in between the lines

project ex: post debate

"Gerona versus Hontiveros."

Leni felt a sudden jolt upon hearing the surnames announced. All the flashbacks of them debating makes her heart flutter just little bit. Or maybe a little bit too much.

"Huy, bakit ka nakangiti?" Kiko whispered. "Masaya ka pa na siya na naman kalaban mo?"

She looks at him with confusion, "Ako? Nakangiti?"

"Malamang, sasabihin ko ba kung hindi?" He answered. "Alam ko na, masaya ka kasi sakanya ka lang na ch-challenge, 'di ba?"

"Na ch-challenge rin naman ako 'pag iba kalaban ko, ah. Tulad mo," Leni explained.

"Luh? Mani-mani nga lang sa 'yo nung nag debate tayo about divorce, eh."

"Kasalanan mo rin namang hindi mo inaral 'yung arguments mo," Leni chuckled. "Kiks, mahirap kalaban si Risa, oo. But that doesn't mean I'll lose."

—

"Paano ba mag pasa load," Leni murmured. At this point, she swore to every living being that learning technology's got to be the hardest chore out there.

"Pasaload 09217263623 send to 808," Kiko explained. "Dali, tinatawagan na ako ni mama."

"Wow, akala ko school 'to, bakit naging paluwagan ni Elsa?"

"Risa, ayan ka na naman. Wala namang ginagawa sa 'yo si Leni."

"Wala pa."

"Takot lang 'yan kasi ako ang kalaban niya mamaya sa debate," Leni says confidently.

"Tch. Ako, matatakot sa 'yo? Do I look insecure to you?" Risa replied, opening the door leading to their auditorium.

"You seemed pretty insecure when you said it," Leni retorts. "Back-out na ba?"

"Absolutely not." Risa said curtly. "I want a front seat to witness your death."

"Front seat para ikaw unang papalakpak 'pag nanalo ako."

Risa raised a brow before closing the door behind her, "Sana matalo."

—

School was tiring, to say the least. Sparing herself from Kiko's study session, Leni went home shortly after dismissal.

"Marunong ka na ba mag pasaload?" She hears a familiar voice coming from their kitchen.

"Oo, at hindi lang pasaload," she tells her proudly.

A slender figure enters the living room, holding two cups of ice cream in her hands.

"For you," she said, handing Leni a cup of mango flavored ice cream.

She smiled as she sat comfortably on the sofa. "Thank you, my love."

"I got a pretty reasonable grade, Leni. What about you?"

"Reasonable for you is between 95-100, so, yes, reasonable rin. Ayos naman ba arguments ko?"

"Yes, well, you missed a tiny point on our debate earlier," Risa starts. "Just tiny."

"Stop Risa send to 2366."

"Leni!" she looks at the older woman exasperatedly.

"What? We agreed not to talk about school stuff at home," Leni reasoned out, arms clinging on Risa's. "But, tell me, what point did I miss?"