Tahanan | Caitbea

02 'Really good friend'

"Anak, greet your titas" bilin ni Ate Ej kay Iska. Isa-isa naman kaming nilapitan ni Iska para humalik sa pisngi namin.

"Happy Birthday!" bati namin sa kanya. I can't believe we're celebrating her 9th birthday already. Parang dati, siya pa lang 'yung baby ng grupo namin.

"Ma'am!" tawag ng isang crew kay Ate Ej habang tinuturo 'yung cake sa harap. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's all stand to sing a happy birthday to our dear Scarlet!" one of the crew members says through the mic.

Ate Ej carried Iska to the front while everyone stood up. We sang Iska a happy birthday as the music played.

Ang dami nang naranasan nila Ate Ej. They received a lot of hate when they announced their family on social media. I'm not tolerating what happened in their past, but I've witnessed how Ate Ej continued to stay strong despite all the backlash from the public.

Pero ngayon, ang saya-saya tignan ng pamilya nila, especially with their second baby.

Na-miss ko tuloy mag-alaga ng bata. 

Clarkie's all grown up now, kaya ayaw na niyang magpalambing. Makoy's now studying, so he's always in school or resting every time I visit.

Bea slowly cups my waist, carefully pulling me towards her while she leans her head on my shoulder. She must've seen the look on my face. Although she didn't say anything. I know she understood what was going through my mind. 

Regine got married last year, Isa and Janjan also got married recently, Thang and her wife are happily living in Bataan, Deanna proposed to Ivy two months ago, and we just attended Maddie's baby shower and gender reveal last week. Maddie and Zolo will be having a baby boy soon.

Meanwhile, Bea and I are still achieving our goals outside of volleyball. In fact, we're
just starting to live our lives. Not that I'm complaining or anything. Ayoko namang madaliin 'yung relasyon namin, but it doesn't stop me from feeling any pressure.

"Miss ko na kayo" Ate Si pouts after we sit back down on our seats. 

"Kumusta naman 'yung training niyo, Ate?" tanong ko. Unlike some of us, she's still playing for Choco Mucho.

"Ito, todo kayod ulit. Ang lalakas ba naman kasi ng mga bagong recruits ng ibang teams kaya 'di pwede magpakampante" sagot ni Ate Sisi. "Manonood kayo next season ha!"

"Siyempre basta kuhanan mo kami ng tickets" Bea jokes.

"Ako bahala sa inyo. Magbalik loob muna kayo sa volleyball at baka pinapasakit na ng mga trabaho ninyo 'yung mga ulo niyo"

"Speaking of trabaho, naaalala niyo pa ba si Ralph?" singit na tanong ko sa mga dating UST teammates ko.

"Ralph? Sinong Ralph?" pagtatakang tanong ni Ate Dim.

"Si Ralph Santiago na friend mo dati?" Alina asks as she recalls my college friend.

"Oo! Office mate ko siya ngayon"

"Ah si Ralph! Ang galing naman. Akalain niyo 'yun, pati sa work magkakasama pa kayo. Crush ka pa rin ba niya?" pa asar na tanong ni Ate Sisi, causing Bea to look in her direction.

"Sus, palagi nga siya nanonood ng training natin e, hinihintay ka niya. Pati paguwi natin papuntang dorm, sumasama siya. Akala pa nga ng mga coaches natin dati na manliligaw mo e" patuloy na pangaasar ni Ate Si.

"Present din 'yon lagi sa mga games natin. Kung maka buntot sa'yo dati, 'kala mo part ng team" tawa nila Ate Dim.

"Ayan na naman kayo. Friends lang turingan namin sa isa't isa" Simula pa lang nang ipakilala ko si Ralph sa team ay inasar na nila ako sa kanya. Sometimes they were so obvious that even Ralph noticed.

"Nako, Caitlin. Ikaw lang naman 'yung 'di nakaka-pansin na crush ka niya e"

Bea's quietly listening to their teases. Although she's interested in knowing more about what Ate Sisi's saying, I could sense that she's a little uncomfortable with the topic.

I gave them a warning look para tumigil na sila, but Ate Si didn't seem to notice. Thankfully, Alina got the hint and changed the topic.

After a couple of hours, ay nagsi-uwian na kami because it was getting late.

"I didn't know Ralph had a thing for you" Bea suddenly brings up while we're on our way home.

I stopped snacking on the candies included inside the loot bag for guests as I anticipated a serious conversation with Bea. "Huwag ka makinig kay Ate Sisi, kilala mo naman 'yun, mapangasar. Wala lang 'yun"

"But it didn't sound like nothing to me. Was there something between the both of you before?" she asks casually, turning to look at me for a couple of seconds, then bringing her attention back to the road.

"There's nothing between us. Ralph was just a really good friend of mine back in college" I answered truthfully.

"Really good friend? Alam ko na 'yan e. I also had a 'really good friend' in college, and it was obvious that he liked me" she says, trying to mask it out as a joke.

"Why did you like him back?" I asked.

"No!" she answered, slightly disgusted with the thought of it.

"Oh, 'yun naman pala. Besides, we're not even sure if he really liked me. Baka masyado lang mapang-asar 'tong sila Ate Dim"

"But that guy isn't in my life anymore, unlike yours, who you practically see every day. What if he did like you, and what if he still likes you?" Her tone remained calm to avoid any unnecessary conflict.

"Well, it doesn't matter, babe, cause I like you, not him" I reassured her, caressing the hand that's resting on her thigh.

"Aaminin ko, Ralph and I were very close back then. I wasn't a regular student in college, so I felt like I was an outcast in class. Sino nga ba may gustong maging ka-grupo yung isang tao na may hectic schedule?" I shared as I recall my struggles as a student-athlete in college. "Pero Ralph was there to always make me feel included. He'd invite me to eat out with our block kaya nakilala ko rin 'yung mga kaklase ko. He'd also invite them to watch our games para may cheerleaders and supporters ako. He'd stay at the campus just to wait for our training to finish just so we could do our project. Because of him, hindi na ako yung naka-tunganga lang sa gilid habang pumipili yung mga kaklase ko ng kagrupo, habang ako hinihintay na lang kung sino pa yung may kulang"

"He's a good guy, Bea, pero hanggang friends lang talaga kami, and I intend to keep it that way" I added, hoping she'd know that everything I'm saying is genuinely true. "But if you want me to stay away from him, then—"

"Of course not. I wouldn't do that to you" she answers, not even letting me finish my question. "I now understand that he was an important person to you back in college, and I'm happy to know that you have someone like him at work. I'm sorry I made a fuss about it"

"No, Bea. I appreciate that you brought up your concern. At least everything's clear with you. I don't want you to overthink every time I'm at work with Ralph. Besides, it's not like he's hitting up on me. I can assure you that Ralph is harmless"

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new character unlocked?🤔