No Way! Yes Way!

Indefinite

Alyssa woke up alone in their room. She fixed herself up and went downstairs. Pagbaba naman niya, she immediately saw Andre and Den talking at the living room. Gretchen was passing by when Aly grabbed her.

"What is he doing here?" asked Aly.

"Uso good morning. Good morning, Ly!" Gretch said sarcastically. She then looked at the direction of Aly's gaze.

"Si Andre ba? Uhm, dumadalaw? Bumibisita? Nanliligaw?" said Gretch. Yes. Den gave Andre a chance to pursue her.

"Alam ko. I mean, you didn't have to state the obvious."

"E alam mo pala e! Why ask?" inis na sabi ni Gretch.

"Last week, halos araw-araw silang lumabas. This week naman, he's been going here for 3 days na. And the week isn't about to end yet ha," sagot ni Aly.

"At anong problema? Super effort nga yung tao e."

E ano nga bang problema ko? Aly asked herself. She has been mindful of Den na kasi simula nung nagpaligaw ito. Kung saan pumupunta, damit na sinusuot, oras ng uwi.

She thought that maybe she just developed a genuine concern for her "future wife" simula ng maging bestfriends sila. She then realized that Gretch might think of something else because of her reaction.

"Well, concern lang ako kay Andre. You know, baka magsawa si Den. Dapat magpamiss din siya," sabi ni Aly.

"Hay naku, Valdez. You and your strategies. But for a while, I thought you were jealous. Pero mukhang boto ka naman pala talaga kay pogi."

"Mukha namang masaya si Den sa kanya," Aly said, looking at the two who are both laughing.

"Oo nga. Sige na. Kumain ka na. Andre brought breakfast for everyone," Gretch said.

Aly went to the kitchen and ate her breakfast. She was washing the dishes when she noticed the two pyrex trays in the cupboard that Tricia used for the Lasagna. She smiled at the thought of her. Marami din naman kasi silang napag-usapan nung ihatid niya ito. She decided that she'll return the trays after her class. Umakyat na ulit siya para mag-ayos.

------------------------------

It's already 3pm and Aly headed to her car. Pupunta siya sa UST to return the trays. They have an afternoon training pero 5pm pa. She has enough time para makabalik.

Aly knocked on the door of the UST Ladies' dorm. A bloodshot-eyed Tricia opened the door for her.

"Tricia, what hap--" Naputol ang sasabihin ni Aly ng yakapin siya nito. Aly hugged her back, consoling the crying Tricia.

"Let's get inside," Aly said and she guided Tricia to the dorm.

Napansin ni Aly na tahimik ang dorm. "Nasaan ang teammates mo?"

"They have a tune up game now," mahinang sagot ni Tricia.

Inalalayan ni Aly sa pag-upo si Tricia sa sofa at tinabihan niya ito. "Now tell me what happened."

Tricia was hesitant at first pero since wala din siyang makakausap, she opened up. "I was preparing for our training when I received a call from my mom. Sinugod daw si Lola sa hospital. Heart attack. Sinabi nila na huwag muna ako magtraining."

Tricia can feel a lump forming in her throat. Alam na niya na hindi niya mapipigilan ang pag-iyak sa susunod na sasabihin niya. "Just before you got here, I received another call." She paused and started crying.