guy from UP : Can we talk?

guy from UP : Starbucks at Katips, I'll treat you coffee or whatever.

guy from UP : Please?

"What's with the frown, babe?" I turned off my phone and faced my bestfriend who stood up to get water again in our kitchen. "May sinabi ba si coach?"

"No, someone's bugging me in my messages." I answered and saw my phone lit up again, nagtext nanaman ang lalaking iyon.

"Sino yan? Is it Winter?" Yeji asked and took a peek on my phone, nabasa niya naman ang notifications ko. "A guy from.. Is this the man from Diliman?"

I sighed as I remember the name of that guy from UP. Napatingin ako kay Yeji na blanko ang ekspresyon ngayon, for sure she did not expect this guy again in my phone because they thought I already blocked it.

I thought I already blocked it.

"Nag-uusap pa rin kayo?" she coldly asked, hindi ako nakasagot agad dahil natakot ako sa tono ng boses niya. "I'm not mad, Ji."

"We're not talking, I swear." I said with finality, she didn't seem satisfied with my answer. "I deleted our conversation before, nakalimutan ko i-block."

"Then do it now. May pag-uusapan pa ba kayo nan?"

Napaisip ako kung ano pa ba ang pag-uusapan namin ng lalaki, I just hope he doesn't make it harder for me because I want to end things with him even though wala naman talagang nangyari sa aming dalawa in a romantic way.

Except that kiss, just a kiss.

"Maybe this is a chance to end our contact, ayoko na rin siya kausapin after this talk." I said and stood up. Ilang oras pa bago ang practice match namin with another university.

"Then let's go now para matapos na agad yan. Pupunta pa tayo ng campus." she said and fetched for her duffle bag, kinuha ko na din ang akin.

Our attention went to the noise coming from our stairs, my Mom was walking down with her typical dress when she's at home. I got startled with her presence dahil baka narinig niya ang pinag-usapan naming dalawa ni Yeji.

"Aalis na kayo 'nak? Kumain ba kayong dalawa?" she was still taking her steps from the long transparent stairs.

"We're good, tita. I had breakfast in my house since ayaw po ni Mama umaalis ako ng walang kain." Yeji answered with a smile which gain a chuckle from my Mom.

"Well, my kumare is right. You athletes need your food." she stated, she went to my direction and hugged me. "I want to watch your game now but I need to rest."

"It's fine 'Ma, basta sa mismong competition you should be present." I said, she gave me a wide smile.

"Of course, ingat kayong dalawa. Drive safely."

​​​​

"Sorry for disturbing you." he started. Hindi ako sumagot pabalik, nasa isip ko lang ay gusto ko nang umalis sa loob ng kotse niya.

An awkward silence came into our atmosphere. I can see him fidgeting with his fingers and I was just looking at Yeji standing at her car outside Starbucks.

"We both have practice, let's make this quick." I said, breaking the gawky situation we have now. We were both on our school's training jackets.

"I still want you." 

Napatingin ako sa direksyon niya nang may dismayang mukha, he also looked at me with pleading eyes. Is he being serious right now? 

"What are you saying, Jeno?" I exclaimed, feeling angry at what he said. "Hindi naging tayo at alam mo yan."

"I know, its just..." he stopped his sentence and wento closer to my direction, "I can't get enough of you--"

"'Wag mo akong hawakan!" I shouted and removed his hand that was about to reach my skin, I heard him sigh. "Are you ing crazy? We did it once and that was it, alam mong ayoko--"

"Wala ka namang iba diba? Why are you being so hard to get?!" he shouted at me. Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko at nasampal ko ang pisngi niyang kanina ko pa pinipigilan gawin.

"You have a girlfriend now right? Have some respect on her and on me!" I shouted, he's looking outside the window because of that hard slap I gave

He faced me once again, "I can end things with her for you--"

"Nasisiraan ka na ba ng ulo?! Do you honestly think I'll go that low? Jeno, hindi kita gusto at I will never will." 

The annoyance inside me got much higher because of our conversation, I heard a loud thud inside the car, he punched his steering wheel.

I can feel his body moving towards mine, he forcefully cupped my face. Our lips was about to be connected, before anything happens, I shoved his body away from me with all my force and held the car door for dear life.

"You can't even respect my decision, I'm glad I did the right thing."

Just the right thing of getting rid of you in my life, yes.

"How come the captain of the Fighting Maroons is an ?" Yeji scoffed as she was driving to our campus, nanatili lang akong tahimik sa buong byahe.

I saw her hands went to the car radio in front of us, the sound of the music inside the car got lower. Nakita kong red light pa at malayo pa ang pupuntahan naming fast food chain.

"Be honest with me, did you initiated a thing between you and that guy Jeno?" she asked, I can see her from my peripheral vision.

I held tightly to the seatbelt strap in my body. I looked at her, still not sure on what to say.

"Yeji, I was drunk that time--"

"Pero naulit din naman yung nangyari nang hindi na kayo lasing, Jimin." she cutted my sentence off, I was taken aback. Napatingin ako sa bintana, I can feel the irritation again and I was suppressing the urge to burst in tears.

"You know Ning and I don't like that guy o yung mga ibang nakasama mo na." she added and held on her steering wheel.

"Hindi ko naman sinabing gusto ko, Yej." I said softly and called her by the nickname I use for her.

"Then why? You always say that you don't like those guys pero nauulit at nauulit lang din!--"

"Alam ko! Alam kong nagkamali ako Yeji at pinagsisihan ko na lahat!" I shouted at her which I regret doing. We heard a loud honk from behind, it was now at a green light.

My bestfriend took another glance from me and stepped on the gas, I heard her sigh as she was focusing on the road. 

"I'm sorry." she said, we are now entering the drive-thru of Mcdonalds. "I just want what's best for you, Ji. It's clear that we don't want you to go to that phase ever again."

"I know Yej, sorry din. I'm becoming too stubborn these days." I said and chuckled softly. 

Siya na ang nag-order para sa amin para may pagkain kami pagdating sa campus. She ordered for our usual and closed her window. She looked at gave me a gentle smile, I know she always care for me, for us.

"Coach Irene is mentioning me sa group chat." she said while looking at her phone, natawa naman ako ng kaunti nang patayin niya ang kanyang cellphone.

We got our order and Yeji drove, now heading to our campus. Kumain ako ng fries at nakita kong gusto din niya din kumain kaya kumuha ako at linagay sa bibig niya, natawa naman ako sa itsura niya. It would have been fun and loud if our other girl is here.

I wish Ning is here.

"Promise me that that would be our last argument, babe." she said and caressed my thigh, I let out a smile at her gesture.

"I don't want to do promises, alam mo yan." I stated and softly slapped my thigh, "But I'll try to be better."

I'll try.

"Mabuti naman at nakarating pa kayong dalawa ng buhay." Our coach welcomed us with her terrifying words, napakamot na lang kami ni Yeji sa batok. "May hawak pang Mcdo, ang alam ko diet tayo ngayon diba?"

"Coach ikaw din naman, kumain kanina." one of the players in our team butted in, si Yena lang pala. Natawa naman ang iba at nagpeace sign pa si Yena at pumunta sa direksyon namin.

"Hoy ate ko, pahingi ako ha. Good mood naman si coach ngayon." she said and smiled, napangiti din ako. Binigay ko na sakanya ang buong fries at nagulat naman ito, siguro ginawa ko din yun dahil hindi kami pinagalitan ni coach.

"Iwan niyo mga kotse niyo sa campus, we have our bus." I heard different reactions from my team, some our still not done from stretching. "Walang aangal!"

"Manonood ba boyfriend mo?"

"Nako, ayoko na sa lalaki."

"May bus pa nalalaman, malapit lang naman."

"Baka kasi gusto magshow-off ni coach, tsaka okay lang naman sa'kin. We look cool if all of us are together."

"Dinala ko pa car ko, kainis!"

"Grabe ka, hindi naman lahat sa'tin may kotse."

"I think FEU kalaban mamaya, nakakatakot pa naman mga tamaraw na yun!"

"Matatakot lang siguro ako para sa buhay ko kapag natamaan ng bola sa mukha ang isa sa'tin."

Those were some murmurs I heard from some of my team members, natawa naman kami ni Yeji. Baka nga din gusto ni coach magshow-off, maybe she's close with our opponent.

"Galingan natin, team! I wanna see a reaction from Coach Joy." she added and I saw her smirk. Kinuha na namin ang mga gamit at sumunod sa kanya papunta sa parking lot.

Binilisan ko ang lakad ko upang tabihan si coach, "Who are we going against with?" I asked so I have an idea. Magbabago pa din naman ang gameplay ng mga nakalaban namin dati.

"Adamson."