Nakabibingi ang katahimikan sa loob ng sasakyan. Minsang nililingon ni Zed si Adi na nakatingin lang sa bintana bago niya ibabalik ang titig sa daan. Nagmamadali siya dahil panay na rin ang tawag ng coaching staff sa kaniya. Medyo malapit na sila, halos tanaw na rin ang arena, pero medyo traffic kaya natatagalan pa.

"I'm really sorry." Humarap si Adi sa kanya. "Sana–"

"Walang sana," pagputol ni Zed sa sasabihin nito. "Walang problema."

Ikinabig ni Zed ang sasakyan sa daang mas mabilis at ramdam ni Adi ang pagmamadali. Madalas na ang overtake at halos gumigitgit na dahil kailangan na nitong makarating sa arena.

"Parang..." Naningkit ang mga mata ni Adi nang makita ang logo ng arena mula sa kalayuan. "Last season, parang hindi ako nakanood ng kahit anong game sa league."

Patagilid na tumingin sa kaniya si Zed at ngumiti. "Thanks for coming with me then..."

Adi had so much to say, but for some reason, she felt a lump in her throat. Kung tutuusin, siya dapat ang magpasalamat dahil sa ginawa nito. Hindi naman simpleng pagsundo ang nangyari, hindi rin wala lang ang larong ito.

Naramdaman niya ang pagtulo ng luha niya habang nakatingin kay Zed na nagsalubong ang kilay. She wanted to say a lot, but couldn't.

"Ihinto mo na lang ang sasakyan sa likod ng arena, ako na ang bahalang mag-park," suminghot si Adi at yumuko. "Su... Susunod na lang ako sa loob. Para makapag-ready ka na rin kaagad."

"I can't just leave you here," mahinang sambit ni Zed na patuloy sa pagmamaneho. "Gusto mong umuwi na? I can skip the game an—"

"No." Sinalubong niya ang tingin ni Zed. "No, of course not." Tumingin siya sa harapan. "We're here. Baba ka na, ako na ang bahala rito and I'll see you inside."

Matagal na nakatingin si Zed sa kaniya, saktong nakahinto sila sa pedestrian crossing at nakapula ang stop light. Pilit niyang pinigilan ang pagluha ngunit tinatraydor siya ng sarili. The day was just too much and guilt was eating her.

"I'll watch," Adi sniffed. "Then dinner's on me if you're free after the game."

"I'll make myself free," Zed faced the road and started driving. "Sabay na rin tayong umuwi mamaya. After the game, wait for me outside the arena and we'll have that dinner."

Sinabihan niya si Zed na igilid na muna ang sasakyan at bumaba na ito para makaabot sa huddle. Zed obliged and asked multiple times if she would be okay.

"Oo nga," aniya at bumaba ng sasakyan para umikot papunta sa driver's side.

Siya pa ang nagbukas ng pinto dahil parang ayaw bumaba ni Zed. Nakasuot pa ng seatbelt, sinabing ayaw bumaba, at bumalik na siya sa sasakyan.

"Zed, huwag makulit!" singhal niya. "Manonood ako, promise. Then dinner."

Labag man sa loob ni Zed na bumaba, sumunod ito sa kaniya. Nanatili pa ito sa may pinto ng sasakyan kahit na nakasakay na siya at yumuko para lumebel sa kaniya.

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" Zed frowned. "Sure na makikita kita?"

"Yes," she smiled reassuringly. "I promise and we'll—"

Her eyes widened when Zed cupped her left cheek and crashed his lips into hers without warning. He moved his lips slowly, taking his time... like nobody was waiting for him inside the arena. And she kissed back without thinking twice.

And Zed was the first to pull away, his forehead resting against hers, his thumb still on her cheek.

"See you inside," Zed kissed her forehead... twice, before running towards the back entrance of the arena.

Muli niyang naramdaman ang pagtulo ng luha mula sa magkabilang gilid ng mga mata niya hanggang sa mawala si Zed sa paningin niya. A part of her wanted to leave, just send a message she was tired, that she wasn't ready to be around people... but didn't.

Zed already... almost sacrificed a crucial game.

Zed made time.

And she also wanted to watch him play.

She would.

She did.

Inside the arena, it was cold. The crowd cheered, players were on the court, and Zed was nowhere. Isa-isa niyang tiningnan ang mukha ng mga nasa court, pero hindi niya ito mahanap... hanggang sa lumabas mula sa kabilang dulo, kasama ang coach nito.

Zed's face was serious. Malamang na napagsabihan ito o ano. He was already wearing his jersey and the same shoes earlier.

Medyo maraming tao kaya hindi siya sigurado kung makikita siya. Panay ang lingon nito sa bleachers at alam niyang hinahanap siya. Hindi siya kumilos o ano at hinayaan ito hanggang sa magtama ang tingin nila.

Instantly, he smiled. Waved, smiled, and ran towards his team.

Adi observed. Zed was part of a well-known Zed-Led-Jed tandem. Kapag magkakasama ang tatlo sa isang laro at nasa iisang court, nagkakagulo ang crowd at kabado ang kalaban. Those three had a great court chemistry. Everyone knew that.

Samantalang pasimpleng nilingon ni Zed si Adi habang kausap niya si Led. Sinabi niyang nakita niya si Richard sa personal at sinabihan itong mayroong kakausap na abogado.

Bago pa man masundo si Adi, nakausap na niya ang pinsan ni Led. Eleven Ramirez was very much interested in handling the case. Nag-set siya ng meeting kapag libre si Adi.

"Buti nasama mo siya, para malibang muna kahit paano," ani Led na nakatayo sa tabi niya. "Kaso benched ka."

Mahinang natawa si Zed. "Ayos lang 'yan. Kaya n'yo naman. We all have our priorities. Naintindihan n'yo naman ako."

"Oo naman." Ibinato ni Led ang bola sa kaniya. "Hindi rin naman ako maniniwalang ibabangko ka lang talaga ni coach. Rival school kalaban natin. Siguradong ilalabas ka mamaya kaya hindi namin gagalingan."

"Siraulo kayo," singhal niya kay Led. "Ayusin n'yo laro."

Bago lumabas ng court, pinagsabihan siya ng coach tungkol sa priorities niya. Hindi na siya nakipag-argue. Him being late, spoke a lot about his priorities.

In the first quarter, Zed was benched. Second quarter, still benched. The first half was done, Eastern U was down by ten points.

Habang nagpe-perform ang pep squad ng kabilang team, inilabas ni Adi ang phone. Nakita niya ang messages galing sa mga katrabaho niya, ilang estudyante, mula sa dean, at email galing sa admin office.

Sa messenger, nakita rin niyang mayroong message si Richard, pero hindi niya iyon binuksan. Wala siyang binasa sa kahit na anong notification maliban kay Beatriz na nag-send ng link.

It was her, from a page... watching the game. It was a video shot of her, that was it.

**Beatriz Ong** 

girl 

ang ganda!

nice to see youuu there

Tinitigan niya ang mukha sa camera. Hindi naman halatang namamaga ang mga mata niya dahil sa pag-iyak. Bago tuluyang pumasok ng arena, inayos niya ang sarili. Naglagay siya ng mascara, inayos ang pagkakatali ng buhok niya, at isinuot ang Eastern U hoodie na pag-aari niya simula college.

Her lips curled into a smile. She still looked the same. A little older, not much wiser, but the moment she saw her face in the screen... para siyang bumalik sa dati.

She knew she lost her spark. Maybe physically, she was still the same... but the same glint in her eyes was gone. She wasn't as excited as she had been before and was living to survive. Madalas na bahay at trabaho lang, walang iba.

It was normal, actually. Halos karamihan naman ng mga nakakausap niya, even some of her friends, would often say that. Trabaho-bahay, walang social life.

May social life naman siya. She was required to have one, but despite being in front of people every single day, she needed her person.

No... she wanted.

Muling lumabas ang mga manlalaro at nang magsisimula na ang second half, naghiyawan nang makita sa court si Zed.

Adi thought he was gonna be benched the entire game, but luckily, he wasn't. Kasama nito si Jed at Led... at nagsimula pa lang ang laro, mabilis na nabawi ang ilang puntos na talo. Shot after shot, Eastern U was up by two points.

Zed started playing like there was no tomorrow. Ni hindi ito humihinto, madalas na tumatakbo para ipasa sa taong puwedeng mag-shoot. Zed would assist, Led would dunk... Jed would shoot three points.

Led was a good-looking man, that was the truth. Kilala itong green-eyed hottie. Bukod sa kulay ng mga mata, sobrang hinahangaan ito ng mga kababaihan dahil sa dami ng tattoo. The sleeve tattoos on both arms and the neck tattoos were hot. Hindi naman ito dinedeny ni Adi.

But Led was in a relationship with a senator's daughter. So the girls were backing off.

Jed looked so innocent with his Ivy League hairstyle. Kung ibabase niya sa mga estudyanteng nakasalamuha na niya, si Jed ang mukhang palaging top sa exam, pero kasali pa rin sa varsity, at posibleng kasali pa sa drama o book club. Jed had a sweet smile, like a boy who wouldn't dare break someone's heart.

Ibinalik naman ni Adi ang tingin kay Zed. Actually, she focused on Zed and gulped. He looked good whenever he was with her, but the charm and swag inside the court were different. Madalas na salubong lang ang kilay nito, sinusuklay ng darili ang buhok na humaharang sa mukha, at parang walang ibang gustong gawin kung hindi ang manalo.

She was relieved when Zed finally played. Kanina pa siya nakukunsensya na kasalanan niya kung bakit ito nasa bench, kung bakit nagagalit na ang mga supporters ng Eastern U sa arena at social media, at kung bakit parang wala ito sa huwisyo maglaro.

Hindi nito sinusubukang mag-shoot, but Adi was so wrong when the fourth quarter started.

Zared Almazan was on fire, making her giddy.

Sandaling nawala ang sakit at bigat sa dibdib niya lalo nang mapatayo ang lahat dahil dikit ang score, halos hindi nagkakalayo sa kalaban, hanggang sa sunod-sunod na ring tumira ng tres si Zed.

Adi stood up... watched and cheered for the university... and Zed.

Eastern U won by two points... Led being the best player of the game, but Zed got the most assists.

And during the university hymn, Zed and Adi were looking at each other. Nararamdaman ni Zed ang pagtapik sa kaniya ng teammates niya nang makita ng mga ito si Adi sa bleacher, sumasabay sa pagkanta ng hymn. Inaasar pa siya ng ilan, sinasabing may kasama na ulit siya. May maghihintay na ulit sa kaniya sa labas mamaya.

Maraming tao, maraming nanonood... pero kay Adi lang siya nakatingin.

It had been a long time since he had someone important watching his games. Ni hindi na siya tumitingin sa bleachers noon dahil alam naman niyang walang nanonood para sa kaniya.

And today was different.

Finally, a familiar face in the crowd was watching for him.

—
T H E X W H Y S
www.thexwhys.com