Champorado

12

"SO ano plan mo sa birthday ni Salas?"

Jiya stops punching the bag, panting. "Ha?"

Anton raises an eyebrow, pasing sa speed ball. A line of sweat drips down his face. "Birthday ni Migo. Sa Monday. Ano plano mo?"

"Puta, wala!" Jiya shouts, giving the bag three hard punches. "Kasi putangina, nakalimutan ko na sa Monday na!"

Last year, she threw the cake in his face.

"Chill," Anton says, laughing. "Chill lang. I was just asking."

"Oh my God, ano nga plano ko?" Nilapitan siya ng coach niya para tanggalin gloves niya and i-stretch arms niya sa likod. Ang sakit, pota. "Ano ba gusto n'on?"

"Ikaw," Anton says, focused on the speed ball.

"Aside from me," she snaps, rolling her eyes. "Agh, Anton, help?"

He lets out a breathless laugh, wiping the sweat off his face with his hand wraps. "Jiya, you know him better than I do. Trust me, ang gusto lang n'on is makasama ka. I just thought you were planning something else."

She huffs and slumps down on a bench, shoulders slumped.

Pagkatapos niya magbihis, Addie has a text waiting for her.

Ads: parked na ko babe!!!

She smiles. "Anton, I'm leaving! Ads is downstairs."

He peeks his head out of the restroom and ruffles her hair. "Ingat kayo." Then he winks and says, "Good luck sa planning," before shutting the door.

Jiya rolls her eyes, sighing, and heads downstairs.

Addie kisses her on the cheek pagkapasok niya sa Audi niya. Jiya pushes her off. "I'm sweaty!"

"It's fine!" Addie rolls her eyes and reverses out of her space. "Where us drive-thru? Burger King?"

Jiya nods and leans against the door, slumping on her seat. "I'm starving."

Kumain ng fries sa car si Jiya na sinusubuan si Addie hanggang sa makarating sila sa bahay ni Van. Her mom opens the door with a wide grin. "Girls!"

"Tita, hello po!" Nakipag-beso si Addie. "May dala lang po kaming food for Vanessa."

"Hi, Tita." Jiya gives her a quick hug kasi mabaho pa siya. "Sorry, galing po akong gym."

Van's mom quickly leads them inside. "Ay, mabuti na lang talaga you guys came. I was going to shop pero ayaw niya ako samahan, and hindi pa kumakain!"

Addie nods. "Don't worry po, kami po bahala, Tita."

Nakahiga si Van sa bed niyang nanonood ng Grey's Anatomy when Jiya slams open the door, chewing on an onion ring. "Hoy, bruha."

"Kaya pala ang ingay sa labas," Van mutters, not facing them. "Umalis kayo, I'm busy."

Addie puts a hand on her hip. "May Burger King kami. Ayaw mo?"

Van sits up and tosses her phone on the mattress, fixing her hair. "You guys are the bestest friends in the whole wide world."

"Plastik," Jiya mutters, plopping down on the floor and opening one of the bags. She pushes one Whopper in her hands. "Bilis na, your mom's worried about you. O, ketchup."

"I can't believe you're losing sleep for Isco," Addie snorts, pinching her cheek. "Lalim ng eye bags mo!"

"I am not losing sleep because of him," she snaps, almost tearing open the burger wrapper. "Please, sino ba siya?"