How am I so into you? (RICCI RIVERO)

Chapter III: I can't feel my face

I stretched my polo shirt fooling myself that I can take on the day, and drank the chocolate milk Sir Paco gave me. It was like 'kaya mo 'to mamsh' in fluid form.

We're just waiting for our van to pick us up and drop us by Araneta. It didn't take long and so was the trip. Or may be I was just overthinking all the way here.

I have my co-worker Lauren and my cameraman Kuya Louie with me. Thank God I can occasionally vent how pressured I am. Lauren will be the one writing. Sya naman yung regular na reporter before. Sir Paco must have been playing with us at some point pero unti-unti ko nang narerealize na things are really going the way it should be.

After the initial ceremony, pumasok na ang mga dilawan kasunod nito ang Archers. Dami nang bagong players ngayon ah. Si Brent, Aljun at Ricci lang ata ang kilala ko. Ang laki pala talaga ng borta ni Ricci fren, akala ko sa TV lang.

The crowd went wild and so were the butterflies in my stomach. I stayed focused on the game with my sweaty hands kahit hindi namn talaga ako pasmado. Ewan ko ba. I had to keep an eye close kasi included ang highlights sa pwede kong itanong mamaya sa player of the game. Ayokong magsabi ng di naman talaga nangyari at baka tumanga lang ang player.

First commercial na. I grabbed my mic and stood along the sides of the court at agad rin naman pumunta si Kuya Louie sa harap ko.

"Okay Zaunea, Rolling in 5, 4, 3..."

I said everything with a smile and faking my thrills. The only thing I'm so thrilled about right now is kung mamali ako. Utot na utot na ako sa kaba wishing na matapos na. Hindi lang doble ng crowd ditto sa Araneta ang nakakapanood sa'kin sa TV. I'm internally expecting for memes na with my picture because of this.

It went better than I expected. Medyo na tago ko yung utot ko from behind.

After a few more commercials, we're almost done. As I expected, La Salle won. Walang duda mula 1st to 4th quarter, pabor ang mundo ngayon sa kanila. Solid din naman kasi defense nung number 6 nila.

To my surprise, si number 6 nga yung player of the game. It was Ricci. This will be easy because he had the ball in his hands almost the entire game, di sya yung tinitignan ko. I constructed enough questions to ask him although I only needed one or two. Syempre kung nasaan yung bola, dun ako.

After singing both of the university's hymns, lumapit na kami dun sa aisle na malapit sila. He knew the routine, he went near us too. Di na talaga bago sa kanyang maging POG.

Kuya Louie aimed his camera to me and signaled me to start introducing Ricci in front of a lens where only Kuya Louie is physically looking through but is being watched by the entire Philippine TV.

"After such a thrilling game, with no doubt, we have Mr. Ricci Rivero with us after being awarded as the player of the game. What can you say about that, Ricci?" sabi ko habang pasalit salit ng lingap sa camera at kay Ricci habang nakangiti. May isang lingap ako na nagpadikit ng balikat ko sa braso nya. He was taller than me. I am far from a petite pero daks talaga sya sissy. Matapos kong maramdaman na nagdikit kami napatingin ako sa balikat ko, buti nalang nakapagpunas na sya ng pawis. I also wandered all over his upper body, tamang tambay siguro 'to sa gym. He cant earn this body just from pure basketball.

We're very thankful as  a----uhhh--- as a te--- as a team." Nauutal nyang sabi eh hindi naman sya hinihingal.

"You must be still in the process of retrieving breaths kasi you had the ball almost the entire game. Anyways, what do you think was the secret for this game's victory, Ricci?" sabi ko na napadalang ang pag lingap sakanya kasi nakatingin sya sakin. Nahihirapan din ako kasi ang tangkad nya, sakit sa leeg. Sya naman nakatingin pababa, should I be offended?
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                                                      R I C C I

Jesus, this reporter got me so messed up. Punas na punas ako ng pawis kanina sa baba para maayos ako sa camera but damn..

Di ako makasagot ng maayos.

"Uhm.. uh--- Inisip lang namin yung ano --- yung hardships na-- namin nung training. We can't let-- let it just go-- to waste. " Ricci, really? is that how long you really need for you to answer in two sentences?

Simula ata nung lumapit ako sakanya sa braces nya ako nakatingin. Cute, black. Napapatingin din ako sa balikat nya kasi kanina, nakakahiya. Nabangga ko ata sya pawis pa naman ako. Buti hindi nagmark sa shirt nya.

I was still so stuck into her smile. Dagdag pa ng pagbwelo nya sa sa pagsara ng bibig dahil sa braces nya. I kind of want to help her na lol. Sobrang cute Lalo na pag sinasabi nya yung pangalan kong 'Ricci', nastestretch talaga at nakikita ko yung smile nya.

"Perhaps, that reminiscing was an effective key. Congratulations once again, Mr. Ricci RIvero and may the Green Archers think of their hard work for the next games and they shall take over this UAAP season in no time. I am Z----" Sabi nya na ni hindi ko natapos panoorin syang sabihin ang pangalan nya. Si Mama kasi, inaabutan ako ng tuwalya sa gilid, nakita pa ata sa camera na pinunasan niya ko. Si Riley rin, kinukulit akong buksan na yung pizza from Shakey's.

Agad na binaba nung cameraman yung pasan nya. The second thing I know, she was 4 steps up away from me and nag bow pa. Napangiti nalang ako.

I need to find her. Alam ko lang taga Diem Mirror sya, nakalagay sa badge nya eh. Tignan ko nalang sa official site nila, nandun naman siguro yun.

We went home straight because pagod kami pare-pareho.

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