Pongddie
"You can do this, Pauline. You aren't a Gaston for nothing. Kaya mo to. Heartstrong lang!"
These were the words Ponggay Gaston said to herself as she entered BEG for her very first training as a lady eagle.
She went inside the gym calmly - trying to hide her intense nervousness.
Expecting a gym filled with scattered mikasas and girls - well, women - who were already stretching, she was welcomed by an empty court.
Pauline became confused.
Earlier this day, her older sister, Therese Gaston, told her that their morning training would be at 5 and that she shouldn't be late.
She checked her watch and it was already 4:30 yet no one was still there.
"Ang excited mo naman kasi Pauline eh," she told herself before sitting at the bleachers and then burrying her face in her hands.
"Hindi naman. Very good ka nga eh. Keep it up," a voice from in front of her said while chuckling.
When she lifted her face to see who talked to her, it was a tall, maputi, chinita girl.
Not knowing what to say back, Ponggay only replied with a smile. An awkward smile.
The girl chuckled again.
Cute, Ponggay thought.
"Matutunaw talaga ako kung gaganyan ka lang sa akin buong araw," said the girl as she went and sat beside Pauline.
With what she said, Ponggay was snapped out of her trance. Saka niya lang naisip na kanina lang pala siya nakatitig dun sa girl.
"Oh, umm, sorry," replied Ponggay with another awkward smile.
"Nah it's fine naman. Let me guess...."
The cute girl *ehem* ehhhh chinita girl was now doing that thing when youre thinking. That tapping your face thing.
"Ah! Rookie?" asked the girl with a captivating smile.
Damn.
"Yep," answered Ponggay with a small smile and nod.
Silence once more.
Pauline was starting to get uneasy. She knew the girl could also sense the awkwardness.
As of now they were just looking at the ground or where ever in the gym while fiddling with their fingers.
"So..."
The girl was trying to make a conversation again. Ponggay felt bad.
The girl kept on trying to ease the awkwardness but Ponggay's shyness took over her. She was even surprised herself because she knows she wasn't like that. She's always the jolly, talkative and friendly one but when it came to this girl, she was speechless.
Literally.
"...Pauline?" continued the girl.
"How'd you know?"
"I heard you say it earlier eh. You know, when I came in."
"Oohhhh..."
Silence was about to come up once more but Pauline spoke again.
"You know, you could just call me Ponggay," she said with a charming smile.
"Ponggay?? Seryoso??" asked the girl who was preventing herself from laughing.
Ponggay was about to find that offensive, but she ended up laughing too.
"Oo. Nickname ko yan. That's what most people call me. Ba't ka natatawa??"
"Cute kasi eh."
Pauline turned silent. The girl saw her blush but rather than teasing her, she also kept silent.
"Ikaw? Ano name mo?"
"Maddie," the girl smiled.
"But Madeleine is my real name," she quickly added.
"Ohhh. Bagay sayo," replied Ponggay.
"Parang tayo."
"Huh?"
"You know, bagay."
They both laughed without the other knowing that Ponggay became as red as a tomatoe.
Pauline kind of knew where this was going, so she went with the flow.
"You like me noh?" teased Ponggay while wiggling her eyebrows and leaning closer to Maddie.
"Hindi ah. Ganyan lang talaga ako."
Ponggay once more became confused. Iba ang style niya makipagkaibigan
eh.
"Bolera??"
"Hindi."
"Then what?"
"Malandi," said Maddie with a wink.
And with that, the gym was filled with laughter once again.
"Kabalo ka no, gwapa ka," said Maddie.
"Huh?"
"Ay wala, wala," smiled Maddie sheepishly.
To be honest, Maddie was relieved that Ponggay didnt understand bisaya. She didnt mean to tell those words eh. It just blurted out of no where.
"Okay?" replied Ponggay with a laugh. She knew it was in bisaya but she didn't know what it meant. Was it a compliment or not? Maybe not. Ayaw niya mag assume eh.
"You know, I'm starting to like you," said Maddie with her infamous adorbs smile.
She said as if it was casual, but actually she was sincere.
"Me too," replied the other with another contagious smile.
Silence filled the air once again. But for once since they met, awkwardness wasn't there.
