That Volleyball Player

26

"Por favor, verifique primeiro se a foto está desfocada." Please check first if the photo is blurry. nakangiti kong saad habang inaabot ang cellphone. "Se não estiver claro, peço outra." If it's not clear, I'll take another one.

As they browsed the pictures, soft smiles spread across their faces. One of the tourists smiled and said. "As fotos ficaram ótimas — obrigada por tê-las tirado." The photos turned out great — thank you for taking them. Then, she turned to Axeia, "Boa sorte no jogo."

"Good luck with your game daw baby." I translated. "Obrigada, e espero que vocês torçam por ela, mesmo que sejamos de times diferentes." Thank you, and I hope you'll root for her, even though we're on different teams. I answered. Chuckling, they shook Axeia's hand one final time before waving goodbye.

"Wow." Axeia whispered, her voice barely steady.

"Yes, wow. You're famous, baby." I murmured, like it explained everything and nothing at all.

"Hindi." madiing tugon ni Axeia, bahagya pa nitong inangat ang hawak na tinidor at itinutok sa akin. "Kung alam lang nila, mas famous iyong nag-take ng pictures. Phenom. Captain. MVP. Manghihinayang talaga ang mga iyon na hindi sila nakapagpa-picture sa'yo." She cleared her throat. "And ang fluent mo mag-portuguese. That's why I said wow," she said softly, shaking her head with a faint, amused smile. "Ano pa bang hindi mo kayang gawin, Ezra Elliot Zabel?"

I glanced at her and quietly refilled her glass. "Ewan. Wala naman sigurong espesyal dun. Basic lang po ang alam ko."

"Basic pa lang iyon?" she repeated softly, like she didn't quite believe it. A small smile tugged at her lips, "Humble naman ni Attorney."

I hummed softly, hindi na pinansin ang pagtawag niya sa akin ng Attorney sa halip na baby. Kung saan siya komportable, I'll just let her.

We were already seated inside Madureira Sucos here in Ibirapuera Park, enjoying our meal. The restaurant has a bright, casual vibe, filled with a colorful and lively atmosphere and decorated with tropical motifs inspired by fresh fruits and Brazilian culture.

"Baby." I called. "What time po practice nyo? I'll drop you off first, bago ako dumiretso sa airport."

She looked up from her plate, pausing mid-bite, then reached for her glass of juice before answering. "Late afternoon pa," she said casually. "We still have time to chill after this."

I nodded, picking at my food. The table was filled with light, fresh dishes—colorful salads, warm pão de queijo, and tall glasses of fruit juice that looked as bright as the place itself. It was the kind of meal that didn't feel rushed, just easy and comforting.

"So after this, are we walking around the park again?" I asked with a grin. "This will be our official date then."

She paused for a moment, then smiled as she set her glass of juice back on the table. Parang effortless lang pero ramdam ko yung vibe, yung tipong smile na hindi lang pang-courtesy, kundi yung genuine na may halong kilig at konting hiya.