Played By Cupid

72

A girl sat beside me in the stairs. “Hi. Riri, right?”

“Hmm. Ikaw si Haley, tama?” I asked, smiling a bit.

She looks bubbly. Maganda siya, sexy at mukhang matalino. Hindi na ako magtataka kung may lihim na pagtingin si Play sa kaibigan niyang ito.

“Yup! Play’s closest friend in his WPA.” She answered.

Napatango-tango ako. Silence enveloped us. May parte sa akin na gusto nang umalis kaso ayaw ko namang magmukhang bastos. Mabait siya, Ri.

“Naging topic ka namin dati,” Haley stated. Napalingon ako sa kaniya bigla.

“Anong... napag-usapan niyo tungkol sa akin?” Maingat kong tanong.

“Isa ka raw sa mga admirer niya na sobrang nakaka-appreciate sa kaniya. Ikaw lang din daw ang hindi nagbago at nawala matapos reject-in. Ang nag-iisang hindi raw naghangad na maka-relasyon siya.”

I gulped. I don’t know kung matutuwa ba ako sa narinig. I somehow felt a stab in my chest even though it was considered as a good thing for him. I don’t why, I can’t explain.

“Nasabi na ba niya sa ‘yong kakaiba ka?”

Bahagya akong umiling. “Torpe,” rinig kong bulong niya.

“But I guess, you are really different.” She smiled before leaving me alone again.

I was in a deep though again. Para namang pinaglalaruan lang ako ng tadhana. Paano nangyaring nahulog ako ng ganitong kalalim sa lalaking hindi ko naman kilala ng ganoong kabilis pa?

Oo nga’t nagkita na kami ngayon. Pero ganito ang sitwasyon? Gusto kong mapalapit sa kaniya pero gusto ko na ring makalimot. If I only didn’t let myself to enter in that world again.

“Riri?” Nithe called me. “Magsisimula na,”

He reached for my hand and pulled me in to the room where the first meeting were held. Everyone were looking at us when we arrived. Ah, he’s holding my hand. Tipid akong ngumiti sa kanila.

“We are going to give you all task to be done in just a few days. You can develop your skills or even discover some. In this task, you will discover how to associate, how to plan with others, and what is the real meaning of teamwork.”

The mentor explained everything before we started the grouping part since may ‘teamwork’ word, syempre, hindi lang isang tao ang gagawa.

“I will going to group you in to three at may palabis ang isang grupo. Bibigyan namin kayo ng genre at topic after the groupings,”

We all nodded.

“Rici, Val and Verse for group one. Pine, Dira and Cici for group two. Nayde, Riri, Play and Haley for group three. Go to your respective members right now.”

Nagsitayuan kaming lahat at naupo sa isang umpok ng katabi ang mga ka-grupo. Inignora ko ang mga matang nakamasid sa akin at nakinig na lang ulit. Medyo kinakabahan ako.

We were going to work together!

“For group one, we’re assigning a romance-comedy genre for the three of you. It was a novelette that should be done in five days.”

“For group two, fantasy with a glimpse of action. Powers and magis should be the highlight. Novelette and should be done in five days, as well.”

“For group three, a novelette that contains reincarnation, through using contemporary romance genre... Make readers believe that it is possible. Givin’ you five days extensions, too.”

Miss Ynah stated. Ipinaliwanag niya pa ang ibang parts na hindi naintindihan ng iba sa amin. She’s kinda strict but kind.

“Cooperation, consideration and teamwork. Marked it in your mind, writers.” She said before leaving the room.