The Engineer (Batchelor Series #2)

37

Warning : R18 ahead. guess the top and bot Lol. hahaha.

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The school gym was packed. The buzz of excitement in the air was palpable, with students from both PUP and Ateneo filling the bleachers for the friendly basketball game. I could hear the crowd getting rowdier, shouting chants and cheers as the teams warmed up on the court.

My eyes immediately found Renz, his tall frame and cocky swagger impossible to miss as he dribbled the ball with his usual confidence.

I wasn’t supposed to be here. Or at least, I told myself I wouldn’t show up. But here I was, sitting among the crowd, trying to look like I wasn’t hyper-focused on Renz’s every move.

“Hoy, Drakon!” Fei’s voice broke through my thoughts, her elbow poking me in the side. “Bakit parang ang tahimik mo dyan? Watching someone in particular?”

I shot her a look. “Puwede ba, Fei? I’m just here to support the school. You know, school spirit?”

Fei smirked, not buying it for a second. “Sure, school spirit. Kaya ka ba nakaabang kung saan-saan?”

Before I could snap back at her, the whistle blew, and the game began. The players moved fast, the ball flying from one side of the court to the other. Ateneo was known for their strong team, but PUP wasn’t backing down. The crowd was on their feet, cheering every time someone made a shot or blocked an attempt.

Renz, of course, was the center of attention. He played with the kind of finesse that made it clear he was showing off—not just for the game, but for everyone watching. And, judging by the occasional glances he shot my way, I wasn’t exempt from that.

“Tangina, Renz,” I muttered under my breath when he made another flashy three-pointer, the crowd going wild.

Fei laughed beside me. “Mukhang nagpapa-impress ang crush mo, ah.”

I groaned, shoving her shoulder lightly. “Shut up. He’s not—”

The buzzer signaled halftime, and the teams jogged off to their benches. I noticed Renz heading towards our side of the bleachers, wiping sweat off his face with his jersey. As he approached, I felt Fei nudge me again, more insistently this time.

“Hoy, Drakon! Bigyan mo siya ng tubig,” she teased, holding out a bottled Pocari Sweat she had conveniently brought along.

I looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “What? Why would I—”

“Come on! He’s practically looking this way, baka hinihintay lang niya,” Fei said, winking.

I glanced toward the court. Sure enough, Renz’s eyes were scanning the crowd—and they landed directly on me. A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Shit.

“Fine,” I grumbled, snatching the bottle from Fei’s hand. “But if he makes a big deal out of this, I’m blaming you.”

I made my way down the bleachers, weaving through the excited crowd until I was standing by the sideline, just in time for Renz to walk over. His eyes gleamed with amusement as he wiped the sweat from his forehead and threw the towel around his neck.

“Bakit ang tagal mo? You were watching the whole time, weren’t you?” he said, leaning in slightly, his voice low enough that only I could hear.