Only One

XXXVIII.

EXT. RACE TRACK — EVENING

Everybody cheered as Dionysus finishes the race in first place. Ariadne cheers with them as her friends claps.

ARIADNE
That was intense!

LAUREN
DION LANG MALAKAS!

VIOLET
Ang saya ko lang may natatauhan na tayong friend!

MILLIE
ARIA NUMBAWAN KAY DION!

ARIADNE
Oh my gosh, mami. Shhh!

Ariadne shakes her head while her friends continue to tease her. They did not notice Dionysus who is running towards them with a gold medal around his neck.

DIONYSUS
Hey...

ARIADNE
Oh! Congrats!

DIONYSUS
'Yun lang?

Ngingisi si Dionysus at itutulak ni Violet si Ariadne palapit sa kanya. He catches her with his arms and Ariadne shyly smiles as he holds on to her back.

VIOLET
Tamis naman!

LAUREN
Mami, ginusto natin 'yan.

MILLIE
TEAM DION LANG MALAKAS!

Dionysus laughs and winks at Ariadne's friends. The girls congratulated him before leaving the two of them on the bleachers so they can say hi to Pan, Sil and Tyler.

DIONYSUS
So...

ARIADNE
So...

DIONYSUS
This is a yes?

ARIADNE
Yes.

DIONYSUS
Sure?

ARIADNE
Oo nga.

Ariadne looks away and pulls Dionysus to the side. He lets her and only raises a brow when they stopped in a much more hidden corner, under the bleachers.

DIONYSUS
What?

ARIADNE
People were already staring at us. I'm private when I'm seeing someone.

DIONYSUS
So you're seeing me?

Dionysus smirks and Ariadne's cheeks heat up.

ARIADNE
Not yet! I mean, yes! No! It's like... like.. we're getting to know each other pa naman kasi. Ano ba, Dion! Stop laughing!

DIONYSUS
Cute mo eh.

ARIADNE
Basta! We're not dating yet! I know you're used to fast-paced style of things but let's take things slow.

Dionysus takes her hand and looks at her eyes. Ariadne bites her lower lip. Theseus never looked at her this way.

Suddenly, these things felt new to her. His hand over hers, his eyes never leaving her, his attention... everything, all on her. Without having to work for it. To beg...

DIONYSUS
I promise, we'll take things slow and I'll make it up to you. Babawi ako. Babawiin ko lahat ng hindi mapunan ni Theo sa'yo. I'll try my best for you.

Ariadne quietly nods her head. "Babawi ako", a phrase that she always hears from Theseus. A phrase with so much weight from a careless mouth, uttered without a thought.

But for once, she finally tries to believe it because it finally held sincerity. Something that she never felt before.