When The Night Sky Becomes Lively

XIV

"Yare yare. Seems I got the upper hand today," I muttered. Yeps. I really have good cards this time. If I played it well, I would be the victor.

"As if nahahayaan kitang manalo," Rojanie scowled. She's holding her cards firmly.

Napansin ko naman ang ngiti ni Phia. Hindi ko maiwasan mapalagok. Masama ang pakiramdam ko sa hawak niyang mga baraha. Siya na ang titira kaya sa kaniya nakasalalay ang susunod naming mga galaw. Tahimik din ang aking mga kasama.

The tension is within our atmosphere. One wrong move, we're screwed. At kapag pumabor kay Sophia ang sunod n'yang tira, ako ang madadamay. Ipinikit ko na lamang ang mga mata ko.

"Ayos lang naman siguro kung guguluhin natin ang sistema, tama?" She smiled mischievously. I'm doomed! "Dahil mabait ako, i-switch natin to yellow!"

I sighed exasperatedly. Men, wala akong yellow. I just have two blues, a green and four reds. Narinig ko naman ang protesta ng mga kasama ko.

Kasalukuyan kaming naglalaro ng UNO. It's the usual group; Sophia, me, Rojanie, Matthew and another two na bihira lang payagan ng magulang. At ngayon lang kami pinayagang mag-overnight kina Phia. Sinuwerte kami at wala ang kapatid niya. Nando'n yata sa bahay ng kaklase niya.

Medyo maganda ang nagiging laro namin. It's already the second round at medyo nangunguna ako sa balota. Pero dahil sinira ni Phia ang plano ko, nawasak na iyon na parang bula.

"Alam mo, Phia. Minsan talaga iniisip ko kung kaibigan kita o hindi," said the other girl na katabi niya.

She's a friend of ours, Michiko Realuyo. Taga-ibang school siya nag-aaral at ngayon lang namin siya nakaladkad palabas ng bahay. Well, taong-bahay ba naman kase. Malalaman mong siya 'yun kapag nakakita ka ng pandak na kamukha ni Pres. Arroyo. Though she's 18 already.

Napabuntong hininga naman ang katabi ni Sophia na payat at nakasalamin. His name is Jerome Mariposa, ABM- Pacioli. Also a schoolmate kaso bihira ko lang makasalubong kapag recess.

Mukhang lahat yata kami ay napilitang kumuha card sa deck habang si Phia ay tamang pa-hum lang ng kaniyang paboritong kanta.

I grabbed a card and realized that a lucky joker-the color switch-was on my cards. I hope I could play it right.

After a few rounds of placing cards, I felt that it's already the time to use that annoying card. Two blue cards- four and nine- were left alongside the color switch. After Sophia's turn, I'd win for sure.

And the faithful encounter happened. Sophia dropped her nine yellow. Kinda lucky the card I hoped was placed. Now what should I do? Drop my nine blue or nah? I could drop the color switch, pero may possibility na hindi iyo mangyari. Probably I would choose the safest option.

"Color switch!" I declared. Lahat naman ay natuon sa akin ang atensyon.

"Hoy, Legaspi! Dapat yellow 'yan. Parang awa mo na!" Michiko pleaded. Sorry, Mich. A battle's a battle.

"Subukan mong i-green 'yan, F.O na tayo," Sophia threateaned. Wala namang ganyanan!

"Legaspi, baka naman pwedeng humingi ng pabor. Baka pwede mong i-green 'yan." Matthew clasped his hands.

Rojanie, whose on my left, said, "Steven, blue. Blue, please. Gawin mo 'to para kay SUGA, 'kay?"

For a moment, I felt like she unconsciously mimicked Arianna Grande na bumagay naman sa kaniya. As expected to the owner of the name of Barbara, the name for the sassy girls.

"Ayos lang naman ako. Wala lang namang akong yellow. Bigyan niyo ko ng yellow!" Jerome's gayish yet deep voice echoed.

Seems everything's in my favor. It's time to choose the color. Or that's what I was planning to do...later.