Player of the Game

Lights Down Low (MAX)

MADELEINE.

"For starters, I'll have the the Organic arugula leaves in balsamic vinaigrette; she'll have the Pan fried tiger prawns and Arctic Sea Scallops. We'll both have the Consommé double of organic farmed chicken for the soup. 

She bit her lower lip as her busy eyes roamed across the menu. 

"For the main course, I'll have the oven roasted Australian lamb rack and the lady will have the Slow Cooked Fresh Norwegian medley. Also, please do serve us a bottle of Bodegas La Rioja Alta's Gran Reserva 904."

"And to serve later, please let us have the chocolate and coffee cremeux and of course," for the first time since getting hold of the menu, tiningnan n'ya rin ako. She smiled at me and I smiled back. I knew she was going for one of my favorites, "the strawberry dome delight. I wouldn't want to disappoint my date."  She lightly told the waiter without removing her gaze from mine. 

The said dessert is basically composed of strawberry mousse, Kirsch gnache white chocolate-strawberry blondie all covered with a rich red chocolate glaze. 

I think I was about to melt- both from anticipation and the way she looked at me. 

"Is there anything else, Ma'am?" The waiter politely asked. 

"No, that would be all." Bea told him as we both handed him back the leather-bound menu. 

Bea and I were having our dinner at L'Aubergine. Kakatapos lang ng game nila versus the Chinese Taipei kanina and they pretty much lost. It was a sweep ending up with a 66–75 statistics. 

She texted me right after asking me if I'd want to grab a bite with her. She's in the mood for European food daw. I was with Tita Det at Astoria and she said it would be good if I'd go alone since baka Bea needs comforting. 

Bea De Leon's case of grab a bite is actually an overwhelming ride of a French fine dining. After all, Bea is a woman of sophistication. 

Kahit inexpect ko na she won't be that upset kapag nakita ko s'ya, I still find it surprising na walang bahid ng kalungkutan ang kanyang mukha.

"How do you feel?" I asked her. 

"About what?" She's smiling. Ano nga ba'ng nakain nito at ang saya-saya n'ya? 

"About the game earlier. Masaya ka yata. So, I'll assume the result of the game didn't matter?" She slowly sipped her white tea before answering me. Her behavior is getting more and more sketchy by the minute. 

"Not that it didn't matter, Mads. It did. Every result would. It's just that," she shrugged her shoulder, "I think it's not something I should be upset about. In the first place, we weren't really vying for anything high in the rankings. For me rin naman, just like what Ate Ly has been telling us since the start, the experience of having to be there is enough. It mattered but not that much." 

"Well, that's good to know." Kung masaya s'ye eh, 'di masaya din ako.

"Come on, Mads. Don't think too much. We're having French tonight, now that's something for us to be happy about." By then, our appetizers have arrived. As we both dive in our food, naisip ko bigla si Jho. S'ya ba ang dahilan kung bakit masaya si Bea ngayon?

"So, how is Jho?" Pagtatanong ko naman sa kanya. For some reason, I felt that Jho is a topic Bea would want to entertain tonight.

"She's okay. Doing great actually." Nagkibit-balikat s'ya. She may try to act less caring pero alam ko, marami s'yang kwento tungkol kay Jho. Balita ko, palagi silang magkasama simula nang nagsimula ang U23 competition.  She smiled as she poked on her arugula.