"Love is like basketball. You have to focus on the ball itself and you shouldn't be distracted by the people around you."
"Exchange papers with your seatmate."
Tine check: 5:47PM. Crap. Sana hindi pa nagsisimula yung game.
"Okay. Pass your papers to the front. I already gave you pointers for the exam, right? blablablablabla"
"Goodbye, class."
"Game at 5:30PM against IDC."
Fuck 5:30PM. Sana 6 na magstart!!
Time check: 5:57PM
F L A S H B A C K
Tanginang init 'to! Ang sakit sa ulo!! "Punta tayo sa clinic?"
"Wag na, baka pagalitan na naman ako ni Doc! Alam mo naman yun, masyadong mapagmahal. Psh."
But in the end, pumunta pa rin kami sa clinic. Hihingi lang naman ako ng gamot, hindi ako magpapacheck-up.
Nung pabalik na kami, nakita namin si Wesley. Akala ko ba may sakit 'to? Ba't kumakain ng ice cream?!
"Hoy Wes!!" Napatingin sya samin, or sakin? Basta! Ngumiti pa sya. Aba?! "Akala ko ba bawal ka sa ganyan?! Sumbong kita kay Coach!"
"Hoy! Isang beses lang naman!"
Psh. Tigas talaga ng ulo, sarap tuloy iuntog. "Whatever. Kelan next game nyo?" Hindi kasi sya nakapaglaro sa first game, sa second game pa daw. Ewan ko kung bakit, maarte lang siguro?
"Bukas. 5:30!"
Aypota. May quiz kami!
E N D O F F L A S H B A C K
Pagdating namin sa gym, thank Heavens kakatapos palang ng previous game.
Naghanap kami ng mauupuan sa taas. Sa gitnang banda kami umupo para maganda yung vie, and fortunately, nasa tapat talaga namin yung team. Pero alam ko naman na hindi nya ako makikita dito. Ang dami kayang tao!!
Habang naghihintay kami na magstart yung game, bigla nalang nagreact si Sophie like as if may nakita siya. Nagkaroon agad ako ng gut feeling na si Ace yon, pero sabi niya hanapin ko nalang daw. Tangina, mas nauna pang nakita ni Miles si Ace kesa sakin. Magpalit na kaya ako ng mata?!
Nagstart na yung game. Unang nakapuntos yyng kabilang team, pero nakabawi naman agad yung school namin. Three mins remaining, pinapasok na sa court si Wesley. Wtf?! First time ata?! Nagulat ako na pinapasok AGAD sya pero mas nagulat ako nang magsigawan ang mga babae sa loob ng gym. Putangina?! Oo, alam ko na marami siyang fangirls pero as in tilian?! I felt like my guts failed me. Ni hindi ako nakasigaw with them!! Nanliit ako bigla. Tangina.
I watched him play and unlike before, he indeed improved. Eight months na preparation eh, di ba? I felt proud. Wow. Feeling girlfriend? Gusto kong isigaw sa buong gym nun na ako yung girlfriend nya, pero syempre hindi ko ginawa. Unang una, dahil nakakahiya. Pangalawa, dahil hindi niya ako girlfriend. Pangatlo, i-combine mo yung dalawa. Nakakahiya kasi hindi niya naman ako girlfriend.
I've been ranting about everything that's happening inside the court. I've been sending daggers to their opponent, trashtalking everyone (well except for our team), cursing and many more. The game was intense, unlike their first game. Hell, ang chill lang nung unang game! Or maybe this game's intense because their opponent actually won over them twice, I think?
Hindi pa natatapos ang first quarter, pinalabas na si Wes tapos pinapasok ulit yung kapatid nya. Nung second quarter na, shett. Dumami yung bakanteng upuan malapit kay Ace. We decided to sit near him. May umupo sa baba nya, kaya sa taas nalang niya kami umupo.
Nadidistract ako! Third quarter, kami pa rin ang leading. Punyeta, pinapasok na naman si Wesley. Okay, focus sa court. Wag kay Ace. This time, yung court ng school namin is yung court sa side namin. Leche, gumalaw kasi si Ace kaya napatingin ako sa kanya, wrong timing. Hindi ko tuloy nakita na nagshoot si Wes! Sarap sipain ni Ace eh!!
Maya-maya nag-timeout yung kabilang team. Psh, tanggapin nyo nalang kase na matatalo na kayo!!!
Kinuha ko yung phone ko at magti-tweet sana ako nang biglang nagsigawan yung mga babae sa side namin. Hala? Napatingin ako kay Ace nang bigla nalang may humawak sa mukha ko. "W-Wesley."
Yuck, basang-basa sya sa pawis pero *puke* ang pogi nya pa ren? YUUUUUUCK!!! Stop it.
Napatingin tuloy samin si Ace! Napatingin din ako kay Ace pero hinarap na naman ni Wes yung mukba ko sa mukha nya! Para siyang galit na galit na ewan?
"Listen. You're here to watch the game. Not other people. Do you understand what I'm saying?!" I nodded. Damn, he looks so mad.
"And eyes on me. Only me."
Nang binitawan niya yung mukha ko, napahawak ako sa dibdib ko, at napatingin din ako kay Ace. Wtf, Wes?! Anong nakain mo?! Ang narcissistic mo ata masyado?! At ikaw naman puso, anyare sayo?! Ang bilis mo naman ata masyado?!
Nagulat ulit ako nang may biglang humila sa leeg ko. Napatingin ako sa humila at si Wes na naman! "Kakasabi ko lang di ba? EYES. ON. ME." And in a snap, he stole my first kiss.
Napuno ang gym ng 'woah', gasps, 'omg' and 'may girlfriend sya?!' And I was like oh lupa, kainin mo na ako NOW NA.
It was just a smack but I really felt my cheeks heating up. Natulala ako, tangina. Napatingin ako sa kanya and I saw him smiling!!! Sinundan ko sya ng tingin pabalik sa teammates nya. Really?! Did they just congratulate him? Ay putangina naman! In front of all people?! I looked at coach, who happened to be their Dad, and he just smiled at me. Okay.... Ang awkward.
Tahimik na akong nanuod. No rants, no word coming out of my mouth. And the girls around are sending me daggers! You're here to watch the game guys, hindi para titigan ako ng ganyan! Shame on you people! Ugh!!!!
I purposely shut my system but Wes fucking called my name and in an instant I looked towards his direction. Free throw.
"Pag ito nagshoot, you'll date me tomorrow."
Fuck. Shoot.
"And pag eto nashoot, don't ever lay your eyes on Mendoza, ever again."
Uh-oh. Failed.
Ngiting-tagumpay ako bigla pero nagsalita sya ulit, "still, don't lay your eyes on Mendoza!" and he played again.
Gusto nya ba talaga akong ipapatay sa fangirls nya?! AT PATAYIN SA HIYA?! Ace faced me and said, "Makinig ka kay Wesley. Nakakatakot yun magalit." and smiled.
Holy crap.
The game ended and of course, they won.
We walked fast so we can get out of the gym immediately but a girl grabbed my arm. I was about to curse her but she was fast. "Girlfriend ka ba ni Wesley?!"
I turned my bitch mode on, ready to answer when someone from the back put his arm around my shoulder and said, "Soon to be girlfriend. May reklamo ka?"
- THE END -