Chapter 17

I was staring at Finley's credit card...

On one hand, I really didn't want to use it... but on the other hand, ayoko ring gamitin iyong money ko, noh! I was being so matipid kaya. Ayokong maubos iyong pinagbentahan ko ng bags ko saka iyong salary na nakuha ko back during my working era.

But whatever.

Kakain din naman si Finley ng bibilhin ko, so hindi dapat ako ma-guilty na gagamitin ko iyong card niya.

Right.

Since medyo matagal pa naman si Finley bago makarating dito, I decided to go to the gym muna. I needed to stay toned! As annoying as Finley is, he's super attractive. Alam ko na maraming nagkaka-crush sa kanya dahil isa rin ako sa kanila—ang difference lang namin ay ako ang nanalo. Kaya dapat kapag nalaman na girlfriend ako ni Finley, ang maiisip nila ay 'ang pretty nga niya...' hindi 'baka mabait...'

I went to the gym with that goal in mind. I put my headphones on and focused on upper body exercise for today. I ignored all the other people in the gym kahit iyong mga nagta-try na kausapin ako, I blatantly ignored them and pretended that I didn't hear them dahil naka-headphones ako.

When I was done, tinanggal ko na iyong headphones ko. Papaalis na sana ako, but some guy stopped me and asked me for my socials.

"Sorry, I have a boyfriend," I said and then walked away with a grin on my face because at least here, I can openly say na may boyfriend ako.

Haaaay. I couldn't wait for the day na pwede na namin sabihin ni Finley na together kami. Sa college kaya? Siguro naman kami pa rin non, right? We could go to the same uni together and then go on cute dates! Gosh, so exciting!

Pagbalik ko sa unit, I took a quick bath and wore my cute PJs. I dried my hair na rin and applied lotion and perfume. Gusto ko lagi akong mabango kasi laging naka-dikit sa akin si Finley. Super surprising pa rin talaga na clingy siya... Totoo talaga na don't judge a book by its cover.

After a while, dumating na iyong food. I was about to order pizza lang sana, but then I remembered Finley saying na he requires calories. Napa-search tuloy ako. Google said that since athlete si Finley, he needs protein. I wanted to order steak sana but I figured hindi siya for delivery kind of food. I ordered ribs na lang and some sides. Maybe I'd learn how to make steak para kapag may date nights kami, I could just make it for him since ako rin naman ang ayaw na lumalabas kami... at least for now.

Finley said that he'd be here around 8PM, so I already set up the table. I wanted to lighten up some candles, pero wala palang candles dito. I should buy some... using Finley's card since para sa kanya din naman iyong candles.

I didn't know why I was so excited when I heard a knock on the door. I opened it when I saw that it was Finley outside. He was wearing gray joggers, white shirt, and white sliders. His hair's kinda damp. Did he take a shower before siya pumunta dito?

I was about to ask him about that, pero napa-tigil ako when I saw him looking at the table. His lips were slightly parted like he was surprised. Then I felt my cheeks heating up. I didn't know why I was blushing!

I thought Finley's gonna tease me for making a big deal of the dinner, instead, I felt his arms wrapping around me. His chin was resting on the top of my head. My boyfriend's a giant! He could wrap my entire body with his talaga!

"You cooked for me?" he asked.

"Not at all," I replied. "I ordered... but I did prepare the table."

I felt him chuckling at my response. "Good."

I looked up and glared at him. "What?"

"I have a game tomorrow. Can't risk getting food poisoned."

My lips parted as my brows furrowed. I tried to push him away, but he just laughed and tried to hug me even tighter. Tumatawa lang siya habang sinusubukan ko na itulak siya.

"I have a game tomorrow," he said.

"Good for you," I replied.

He rolled his eyes. "We're still from the same school. Hindi naman siguro weird kung manonood ka ng game."

I arched my brow. "Say please first," sabi ko sa kanya.

"What?"

"If you say please, I'll watch the game."

Finley's brows were furrowed. "Why do I have to say please?" he asked. "You're my girlfriend. You should watch my games."

"Why? If I go shopping, will you watch me, too?"

"Haven't I already?" he answered. "I'll watch you shop and pay for your things."

My cheeks heated up again. Why was he so good at this?! Ganoon ba kaganda iyong relationship ng mga tao around him na alam na alam niya na kung ano ang sasabihin and gagawin?

"Fine..." I said, taking the L and letting him win.

I saw him grinning as he went back to eating.

"Make sure you'll win," I told him.

"We'll win," he replied. "I'll even dedicate a dunk for you."

"Ugh. Show-off."

"Nah. I'm just good."

"We'll see."

He looked at me, his forehead creased. "You've never seen me play?"

I shook my head. I mean, I think I saw him play before... but that was before pa, so I didn't think it should be considered. Tapos after nung pag-basted niya sa akin before, I avoided him religiously. I had no idea kung paano siya maglaro. I mean, I heard he's good, but that's just about it.

"Wow. Disappointing."

"What? Not everyone's interested in basketball," I told him.

"Yes, but I'm your boyfriend—you should be interested in me."

Ugh! Bakit ba lagi niya sinasabi iyong boyfriend? Nakaka-kilig pa rin kaya!

"Bakit? Alam mo rin ba interests ko?"

"Shopping and going to the gym," he said. "Speaking of gym, can't we go to the gym together?"

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Why not?"

"Wala lang. I just so stuff there."

"I do stuff there din," he said, mimicking the way I spoke.

I rolled my eyes at him and he laughed. "Mandie's living here kaya."

"Who?"

"Mandie."

"I don't know any Mandie."

"She's our schoolmate!" I said, but Finley was looking at me like he had no idea kung ano ang sinasabi ko. Seriously? Sino lang ang kilala niya sa school? Teammates niya at ako?

"Anyways, she's living here din. And she has a big mouth. Baka makita niya tayo together," I said, but as I was explaining, I saw the disappointment on his face. I quickly felt bad. Baka gusto lang naman niya na magspend time together kami sa gym.

Why was I so worried about what people will think about me? So what if malaman nila iyong sa family ko? It's done. It happened already. Mas mahalaga ba 'yon kaysa sa feelings ni Finley? When all he's ever really did was be good to me?

"But whatever. Who cares? Let's go to the gym together," I said as casually as I could because I just realized that I didn't like seeing Finley sad.

And seeing that grin on his face? It's so worth it.

Bahala na if makita kami ni Mandie.

* * *

After we finished our dinner, I thought aalis na si Finley since it's still a school night. He said na 11PM pa iyong curfew niya, so he could still stay here. I told him that I needed to do my homework. He said it's fine. So, I did my homework while he played games in his phone. So unfair. Wala ba siyang homework?

Around 10PM, I finished everything na. I walked towards him sa may couch tapos naupo ako sa tabi niya. I watched him play. He has earphones on tapos parang may kausap siya. Hindi ko pala siya naririnig kasi naka-headphones ako kanina.

Napa-kunot iyong noo ko when Finley laughed. Why was he laughing? Ano ang funny sa sinabi ng kausap niya? Naka-kunot na and everything iyong forehead ko, pero hindi ako pinapansin ni Finley. Nilapit ko iyong ears ko para marinig kung sino iyong kausap niya.

It's a girl!

He's playing with a girl!

I quickly stood up and pumunta ako sa room ko. I locked the door din. Kung gusto niya pala makipaglaro sa kung sinuman 'yon, e 'di don siya. Matutulog na ako. Bahala siya d'yan.

After like twenty minutes, I heard Finley knocking. I pretended not to hear him. After a while, umalis na rin ata siya because I received a text from him saying na umalis na siya and he thought na naka-tulog na ako. He seriously didn't notice na naupo ako sa tabi niya kanina?

Wow.

WOW!

Hanggang paggising ko, iyon pa rin ang nasa isip ko. I woke up with a huge frown on my face. I was probably frowning the whole day to the point na my classmates were asking if okay lang ba ako.

Nung dismissal na, I was so tempted na umuwi na lang... but I did make a promise to Finley na manonood ako ng game. Ugh. Manonood din kaya kung sinuman iyong kalaro niya? Did he invite her, too?

Sino ba 'yon?

Bakit magka-laro sila?

I can learn the game and play with him, too!

Ano ba 'yan! Umiinit na naman ang ulo ko!

Pagdating ko sa gym, instead na magcheer ako sa school namin ay baka magcheer pa ako sa kalaban na team. I was sitting on the bleachers with my classmates. Manonood din talaga sila ng game and sakto na sumama ako. Weird naman kasi if ako lang manonood dito.

"Who's that?" I asked nung may makita ako na cheerleader na kausap ni Finley. She was laughing habang umiinom lang ng gatorade si Finley. Ano'ng nakakatawa? Was she laughing at her own joke kasi mukhang hindi naman nagsasalita si Finley?

"Janine."

"Who?"

"Head cheerleader," she replied. "Like you, she has the biggest crush on Finley."

I rolled my eyes. We're not the same—crush niya lang si Finley; boyfriend ko siya.

"Remember when Finley turned you down para maging partner sa dance? Si Janine 'yung partner niya."

Oh, wow.

WOW.

Why was I even here?

Siya rin ba iyong kalaro ni Finley sa game?

I had so many questions going on inside my head and I didn't feel very good, so before Finley could even see me, I decided to leave and just go home.

'Where are you?'

I stared at his message and decided to just ignore it. 

**

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