Game Plan (COMPLETE)

18

The dinner dragged on longer than it should have. Pinilit kong kumain para wala na siyang masabi o mapuna. After a while, I placed my fork down quietly.

"Excuse me... CR lang," I said softly, stood up, and walked away calmly.

Only when I locked myself inside the small, dim bathroom did I finally let my shoulders drop. I leaned against the cold tiled wall and closed my eyes.

I shouldn't be feeling like this. He's not mine. We're not even official. I don't have the right to feel jealous of the new recruit. I don't have the right to hurt.

I let out a shaky breath and splashed cold water on my face. Then, I stared at my reflection and sighed before dragging myself back to our table.

Ven stood up immediately when he saw me. I didn't even sit down anymore, because it seems like he already paid the bill.

His hand grazed the small of my back—hesitant, worried—as he whispered, "Gusto mo na umuwi?"

I nodded, grateful that I didn't have to explain anything.

Silence filled as Ven's hand stayed steady on the wheel. His thumb tapped restlessly against it every now and then, like he wanted to say something but decided not to.

Maybe he noticed I wasn't okay.

Maybe he didn't know how to fix it.

Or maybe... he didn't care enough to try.

When he finally pulled up a block away from my house—right... I haven't told him about what dad said, na pwede na niya akong ibaba sa tapat mismo ng bahay ko—he parked and went out.

I beat him to it. I opened the door for myself and stepped out immediately. Hindi ako makahinga nang maayos sa loob ng kotse niya.

I heard how his footsteps stopped for a second, before it continued and stopped right in front of me.

I wasn't meeting his gaze like I usually do, so he cupped my face gently, thumb brushing lightly against my cheek as he tilted my head up to meet his eyes.

"Text me kapag nasa loob ka na," his voice almost a whisper.

I nodded. "Okay. Thank you for tonight."

The car's headlights casted a faint, golden glow around us, and the night air cool against my skin. I wanted to step away, to walk towards my house already, but Ven stepped closer...

And he wrapped his arms around me.

It was firm, steady, and warm. One arm curled protectively around my shoulders while the other rested at the small of my back, pulling me closer to him.

I felt the slow rise and fall of his chest, the way he held me like he wasn't ready to let go yet—like he was trying to say everything he couldn't put into words.

"Please, Arrie," he whispered against my hair. "Kaunti pa. Hmm?"

Pumikit ako nang mariin habang ramdam ko ang bawat tibok ng puso niya. Panigurado ay ramdan niya rin ang akin na akala mo ay galing ako sa pagtakbo dahil sa bilis nito.

I was fighting the familiar ache building in my chest—fighting the part of me that still wanted so badly to believe that 'kaunti pa' was enough to fix this.

Slowly, I returned the embrace. I let myself pretend for a few seconds that this hug could hold everything together.

It felt like there were no fights, no confusion, no hurt—just the two of us standing in the soft hum of the night.

And when he finally pulled away, it was slow and reluctant, as if he was dragging the moment out as long as he could.

"Okay," I said and turned around, a tight grip on the strap of my backpack.

The days blurred together after that night. We still saw each other—after training, during quick rides home—but it wasn't the same.

Ven still smiled at me.

Still asked "How's training?"

Still opened the car door for me sometimes if I didn't beat him to it.

But the little things? They started disappearing... slowly, almost quietly. No more random calls just to ask something or to talk about nothing.

No more sudden takeout stops where he'd pretend to 'kidnap' me just to grab ice cream.

No more holding my hand absentmindedly while waiting at traffic lights.

The jokes also lessened.

He was still there... but it felt like he was standing just a little farther away every day. Like I could see him—hear him—but couldn't quite reach him anymore.

I tried not to mind at first and brushed it off. Maybe he's just tired from practice. Maybe he's busy trying to up his game.

But then, one night, I caught myself staring at my phone... It stayed silent.

No new message, no missed call, no "Good night, Arrie."

And for the first time, I finally admitted to myself that I was the only one waiting. I was the only one hoping and holding on so tightly to something that he was already letting go of.

Did I become too difficult to handle?

Nalungkot lang naman ako ah... I was just sad that I didn't pass the UPCAT. Nalungkot lang din ako dahil na-late dsiya sa graduation ko... That he ditched our dinner that I was so excited for. That I now had little to no direction of what next steps I should take. That I saw him laughing with someone while I couldn't even bring up a smile. That I wanted more but he didn't have the capacity to give me more.

Nalungkot lang naman ako... I even tried to force myself to be content with whatever little we had, despite the uncertainty.

But while I was busy hoping for more, he had already settled.