Benefits

XXIX.-Follow You-

Richard wanted to move but his feet are stuck on the floor. A part of him knew something like this would happen but he managed to brush it all off after taking a chance on the event being a fake one and all. His heart is still pounding and to make it absolutely worse, everyone's eyes are on him now. They're waiting for his next move. 

"Richard? care to explain what's going on?" His dad asked. The lad wanted to answer him but he saw her Mum rushing towards the door. 

"Dad, I have to follow her .. I'm so sorry" he replied before running out of the venue. Richard now knows what he will do. Now that she admitted her feelings for him literally in front of everybody, there's no way in this world he will let her go just like that. 

As soon as Richard made it to the parking lot, he immediately got on to his car and drove towards her apartment.  He's not sure she'll be there, all he knows is that they have to work this out. 

While driving, the supposedly fake groom brought out his phone and dialed her number. But the thing is , she's not answering. 

"Fuck ... please answer" he whispered before taking a sharp turn towards her street. The second he was able to pull up on at the side of the road, Richard got out and stormed inside the building. 

"Miss, have you seen Maine Mendoza?" he asked the receptionist. 

"No sir, I haven't" 

"Thanks" he replied before running towards the elevator. It took him just five minutes to reach her unit. Richard looked around and remembered the key-under-the-flower-pot setting she has. After using her spare key to open the door, he quickly went inside. 

"Maine! Maine?!" he called out, opening each door that he can to find her. 

It took him a couple more minutes to realize she's not there. 

Deciding that he'll be wasting his time in here, Richard started heading towards the door. But then he noticed something, there's a box with his name on it placed right on top of her living room table. 

He removed the cover and saw a bunch of pictures and Cd's in it. However, there's this particular one that caught his attention. 

"For Richard, in case  our plan doesn't work out" 

That's what it says right on the cover. Richard popped it right on her player and a video of her started playing on the television screen. 

"Hello Richard .... okay so if you're watching this then it means I chickened out on our fake wedding. How pathetic right? I mean,it's only a fake wedding and I actually managed to ruin it. Anyway, I wanna say sorry for everything. Me dragging you into my mess is so out of line. I'm also sorry for rejecting your feelings for me. You're right, I'm emotionally damaged. That's why I can't be with you, you're too precious to get hurt. I love you enough to leave you out of this. You will see me again someday, I promise. I hope for now, you take care and hopefully ... you'll also learn how to love yourself. You're precious and I never meant to bring you any trouble. I love you Richard ... till next time" 

And with that, the screen cut to black. 

Richard just sat there in silence and felt his own heart actually break. 

"It can't end like this. It can't be over" 

---

Maine is crying, she never thought accepting the truth will be this hard. "Miss, where are we going?" her driver asked. 

"Natalie's apartment please" she answered before turning her view on the picture of Richard in her phone. She hopes to God he will forgive her someday. Maine managed to convince herself that leaving him will be for the best. Little does she know that he will still find a way to be with her. He loves her that much. 

Forty five minutes later, they reached her best friend's apartment.

---

Richard spent the rest of the day calling everybody, he needs to find Maine's current location as soon as possible. 

"Hello? Natalie?" he asked while pacing back and forth inside his room. 

"Did Maine contact you?" 

"Um ... no , I was actually calling her too" she replied, lying about the fact that Maine is sitting right next to her. 

"Oh ... did she tell you anything? any place where she might ran off to?" Richard's mind is a little too confused to function now. He has a list of Maine's go-to places but the things is , none of them makes sense at the moment. 

"Unfortunately, I'm just as clueless as you"

"Okay .. please .. if she contacts you ... tell her I love her and I just wanna see her even for the very last time. Okay?" he begged.  Richard knows he can't push himself or them to be together if destiny doesn't want them to. He doesn't wanna give up but knowing Maine, she may have already let him go. 

After Natalie's call ended, Richard just threw himself on the bed and covered his face with a pillow. "Maine please ..." he whispered. She's governing his thoughts, filling his mind with nothing but her memories. 

Ten minutes later , someone texted him. He looked at it and saw that it came from Natalie 

"She'll be on the Southwalk Bus Terminal. Maine is going to Naga , go follow her" 

That's what the message says. It gave Richard the fighting drive he needs. He quickly got out of bed, grabbed his car keys and ran out of his unit. 

"Maine, please wait for me" he whispered. 

---

Maine intentionally left her phone at Natalie's place so no one, not even Austin or Richard can call her. "This is it, no backing off" she thought to herself before hopping on to the bus that will take her to Naga. 

Although she'll be leaving everyone behind, Maine's still hopeful that this day will symbolize a new start for her. She loves Richard so much but she knows he cannot be with her while she's still like this. Maine will take this break to fix herself. Make sure she's strong enough. She will fix her mindset and come back stronger than ever. But by the time she does that, she hopes Richard has already forgiven her and also himself for the things they've done. 

The bus then started moving but right before they reach the exit point, their vehicle suddenly came into a halt. Maine looked on and recognized the car that is blocking their way out. It's Richard's car.

Maine stood up after the bus attendant stepped down to confront him. As soon as she saw his face, the young lady quickly made her way out of the bus. 

"Richard?! What the hell are you doing?" she asked. 

"Maine ...." 

--

that's it for this part guys ^^ one last chapter left. The very last part with be LOOOOOOOOONG so I hope you stay tuned for that :) x and if you think you already know the ending .. you're wrong ;)