Richard's POV
I choose not to disturb them so I waited until they finished their coffee. Kahit ganito ako kalayo, I can see how this guy throw his gaze on her, sarap dukutin ng mga mata ng gagong 'to. It's been more than thirty minutes already that I am waiting for them, grabe parang nag unli coffee ang dalawang ito baka wala nang itulog 'to mamayang gabi. When I finally saw them going out of the coffee shop I quickly runs to them.
"Maine." I called her and I saw how surprised she is to see me in her territory.
"RJ? Anong ginagawa mo dito?" she asked.
"I wanted to talk to you." I said.
"Is my text reply not enough?" She asked.
"Yes it is not enough." I replied.
"Do we have problem here?" that Jacob asked, ang angas magtanong ang liit namang tao. At higit sa lahat hindi naman kinakausap pero sumasabat, hindi ba tinuruan ang lalaking ito na GMRC?
"Nothing, I am just asking for a talk with my fiancée." I replied.
"Fiancée? This guy is insane, alam ba nitong wala sa bokabularyo mo ang magpakasal?" Jacob asked.
"Then ask her yourself." I said.
"Is it true?" Jacob asked her.
"He was my fiancée until last night." She replied while fiercely staring at me.
"Kaya nga gusto kong mag-usap muna tayo." I told her.
"I proposed to you several times and you keep on turning me down then this, you got engaged to someone I do not know." Jacob said.
"I don't need to tell you everything that I do Jacob, hindi naman kita kaanu-ano. And wag mo akong sumbatan sa mga turned down proposals mo sa akin, not because you are .... sandali nga bakit ba nagpapaliwanag ako sa yo? Can't you see hindi ka dapat kasama sa usapan na 'to, pinagbigyan na kita for a coffee, you may leave now Jacob." She said.
"But I told you na ihahatid kita." Jacob insisted.
"And I said no need. I have my bike with me and you don't have to be a gentleman Jacob, hindi bagay sa yo. You may go now, I'll just see you when I see you." She firmly said.
This woman is really something else nag-almusal ba 'to ng ampalaya at parang sobrang bitter namang makipag-usap sa mga lalaki. Jacob got no other choice but to leave us pero tinapunan muna ako ng masamang tingin bago tuluyang umalis. Gagong 'to akala naman nya natatakot ako sa kanya, baka nga hindi pa tumama ang suntok nito sa sobrang iksi ng braso.
"Ikaw naman Faulkerson Jr., bakit nag-aksaya ka pa ng oras pumunta dito? I believe nai-text ko naman na ang mga gusto mong marinig." She asked.
"Gusto ko sanang mag-usap tayo kahit saglit lang, please spare mo some of your time." I said.
"Ano naman ang pag-uusapan natin?" She asked while she walks towards her bike.
"First I would like to apologize, I should have not said what I said last night, nagulat lang kasi ako kagabi." I said while walking in my big steps, kung maglakad kasi ang babaing 'to parang nakikipagkarera din, kahit maliit ang mga hakbang sa sobrang bilis maglakad, naiiwan pa rin ako.
"Bakit, mukha bang I don't deserve to have a child of my own kaya gulat na gulat kang may anak na 'ko?" She asked.
"I'm sorry, I should have not said that. I admit, I was wrong, please forgive me for offending you." I apologized.
"Yan lang ba ang ipinunta mo dito? Apology accepted, kasama yan sa text reply ko sa yo." She uttered.
"I would like to ask if we can push through with the wedding." I asked her.
"You were the one who call it off dahil ayaw mong magpakasal sa isang disgrasyada. What made you change your mind?" She asked me sarcastically.
"Because of Rizza? Yes, I'm doing this for Rizza and I'm sure pwede mo ring gawin yun para kay Dean." I said.
"Grabe, parang hindi ka pa sigurado ah. For your information, may sariling pag-iisip ang kapatid ko, and he knows what he wants. Hindi nya gagawin ang bagay na ayaw nya at mga bagay na hindi sya magiging masaya." She replied.
"Then kung hindi tayo matuloy, at hindi rin matuloy kay Rizza at Dean, our children will be next in line. I'm sure you don't want Celestine to go on the same situation you are in right now." I said and she did not say anything. I am right, her daughter is the best weapon to use to get what I want from her.
"Anong sasakyan ang dala mo?" She asked
"My car, ayun three cars from here, bakit mo tinanong?" I asked her.
"Alam mo naman kung paano papunta bahay namin di ba?" She asked.
"Yes, natatandaan ko pa naman." I replied
"Good, go get your car, kapag naunahan mo akong makarating sa bahay namin, itutuloy ko ang pagpapakasal sa yo. If not, get lost and never show your face to me ever again. Ano kaya mo?" She said.
"How sure am I na hindi bluff 'to?" I asked.
"Marunong akong tumupad sa usapan. Sabihin mo kaya yan sa sarili mo. You were the one who broke you promise to Rizza." She said.
"It is not yet broken, that's why I am here to fix it. Let me get this straight, kapag nauna ako itutuloy natin ang pagpapakasal natin?" I replied.
"Yes" She replied.
"Ok it's a deal." I said
She quickly started her engine "Great, see you later Faulkerson, Jr." She said and off she goes. Marunong ngang tumupad sa usapan madaya naman.
I immediately run to my car. "Hindi ako pwedeng matalo sa karerang ito." is what I have in mind while racing sa walang takot na si Mendoza Girl. Walang babaing humamon sa akin ng ganito, sya lang, at papatunayan ko sa kanya na hindi ako basta-basta uurong at magpapatalo sa kanya.
I have to think fast, express way is the shortest distance pero may speed limit. If I take Pantoc Rd I can adjust the speed pero hindi ako sigurado dun kung pwede akong tumakbo ng 120kph, baka maraming road blocks. Ok I will take the express way, bahala na.
It took a while before I see her heading to NLEX.
I can't believe I am doing this, first time in my life na nakipaghabulan ako sa babae at sa express way pa. All women that I had an encounter with, karamihan sa kanila sa loob lang ng kwarto nagpapahabol.
Kung bike din pala ang dala ko literal na kakain ako ng alikabok, grabe ang lakas ng loob ng babaing 'to.
Almost close, konting konti na lang makakalagpas na ako.
Who says I can't do it. Finally, nalagpasan ko rin sya. Pakainin ko rin kaya ng alikabok ang babaing 'to para madala.
Ang sarap lang sa pakiramdam na alam mo may panalo ka. This is a different kind of excitement and I am loving it.
But that excitement is only temporary because I saw from my rearview mirror na sumemplang si Maine. I have to stop to check on her and make sure that she is alright.
After kong maitabi ang kotse ko, I immediately run to her pero bago pa ako nakalapit, nakita ko syang inaakay ang bike nya para maitabi 'to.
If I am to deal with this Mendoza Girl, I have to move faster because kapag naunahan ka nya sa mga gusto mong gawin, ipapamukha nya sa yo na hindi ka nya kailangan kahit kelan.