Rj noticed that Maine sort of stiffened up when he took her hand and sat across her on the picnic blanket. In fact, every time he would lift his hand near her, she would somewhat wince, move or look away. When he asked her, she would just give a small smile.
"....so, will you allow me to court you?" he asked again as they were winding down their picnic dinner.
She couldn't stop thanking him for this romantic gesture. She had always dreamed of a unique and simple date. Maine was an introvert so quiet moments like this were a big deal to her.
"...no pressure...I'm willing to wait...." Rj continued.
"...s....sure...." Maine replied quietly.
They drove back to Manila happy. To while the drive time away, they sang to random songs at the top of their lungs. Since she now knew that he was a preschool teacher, they discussed about kids' behaviour in class.
"...ahh talaga?....Matti doesn't really tell us much...although lagi nyang sinasabi na he likes school...."
"Yeah...madaldal si Matti sa classroom...sometimes, I have to remind him to share his stories at a later time....he seems to know a lot and shares stuff which are related to our topics...."
"...he likes to look at books and asks us to read to him....sometimes nga, hindi na story book ang pinapabasa....he asks us a lot about stuff he gets to watch on tv or youtube....he likes watching National Geographic..."
"Whoa!"
"Yeah! He's very interested in science...."
"Oh...a future scientist...."
"....and cars....he loves cars....he can name different car models just by looking at them....when he was just a toddler, he kept on crying when we passed by the bookstore....Ate and Kuya had been browsing dun sa may mga magazines and Matti was on his stroller...I guess, near him were the car magazines....anyway, he started making a lot of noise nung palabas sila nung bookstore....si Matti, iyak ng iyak....akala nila gutom or kailangan ng diaper change....kumalma ng konti nung naka-milk pero when they passed by the bookstore again on their way out of the mall, he started to cry...."
"...paano nyo nalaman what he wanted?"
"I think he saw the cars in the parking lot or outside the mall....so tumahimik....eh Kuya John subscribes to car magazines....ayun, Matti is the first to get them and browse thru them like anything....katabi pa nga ata sa pagtulog yung magazines e...."
"Hahahaha! Future car enthusiast!"
"For sure....ask him about car specs...."
"Sige....sige...."
They arrived at Maine's house just a little before her 2am "curfew".
"....here we are...1:40am...." Rj says as he approaches Maine's gate.
"Thank you....thank you....that was very nice...." Maine says with a smile.
"You're welcome....you're always welcome...."
Maine is about to open her door. "Wait...." Rj says. He opens his door and runs to Maine's side and opens the door for her.
"Wow! Thanks! But you don't have to...."
"I want to..."
She smiles and nods.
"Uhm...Maine..."
"Yes?
"I'm not sure if I can take you home on Monday and Tuesday next week...."
"Ahh....okay....no worries! I can walk"
"Are you sure?"
"Oo naman....don't worry about me...."
"I will try to come at the same time but I can't promise....I have auditions...."
"Auditions?"
"Uhh....yes....there are auditions for a musical play that's going to be presented in December....uhmm....I'm an actor...." Rj says shyly, scratching his head.
"Oh wow!" Maine says, amused.
"Sorry...I didn't tell you right away...theatre is my passion....I love musicals...."
"Really?....I like watching musicals, too...."
"Really!?....."
"Yes....but I have no one to watch with....none of my friends are into theatre...."
They talk about theatre stuff at her gate.
"Uhmm...I think you better go in na....mag-t-2 na....baka mapagalitan ka ng Dad mo...."
"...ah yeah....thanks again Rj....I had a wonderful time...."
"My pleasure, Maine...I'm glad..."
He smiles and turns back to head to his car. Maine closes the gate as he drives away.
