It's You I Fell Into

IV

"Coach, una na ako ha."

The urgency in King's voice distracts Niles from the RPG he's playing on his phone for the past 20 minutes. He looks up from his phone, surprised to see King already showered and itching to leave. A harsh laugh almost leaves his throat at the sight of his teammate wearing nice clothes for the first time. Who knew the probinsyano King Escaño had other wearable clothes than his favorite Levi's hand-me-downs and university shirts?

Their coach, who is sitting beside Niles and currently preoccupied with the same RPG he's playing, closes his iPad before turning to King with a grim look. "Wag muna, Escaño. Bata ka pa," he deadpans.

A stream of hysterical laughter echoed in the locker room, courtesy of their asshole teammates. Niles even chokes on his spit. He relishes every moment King Escaño gets roasted by their savage coach.

King freezes for a second, then retorts. "Coach naman! Nagpaalam ako sa 'yo last week, 'di ba?"

"Naks naman talaga ang bb boy natin," KP teases as he dries his hair, flinging the wet towel to Niles afterwards. "Binata na talaga. Saan ang date natin?"

"I'm not going on a date."

"Weh!" Alvin and Del chorused.

"Oo nga!"

"Sus, eh bakit parang pupunta ka sa JS Prom dyan sa pormahan mo?" Niles finally attacks.

King shots him a pointed look. "Pakyu. It's not what you think. Wag kayong malisyoso dyan."

"Uloooooool!"

"18th birthday ni Q ngayon, okay? Our parents are visiting us to celebrate. Bawal bang mag-ayos kahit paano?"

The next insult dies in Niles' throat upon hearing Q's name. He blinks twice, thrice, before it finally dawns on him.

Birthday ni Q ngayon.

The team let out a chorus of oohs and aahs, except Niles.

"Talaga? Legal na si Q?" Alvin says voice laced with sudden interest. King's deadly eyes turn to him, glaring. He immediately retreats. "Oy, joke lang! Nagtatanong lang ako, dude."

"Pakisabi naman kay Q na Happy Birthday at sana bati na kami," KP adds. "Ayoko kamong masampolan ng Judo moves niya."

"Ako rin! Mula kamo sa pinakagwapo--"

"Mga gago kayo tigil-tigilan niyo nga kapatid ko!" King says through gritted teeth. With a heavy sigh, he goes back to their coach, "Coach naman, pwede na ba ako umalis? Baka ma-traffic ako ni--"

"Oo na, oo na. Ang dami mo pang sinabi dyan!"

"Thanks, Coach!" King salutes to him and gives his teammates the finger before scramming out of the locker room. The laughter dies down in an instant, and everyone goes back to cleaning up and minding their own business.

"Hoy Fabellore, maligo ka na. Umaalingasaw ka na dyan," Coach suddenly barks beside him, breaking his trance. That's when he realizes he's been staring at the locker room door for a while.

Queen Escaño turned 18 today.

**

Niles had managed not to think about her after that Saturday Club accident.

That was already two weeks ago.

Hell, he thought he was over this.

Over her.

(As if there's a lot to get over with.)

Q made it loud and clear last time: she hates him. She hates him because he hates her big brother. She doesn't want him near her. She doesn't want to see him ever again.

Simply put, she doesn't want to get involved with him in any way.

Fine, he gets it. Her hatred towards him is somehow understandable, albeit unfair to him. She should've given him a chance to explain, to clear things up, to--

"Putangina ka, Niles. Tumigil ka na," he berates himself for the 12th time since he came home from their practice three hours ago. He'd tried every distraction he could think of: reviewed for his Geol 2 quiz tomorrow, watched NBA replays, played the RPG again...yet Q remained inside his head, like a song he couldn't forget. It pisses him to no end, how she can bring him down like this. He hates feeling like this.

Defeated, Niles finally calls it a day and prepares to sleep. Once settled on his bed, he checks Facebook to see if he missed any announcements from their professor for tomorrow's quiz. Luckily, there was no important announcement, and that delighted him a bit.

He's about to close the Facebook app when a post appears on his newsfeed.

Apparently, King posted a family picture from their dinner two hours ago. He rolls his eyes at his teammate's caption game, a measly Happy 18th birthday, Q! We love you so much!

Niles knows he should ignore it, for the sake of his sanity, but his eyes are drawn to a smile that makes his heart ache and flutter at the same time.

Shit, I would trade anything just to have her smile at me like this.

Without thinking, he exits Facebook and sends a text to Dien.

From: Niles
Dee may number ka ba ni Q? Penge naman

From: Dien Katrina
Why???

Babati lang ako ng happy birthday

Weh??

Hay dali na please. 24 minutes na lang matatapos na birthday niya

Pwede ka naman bumati ng belated happy birthday diba?

Dien Katrina Dean

Hahaha omg you're mad
Fine. 09298762192
Wag mo akong ilalaglag kay King ha. Patay ka sakin

Thanks, Dee
Q would know na ikaw nagbigay ng number niya

I know. I'm dreading it already
Sisisihin kita 😂
Joke lang!!
Ikaw ha, Niley. I didn't know Q is your type

Gago hindi ah
Magsosorry lang ako. Tsaka babati. Yun lang.

Fine fine whatever you say. Basta if anyone asks,
you didn't get her number from me

Oo na oo na
thanks

Hay nako Niley..
Be careful ha. Kapatid ni King yan

Harmless birthday greeting and apology lang!
Why should I be careful?

Dyan nagsisimula yan 😏
Harmless birthday greeting then before you know it,
naglalandian na pala kayo. Trust me, I've been there.
Ingat ka lang.

You're worse than my actual sister
But thanks, Dee.
Even though I don't need it.

Magready ka na lang sa I told you so ko
in...four months? 😂
Tinext mo na ba?

Eto na itetext na.
Thanks ulit. Goodnight.

Sleep tight, Niley

It takes him seconds to compose his birthday greeting/apology. Niles doesn't want to overthink his message, or else he'll fuck it up.

He hits Send at exactly 11:55 PM, hoping she's still awake to read his text. He patiently waits for her reply until his eyes can't fight off the exhaustion of the day.

"Baka magreply din siya bukas," he mumbles before drifting off to sleep.

(Q never did.)