MIDDLE

ii

Kiefer

"Bro taft tayo later." Von said while we're taking a break from practice. I took my towel sa bag ko then nagpunas ako ng pawis sa face. Ano naman pumasok sa utak nito ni Von at biglang nagyaya sa taft?

"Doon tayo kakain? Ang layo naman, Eastwood na lang." I said sabay inom ng gatorade.

"Magpa-party tayo. Remember it's thursday ngayon." He said. Ha? What's with thursdays?

"Alam ko thursday ngayon. So what?"

"Happy T ngayon sa taft! Ano ka ba bro." Ah. Oo nga, every thursday may party sa taft 'coz wala silang pasok pag friday. Am I right?

"Eh bakit sa taft pa? Pwede naman Aracama na lang." I said. Well, nakakatamad naman mag-drive papuntang taft, medyo malayo din kasi and traffic pa.

"Happy T nga e! Edi sa taft. And pre, madami chicks dun, mga sexy tapos makinis." He said while grinning.

"Pre wag mo 'kong dinadamay sa pagiging chickboy mo please." I'm not that kind of guy who is chickboy na kung sino na lang makita, flirt agad. Lalo na sa mga bar. If I want a girl kasi, I'll pursue her talaga. Yung tipong liligawan ko talaga araw araw at kahit gaano pa 'ko ka-tagal sagutin, basta mahal ko, magiging worth it naman yung wait. I've had relationships naman na before and I can say na I'm good in handling them, though di lang talaga nag-work. Kasi parang there's missing, there's something lacking. I don't know din what but meron talaga akong hinahanap na certain type sa isang girl.

"Bro paano ka makakahanap ng girlfriend kung hindi ka lalandi?" He said.

"Di kasi ganun yun bro. Basta wag mo na 'ko idamay sa mga kalokohan mo." I irritatingly said.

"Bahala ka nga bro, basta sama ka later ah?"

"Oo na oo na." Then coach whistled. Back to practice na.

While I'm practicing my dribbling, bigla akong napaisip. Ano nga ba talaga yung certain type na hinahanap ko sa isang girl? Di ko din ma-figure out. But hey I should focus muna sa studies ko and basketball. I know dadating din yan, dadating din siya.

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We're on our way to taft and thank heavens hindi traffic. I'm the one driving kasi ako daw ang team captain so ako dapat magsilbing guide nila. Kaya ako dapat mag-drive? Pero it's fine with me naman kasi I want to make sure din na safe sila. Responsible team captain here. And I'm planning na hindi masyado uminom so I can take them home safe and sound. Coach must be proud.

So nandito na kami sa taft and naghahanap ako ng parking space.

"Manong baba na kaya kami." Thirdy said. Itong kapatid ko talaga napaka-excited. Nagmamadaling bumaba e.

"Oo nga bro, mukhang mahirap mag-park and ang daming tao. So baba na kami ah?" Von said and bumaba na nga silang lahat. Wow, they were serious pala? Okay lang, sanay naman ako mag-isa. Talagang naka-hugot ka pa Kiefer?

After ko mag-park, naglakad na 'ko papunta dun sa bar. Oh wait, nasaan pala sila? Paano ko sila mahahagilap e sobrang daming tao? And for sure, hindi yan sila magche-check ng phones nila kasi they're probably enjoying theirselves right now. Ah basta, I'll find them na lang.

Bago ako pumasok, there's this girl that really caught my attention. It looks like she and her friend are arguing about something. But this girl is really something. She seem interesting. By the looks, mukha siyang hindi nagpa-party because simple lang yung suot niya. Jeans and shirt lang, unlike yung friend niya na naka-porma talaga. I don't know why suddenly naging interesado ako sa kanya. Then I saw how she pulled her friend's hand papasok sa loob. So sinundan ko sila. I never tried mag-stalk or sundan ang babae but this girl makes me wanna try it. Hay, you really are something miss.

So habang sinusundan ko sila, I'm also searching for my teammates. Ayun I saw Von, he is busy talking to a girl. Ang bilis talaga ni Von.

"Hi Kief." A girl suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I know naman na kilala ako and that's because I am a basketball player ng Ateneo and kasali kami sa UAAP. Wow ang yabang ko ata dun.

"Hi." I replied and smiled at her.

"Pwede pa-picture?" She asked.

"Sure." I said then she took her phone out of her pocket and yeah we had a selfie.

"Thankyou." I smiled na lang in return.

Medyo may iba din na nagpa-picture so natagalan ako maka-punta kay Von and the girl I am stalking is now nowhere to be found.

"Bro, dun lang ako sa may table. Basta find me na lang dun if gusto niyo na umuwi or may kailangan kayo." I said to Von. He just gave me a thumbs up. Busy kasi. Tsk.

So naghanap na lang ako ng table na available. And luckily, I found one.

I have no plans on drinking tonight kasi parang di ko lang feel mag-lasing. So inisip ko na lang yung girl kanina. Nasaan na kaya siya?

I'm observing lang kasi baka bigla ko siya makita. Then pagtingin ko sa left side ko, there she is. This must be my lucky day. Lels. But she's with her friends. I'm observing her lang, ang creepy ko ata? Pero she's cute, her facial expressions are cute. Mukha siyang shy and timid. Pag tinanong siya, ang tipid niya sumagot, very reserved. Di ko naririnig yung conversation nila pero nili-lip read ko lang. This is creepy na ata talaga.

Nakatingin pa din ako sa kanya and she doesn't know naman ata na someone's staring creepily at her. So parang niyaya siya ng friends niya to try a drink, to take a shot. At first, she declined pero pinilit siya ng friends niya so ayun ininom niya. And her facial reaction after was really cute. Mukha siyang nasusuka or something. Hay this girl is really interesting. Parang I wanna know her more.

After siya niyaya to take a shot, they tried to convince her naman to dance. But she declined ulit and her friends did not convince her harder pa kasi mukhang buo ang loob niya na di talaga siya sasayaw. So yes, she's alone now. What should I do? Should I make a move na ba? Or I will just sit here and stare at her and do nothing? As I am staring at her, she's observing the place din. She looked amused and confused at the same time. Cute pa din. How many times ko na ba sinabi na cute siya? Haha. She has a short hair nga pala and it really looks good on her. Her nose is also cute and her lips, oh God those lips. I think I should stop here na kasi baka kung ano pa maisip ko. Tinignan ko na lang kung saan siya nakatingin, sinundan ko yung direction kung saan nakatingin yung eyes niya and she was staring at a couple. Yung couple e sweet sila but mukha na silang intoxicated and I looked at her facial reaction, parang kinilig ata siya ng slight? Kasi nag-smile siya. Then nag-iba na yung direction ng tingin niya so sinundan ko ulit and she was staring at a couple pa din but this time itong couple na 'to ay nag-aaway. And I looked at her at biglang nag-straight face siya. Ang lalim ng iniisip niya and I wonder ano kaya tumatakbo sa isip niya? Siguro naisip niya na wag na lang mag-boyfriend because masakit sa ulo at puso? Or baka naisip niya na bakit wala siyang boyfriend? I don't know, I can't read minds e. All I know is I want to get to know this girl better and if I want that to happen I should make a move now or else walang mangyayari.

I've been thinking of ways on how can I catch this girl's attention. Sumayaw kaya ako sa harap niya? Nah, magmu-mukha lang akong tanga tapos mababawasan pa pogi points ko. Tabihan ko kaya? Nah, edi lalo akong naging creep. What if hingin ko na agad number niya? Nah, for sure di siya papayag. I'm running out of ideas na, ang hirap pala nito. I took my phone out na lang at baka may maisip ako.

So nagtext pala si Mama and hinahanap niya ako. Nagpaalam naman kami ni Thirdy pero baka nangangamusta lang. Aha! I have an idea na!

"Yes ma. Opo sige uwi na din kami." I said it out loud making sure na maririnig niya. And yes, she heard nga kasi tumingin siya sakin. I was about to talk to her and then....

"Bro tara na uwi na tayo."

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Don't get confused with this ah. Same day lang nangyari to, POV lang ni Kiefer. Yun lang ☺

I'd love to see your comments po 😀

-littletortol🐢