Letters of Past Summer Nights (Old Summer Trilogy #2)

23

SEVEN

"Wala ka bang bibilhin sa convenience store, Pito?"

I ignored Ira and focused on adjusting my knee support. They had been teasing me for weeks and still hadn't stopped. Since then, I had avoided the convenience store. I didn't want Alia to suspect that I might have been feeling... something unusual.

Yes, it was probably that. A crush. It was my first time, so I didn't know how to deal with it. 

I would never let Lai and Nat find out about this! I'd rather lose the damn competition than let the word 'crush' slip out of my mouth in front of those two.

"Balita ko, Pito, gusto mo ng sandwich? Tara, bili tayo during break!" pang-aasar din ni King. Hindi ko rin siya pinansin at naglakad na lang pabalik sa court. They all laughed at me, clearly enjoying this. Fuck... there's nothing I can do now. I just admitted it in front of the whole team. 
They won't even listen to my explanation. 

Out of everyone, Sean was the only one who didn't tease me. He didn't even look happy with all the teasing. 

I was pissed, so I played more aggressive than usual. Usually, they would remain quiet but ever since they found out about my crush, her name would always come up during training. 

"Ang lakas pumalo, ah! Badtrip siya kasi hindi pa niya nakikita si Alia ngayong araw." They laughed at what my teammate said. Kailan ba babalik si Coach nang mapagalitan na 'tong mga 'to? Hindi nagseseryoso ng training. 

After training, Ira and King forcibly dragged me to the convenience store again! Pinigil ko ang mga paa ko nang nasa tapat na kami ng pintuan. They were pulling me to go inside, and I was using all my strength to stop my body from being pulled. I even held onto the post while they were pulling me! 

"Damn it, I don't want to go," inis na sabi ko. 

"Sige na, Pito! Hindi ka namin aasarin, promise! Kausapin mo na siya!" pagpipilit pa ni King. 

"Huwag mo ako idamay, p're. Ako, aasarin ko talaga siya." Ira laughed so hard. "Ilang linggo na, Seven, wala ka pa ring progress! Hindi mo nga siya kinakausap! Hindi ka nagsasalita man lang kapag nasa cashier ka na!"

"What the hell do you even want me to say?!" I tried to tighten my grip on the post. Pinalupot ko na ang braso ko roon habang ang isa kong braso ay hinahatak nila. "Wala akong sasabihin sa kanya." 

"Tanungin mo na kung single siya tapos pormahan mo na!" King talked like it was the easiest thing in the world. How could a random stranger just walk up to a woman at her workplace and ask her something like that? Nagtatrabaho lang 'yong tao. She might feel uncomfortable.

"I'm not planning to flirt with her if that's what you're thinking," I said, shaking my head. It was just a crush, nothing more. It wasn't like I wanted a whole relationship with her. We barely even knew each other. Hindi nga niya alam ang pangalan ko. 

"Malay mo may chance! Tangina, si Seven Camero ka na, oh! Kaya mo 'yan!" Ira said, succeeding in dragging me inside the convenience store. 

"Welcome po!" I heard Alia's voice. Hindi ako lumingon at agad akong pumunta sa pinakalikod kung saan hindi ko siya makikita. Sinundan naman ako ni Ira at King para hatakin papunta sa harapan. 

"Stop it," I hissed, trying to keep my voice down. "This is embarrassing." 

"Kahit isang word lang, Pito, para may progress! Ang hina mo naman, eh," King provoked me.

Fine... I just had to do this for them to shut the hell up. I got a random piece of bread and walked toward the cashier to pay for it. I had already mustered up the courage to talk to her, but when our eyes met, I immediately looked down again, hiding my face.