Chapter 45

Congratulations

I couldn't stop seeing how beautiful it may seem that people applause you because of your hardwork. When the Decathlon Committee starts to awarded us one by one, giving us a gold medal, encrypted a title of Decathlon's Champion 2018. Isang plaque naman ang ibinigay kay Miss Keltz which he handle the team, she also have given some recognition because of her efforts and smart way to make her students stand-out at anything else.

Nang matapos ang group picture ay isa-isa naman kaming bumaba nang stage. Napansin kong huminto ang ilan kong ka-member kaya nang makita ko kung bakit ay agad ko silang nilapitan at pumagitan na kaagad ako sa kanilang dalawa.

"Anong kailangan niyo?" pagtatanong ko sa kanila.

Natawa naman ang lalaki—Seol ang kanyang pangalan sa name tag nito. Tumawa naman ito kasama ang kanyang mga ka-grupo, sila kanina ang mga representative ng Denver International School na halos tingnan kami na parang low-class, sobrang taas ng tingin sa sarili and now they're blocking our way. Hindi siguro nila matanggap ang kanilang pagkatalo.

"What are you saying?" he asked, creasing his forehead, "we don't mean harm on you guys."

When he says those words, nakahinga naman kami ng maluwag dahil hindi kami ready physically to rush a fight with anyone. Instead he offered his hands, namutawi na lamang ang mga ngiti sa kanilang mukha. Their serious faces were gone.

"Congratulations." They said in chorus, at tinanggap naman namin ang kanilang kamay at nagpasalamat isa-isa sa kanila. "Im sorry if you got offended with our serious faces kanina, gano'n lang talaga kami pagdating sa competition. It is our game face and surely, we're friendly and this competition I think deserves you people. Congrats again."

"Thank you, it is a good competition though." I said.

"We really thought we won." Seol said, "but enjoy your win today, we'll be back next year." Aniya at na-trigger naman kami doon but in a competition way, "so, see you around people!" they wave as they left the auditorium.

Muli naman kaming nagyakapang magkaka-grupo bago puntahan ang aming mga kaibigan at kapamilya. We did a great job though and we deserve it. Miss Keltz rushed to our group and told that no one should leave after dahil magkakaroon ng celebration, magkikita na lamang muli ang lahat sa school bus.

Matapos ang anunsyo ni Miss Keltz, pinuntahan ko naman ang mga magulang. Nang makalapit ako sa kanila ay mabilis akong yumakap ng mahigpit sa kanilang dalawa. They were proud enough to say that I did a great job up there. I really did save the team from losing. They also tease me that they will give me something for my birthday—but I know they debut won't happen anymore but I don't care about it. Kung ito pa nga lang ay masaya na kaagad ako, ano pa kayang ibang bagay ang hahangarin ko?

"Girl!" Philippe squeaks as he stretch his hands wanting to hug me. Nang makalapit siya sa akin ay para na niya akong sinakal sa sobrang higpit. He laugh while losing his arms on me. "Grabe, girl, on the last minute, akala ko hindi na kayo makakasagot! But Alex save the day!"

"I knew you would win this, Alex." Bella said. "Congratulations." She reach for me and hugged, "I never hesitate on your potential and atleast you found a place where you can grow and show what you've got."

"I agree," Philippe said nodding, "siguro nagsisisi na si Ma'am Salve ngayon na tinanggal ka sa drama club—" agad naman siyang siniko ni Bella dahil narinig ng parents ko ang sinabi niya and of course my parents didn't know about tha issue kaya gulat na gulat sila, but they didn't mind, the championship matters. "whatever. But good thing here, she let go of you and now we're back in step one dahil wala kaming Juliet ngayon on the role."

"No, we have Philippines." Bella said.

Napakunot-noo naman si Philippe, "hala, sino naman?"

"I'm stepping up to the role of Juliet, aangal ka pa ba or hahayaan nating bumagsak ang ating club?"

He roll his eyes, "whatever, alisin mo lang 'yong kissing scene please. Never in the world I'm going to kiss you..."

"Hm..." Bella thought, "I think I'm stepping down to the role and put Kianna on it! Tama, diba?" lumingon pa ito sa akin at mabilis ko naman siyang tinanguan. "That's it! As the Drama Leader, you'll now act with Kianna and... the kissing scene remains." She giggles, "but I think for now, we have to give our way for someone special to Alex."

"Huh?" I mumbled, got no idea what she says.

"Alex." My body froze for the mean he calls my name, and slowly turn to him and saw his smiles appears on his face, and the next thing he did was to show the hands on the back of him and give me bouquet of flowers. Dahan-dahan ko namang kinuha iyon sa kanya, "congratulations, babe."

"What, babe?!" biglang singit ni Dad na kinagulat naming dalawa ni Korg. Natawa naman si Dad sa reaksyon naming dalawa at tinapik ang balikat ni Korg, "that's okay... just promise me, you won't hurt my daughter okay?"

He firmly nodded, "I won't. If I break her, it will also break me."

"Good to know that, ginger." He jokes.

"Thank you sir... you don't know how happy I am."

My father nodded, "I know, kid. I know."

Both of my parents excuse themselves. They couldn't attend the celebration though 'cause they will fix something on our shop. Siguro dahil sa nangyaring robbery. Iyong nawalang pera ay hindi na nabalik but Mia told that, kung magkano man ang nawala sa aming business ay siyang babayaran niya but she begged to give her time dahil hindi siya sinuportahan ng magulang niya. She was almost kicked out of their house. She doesn't don't about the suspension until Savvy call her parents.

She's broke and in pain, but she did that on herself. She didn't deserved that but karma don't choose people.

"Alex, hey, are you with me?" pagtawag pansin ni Korg sa akin.

I shook my head, getting back into senses and nod to him. "Yes, yes, I'm sorry... I thought you're not coming. I wasn't really hoping you would cause the competition were almost done but you save the game, Korg."

"I did?"

I hastily nodded on him, "yes, when I saw you on the crowd. It hit me, agad kong naisip iyong sagot and you don't have to know what I think at that moment, basta isipin mo na lang na ikaw ang life saver ko."

"Wow, I didn't expect that."

"Pero late ka pa rin!" agad ko siyang hinampas sa balikat niya, napaiwas pa siya pero naunahan ko naman siya. "Saan ka ba kasi galing? You should've come with my parents instead of coming alone."

"Well... I can't tell right now, babe." Napakamot naman siya sa ulo, "but you know what, I'm proud of you."

"Talaga ba?"

He nodded, binuhat naman niya ako na kinagulat ko. Pinababa ko naman ang sarili ko sa kanya pero hindi, he love to look up to me while I'm looking down right at his face. Hindi ko magawang mainis sa ginawa niyang pagbuhat sa akin. Sa simpleng ginawa niya para sa akin ay hindi ko maipaliwanag. I couldn't find the reason kung bakit sa simpleng bagay, masaya na ako.

Masaya akong kasama ko si Korg.

"Guys, cut the sweetness please, tinatawag ka na Alex for the team's celebration."

"Sumama na kayo please." Pagpilit ko sa kanila, they hesitated dahil hindi naman sila kabilang sa club, "don't worry akong bahala sa inyo... and ofcourse, you are also going." Tingin ko pa kay Korg.

"I bet." Ngisi pa nito.

He clutched his hands on mine. It is warm and fit. And this would be the hands of my forever. At sabay-sabay naman kaming sumunod kasama ang ibang ka-grupo ko palabas ng auditorium. Philippe and Bella would join the rest on the school while I'm going to stay with Korg at his Ferrari. Pinauna muna namin ang school bus which Korg and I followed at their tail.

"How are you Alex?" he said out of nowhere.

Napakunot-noo naman ako sa tanong niya, "where did you get that from, Korg?"

He shrugged off his shoulder, "I just wanted to know... you know, you have been stressed out lately and after this night, you can be free again. So, what do you think? Can we move forward... not just only being friends?"

"Korg... ano ba 'yang pinagsasabi mo?"

"I wanted us more..."

"Oh?"

"Alex..." he took a deep breath.

"Just get to the point, Korg."

"I want you to be my girl—not just a friend."

I give a hint on my smiles, "we'll come to that point, Korg. We shouldn't rush everything, just get this ride on time and we'll look forward to it... okay?"

"Okay... but let me call you babe now, okay?"

"Fine, ginger."

He laughed, "a handsome ginger."

Hindi rin naman katagalan nang marating namin ang venue kung saan gaganapin ang celebration ng team. We stopped on a pizza shop. Lahat naman ay ganado dahil sino ba naman ang hindi matutuwa kung manalo ka nang championship—well we expect that moment, hindi lang namin inasahan na mangyayari talaga ang moment na iyon.

Miss Keltz ordered a big pizza, so anyone could have. Hindi naman ako umalis sa tabi ni Korg dahil hindi rin niya nilubayan ang kamay ko. Pansin din naman nila Bella at Philippe kung gaano ka-clingy ni Korg sa akin ngayon. Wala akong idea kung bakit but I think it is sure how he shows his affection towards me.

"I'm gonna make you pregnant someday, babe." He whispered.

Agad ko namang inilayo ang ulo niya sa balikat ko, hindi ko maiwasang mabigla sa sinabi niya. "Ano bang pinagsasabi mo diyan Korg?"

"I promise that would happen... but ofcourse in the right time."

"Ay ewan ko sayo!" pagtataray ko sa kanya, "basta ang mahalaga, alam mo ang lugar mo sa akin..."

"I know... and no one could replace that position on you,"

"No one..."

The celebration started very good, when Miss Keltz said a speech and congratulate once again our team. She couldn't believe that we won the championship this time and for the first time, Savvy got into the top three and honoured and hailed as the top one.

And one thing before our celebration end, I couldn't forget what Miss Keltz told to everyone of us.

"Not knowing your potential is never a loss for yourself but it is a way to discover more of what you can do. Don't stop just because you don't know things—move forward because we keep learning, fall and strive for the bests of us. You just don't part of a family of smart and intelligent, you are part of something big even the universe can't explain..." and her words mesmerize me, and I think that's beautiful.