Everglow

March 20, 2015: God made another one of me, to love you better than I ever will

A/N: I don't think I'll ever get tired of thanking you wonderful people for supporting Everglow. Maraming salamat po! 💛

Warning: Language

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Richard tosses his keys to the vallet parking attendant and rushes inside the reception hall. He was greeted by a sea of pastels as the magnificent hall came into view.

He checks his watch for the time, "7:15 pm. Not too bad Richard."

He scans the crowd and sees no sign of Maine. He walks around the hall and fishes for his phone from his pocket and dials her number--it kept ringing and ringing. She wasn't answering.

Please don't let her be with Carlo.

Please. Where are you, Maine?

He spots Jerald near the open bar talking to Valeen.

"Jerald! Asan si Maine?!?"

He notices how Jerald and Valeen looked at each other, as if waiting for the other to speak up. Val nudges, "You tell him!"

"Hay nako ka, Valeen ha. Ayaw ko nga, it was your idea. Kaya ikaw magsabi kay Rj."

Frustrated, Richard asked, "Tell me what? Asan na ba kasi si Maine?! I've been trying to call her for at least thirty minutes, pero she isn't picking up her phone."

"Bakit kasi ang tagal mo?" Valeen lets out an exasperated sigh. "What took you so long, Rj? Kanina ka pa hinihintay ni Maine." She continued, her brows slightly raised at him, her hands on her waist--clearly waiting for anything close to an acceptable explanation.

"Valeen, I tried my best okay. Ilang minutes lang ba ako nalate?" Richard slightly annoyed, rubbed his temples, "If you must know, umulan po sa Makati pagkatapos ng meeting ko, kaya natraffic ako. I beat countless red lights, went over the speed limit sa highway--and you know I never ever do that. Pero sobrang malas ko, may accident pa akong naabutan sa SLEX. But I'm here, just like I promised Maine." He closes his eyes and calms himself down, "So please, for the love of all things holy, tell me where Meng is."

Valeen and Jerald looked equally stunned at Richard's response.

"Paps, relax, she took a walk outside. Baka kaya rin hindi niya nasagot ung mga tawag mo."

"Is she alone?"

"Ha?"

"May kasama ba sya lumabas? Did you introduce her to some guy before I arrived?!" Richard asked the both of them, slight panic painted on his face.

Valeen and Jerald's small banter is starting to make me feel like Maine had already met Carlo.

Crap.

"Isn't your question a little too specific?" Valeen asked.

Jerald interrupted them and laid his hands on Valeen's shoulder, quietly asking her to give him and Richard time to talk alone. When she bid them goodbye, Jerald faced Richard and asked, "Rj, okay ka lang? You're acting so weird. Why would it matter if we introduced Maine to someone else?"

Richard looked at him, reaching out his arms to Jerald in desperation, "Je, I promise to tell you everything, explain everything. Promise talaga." Richard, eyes wild and begging, continued, "But please, for now, just answer my questions."

Jerald sighs in defeat, "Paps, Valeen introduced Maine to Pauleen's cousin."

Shit. Shit. Shit.