Cheer Up, Captain

Chapter 03

Chapter 03

The entire basketball team was looking at me like I had lost my mind... and perhaps they're right! I have officially lost my mind! It's understandable naman! Because like the other day lang, ang problem ko lang ay kung anong color ng bag ang bibilhin ko or if makaka-hanap ba iyong personal shopper ko nung bag na gusto ko... Now, forced na ako to be an adult! I have to do adulting too early!

17 years old lang ako! I am a child!

"Fin, oh..." one of the basketball guys said. I refuse to learn his name. Saka sinabi niya pa 'yon like kawawa ako na kailangang pansinin ni Finley. As if! I blame my younger self talaga. Why did I have to ask Finley to the dance? Ayan tuloy. Years have passed pero part pa rin siya ng lore ko! Possible kaya na kapag nag reunion kami 30 years from now, they'll tease me about that pa rin? My gosh!

Finley threw me a look. I thought talaga na may sasabihin siya sa akin, but the jerk just gave me a 3-second stare tapos ay binalik niya na iyong tingin niya sa mga basketball boys niya.

"Focus," sabi niya sa kanila.

"Grabe, Captain, pansinin mo naman si Maia."

My lips parted because he said that in such a way na para bang atensyon ni Finley iyong pinaka-dream ko sa life ko. How dare these basketball boys!

Finley just rolled his eyes as if that was such a ridiculous idea. He began jogging na ulit tapos ay sumunod na sa kanya iyong ibang mga players. They're like mother duck and ducklings. Naka-sunod lang talaga sila sa kanya.

"Okay lang 'yan. Masungit talaga 'yon," one of the basketball guys said as he was patting the top of my head like I was some kid.

I immediately swatted his hand away. "Ugh. As if!" I said as I walked away.

Dumaan ako sa cafeteria because I was hungry. Nagbreakfast naman ako, but gutom na ulit ako. Normally, I'd just get whatever looked good... but parang umatras iyong gutom ko nung nakita ko iyong presyo.

Was food always this expensive? Gosh... I remember all the times na hindi ko naubos iyong food ko tapos tinapon ko na lang. Tsk. Never mind. I'd think na lang na naka-one meal a day na diet ako. I mean, I could be poor, but I could still slay.

It's all about the mindset.

Bakit ko ba iniisip na mahirap na ako? Wala namang sinabi na ganon ang parents ko. They're just going through something at the moment. Sabi nga nila, this, too, shall pass. Alam naman siguro ni Lord na hindi ako ang strongest soldier niya! Hindi ako meant to be sa ganitong life.

I stayed muna sa likod ng building while waiting for the class to start. I didn't want to go to the classroom muna kasi baka may magtanong sa akin if kumain na ako. Tapos baka samahan nila ako sa cafeteria and mapa-bili pa ako ng food. Dito muna ako. At least may fresh air saka sunlight.

I was quietly minding my own business when I heard footsteps approaching.

"What?" I asked.

I hated the fact na alam ko na agad na si Finley iyong nasa paligid ko. Bakit ba kasi alam ng ilong ko kung ano iyong pabango niya? Wala ba siyang balak magpalit ng pabango? Kasi whenever I'd smell that freaking Tom Ford Black Orchid, kahit nasa ibang lugar ako, siya agad ang naiisip ko. Na-condition na ata iyong brain ko.

"What are you doing?" he asked back.

"Soaking the air and sunshine," I told him. "Obviously."

Naka-kunot iyong noo niya. "Ano ka? Halaman?"

"What?" I asked. What was he yapping about again?

"Photosynthesis?" he said again. Photo-what?

He rolled his eyes at me like he was just so done with me. The gasp I gasped! Does he even have self-awareness? Between the two of us, mas nakaka-pagod kaya siya!