ZWCS#9: Playing with Fire

Five

"We'll get married and have babies."

Kunot noong binalingan ni Trinity si Philip na nasa harapan niya. Naiwan silang dalawa sa may lamesa dahil ang mga magulang nila ay biglang nagpaalam na lalabas muna daw dahil nakakita ng kakilala.

"I'm sorry?"

Philip smirked before taking a sip of his wine. "Our parents are setting us up. Hindi na ako magugulat kung ipagkasundo nila tayo sa isa't isa."

Sarkastikong ngumiti siya rito. "My parents are not like that. They're not into arranged marriages."

Philip shrugged his shoulders and leaned back on his seat. "It's just my hunch. Do you have a boyfriend?"

"I don't think that is your business." Hindi niya napigilan ang sarili na tarayan ng kaunti ang lalaki. Masyado kasi itong feeling close na para bang matagal na sila magkakilala.

"I'm just starting a conversation, Trin."

"It's Trinity. Dalawang syllables nalang, hindi mo pa kayang ibigkas."

Natawa sakanya ang lalaki at pinagsiklop ang magkabilang kamay at ipinatong sa lamesa. "Tinatamad ako. So will you or will you answer my question?"

"Where's the choice there?"

"Actually, there's no choice."

Natawa siya ng kaunti na agad niyang itinago sa pamamagitan ng pagtikhim pero hindi pa rin nakaligtas kay Philip. "Ah, there's her laugh."

Tumikhim siyang muli. "I have a boyfriend. You? Do you have a girlfriend?"

Nagkibit-balikat si Philip. "Wala na. She cheated on me."

Pinigilan niyang mapangiwi. Kapag naririnig niya ang salitang 'cheat' ay nakakaramdam siya ng takot pero hindi niya malaman kung para saan ang nararamdamang iyon.

"I'm sorry to hear that," sabi niya.

"Nah. It's fine. I'm glad I found out. It's better to have nobody than to have someone who is half there or doesn't want to be there."

Napatulala siya kay Philip. She would never cross her mind that there is a girl who would dare to cheat on him. Well, hindi naman kasi papahuli si Philip sa mga lalaking kilala niya. Philip is undeniably handsome and when they shook hands earlier, he towered over her. He has what this called 'designer stubble' that makes him look like he likes breaking the rules. He has thick eyebrows which is one of the things she finds attractive on a guy. He smells good too so that's another good trait of him. Tingin din naman niya ay physically fit ang lalaki dahil sa hubog ng katawan nito kaya nakakapagtaka na pati ang isang kagaya ni Philip ay naloloko din pala.

"You just let her go? Hindi mo ba siya mahal?"

"Minahal ko siya pero hindi ibig sabihin nun ay magbubulag-bulagan nalang ako sa kamaliang ginawa niya. Why would I settle for that kind of love? I know my worth that's why I broke up with her. I know that there's a woman out there that deserves my love more than my ex."

She can't help but to listen and just stare at Philip. He has a lot of sense in him and she likes how he thinks and sees things in life.

"Enough with me, how about you? Your parents are always bragging how great you are in volleyball."

She couldn't help but to roll her eyes. "You know how parents brag about their children."

Tumango-tango si Philip. "Yeah pero may ipagmamalaki naman talaga sila. I watched you play a lot of times."

Tumaas ang isa niyang kilay sa sinabi nito na ikinatawa lang din nito sa huli. "I played for Ateneo before. Basketball," simpleng sagot nito.

So he loves sports too. Pero nakakapagtaka dahil hindi niya kilala ito lalo pa't nakakalaban ng school nila ang Ateneo maraming beses na at madalas ay nanunod siya ng basketball.