Parallel Intersection

Chapter 12

"Guys! Pa-pic naman kami!" Sigaw ni Joe sa kanyang mga kasama.

Pulang-pula ang aking mukha lalo na ng paglaruan niya pa ang aking kamay.

"Sorry about the sudden hug. I just missed you. Wala kasi akong nakikitang pader sa may bleachers." Pinanlakihan ko ito ng mata at saka kinurot sa kanyang tagiliran.

"Ano naman ngayon!" I hissed at him but he just laughed at me.

I rolled my eyes at him, ngunit may nakaukit din na ngiti sa aking mga labi.

"Ehem!" Sabay naming nilingon ang pinanggalingan ng boses na iyon.

I don't know what to feel. May kanya-kanyang hawak na cellphone ang mga kasama nito. They were smirking, not because they find us funny but because I think they find something amusing between Joe and I.

"Show to us your sweetest pose, lovebirds!" One of his teammates with tattoos on his arms, teased.

"May lahi ba 'yan?" Pabulong kong tanong kay Joe.

He weirdly looked at me. Tinaasan ko naman 'to ng kilay.

"Do you fancy over foreigners? He's half-Aussie. I am too, half-Spanish." He sounded as if he's comparing his self to that Aussie guy.

"I don't like man with tattoos." Namamangha akong tiningnan ni Joe.

"I won't have one." He confidently said and pulled me near him.

Mukha kaming matayog na pader dahil sa pangmalakasang height namin.

I bit my lower lip when Joe placed his arms on my shoulder.

"Smile, bata." He said, pinching my cheeks.

Panay ang kuha ng larawan sa aming dalawa. We posed as if we're some kind of models for a magazine.

Kahit ang mga fans nila ay kinunan na rin kami ng larawan. Great! Sana lang ay hindi naman nila ako gambalain.

"Jam, I haven't introduced you to my teammates." He said.

"Ang dami nila. I won't remember their names, anyway." Nahihiya kong sagot kay Joe.

I waved my hands on his teammates. "Hi, I'm Jam!" Pakilala ko.

Si Ricci lang talaga ang kilala ko sa kanila. Pasensya naman.

Iyong tila isang black American ang sumagot sa akin. I don't know his name, plus, haven't seen what surname's written on the back of his jersey.

"Aka, one true love ni Joe GDL!" Pang-aasar nito sa akin.

"Stop it, Bright!" Natatawang sagot ni Joe. Meanwhile, he apologetically looked at me.

I shook my head. Okay lang naman sa akin. Tutal ay pang-ilang araw na asaran lang naman ito.

"Congrats on your fourth game nga pala." I said.

Hindi na kami lumayo pa ni Joe. Nilakad na lang namin ang kaunting distansya papunta sa SM. Susunod na lang daw sa amin ang kanyang mga kasama para sa dinner. This would be my first dinner with them.

Fangirl's dream come true!

"I was thinking about you the whole game. I messed up big time." Kumamot ito sa kanyang batok.

I squinted my eyes at him. "What do you mean?"

"Binangko ako for second and third quarter kasi iniisip ko baka magkasalisihan tayo." He shyly replied.

"Really, Joe?" My goodness! Ibang klase ang trip ng lalaking 'to.

Ang simple naman ng solusyon sa kanyang problema!