The Flight

Wedding

AN: Everything is fiction. Even John's storyline. Hehe. Comments or suggestions, tweet me at @faneywalain.

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Maine [8:00 AM]: Hi RJ. It's Maine. Thank you so much for last night. I enjoyed dinner.

RJ [8:32 AM]: Maine, no problem.

Maine [8:33 AM]: Anyway, the wedding will be at San Antonio Church. Do you want to just meet there?

RJ [8:34 AM]: Are you joking? I'll pick you up na. Just tell Mang Ben to convoy.

Maine [8:35 AM]: Ayt. I'll be doing pre-nuptial photoshoots for the SDE of Ate Niki first. Pick me up at the hotel nalang. See you! :)

Saturday came along, and RJ got ready for Ate Niki's wedding. She was getting married to John, who's one of the sons of a Congressman in Bulacan. Although seven years older than Maine, she was still close to Maine. While she was taking up her Master's, she lived in New York for a year in their Chelsea Apartment. Colleen and Maine were the maids of honor, and had to do pre-wedding preparations and photoshoot with Niki. At 3:45 in the afternoon, RJ arrived in Shangrila. He suited up nicely asking his friend Adrian to style him for the occasion, and brought his silver Jaguar for Maine to ride in.

"RJ!" Maine shouted for him.

"Maine!" He bussed her cheek and gave her a half hug.

"Let's go?"

Maine was dressed in a halter rose gold laced gown, and partnered with black Valentino stilletos. Their height fit perfectly. Her 5'4, skinny frame, turned into a 5'8, sexy goddess beside RJ's 5'10 and fit body. Walking to his car, RJ was stopped by an old reporter he knew.

"Alden! So nice to see you here!" Cristina waved. Little did Maine know that Cristina was a vicious showbiz reporter who seemed to be way too obsessed with crushing anyone that came close to her beloved Alden.

"Miss Cristy." He acknowledged. If there's anything RJ was always polite to everyone, even the media. He knows all the dirty laundry that they try to air about him, but as always, he chose to be the bigger person.

"Girlfriend?" She pried.

"No po, just a friend from New York." He tried to spin.

"You look familiar, hija."

"Me po? Uhm, familiar face I guess?" Maine was never the one to think she looked famous or belonged in an elite family. She was always unassuming whenever she gets complimented by people.

"We'll go na po. Nice to see you!" RJ tried to cut the conversation knowing Maine didn't like instances like this. As they got to his car, RJ was quiet. Was this the world he was prepared to show to her? This is why RJ barely goes on dates or has any friends. It's because of the toxic world of show business that he has to live with.

"Are you okay?" Maine asked reaching for his hand.

"Okay lang. Let's go na." RJ squeezed her hand back assuring his friend that he was okay.

***

Midway through reception, Maine's phone was buzzing.

"Hello Lia?"

"Maine, nako. Uhm, may problem. Cristina Permi took a picture of you and Alden together. Nabulabog yung twitter trying to find out who you are! Tatawagan ko na ba yung press para patayin yung story? Baka magalit si Sir TM."

If anything, Teddy was always in the limelight. His children, however, would barely attend events unless needed for the promotion of the company. So, it was only Colleen who was usually seen out and about in the usual circles of Manila. But even during their private moments, people were still interested in knowing how the Mendozas live. Teddy only had two rules, never air your dirty laundry out in public and keep your romances private. As for Mary Ann though, she would prefer to just keep Maine private. If anything, Mary Ann would be more of a worry for Maine than her father.

"Lia. Yes please. Although he's just a friend. Just twist it or spin it in someway."

"Ano? Namutla ka Meng?" Kuya Nico said.

"Kuya, may tweet po kasi yung showbiz reporter. Fling of the Week daw ako ni Alden. Eh baka makita ni mommy. Alam mo naman yun."

"Sige. Lia will handle that. Siya rin naman in-charge of PR. I'll talk to Tita Mary Ann kung kailangan."

RJ went back to his seat beside Maine after going through the bathroom, but the air between them changed. RJ's mood lightened up, while it seems that Maine's mood was the one that died down. Maine reading the headline, "Fling of the Week," brought back her trust issues. Was RJ really a nice guy? Although he has shown nothing but genuineness, Maine started to doubt him for a second.

"Maine."

"RJ. Sino yung girl kanina in Shang?"

"Si Cristina Permi. Showbiz reporter. Kaya medyo ilang ako kasi hilig gumawa ng rumors about who I date and always tries to portray me as a playboy."

"Are you?"

"Maine, di nga eh. I barely go on dates, I haven't had a girlfriend in three years, and every move I make seems to be a big deal with the press. So as much as you value your privacy, there's no one who understands you more than me. I didn't want to introduce you to her and keep you away from her, because I know she's gonna spin the story into something malicious." He tried to explain.

"Okay, well we just met. No need to make it a big deal since you're just my fake date, and I'll just see you during events and shoots. Maybe the story is gonna die soon after today," Maine replied nonchalantly.

"I don't think so."

"Why?"

"I'd like to see more of you. There's something about you that intrigues me."