrated at her sister.

"Basta, Ate. Basta. Trust me. I'll be fine." She assured her before walking towards the door.

RJ waited for Maine to come out of the room, his back against the wall opposite the door. He smiled as he replayed what happened in the parking lot in his head. Why did he offer to drive her here? She is a total stranger. He couldn't explain it. Something tells him this is not just a coincidence. She was meant to accidentally his car, find him. He suddenly wanted to send a thank you prayer to his mom.

Maine appeared by the door and smiled. "Coffee?"

They started walking towards the elevator in comfortable silence, Maine fiddling with the charms on her Pandora bracelet while RJ tries a little too hard not to get caught starting at her. Maine broke the silence first.

"So, Iron Man, huh?"

"Yep, always have been."

"Hindi a. Hindi kaya halata.", laughing at her own joke.

"Hehe. So pareho tayo ng kotse ha."

"Uy, sorry talaga. Now that I think about it. Ang tanga tanga ko."

"Grabe ka naman. Hindi ah. I can understand na nataranta ka. Good thing, ok na nanay mo."

"Oo nga e. Buti na lang. Medyo nakakahinga na ko ng maluwag."

"Pansin ko nga e. Mas maganda na smile mo ngayon."

"Ha?"

"I mean, your eyes are smiling na din. Di ka na kasi nagwoworry." RJ felt his blood color his ears realizing how cheesy that sounded. But it's true. She looks even more beautiful with her smile reaching her eyes.

"In fairness sayo, ang cheesy mo." She said hoping it would hide how RJ's words made her heart skipped a beat.

"Hindi ah. Nagsasabi lang ng totoo."

They both smiled and held each other's gaze for a few seconds before looking ahead of them when they're finally inside the elevator. Her cheeks blushed, his ears too. And in that moment RJ knew, this wisp of a woman, with her warm touch and mesmerizing eyes would turn his world upside down. Maine felt it too. She knew RJ will stir chaos into her world. When he does, she'd even open her door and welcome it home.

To be continued...