I know mukha akong tanga.

I've been greeting people in the gym, expecting that anyone of them would start teasing me.

"Ok ka lang Dara?" the very person I was worrying about, Kuya Hero, asked me when for the nth time, I suspiciously looked around the whole gym waiting for someone na mangantyaw.

I did my very best to make sure I wouldn't blush.

He stood so close to me at titig na titig siya sa akin na gusto ko nang iangat ang kamay ko para hawakan lang ang mukha niya.

"Alam mo Kuya Hero, may nangyari kase kahapon dyan kay Ate Dara e" GD answered from behind me instead and before he could say another word, I turned to him with burning eyes.

Balak ba talaga akong pikunin nito?!?!

I took hold of his jersey and dragged him out of the gym.

"Gusto mo ba akong galitin?!" I asked him.

"Gusto nga kitang tulungan na aminin kay Kuya Hero na gusto mo siya e. Malay mo makipag-break siya sa girlfriend niya."

Hindi ko alam paano mag-isip ang batang ito, sa totoo lang.

"KWON JIYONG, gusto mo ata talaga masaktan e."

Instead of being scared or shutting up like normal guys would kapag ang kausap nilang babae e naghuhuramentado na, he smiled.

"ANO YANG NGITI NA YAN HA?!?!?!"

He continued smiling. "Ang cute mo pala Ate Dara kapag nagagalit ka nang ganyan."

I punched him in the arm. "Sa tingin mo ba natutuwa ako sa sinasabi mo? Itigil mo yan!"

"Ayoko" he answered and shook his head with conviction "Natutuwa ako makita kang parang normal na girl lang. Kapag kase practice o kaya kahit sa hallway at nakikita kita, ang seryoso mo lang lagi o kaya wala kang karea-reaksyon. Nakikipagtawanan ka pero di umaabot sa mata mo kaya akala ko dati parang robot ka na e. Buti na lang pala mali ako."

"So para nga akong laruan sa'yo???" I hated being scrutinized like that "TAMA NA YANG PANG-AASAR MO AT HUWAG NA HUWAG MO SASABIHIN KAHIT KAILAN YUNG TUNGKOL KAY KUYA HERO, NAGKAKAINTINDIHAN BA TAYONG DALAWA?"

He pursed his lips "Uhmmmm. Hindi ko sasabihin sa kanya yun kung papayag kang makipag-date."

WHAT THE?!?!?!

Where did that come from?

Nababaliw na ba talaga ang batang to?

"Seryoso ako na hindi ka nakakatuwa ha. At hindi ako stuff toy para lokohin o paglaruan. Anyway, bumalik na tayo sa loob at mag-drills ka na. Nasasayang oras natin dito e!"

"Pero seryoso nga ako na inaaya kita sa date Ate Dara."

"GD kung ayaw mong abutin hanggang bukas nang umaga sa drills, tigilan mo ako" I told him before turning my back on him and walking away.

Hindi ko alam kung ano mararamdaman ko pero hindi malayo na atakihin ako sa puso dahil sa lalakeng to.

Freshman pa lang pero ang presko na.

NAKAKAINIS TALAGA!
 

"Ayan na pala si GD!" Choi Seunghyun, our team superstar announced as we both entered the court "Dito ka! Scrimmage tayo!"

"Ok sige" GD answered enthusiastically.

"First scrimmage natin to at may tradition kami na pwede nyo makalaban kahit sino sa mga seniors na gusto nyo. Lahat kami nina Yoochun na nakatayo ngayon napili na. Sino gusto mo makalaro?"

"Si Kuya Hero."

"Oh Hero ikaw daw!"gatong pa ni Yoochun.

Everyone was looking at Kuya Hero and he laughed. "Ako talaga ang gusto mo makalaro ah."

"Oo naman Kuya" GD nodded "Ikaw Ace Player nang St. Mary's e."

I then remembered that they both came from that school. They must have played together some time before.

"Pagbibigyan ko ba Coach?"

Tumango si Coach Yangoon. "Pakitaan mo ang bata."

"Oh sige Kwon. Tignan natin gaano ka na kagaling ngayon."

They started to do a few rounds of stretching for Kuya Hero's benefit before starting the game.

GD went to the water jug, which was near me, and whispered "Kapag mas mataas ang points ko kay Kuya Hero, magde-date tayo."

It wasn't a question.

I looked at him with eyes as sharp as a samurai sword 
and just when I was about to strike back, he immediately ran to the court to start their game.

Hindi ko naiintindihan ano ang pakulo niya at lalong di ko ma-gets ang pagpipilit niya na mag-date kami pero ramdam na ramdam ko na gusto lang niya ako lalong asarin.

After all, he said so himself na natutuwa siya na I could register and feel other emotions.

Pero ano ba kase ang nakakatuwa dun?!?!?!

Lalo lang umiinit ang ulo ko.

 

It was only a 20-minute scrimmage and in keeping with tradition, hindi talaga ginawang madali nang mga seniors para sa mga freshmen ang laro.

Sobrang physical lagi nang pinakaunang scrimmage nang mga baguhan kaya kung hindi mo gagalingan ang pagdepensa sa sarili e iindahin nang katawan mo ang sakit galing sa laro na ito for a week at best.

Mas halimaw ang mga manlalaro dito kesa noong high school.

Still, kailangan kong aminin na looking at all the freshmen now e mukhang kayang kaya sumabay ni GD sa mga seniors nya. He was calm and collected and despite slashing through bigger defenders for a basket, he looked completely unafraid.

His defense on Kuya Hero was also on point na nakikita ko na na kahit papaano e napipikon na ang crush ko dahil hindi siya makagawa nang puntos.

Eventually, it was no surprise that the seniors won the game but the freshmen showed a good fight as they only loss by three points.

GD had the highest score amongst his teammates, more than ten points higher than Kuya Hero's.

Lahat nang tao e nagsimulang mag-usap usap tungkol sa kung gaano kasaya yung game nang sumulpot sa tabi ko ang isang maganda at petite na girl. I was about to ask her if she needed anything from me bilang bigla lang siyang tumabi sa akin nang madinig kong tawagin siya ni Kuya Hero.

"Sana sinabi mo pala na maglalaro ka today para nanood ako!" sabi nang babae kay Hero.

"Nahatak lang din ako e" he explained, wiping sweat off his face and then remembered na I was just beside them "Dara, meet Bom. Siya yung girlfriend ko."

I felt the ground shake beneath me.

"Ay Hi Dara! It's nice to meet you!"

I nodded and put on the widest smile I could manage. I didn't think I would meet her this fast. "Hello."

"Galing ka ba sa class ngayon?" Kuya Hero asked her and as they started talking about mundane things, I felt myself become smaller and smaller.

They looked perfect for each other.

"Oh tara na!" GD told me, coming up from my side and just grabbed my hand "I won a date diba?"

I let him drag me because if I stayed any longer, I knew I was bound to make a fool of myself.

"Sandali! Sandali! Sandali!" I only blurted when I could no longer see the gym.

"Huwag ka umiyak!" he told me immediately.

"Eh sino ba nagsabi sa'yo na iiyak ako?"

"Inuunahan lang kita kase baka nga umiyak ka talaga."

I bit my lip. "Hindi ako iiyak pero huwag mo ako hatakin. Nahihirapan ako lumakad e. At saka naiwan ko yung bag ko dun sa gym. Ang dami pa namin gagawin. Sigurado ako hahanapin ako nina Kuya Hero nyan."

"Ako na lang ang babalik dun basta stay here. Ako na bahala kina Kuya Hero."

He winked at me and I have never felt more confused in my life.

Gusto ko magalit sa kanya pero I also felt thankful to him for taking me out of there.

I don't know if he pulled me out of the gym for this date as a way para lalo akong paglaruan because of my current situation or to help me escape from seeing Kuya Hero with his girlfriend.

Nakakalito.

Nakakainis.

Hindi ko na alam.