Champorado

17

"AHA!" Jiya yells, smugly pointing at the scoreboard. "Loser ka pala e!"

Cole pushes her out of the way and drops two more tokens in the basketball machine. "Isa pa."

"Madaya ka, tangina mo!" Jiya laughs, pushing him. "Kanina mo pa sinasabi na isa pa!"

"Isa pa nga, 'wag kang maingay. Nakakahiya, I'm the athlete."

Jiya rolls her eyes and sticks her tongue out at him.

Pagtapos nila do'n (natalo naman si Jiya this time), nag-air hockey sila, tapos ayaw ring tanggapin ni Cole na talo siya, tapos naglaro sila sa may mga guns and ang ingay nila kasi pota, namamatay sila dito, tapos nag-Dance Dance Revolution din sila and magaling pala si Cole sumayaw. Slight.

Pagod, kumain sila after sa Pepper Lunch. Cole smiles at her pagbalik niya sa counter. "May tanong ako, Elorde."

"Ano." She gulps down the water, sweating. Naka-white shirt lang siya, cuffed jeans, and cap.

"Isn't your boyfriend mad na kasama mo 'ko?"

Jiya blinks.

Kaninang lunch, sabi niya, "Labas lang kami ni Cole."

"Sino 'yon?" Migo said.

"Si Cole! 'Yong naka-volleyball natin."

"Ah." He scoffed and put down his soda can forcibly on the table. The sound made Jiya wince. "The one who likes you."

"Fake news ka."

"The one who wants to fuck you."

Jiya's jaw dropped. "Migo!"

"Ako rin naman, pero ang difference sa 'min is ako, magagawa ko 'yon." He leaned over to kiss her. "Go, labas ka with him. Wala akong pake kasi alam kong akin ka."

She says, "Hindi siya galit and wala siyang karapatan magalit."

Cole grins, leaning forward on his elbows. "Hindi ako threat?"

"Hindi."

"Dapat oo."

Jiya grabs her bag.

"Sorry na, sorry na, hindi na, promise," Cole rushes to say, standing up to grab her wrist. "Shut up na 'ko."

Jiya makes a move to punch him. He lets go and flinches back in his seat. "Isa pa at uuwi na talaga ako. Alam ni Migo kaibigan lang kita, pero kapag may ginawa ka sa 'kin na hindi pang-kaibigan lang at hinayaan ko, I'm disrespecting him. Okay?"

Cole watches her talk, staring at her face, and then he says, "Okay."

"Good." She glares at him again.

After nilang kumain (Cole keeps to his promise, wala nang flirty remarks), Migo tells her that he, Inggo, and Cas are outside Mercato na. Magg-grocery shopping sila for the condo and si Cas naman for Addie.

"Mercato ako."

"Hatid kita," Cole says, walking beside her.

It's ridiculous how her stomach fills with butterflies nang makita niya si Migo kasi kakikita lang nila sa isa't isa a few hours ago. It's ridiculous how her face brightens, her smile grows wider, her heart soars to her throat.

Tangina naman.

Cas sees her first and gives her a salute. "Uy, Ji."

Jiya stalks up to Migo before he turns around, and she cups his face, tiptoes, and kisses him on the lips.

She feels his surprise against her mouth but he kisses her back anyway, hand sliding to her back.

Jiya pulls away. "Hi," she murmurs.