Wait ed. (Carla-Billy's Story)

Prelude

Billy came out of the locker room about thirty minutes later. The guys are all behind him.
He's smiling at me, but somehow his smile is still not that sure.

Ang hirap maging boyfriend ng best friend mo!
Wala ka nang naitago.

But it won't hurt if I'd still try.

"Boyfriend! Astig ka pa rin maglaro. Kaya maraming na-i-in love sayo e".

He stopped walking, and just stood there, looking at me.

"Kaya kay Carla talaga ako e. Saan ka nakakita ng girlfriend na daig pa ang fans kung maka-cheer!", Mark said, walking towards me; while ayun yung boyfriend ko, hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero nagpahuli sa paglapit.
Ang arte lang!

"Girl! Nabasag yung eardums ko kanina. Akala mo naman may audience kung makatili ", Ice said, grinning. Mukhang aliw na aliw si hijo sa akin.

I think this is one good thing when you're somehow one of the boys (or when they know you're one of them). It's easy to blend and much easier to build rapport.

"Ang puso, Ice, nahuhulog... baka matisod ka", that power forward Jay said, to which the boyfriend who was a few steps away from me has his eyes immediately on Ice.

"Grabe makatingin oh... tingin mo ba maaagaw pa yang si Carla! Parang umiilaw yung mata tuwing nasisilayan ka"

I immediately threw him the water bottle that I was holding. "Akala ko, magkakampi tayo"

"Dun lang tayo sa tunay, Carla. Hindi obvious na sobra mong mahal yung Billy namin. Parang may hearts yung mata mo"

I chanced to look at my boyfriend who's now grinning from ear to ear. "Hindi ka naman sobrang masaya nyan. Ayoko na. Uwian na"

"Ay pikon yung Pareng Carla ni Billy"

"Girlfriend... girlfriend ako ni Billy!", I said, sabay padyak.
Naaalala ko lang... hindi nya pa rin pala ako pinakilala.

But the boyfriend just raised his eyebrow, as if he's finding it funny.

"Bulag lang hindi nakakaalam, Miss. Kung ikaw may puso sa mata, yung jowa mo, hindi nawawala yung ngiti. Nagba-blush pa! Ang sakit sa mata"

"Saka Miss Carla, ikaw lang yung jowa na hinahalikan ni Jimenez in public"

"Yung iba, away na malala, kasi iniwasan ni Tsong nung hahalikan na sya"

"Ice!", Billy immediately said, his smile is gone.

Pero, parang yung ngiti ko naman yung hindi nawawala.
Kinikilig lang.

"Oo nga pala Carla, reminder po! Walang nagsisigaw ng play pag game. Grabe sya kung maka-coach kay Billy! Daig pa ang nasa elimination game kung makasigaw ng De-fense!"

"But kidding aside, ang saya siguro kung girlfriend ka na nitong kumpare namin nung kasagsagan ng tourney"

"Parang nakikita ko yung ngiti ni Billy habang nakikipag-away ka sa stand"

"Anong parang nakikita mo yung ngiti ni Billy? Naalala mo ba nung tumakbo sya sa stand nung may biglang humablot kay Carla?"

"Pikon naman kasi yung kabilang school", I said, grinning, remembering that time na nakipagsagutan ako dun sa kalaban nilang team.

"Haha! Tapos hindi alam ni coach kung paano sya hihilahin"

"Ang bilis e. Parang "The Flash"! Naka-cover agad kay Carla!

"Ang OA nya kaya. Akala nya ba masasaktan ako nung mga yun?"

"Kung hindi ka ba naman kasi isa't kalahating ewan, dun ka talaga pumwesto sa box nung kabilang team"