Never shall we sink, too.

XXXIII

Ate Jem already left, but before that she treated us lunch.

Jia, who I invited, Ate Jem invited, Ate Ly invited, Ate Ella invited, couldn't make it cause of prior commitment.

Ysa and I were talking non-stop and sharing banters and joke. It is nice. She's nice.

But that day, I figured it all out. I wanted to confirm with Ced, but she was too busy on practice and meetings. I wanted to ask Ate Ly, but I don't want her to think that I am assuming things. So I went to confirm with Jia.

These past few days, her mood swings was getting worst and worst.

Even when talking with Ysa whenever she's visiting me on practice, I ended up getting her silent treatment and bring donuts after. It's not that I was complaining but she's getting feed up with sweets lately. Parang naglilihi eh.

One day, while I was talking with Ysa, coaching her, mind you, I inserted a volleyball joke that made her laugh.

"Why does Cinderella suck at volleyball? Cause she ran from the ball!!"

She laughed. The others looked at her in amusement. "It's funny guys!!"

Jia who was waiting patiently for my practice to end at the bench, was not there anymore.

"Ate. Nasaan si Jia?" I asked ate Ly.

"Hindi sya nag paalam sayo? Uuwi na daw, may gagawin pa daw."

"Hindi eh." I looked at her. "Ate, pwede ko po ba syang sundan?"

She looked at the time. "Sige una ka na patapos na den kami dito."

"Thank you ate."

I was trying to cool myself and dialed her phone.

"Jia?"

"Oh?!"

"Nasaan ka?"

"Baket?!"

"Puntahan kita."

"Baket?!"

"Wala lang. Tapos na training namin."

"Pauwi na ng condo."

"Okay wait for me. Lunch tayo." 

She hung up the phone. Okay, she's clearly mad. What I did?!

I arrived at her condo, with donuts and chocolates, just in case.

She opened her door. "Hi?" It sounded like a question so she raised her brow at me. "Donuts? Chocolate?"

She let me inside. She walked away from me to cause she's already cooking pinakbet.

She was silent while gracefully moving around her kitchen. So I broke the ice.

"Jia. I-I think Ysa likes me." The moment that I said that, the cover of the pan that she using banged on the sink. "Whoa. Careful."

"Sorry. Uh, you think?" She faced me. "It was obvious."

"Paano?" 

"She laughs at your korni volleyball joke..."

"It's funny."

"No its not, she likes to talk to you, she's touchy, she blushes when you talk to her."

"I didn't gave any meaning to it."

"Well, it has meaning. To her at least." She looked back to what she was cooking. "So how do you feel about that?"

"Honestly, it felt nice. To have someone like you. She's great anyways, we have a lot.. well not in common, but we share the same interest."