That Volleyball Player

30

I swear my hands were sweating on the steering wheel kahit naka‑aircon yung kotse. Not because this was our "first official date", we'd had coffee runs, late‑night snacks, and those accidental hangouts after practice. But this one felt different. This was a date after everything. After the endless schedules, the games, the deadlines. Finally, just us. Walang bola, walang scoreboard, walang recits.

Then she came out, wearing hoodie and sneakers, hair tied up in that messy bun na parang hindi sinasadya pero ang ganda pa rin. My chest tightened. Her eyes caught mine, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe. She smiled, small, almost teasing, like she knew exactly what effect she had on me. Kung ito siguro ang prof ko, bagsak na ako sa recit. Sobrang nakakadistract. Parang kahit anong sagot ko, mali, kasi ang focus ko lang ay kung paano siya ngumiti.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter, pretending I wasn't melting inside. God, she's beautiful. Not the kind of beautiful you scroll past on Instagram, but the kind that ruins you in real life.

"B-Baby," I said, trying to sound chill. "Ready ka na?"

She slid into the passenger seat, smirk tugging at her lips. "Of course. It's our free day! Don't mess this up."

I pretended to wipe sweat off my forehead. "Pressure agad? Grabe ka."

The highway stretched ahead, windows half‑open, OPM love songs humming low.

She grabbed my phone. "Puro Ben&Ben at Rivermaya?" Axeia teased, scrolling through my playlist like she was judging my entire personality.

I shrugged, eyes on the road, pretending I wasn't flustered. "Classic 'yan. Timeless. Besides, bagay sa vibe natin."

She gave me that look, half amused, half challenging. The kind of look that made me want to defend my taste in music but also made me want to laugh because she was clearly enjoying herself. "Vibe natin?" she repeated, leaning back against the seat, arms crossed. "So ikaw na ang DJ ng love story natin?"

I almost choked on air. Love story. She said it so casually, like it wasn't the kind of phrase that could wreck me in one second. I forced a grin, trying to play it cool. "Exactly. Ako ang DJ, ikaw ang main character. Perfect combo."

She laughed, shaking her head, strands of hair falling loose from her bun. The sound filled the car, warm and unguarded, and I realized this wasn't just about music. It was about us, finally having time to breathe, to tease, to exist outside the chaos.

We found this small café by the lake. Neon lights flickered, chairs didn't match, but it felt cozy. She ordered tapsilog, her comfort food. I got coffee, but ended up stealing bites from her plate.

"Elliot, seriously?" she laughed, swatting my hand away, but not too hard. Parang gusto niya rin, pero kailangan lang magpanggap na annoyed.

I grinned, chewing happily, exaggerated pa para mas inis siya. "Sharing is caring," I said, mouth half‑full, like a kid caught stealing candy.