Meant to be Together

Chapter Six

Another practice na naman ng mga bleachers. Here I am nagpapalit na ng uniform. I removed my broken eyeglass and washed my face. I reached for a towel then…

*crack!!*

Nabali yung eyeglass ko.

Darn it!

 Ang malas ko talaga ngayong araw. I just got a scotch tape in my locker inside the bleachers’ room and taped it all over. Wear it without any doubt and go on to the field.

“Kyla!!” a familiar voice called. It irritated my ears.

I like my name pero para isigaw sa buong field inside the campus… no way!

I ran into her. Patay ka sa akin ngayon.

“Cloeh Concepcion! Ano bang problem mo!” I scolded. “Diba Kyle! Kyle ang name ko kapag nasa loob tayo ng campus”

“Sorry naman” she apologized. “Kanina pa kasi tinatawag, hindi ka naman lumilingon.”

“Ah… ganun ba” okay, ako na ang nagkamali.

“What happened again with your eyeglass?” she asked as we walked papunta sa practice spot.

“I just removed it a while ago para maghilamos tapos yun nabali ko…. Basta ganun.” I told.

“So ngayon puno na ng scotch tape yan. Bawas ng beauty mo yang ginagawa mo eh.”

“Really… it’s better, girl.” I yelled.

“Bahala ka na nga.”

“Ms. Montalez! Ms. Concepcion! Please hurry up!” ayan tuloy kakatalo naming tinawag na kami ng bleacher captain namin.

Stephen’s POV

I saw her again papunta sa bleacher’s room with a broken glass. Bakit ba kasi ayaw niyang tanggalin yung eyeglass niya for she’s more beautiful without that. Nakita ko naman si?? Cloeh ata yun? Yung bestfriend niya kasama si Josh. Yeah! The football player. Maybe I can ask them someday.

I leaned in a tree na hindi kalayuan sa room na yun. Waiting for her na lumabas.

Ano namang sasabihin ko sa kanya pagkalabas niya?

Kasi naman no. Maghihintay-hintay wala naman talagang gagawin.

Nag-iisip pa rin ako ng sasabihin ng biglang may lumabas.

Crap! Siya na… anong sasabihin ko?!?

“Stephen!” someone called. Si Dino ang other team members. “Ano pang ginagawa mo diyan? Magsisimula na ang practice”

“Wa-wala. Nagpapahangin lang.” I reasoned.

“Masaya talagang magpahangin dito” sabay singit ni Peter, basketball member din. “Lalo na kapag nandito ang bleacher princess”

“Yeah!” Mike added.

“Bleacher princess? Sino yun?” I puzzled. Or maybe, they’re talking about Kyle.

“Dude! Kunawari ka pa parang hindi mo naman alam kung sinong tinutukoy naming.” Si Dino habang inakbayan pa ako.

“Magtatanong ba ako kung alam ko” then, I pulled away from him.

“She’s Kyla Claine Montalez” David started.

“Princess Kyle for short.” Peter added. “She’s a pretty girl sa campus”

“Nope, the prettiest… before” sabi naman ni Mike.

“Before?” I asked.

“She’s still pretty. Pero hindi na katulad dati na halos magpakamatay kaming lahat na lalaki dito just to date her in a day” explanation ni Peter at nakatingin pa sa langit na parang ini-rerewind yung mga pangyayari noon.

“Freshman nun nang nag-transfer siya dito from an exclusive for girls academy. Sobrang ganda niya talaga. Even the old senior captains ng basketball asked her na maging partner para sa prom” Mike continued. “But as usual, what she always answers is no…”

“Busted lahat!”David exclaimed. “I also tried pero refuse even them.” Then, he pointed to Mike and Peter.

“Ganyan talaga kasaklap kapag na-inlove ka sa prettiest girl sa campus na sa kamalasan ay manhater” Dino said.

“Eh, manhater naman pala eh” I proclaimed. “Wala talagang magagawa dun.”

“Bakit mo naman nasabi? Bakit wala ka bang gusto sa kanya?” pangngulit ni Dino.

“Ewan—Tara na ma-lelate na tayo sa practice” I changed topic. “Baka mapagalitan pa tayo ni coach.”

“Shit! Oo nga no.” si David habang tumingin sa wrist watch niya. “Napahaba ang usapan, tara na.”

Yun na nga tumakbo na kami.

I looked back again kay Kyle at nakitang kasama na si Cloeh.

I know my first impression to her. Puro positive talaga sila.  Even me, I can say. Manhater? Wala kang magagawa kung manhater nga ang isang girl pero for her, sana naman may chance. Nevermind. Basketball first before love. I’m a guy with a great appearance so I can set it aside at hindi yan mawawala.

Maybe Kyle… Kyla Claine Montalez is a precious girl.

From my words, lumalabas na ang kulay ko.

Yes! I’m a playboy. Dati akong basketball captain ng academy na pinag-aaralan ko. Masyado na kasing boring at halos lahat ng girls dun ay pare-pareho so I decided na mag-transfer nalang. Mag-papakagood boy muna na ako then, after na ma-notice na ako ng lahat ng girls. I’ll transform into the most ma-appeal na guy again. Like what you already know, same school kami ng pinanggalingan ni Dino and he’s my accomplice in doing these fun things. Oo nga't mabait siya paminsan-minsan, pero malakas din mang-trip katulad ko.

“Kyle is a good target.” Dino whispered.

Sa tingin ko nga. I will make sure na unang mahuhulog sa akin ang isang manhater na katulad na.

Nakarating na kami sa court. All settled practice na ng game. We have a practice game with the other school’s team kaya lahat invited sa loob ng gym. Even the other students na may practice called out para lang manood ng game.

I did a lot of three points and rebounds. I can be in any position. Lahat ng girls nag-checheer except Kyle. I always look at her kapag nakaka-score ako pero hindi lang halata. She doesn’t even stand or cheer.

So totally for sure wala talaga siyang pakialam sa guys ha. Big challenge sa ka-gwapuhan ko ito. She’ll better watch out kais siya na ang talagang target ko. The game ended after a long period of time. It ended with 95-90. Home won, kami yun. Yung visitor players naman, sporty. Great game!

Lahat students umalis na ng gym, kami naman na sa players’ room.

“Mukhang may napili ka ng target ah.” Dino said.

“Siguro nga, masyadong challenging this time” alam na niya yun. “Kailangan ko pa ng more plans to make sure na hindi sasablay.”

“I hope you’ll not regret in the end” the last word he said at nauna na.

Medyo napa-isip ako dun ako. But I think it will not be a big deal. Sa buhay ng tao, hindi dapat laging seryoso. Paminsan-minsan kailangan magsaya. Haha. Hindi na pala paminsan-minsan ang ginagawa ko.

End of Stephen’s POV

Nakakainis! Bakit pa kasi kailangan pang ma-cancelled ang practice namin just to watch for a damn basketball game. Kundi lang talaga close ang coach namin at ng sa basketball. Hay naku! No choice than to do so.

Buti naman natapos na ang game. I really hate basketball especially the players. These people are the most stupid players sa mga campus. They usually hold the crown ng pagiging playboy, big fat liars at yung mga lalaking masasama ang intentions sa mga girls. They just love playing and great into it. Especially playing with the girls’ hearts.