AFIRE

V : Jitters (part 1)

"Hi."

"Anak ng.. Hi!!!!!"

It was in the wee hours of the morning when Maine was suddenly started by three knocks on the door. She immediately opened it, thinking that it was probably just Dean coming home from visiting his girlfriend. Much to her surprise, it was someone else.

"Ginulat mo ko, Rj! What are you doing here?" Eyes wide and mouth agape, she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a hug.

"Miss kasi kita."

"Miss agad? Eh magkasama lang tayo nung nakaraang araw."

Breaking off the embrace, Rj entered her condo, with all his luggage and closed the door.

"Wait, did you go here straight from the airport?"

"Oo. Obvious ba? Haha. Amoy Japan pa nga ko oh."

"Mukha nga. Haha. Teka bakit kasi di ka na lang umuwi? Kailangan mo ng pahinga. Wedding natin bukas." She said with the grin as she sat down the sofa.

"Eh kasi nga, miss na kita."

"Hindi halata. Nakita ko yung snaps ni Barbie. Para kang sinukluban ng langit."

"Ikaw lang kasi tumatakbo sa isip ko eh. Parang di ko na kayang mawala ka sa tabi ko. Usog ka nga dyan. Patabi naman sa mahal ko." Rj asked Maine to scoot over the couch so he can sit beside her but she stopped him.

"Oops. Bawal. Actually bakit ka nga ba andito? Di ba bad luck for the groom to see the bride the night before the wedding? Hala ka baka malasin tayo."

"Aba. Naniniwala ka ba dun. Naman Meng, kahit ano pa yang malas na yan kakayanin ko para sa ating dalawa. Sige na please, patabi na. Pagod na ko."

"Yuck, kadiri ka. Corny mo."

"Labs mo naman ako kahit corny ako. Pakakasalan mo nga ko di ba."

"Yeah yeah. Halika ka na nga dito sa tabi ko. Miss na din kita."

Rj removed his jacket, shoes and socks and immediately sat beside Maine on the couch. Instinctively, Maine snuggled beside him as he wrapped his arm around her. He then planted a soft kiss on top of her head and sighed.

"I missed you, Menggay."

"I missed you too, Rj."

They stayed there for a while, reveling in each other's presence. They've missed each other so much eventhough it has only been a few days since they've seen one another. It's been like this for a few weeks now and it has definitely surprised them both.

It was like they were two halves of a whole, and one wouldn't feel complete without the other. At first, they thought it was a fluke, thinking that maybe, since their names have been associated  for over a year now, being a phenomenal love team and all, that it was all just a feeling of getting used to each other. But it was more than that.

They are indeed, fervently, inexplicably and deeply in love with each other.

"This is crazy.." Maine spoke.

"Ang alin?"

"Etong kasal na to. Kahit reel lang." Maine raised her left hand and showed of her 'reel' engagement ring.

"Kaya nga eh. Parang kailan lang."

"Alam mo Rj, kinakabahan talaga ako eh."

"Bakit naman? Eh ilang beses na natin ginagawa yung ganitong aktingan para sa KS. May movie na nga tayo oh."

"Kasi iba eh. Syempre kasal yun, Rj. Tapos grabe talagang may pre-nup photoshoot, may tunay na pari, nagdress shopping pa ako, tas may Bridal Shower pa. Parang totoo na."

"Gusto mo na ba?" He giggled.

"Ikaw naman eh. Seryoso kasi ako. Kinakabahan ako talaga, Rj."

"Hay, halika nga dito. Upo ka sa lap ko."

He then carried her and placed her on to his lap, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Ang dami kasing tao. Bigatin pa yung entourage natin. Baka bigla akong mahimatay dun."

"Maine, don't worry. Wag kang kabahan. Ako lang naman yun eh. Si Rj. Sa akin ka lang tumingin. Parang nung ginawa ko nung Tamang Panahon. Ikaw lang tinignan ko, ikaw lang nakita ko kahit sa gitna ng napakaraming tao."

"Pero.."

"Stop na huy! Yung noo mo oh, kumukunot nanaman. Sige ka, pangit ka bukas sa kasal natin."

"Ano ba yan, Rj." She slapped his arm.

"Aray! Biro lang. Ganito na lang kasi, Meng. Think of tomorrow as our dress rehearsal."

"Dress rehearsal for what?"

"Para sa tunay na kasal natin, in 5..7 years?" He looked up, his smirk turning into a wide grin.

"Talaga ba, Rj..."

"Oo nga."

"Talaga bang nakikita mo na ako yung future mo kahit na ang daming girls na umaaligid sayo?" She pouted.

"Oo noh."

"Sige nga. Hashtag PAANO."

"Mahirap i-explain eh. Pero eto na lang. Di ba, nasa Japan ako kahapon tapos kasama ko pa yung SPS family. Dapat nag-eenjoy ako pero kitang kita mo naman sa mukha kong hindi. Ang dahilan? Kasi hindi ikaw yung kasama ko."

Maine blushed, a tear forming in the corner of her eye.

"Hindi ko kasi kaya, Meng. Parang di ko kayang isipin yung future ko na wala ka. Oo, alam kong hate mo yung ganitong corny at sappy stuff pero yun ang totoo. Kahit pa mawala ang lahat ng ito sa akin, yung kasikatan, yung showbiz, basta ikaw, andyan ka lang."

"Rj naman eh...."

"O, bakit ka naman umiiyak? Di ba ako yung iyakin sa relasyong to?" He reached out his hand and wiped the tears flowing from her eyes.

"Sige nga, ikaw lumugar sa lugar ko. Di ka ba maiiyak sa mga sinabi mo? Lapastangan ka sa feelings ko eh!"

"Eto naman. Pero totoo yun Meng. Walang halong biro."

"Alam ko. Kaya nga papakasalan kita eh. Halika nga dito."

She pulled him in, meeting his lips with hers in a soft, gentle kiss, lips dancing to the rhythm of their hearts beating as one. Slowly, it began to deepen, his tongue searching for hers, dueling and entangling, mouths hot and breaths getting heavy. Her hands intertwined in his hair, while his caressed the small of her back, upwards then downwards, finally settling on her thighs.

As the kiss grew deeper, Rj suddenly pulled away.

"Wait..wait lang, Maine."

"Bakit. Rj?" She said as her kisses made their way from his lips down to his jaw to the pulse point beneath his ear, to the length of his neck, the tip of her tongue licking each mole.

"Stop. We need to stop. Baka hindi ko kayang pigilan."

All of a sudden she straddled him, knees on either side of his legs, arms firmly wrapped around his neck and her center colliding with his own.

"Who says I want you to stop?"

--

A/N: Hi. I missed you all. 😅