Alina hesitantly approached Ricky who was patiently waiting outside the cemetery. She wanted to apologize because it took her an hour to visit his mother’s grave. He suspected that Ricky was bored.
"I'm sorry it took so long," he said and their eyesight quickly improved.
The wrinkle deepened on Ricky's forehead. Alina had nothing to apologize for and she was surprised that he apologized to her. He noticed the swelling of her eyes so he quickly took a handkerchief from his pocket.
"Take it oh," he said as he unfolded the folded handkerchief. Alina immediately shook her head.
"Maybe it smells bloated again."
"I'm not fooling you anymore, smell it. It's a new wash, free of colds and coughs," Ricky explained with a laugh.
Alina took the handkerchief and sniffed the end that hung in Ricky's palm.
"Okay thanks." She took the handkerchief because it was fragrant, it was soaked in fabric conditioner and it really looked like new laundry.
"Thank you huh, for waiting a little longer."
"No problem. Where's the next stop?" Ricky asked, putting on the helmet again.
"In the salon. Just to get a haircut," Alina said shyly. She doesn't really just get a haircut, she even dyes her hair, does manicures, buys facial cosmetics and clothes that are suitable to wear on wash day at school. She was just embarrassed to admit to Ricky because it might annoy him again.
"Why are you embarrassed? Aren't you telling the truth?" Ricky plans to arrest Alina. He knew that it wasn't just a haircut because it was Nanay Remmy who told him what to do with Alina all day and they were the ones who wasted time.
"After all, you'll have to wait a long time," Alina replied hesitantly.
"So, you don't want me to wait for a long time because I might get angry? I'm not a bad person to get angry because of waiting even for a long time, and there is no case for me if I wait a long time as long as you're the one I'm going to wait for," Ricky said sincerely even without a curved smile in the corner of his lips.
The young man seemed to want to mean something to his last words but Alina decided to ignore it. Or was he too small to think that Ricky meant anything?
No way, she knew it was just another method of teasing the young man. She always got his sarcasm. She has common sense.
"Ride behind my back," Ricky whispered. It had been starting the motor for a while, but he didn't realize it because he assumed its words somehow made his heart tremble.
"Okay, I'm going to ride." She acted immediately and Ricky suddenly glared at her in the side mirror. "Put on your helmet first," he said and forced himself off the motor. The extra helmet for Alina was placed in the compartment and she pulled out the intended helmet.
"Remember, always wear a helmet when riding. I guess you want traffic enforcers to fine me. It's a good thing I didn't take my eyes off you lightly. I guess you'll even repay me," Ricky pretended to promise after he put it on and the helmet was firmly on Alina's head.
"Why are you still looking? What's so annoying about you?" Alina asked shyly. In fact, she lost focus earlier when she heard Ricky's words. She was also happy because he waited patiently for her and felt his understanding of her grief today.
"Because it's beautiful ..." Ricky glared at her. He intentionally cut what he's about to say. He almost said that Alina was beautiful in his eyes even though she hadn't been able to make over at the salon.
"Which one is better?" Alina frowned.
"That's nice, you don't insult me and then you're sorry. Next time say — thank you master," Ricky joked. It's a good thing he didn't get caught in his own mouth.
"Master? You just delivered me. Do you want me to address you as my master right away?" Alina asked incessantly and smiled slightly then held on tightly to Ricky.
"When did I get serious with you? I'm always joking with you," Ricky replied when starting the motor. He doesn't take his eyes off the side mirror where Alina's bewildering smile is obvious. Even if it was a half smile, it was enough to make her heart beat faster.
Yes, just smile and steal my heart.
He shook his head and looked straight at the road and just focused on driving.
***
Alina could hardly believe it when the hairstylist exposed her appearance in front of the mirror. After she got a haircut, she also spent some time doing hair dyeing, facials and manicures. Formerly waist -length hair is now shoulder-length. The chestnut brown hair dye also suits her hair.
"Thank you Ma'am," she smiled in response to the salon's hairstylist.
"You're beautiful Ma'am, you look like a kpop idol," the hairstylist replied, another way of praising her own work. But it's true that Alina is really beautiful.
Alina's smile won't go away until she gets out of the salon. She looked at her cellphone and Ricky left a text message.
"Call me when you're done or just text. I'm still watching a movie."
He immediately texted. "Okay Ricky. I just finished the salon, I'll just buy more stuff. Enjoy first."
He went straight to the store where he could buy clothes but he was overwhelmed by the price printed on the price tags of the items he wanted to buy.
"It's only ten pesos in a thrift shop. Why is it so expensive here?" she said, referring to a yellow blouse with the same design in the market she went to before.
She shrugged and left the store without buying anything. She also doesn't want to spend extravagantly because he is ashamed of Nanay Remmy.
When she came out, the patient Ricky was exposed and glared at him.
"Wow, you're about one percent more beautiful than I first met you. Is that you Alina?"
There was sarcasm in Ricky's voice. He was right, Alina only beautified one percent because for him; because she was already 99 percent beautiful, ever since. It's just that he can't stop staring at her and he didn't want to be so obvious that he's amazed by her new look.
"I'm used to you teasing me. I'm sorry, I'm not affected anymore because I know I'm really beautiful," Alina replied with difficulty.
"Eh, who said?" with Ricky's sarcastic question.
"Those parloristas, they even said that I looked like a kpop star," Alina answered unequivocally and continued walking. It was only right that she got away from Ricky right away because she was ashamed to see how she looked. She did not know why. Maybe she just didn't want to be teased again.
"Did I mention, it's only natural for the parlorists to praise you because they fixed you. They won't insult their work," Ricky chased and walked faster, he immediately blocked Alina.
"Where are you going? I thought we were going to buy something else?" his follow up question.
"The price here at the mall is expensive," Alina confessed with a sour face.
"Do you want us to go to Divisoria?" Ricky's face lit up when he suggested to Alina the alternative purchase to save money.
"Is that far from here?"
"It's far but within an hour, we'll be there right away. It's not rush hour yet," Ricky replied.
Alina smiled. "Game!"
****
Alina and Ricky finished shopping in just two hours. Before deciding to go home to the mansion, they decided to stop over at a fastfood.
"You also did a lot of shopping," Alina pointed out to the shopping bags on the side of Ricky's chair as they ate. "Yes, it's just for my hygiene. I'm moving out of the mansion soon," the young man replied even though the food was stuck in his mouth.
"Why are you moving? Is Madam Remmy already firing you?" Alina's shoulder seemed to drop because of what Ricky said. Although they often argue, she is used to his presence and she will definitely change when he leaves. She must have been happy but she felt a strange sadness, maybe similar to the sadness she felt when June left Nanay Remmy's power to start his profession, but she felt twice as sad now. This is weird.
Ricky's two eyebrows arched. "Because I already have a job, it's more convenient for me to stay there — close to where I'm going to do my job."
"Ah. Just be careful always," Alina said and just bent down to hide her frustration.
‘Am I really attached to this man? But I can't be. I was always disgusted with him.’
"No one will tease you anymore. You should still be happy," Ricky replied and hid his sadness with his teasing smile that he used to always expose to Alina.
He didn't want to assume, but he could see sadness or regret register on Alina's gentle face. Was she against her idea that he was about to leave the mansion?
"That's right, but it's okay for me to be calm at last," Alina encouraged her voice and paired it with a raw smile. Contrary to what she shows and what he really feels, she seemed to want to beg Ricky to just stay.
"But you know, I still visit there. I'm going to miss the coffee you always make."
Alina showed a mischievous smile again.
***
Alina felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness as she walked down the hallway of the campus building at San Antonio University. Today is the first day of class and he is already worried about how difficult the subjects in the course she took.
‘I knew I was lucky since Madam Remmy took me in, but she said I should seek my luck outside her household. She trusts me that I can do more than be a maid. And this is the beginning of finding new luck. Lord please, I know my good luck is here!’
She crossed her fingers and timidly grinned as she searched for her designated classroom— written on her registration form.
She shuddered to enter when he saw the room. She thought of sitting in the farthest seat. And it is noteworthy that her classmates were still rich.
‘They all look like elites. It's so embarrassing to approach them.’
She pretended to be busy and just bowed. She focused his attention on the book she was holding. The financial management class will begin in a few hours. This is only her time to meditate first.
"You know, there's a cute guy there in the faculty. He's even better than Sir Ybañez!" a pretty lady on the front is loudly chatting with her friends.
Alina raised her face spontaneously, she peeked at the group of women talking and so as not to be noticeably curious about their topic, she partially covered her face with the thick book she had just been reading.
Of course, he heard June's last name so he was immediately interested in the chicka of the girls he didn't know.
"His name is Ricardo, like Cardo Dalisay but he's more handsome than Cardo on TV!" screamed a conyo girl classmate of Alina's.
"Eh, his parents are very old fashioned to name him Ricardo. But is he really handsome?" curiosity of another woman.
"Yup, he's the admin staff at our school but because he's just a beginner, what tasks is he asked to do and then he's not a complainer! My God! He's a very ideal guy."
"How will you describe his look?"
"Tall, with a pointed nose, a little white and with a chinito. Just really handsome!" The conyo girl's voice grew louder and she even slapped her partner on the shoulder because of the tremor she felt.
Alina shook her head. That guy's description is really similar to Ricky. Even though he had been a month out of the mansion, Alina still really missed him. She couldn't deny that thing to herself.
"We just expect to see him always."