Clumsy with a hint of Rupok

Labing-tatlo

"Five six seven-Ace, itaas mo yan nang maayos, mukha kang hirap na hirap" "Ace, nasisira yung routine"Ace chuchublehbleh. Nagtinginan mga kasama namin and nagtataka din sila dahil wala naman akong mali. May galit ba si ate sa'kin? Inaano ko siya?

It was weeks of training as in puro training kaya kapag may in-aassign na project or homework, ginagawa ko agad para hindi matambakan. Malapit na din kasi CDC.

"Okay, tomorrow ulit. Good job everyone!..... Ace, fix your dancing and your posture", Ate Dev instructed.

"Po? Ate, what were my errors so that I can fix 'em", pagtanong ko.

"It's yours to figure out", sagot niya. Whut? What did I do bakit ang sungit sa'kin? I mean, I'm not manhid and I think may kinalaman 'to kay Keane but hindi ba dapat seperate ang feelings sa training.

"Devy, Ace didn't do anything wrong. In fact she's doing great-", pagtatanggol ni Ate Ember at biglang pinagalitan din siya, "Em, this is the reason why I was appointed as captain, not you"

That was too harsh. I saw Ate Ember's face. Nakanganga siya't nanlaki ang mata.

"Why are you so harsh today? Is it THAT day of the month?", Ate Ember wanted to understand why Ate Dev was mad at.. everyone?

Ate Dev glared at me and looked up habang nakataas ang kamay as a sign of 'I can't handle this today'.

Ang sungit ng awra niya until Keane came. "Keane, let's go na ba?", she smiled at sinabit ang kanyang duffel bag sa balikat niya.

"Uh... kaya ko naman atang magpunta mag-isa sa...'project' so hindi na natin need magsabay", sagot ni Keane.

The smile on Ate Dev's face disappeared and replied "Okay, if you say so", she sighed and gave a fake smile.

Hinatid nga ako ni Keane at nagmadali din siyang umalis dahil may pupuntahan daw siya para sa 'project' but he doesn't know na alam kong sa hospital siya pupunta. Sasabihin ko na sana na alam ko na ang sakit niya sa puso but he already left in a hurry pagkadating namin sa bahay ko.

Binabase ko nalang condition niya sa nakikita ko kapag magkasama kami because Ate Dev doesn't update me anymore plus, I'm planning on telling Keane na alam ko ang sakit niya sa puso. I'm just trying to get the right timing.

I finished doing my homeworks so I texted in our group chat.

Me
I'm bored. Labas tayo.

Maple
Sakto nasa labas ako

Me
Bakit? Papunta ka na? Hehe keleg

Maple
Nag-date kami ni Paul hehe kapal mo naman

Rafa
G ako

Keane
G, labas lang ah. Wag kayo papalibre, ubos na allowance ko dahil sainyo

Me
Okay, libre ko naman.

Keane
Charot, sabi ko nga dadalhin ko na wallet ko.

Natawa nalang ako. Good vibes talaga kapag nag-cchat sa gc namin. Nakaka-miss yung mga times na magkakasama kami.

Nagpaalam muna ako bago umalis. "Ma, Dad, can I go out with Keane, Maple and Rafa?"

"Sure, hija" "Take care!" sagot naman nila.

Simple lang ang sinuot kong damit. Maong shorts, t-shirt and white shoes. Pagkalabas ko andun na si Keane na may dalang plastic bag.

"Hey, kila Maple tayo magkikita-kita diba?" tanong ko sakanya. I closed our gate and lumapit sakanya.

"Yeah pero baka mag-expect din sila ng ice cream eh", sagot niya't tinaas ang hawak niya plastic bag.

"Ooooh ice cream? Parang ganito ka sa mga ex mo diba", tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

"Hoy, random lang pagpili ko ng ice cream sakanila. Special ice cream for someone special", sabi niya habang nilabas ang watermelon aice ice cream. Aww, he remembered my favorite. Last year ko pa yun sinabi ah.

Kinain ko yun habang naglalakad kami papunta kila Maple. Gumala lang kami at kapag dadaan kami sa maraming lalaki, Keane would go behind us para daw safe.

Oh God, I forgot to tell him what I heard from Tita Joanne about his heart. There will be a right time but not now because we're with Maple and Rafa. Besides, I don't want to kill the mood or the fun.

Masaya naman kami kasi puro libre ni Keane. Ayaw niyang pumayag na kami ang magbabayad. Also, it was fun because Rafa and Maple didn't feel like a third wheel. Keane treated the three of us like princesses. Hinatid kami ni Keane sa pag-uwi kasi gabi na nun.

I trust him so much now, more than I can imagine. Dati kasi everytime papaasahin ako ni Keane I would promise myself that I will never trust Keane ever again. Wala eh.. ang rupok.

I slept and gumising banda 6am so I can eat, shower and get ready for the day. UAAP will start tomorrow and I'm so excited for me, Maple and Keane. Dream talaga namin makita sa TV while doing something we love. I'm also.. scared kasi baka sa sobrang gigil at pagod ni Keane sa laro, baka may mangyari sa puso niya.

Hinatid ulit ako ni Keane, as always, kahit sinagot ko na siya, hinahatid at sundo pa rin niya ako. We had some surprise quizzes at satisfied naman ako sa scores. We also passed some homeworks. Wala masyadong discussion and after classes we had intense training kasi malapit na nga ang CDC.

Hindi na mainit ang ulo ni Ate Dev and I was relieved because I thought sasabihin niya kay Keane na alam ko yung sakit sa puso niya pero wala naman siyang reaction since hinatid pa niya ako kaninang umaga.

Sa dalas naming sayawin ang routine parang kahit tulog, masasayaw ko 'to. I just hope walang magkakamali sa stunts and everyone will do their best. Kinakabahan din ako para kay Keane kasi mauuna ang laban nila. I can imagine myself wearing yellow while shouting his name at sinasamaan ng tingin mga babaeng naririnig kong type siya, choz.

For the 4th time na sinayaw namin ang routine, natigil kami lahat at napatingin sa pintuan because it was so loud when someone opened it. Halatang may galit.

Mas nanlaki ang mata ko nang makita ko si Keane na hinila si Ate Dev palabas ng gym. Habang nagbubulungan ang iba, I decided to follow them.

"Why did you tell the coach about sa sakit ko sa puso? You know basketball is my dream." pinipilit ni Keane na pakalmahin ang sarili niya habang nagsasalita.

He saw me so nanlaki ang mga mata niya, "Ace... kanina ka pa nandyan?"

Ate Dev scoffed and said, "Sakto! And what about it, Keane? You shouldn't lie to your coach at baka kung ano mangyari sa'yo. I'm just worried, okay? Alam mo naman I have feelings for you. It's freaking obvious and you still chose to be with Ace."

Ate Dev glanced at me and I know kung ano na sasabihin niya..

"Bakit ka kinakabahan, Keane? Is it because Aceia's here?", she looked at the both of us and smiled.

"Don't worry. She actually knows na", Ate Dev said and smiled.

Keane was confused and said, "What? Is it.. true? Kailan pa?". He couldn't believe what he just heard.

"I'm sorry. Please believe me, I tried to tell you. I just couldn't get the right timing. Kasama natin si Maple and Rafa and we were having fun", I tried to explain to him.

He looked down and returned his look on me, "Kailan pa?", he asked seriously.

"Since.. our family's bonding at the beach. I heard Tita Joanne talking to our parents", I couldn't look at him. I felt so guilty.

"So that's why pumayag kang magpaligaw kinabukasan", he said.

"Keane, sinagot kita kasi I realized na nagbago ka na. Nagkataon lang. Please.. I really did try to tell you" I said at hindi ko napansing tumutulo na ang mga luha ko.

"Just.. give me time", he couldn't look at me anymore.

"Unbelievable", sulsol ni Ate Dev. Ano pa ginagawa niya dito? Sinira na niya diba? Lahat ng ganda nasa labas, walang naiwan sa loob.