Champorado

14

NAKAKAPAGOD gumapang to midterms, mag-midterms, gumapang to finals, 'tsaka mag-finals.

Pero mas nakakapagod yata ang volleyball competition nila today.

"Why are there so many people watching?" Jiya asks, frowning, dribbling a volleyball in between her knees habang tinatalian siya ng buhok ni Migo sa likod niya. "Does everyone suddenly have PE at this time?"

Punong-puno kasi 'yong bleachers ng mga students na 'di naman naka-PE uniform halos. Pinagtititigan sila.

Migo taps her butt lightly when he's done and steals the ball from her, winking. "Papanoorin kasi nila 'ko."

Totoo ba? Jiya frowns. "Feeler."

He bumps her shoulder with his. "Ano mangyayari when I win?"

"If," Jiya corrects, raising an eyebrow. "And what do you want?"

"You as my date to Maureen's debut this Saturday."

Mga two weeks na niyang niyayaya si Jiya. 'Di talaga 'to titigil. Invited rin naman siya ni Maureen, pero... "May final ako sa Monday."

"Kaya nga." Migo smiles at her. "So magbibihis ka, magma-makeup ka, magiging date kita, isasayaw kita, iuuwi kita. Sound good?"

Hay. Jiya narrows her eyes at him. "And 'pag nanalo ako?"

He shrugs, twisting the ball in his finger. "What do you want?"

Hindi na nakasagot si Jiya kasi nilalapitan sila ng dalawang babaeng may hawak na tubig 'tsaka towel.

Jiya raises her foot with her arms crossed bago sila makarating kay Migo.

Her eyebrow lifts. "O, ano. Para sa 'kin ba 'yan?"

Migo makes a sound in between a laughter and a cough.

One of the girls clears their throat and shakes their head. "Sorry."

"Sorry?" Jiya repeats, not breaking her stare.

They scurry away.

Jiya puts down her foot.

Migo groans softly and whispers in her ear, "Puta, ang hot mo."

"Ang gusto ko," Jiya tells him, standing up. She puts her palms on the bench on either side of his hips and leans close to his face. Manood 'yang mga bitchesang 'yan at lahat ng nasa bleachers. Sa kanya si Migo. "When I win..."

"If," Migo corrects hoarsely, licking his lips, eyes darting down to her mouth.

Jiya smiles, leaning even closer to his face, arching her back. "If I win, I want you to show your wedding vows to me. As my birthday gift."

"Ayoko," is Migo's immediate answer.

"If I win nga!"

"E 'di hindi ka mananalo," he says. "Sabing sa wedding na e."

Jiya's heart jumps, but she scoffs. "Ambisosyo."

"Advance lang mag-isip, babe." He closes the distance between them, grips her chin with his fingers, and leaves a quick peck on her mouth. "Game na 'ko. 'Di ako pwede matalo."

"Oy, Elorde!"

Jiya turns around. Migo's arm instantly comes around her waist.

She smiles. "Cole."

"Ready?" he asks with a grin. To Migo, he says, "Uy, boyfriend ni Elorde. Cole nga pala. Are we playing against you?"

Migo shakes his hand once. "Migo," he says. "Yes, and competitive ako." His hand tightens on her waist. Jiya rolls her eyes. "So sorry na lang in advance, bro."