TAKE A CHANCE (MikhAiah AU)

6

Mikha's POV

"Huy bai ang cute talaga nung Maloi bagay sa kanya yung ribbon na tali niya parang baby. Baby ko." Colet said, grinning.

"Babaero." Gwen said, while Colet gave her a questioning look. Na sa cafeteria kami ngayon having our lunch at katabi ko si Jho samantalang si Colet at Gwen ang magkatabing umuupo sa kabilang upuan sa harap namin.

"Wow Gwen makapagbintang naman parang hindi lumandi kahapon ha. May pakaway kaway ka pang nalalaman kay Sheena." Ganti ni Colet.

"Akala ko ba astig tayo Gwen. Huwag mo namang ipahalata na patay na patay ka kay sheena." Jhoanna teased joining the bantering of the two.

"Itong si Gwen nonchalant pero nagiging oa pagdating kay Sheena." Colet said.

"At least kay Sheena lang." Gwen said with pride of her answer.

"At ikaw, Jho. Akala mo naman kung sinong inosente. Crush mo nga yata yung Stacey eh. Alam niyo guys nakita ko yan kahapon kausap yung Stacey." Pagsusumbong ni Gwen.

"Sinong crush? Si pink princess? Nope! Masyadong kikay. Tinanong ba naman ako kung meron ba raw available na pink na bola.” Sabi ni Jho at umiling kaya na tawa naman ang dalawa.

"Ikaw Mikhs. Is there anything you want to share with us?" Gwen asked with a smirk formed in her lips.

"About what?" I asked, confused.

"Sus akala mo hindi namin nakita yung mga tinginan mo kahapon kay Miss President." Sabi ni Colet habang nakataas baba ang kilay.

"Tutok na tutok nung nagpapakilala si Aiah eh." Sabi ni Jho at bahagya akong tinulak.

"Alangan namang pumikit ako." Sarkastikong sabi ko.

"And I think hindi niya naaalala yung nangyari sa drink section." I added.

"Disappointed?" Gwen asked.

"No, I'm not." I answered while the three were wearing their teasing smiles, and I just rolled my eyes at them.

"Uy!" Biglang sigaw ni Colet habang kinakaway ang kamay na para bang may tinatawag sa malayo. Nakangiti siyang kumakaway at nakatingin sa direksyon namin ni Jho kaya dahan-dahan kong binaling ang tingin ko sa likuran at nakita ko ang apat na officers ng student council na sina Maloi, Stacey, Sheena and Aiah habang may dala-dalang food tray na may lamang mga pagkain. 

"Hi. Are you having lunch too?" Tanong ni Colet ng makalapit na ang apat.

"Yes. We are just looking for a free table for us to sit." Maloi answered.

"You can join us here if you want. Kasya naman tayo dito. It's okay naman diba Mikhs?" Gwen asked while showing her puppy eyes, and now everyone is waiting for my response. Gusto lang nito makasabay sa lunch si Sheena dinamay pa ako but before I can respond nag salita si Aiah.

"It's okay. We will just look for free tables na lang baka maka abala pa kami, but we appreciate your offer." She said and smiled, pero iniwas ang tingin sa akin. Is she trying to avoid me, or am I just assuming? Do she remember the Chuckie thing na?

"Colet and Gwen lipat kayo dito sa side namin ni Jho para makaupo sila diyan sa kabila." I said. My friends looked at me with a surprise in their eyes and then gave me a teasing smile.

"No need na. Aiah is right hahanap na lang kami ng ibang pwesto nakakahiya naman sa inyo." Sabi ni Maloi ng tatayo na sana ang dalawa.

"No, we insist. Hindi naman sa amin tung table, it's for everyone." Jho said and smiled.

"Ano na girls? Nangangalay na ako." Stacey said while pouting.

"Parang isda." Bulong ni Jho.

"May sinasabi ka?" Sabi ni Stacey kaya nagulat si Jho.

"No, I said that you should sit na lang with us para hindi ka na mangalay." Pagsisinungaling nito. Aiah was about to refuse again, but before she could speak inunahan ko na siya.

"There are no available tables anymore, and I think everyone is waiting for your decision." I said at nilibot ang tingin sa cafeteria na puno na at sa mga students na nakatingin sa table namin. Umupo rin sila and thanked us. We eat our lunch quietly, and to lighten up the mood, Colet initiates a conversation.

"How's the first practice? Sisipot pa rin naman siguro kayo sa next training, no?" Colet playfully asked.

"Huy beh kung alam mo lang kung gaano kahirap umakyat sa hagdan kanina. Parang ilang lakad na lang iiwan ko na talaga paa ko sa baba." Sabi ni Sheena.

"First training pa lang pero yung pagod ko parang pang Olympic game na." Sabi ni Stacey pagkatapos ay sumubo ng kanin. My friends are just giggling with their answers.

"Hay naku kung pwede na nga lang wag sumali gina— " Hindi na tuloy ang sasabihin sana ni Maloi ng pinanliitan siya ng mata ni Aiah.

"Kahit pwede pang wag sasali syempre sasali pa rin ako. Ano ka ba. Si Maloi to na mahal na mahal ka." Pambabawi niya sabay bigay ng flying kiss kay Aiah. Tawang-tawa naman si Stacey at Sheena na hinahampas hampas pa ang mesa sa subrang tawa.

"Huy!" Mahinang saway ni Aiah sa kanila at napatingin sa amin kaya naman tumigil sa pagtawa ang dalawa.

"Sorry." Sabi ng dalawa at inayos ang upo.

"It's okay. We are enjoying naman." Gwen said while smiling widely, directly at Sheena, seated at her front. Kaya napaghahalataan to eh.

"Pero hindi ba nakakapagod na naghahanda kayo sa game at the same time you are doing your responsibility as student council?" Tanong ni Jho kaya napatingin ako kay Aiah na nasa harap ko.

"Aside from doing a lot of paper work, it would also be great to do new things, which is why we are happy to be able to play and represent our organization for the upcoming student festival. There are also university staff specifically assigned to help us with the preparation for the event to lessen our work para na man makapag prepare din kami sa game," she said with full of enthusiasm, which made her eyes form into a crescent shape as she grinned.

"Baka matunaw naman yung tao." Bulong ni Colet sa akin na katabi ko at nginitian ako ng nakakaloko. I didn't know why pero biglang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko at pakiramdam ko namumula ako. Sana talaga hindi halata ang pamumula ko. To calm myself, I grab my chuckie tyaka tinusok ang straw nito at ininom.

"How about you guys? Hindi ba nakakapagod na tinutulungan niyo kami para sa game tapos may training din kayo." Tanong ni Maloi.

"Matagal pa naman bago ang season kaya hindi gaanong kadalas ang training namin." Jho said.

"Yeah, and ilang beses niyo lang naman kami makakasama sa training pero rest assured that we will do our best to help you in anyway." Gwen said, which earned a smile from the other group. 

"Mikhs mag salita ka naman. Wag kang mag alala walang aagaw sa chuckie mo." Nabulunan ako sa sinabi ni Colet kaya naman ubo ako ng ubo habang tinatawan lang ako ng mga kaibigan ko but I didn't expect ng inabot ni Aiah yung water bottle niya na hindi pa nabuksan. I didn't want to be rude kaya tinanggap ko ito. Paano ba naman kasi tinatawanan lang ako ng mga loko ni hindi man lang ako binigyan ng tubig.

"Here." Aiah said while giving her water bottle.

"Thank you. Papalitan ko na lang." I said at ininom ang tubig na inabot niya.

"It's okay. Hati na lang kami ni Maloi sa tubig niya." She said and smiled.

"Ay beh may gamot yung tubig ko eh." Maloi said. Aiah grunted as her friends laughed at her and my friends joined their laughter.

We are all done having our lunch and ready to leave the cafeteria to attend our respective classes.

"It was nice having lunch with you guys." Colet said to the other group.

"We enjoyed your company too." Maloi replied with a smile.

I saw Aiah shyly smile at me, and it seems like I was in panic mode for the first time. I didn't know how to respond, which is why I avoided her eyes.

"Let's go." I said to my friends, and we parted ways.