I've Got Your Number

Fireworks

JAYSON

I’ve never felt like crap during Awards Ceremonies before. Not when we lost the cup against the Blue Tigers. Not even when I promised my Dad I’d win that MVP Award for him and ended up placing third. Tonight, our team lost both. More than that, I am never going to have the one thing I aimed for in this competition.

My peripheral vision caught a quick movement to my left and I hesitated knowing I’ll only be rubbing the fact that I failed to my face. I turned anyway. Michi has her brother’s arm locked around her and she was smiling. For real. I felt my chest tighten when I realized I couldn’t have her. Securing the MVP Award would have secured her to me as well. At least, her answer. Now I’m gonna die without knowing how she felt before I screwed up big time.. if she felt anything at all, that is.

Rhap has his hands around me in a moment with Myk grimacing sympathetically. I turned my eyes away from Mitch with all those other varsities around her and listened to the announcements.

I felt like sinking into the ground when they were beginning to announce the winner for MVP. I won’t get it. Rayyn deserves it. The only consolation I had was that neither Drake nor Keal will probably not get it either. Two assholes. 

“Sorry dude,” Myk patted my back. 

I nodded weakly. The emcee began with the summary of points gathered by each player. I gagged a little bit. When my name, together with Rayyn and Drake were announced as the top three for the possible MVP award.

“Dude,” Myk gulped. “You might have a shot at this.” Myk removed his hand from my back and moved towards the front line to hear and see better.

“Come on,” Rhap urged. I followed.

“ – now, we all know these three guys in these three teams left have been fighting over the championship cup for as long as we could remember,” The emcee began. My teammates began murmuring. I actually might have a shot at winning. “The third highest points - ” Drake pictures and tally of shots popped up. “Goes to Drake Kniles, leaving Rayyn Wu and Jayson Mikhail head to head for the MVP Award!”

The MC, seeing me in front, with Rayyn starting his way to my side as well, smiled encouragingly. “And without further ado, our MVP for this year – ” I managed a quick glance at Michi. She was clutching her brother’s arm; her face filled with anticipation. 

“ – JAYSON MIKHAIL. OUR MVP HAS COME FROM THE RED DRAGONS! ”

Pandemonium. Cheers. Yells. A few people might have hugged me. But my eyes were glued to Michi. Her big brown eyes sparkled. And she did what I did not expect. She turned and ran to me. I ignored everything and everyone else and ran to meet her halfway. She jumped into my arms and I swung her around. She laughed at me and I held her eyes for a moment. 

“Congratulations,” she told me.

Then the world went quiet. I closed my eyes. Something soft touched my lips. I felt my world turn and for a few heartbeats, there was nothing but the two of us.

I didn’t put her down even when she pulled back to look at me. My heart did a quick tap-dancing when she smiled. It was then I knew: I won.

With my eyes still locked with hers, my fingers found her hand and I pulled her out of the crowd. I’m not really sure how we managed to escape more than a thousand athletes but we did. We snuck back inside the deserted campus and we found ourselves inside Fort Building RM 417. I hastily turned on the lights and when I spun around to face her, I lost control and kissed her. 

Her cheeks were warm and flushed - she was blushing. That made me greedy that I cornered her against the wall and wrapped my arms around her. Michi’s cold, slender fingers found my neck and clutched the back of my head as we kissed. I don’t know how long we stayed like that, but when we pulled back, I thought she was going to hyperventilate. We were nose to nose and occasionally, she’d glance up at me from under her lashes then look away.

“I thought I’d lose everything,” I muttered.

“You won’t lose me. Even if you did lose the game, I’d decided that I would still come to you anyway.” She muttered almost uncomprehendingly. 

I pulled back to look at her face but kept her close enough for me to see her blush. “Care to elaborate?”

She looked up to glare at me. I failed to contain my smile. Her glared deepened. And I did the only thing I could think of: I kissed her.

“You love me,” I tell her. 

“You love me,” she counters. 

I kiss her forehead and whisper, “Yes. Yes I do.”

I lean in for another kiss. But that did not happen.

A trophy the height and weight of a baseball bat narrowly misses my head and crashes on the wall behind me. Michi wraps a hand around me and clutches my shirt. We turn to the door to find three red-jerseyed teammates, two Black Eagle varsities and one angry big brother.

“Hey Cap, did you just smash our championship trophy on the wall?” Ace asked nonchalantly.

“Did we just interrupt your sister making out with the Red Dragon’s captain?” Diego, Rayyn’s small forward, grinned.

“Dude, I came to show you your trophy, but I guess you’re too busy.” Myk wagged another trophy from his hands.

“See you later?” Rhap asked.

“Congratulations.” Cam winked.

That set off Rayyn. 

“Congratulations, my ass!”

And that’s how a Black Eagle made a Red Dragon cower in fear and run for his life. Michi ran after her brother who ran after me who ran after Cam who ran after Myk for help. A few minutes later, several security guards charged into the room and found Rayyn grabbing my collar. We were reprimanded and forced to join the festivities down below.

Rayyn calmed down and left with his team and smashed trophy. Myk carried ours back to our team, who were taunting the Blue Tigers. I never thought something I thought would be a disaster turned out so perfect. I sighed.

“You okay?” Michi touched my ruined hair. I caught her hand and brought it to my lips. 

She didn’t flinch. She didn’t run away. She didn’t even glare or curse at me. She smiled her heavenly smile and told me, “I do, too.”

Michi rested her head on my shoulder. And we watched as colorful lights painted the dark blue sky, screaming of my victory.