I'm looking for the two, but it seems like they're really hard to be found. I went to the gymnasium, hoping that I'll see them here, pero paano ko sila makikita rito, eh ang dami-daming tao.
Today's the final game for the basketball, men's category, it's Senior High School versus College. Almost all basketball players here in school are so popular kaya 'di na 'ko nagtataka kung ba't ang daming tao. The game isn't started yet, but People are now chanting for their favored team. But, when these girls saw me biglang nabaling sa'kin 'yong atensyon nila. Tsk.
Kanya-kanyang kuhaan ng cellphone at kinunan ako ng litrao. Kaliwa't kanan din ang pagbati nila sa'kin.
"Sky, ngiti naman," a girl suddenly requested, and I do what she'd said. I smiled, it's no big deal. "Sh*t! I captured it!" she exclaimed, while others are just staring at me like they're not gonna see me again kaya parang nilulubos na.
I'd continued looking for Sun and Veia, ignoring the flashes and shuttered I am hearing from their phones. Pero, hindi ko talaga sila makita, instead, I saw someone else, who's seriously reading her book.
"Can I sit here?" tanong ko, pero umakto lang siyang walang narinig. Ni hindi siya gumalaw o tingnan man lang ako, talagang nakapako na ang mga mata niya sa libro.
"Gosh! Why does Hillary so damn lucky?" rinig kong tanong ng isang babae, pero hindi ko na 'yon pinansin pa. Actually, they're talking sh*ts again, pero bahala na nga sila. Ayokong bigyan sila ng pansin, sila lang din ang mapapagod kakachismis sa'min.
"Hillary," bahagyang binangga no'ng katabi niya ang braso ni Hillary, pero hindi siya natinag, "pansinin mo naman si Sky," muling usal niya na nasa'kin na 'yong mga mata at binigyan ko lang siya ng izang ngiti. Bahagya akont nagulat nang mapahiyaw siya na animo'y nanalo siya sa isang contest.
Ilang sandali lang ay umusog 'yong tatlong babaeng katabi ni Hillary, kasama na rin 'yong babaeng binigyan ko ng ngiti, pero paano ako makakaupo kung hindi man lang siya gumagalaw. Nasa may bandang hulihan kasi siya kaya hindi talaga ako makakaupo kapag 'di siya uusog. I was about to sit in between her and the girl who's been smiling at me, but she suddenly moved, giving me a space to sit on.
"Thanks," nakangiti ako nang tumingin siya sa'kin, pero agad niya ring binalik sa libro ang atensyon niya. Such a snobbish, indeed. "You got friends, at last," usal ko na naman kaya bahagyang napataas ang isa niyang kilay.
"We're cousins, but it doesn't mean we're friends," sagot niya. Well, this is Hillary, it's expected that she'll say it. She will never consider someone as her friend. Cousins nga niya 'di niya kinaibigan ako pa kaya that I'm just her classmate and no any blood-related.
I've been wanting to be her friend. I want her to get out from her shell because I know that just like Veia, she has something to show to the world.
Hindi na kami muling nag-usap pa. A moment later, the game finally started. Tiniklop niya 'yong libro niya at inilagay na sa kaniyang bag, she then focused herself in the game. I didn't know she likes basketball.
"Thank you again, Hillary," I uttered after a moment, she looked at me and confusion is written all over her face. "About what you did yesterday," I added, showing her my genuine smile.
Inalis niya 'yong paningin niya sa'kin saka niya sinabing, "you should taking rest this time." I really don't know why, but that line made me smile.
"I'm fully charged," sagot ko, pero wala na siyang reaksyon. Nanatili siyang nakapokus sa laro.
"Damn," napatingin ako sa kaniya nang mapamura siya bigla. At bigla na lamang umingay ang paligid nang maka-three points si Zeus, a popular varsity here in IPC.
"How on earth he became so good this time?" tanong pa ni Hillary na halata ang pagkainis sa boses.
"You know him?" tanong ko. Syempre nagtataka rin ako kung bakit gano'n na lang 'yong komento niya kay Zeus, but again, he didn't give a reply. Tsk!
The game continued, and the leading team is the College players. Of course, it's not surprising, mas bihasa na talaga sila among all team.
"Another three points from Gomez!" the announcer said at muling naghiyawan ang mga nanunuod. Ang dami niyang fans, hindi naman kasi maipagkakailang magaling talaga sa basketball.
"Waaah! Ang galing na ni Zeus, Hillary!" one of her cousins said kaya mas lalo akong naguluhan. Magkakakilala ba sila ni Hillary?
"And, I'm not happy about it," seryosong sagot ni Hillary. Magkaano-ano kaya sila? An enemies? Or, an ex-lovers? Or, what? Tsk! Kung magtatanong nama ako, eh, parang napakatsismoso ko naman.
"Why? You should be happy, Hillary, and you should be proud of your Kuya," usal naman ng isa pa niyang pinsan kaya napakunot 'yong noo ko. Kuya? They're siblings? This Zeus Gomez, one of those campus heartthrobs in the university and so well-known in other schools is her brother? Bakit hindi sila magkamukha at magka-apelyido?
But, never mind. Knowing that he's her brother will surely change her life. And, I guess also how others have been treating her will now change. Thinking about it makes me happy. I hope it will really happen.
Zeus has been doing three points and I'm no longer surprised if he'll be the MVP in basketball for this year's intramurals. Napakagaling niya talaga! At makikita mong gustong-gusto niya ang kaniyang ginagawa dahil hindi man lang nabubura ang ngiti sa labi niya.
"If I were you, Hillary, I'll be so proud of that Zeus guy, he's so good," bulong ko, pero agad siyang nagkibit-balikat.
Nagpakawala siya ng isang buntong-hininga. "I can't," aniya. "We had a bet, and if their team wins..." napatingin siya sa'kin, "...I'll be dead meat," dugtong pa niya saka niya muling ibinalik ang mga mata sa laro. "By the way, why you're still here?" tanong niya pa.
Sandali akong natahimik. Ba't nga ba nandito ako? I supposed to be looking for Sun and Veia. Tsk! "A-Ah, I'm watching the game," 'yan na lang 'yong nasagot ko, pero bigla akong na-tense nang lumingon siya sa'kin at nagkatitigan kami. Naramdaman ba niyang nagsisinungaling ako?
Bigla na lamang siyang napailing habang nakatingin pa rin sa'kin. "You're not fond of watching basketball," aniya. Paano niya kayang nalaman 'yon? Don't tell me she'd looked for some info about me? "I'm not your stalker, I just heard it from somewhere," usal na nama niya kaya nnapatango ako. Mukhang totoo naman 'yong sinabi niya, eh.
Sasagot na sana ako, but someone downstairs shouted, "Hillary!" and it's Zeus. I didn't notice the first quarter had just ended.
"OMG? Magkakilala sila ni Hillary?"
"Sino ba 'yang Hillary na 'yan at masyadong lapitin ng mga gwapong nilalang?"
"Baka may something sila ni Zeus?"
Okay, everyone is now talking sh*ts again.
"BOBO! MAGKAPATID SILA, TANGA!" and those are Hillary's cousin who yelled in chorus. Bobo, tanga? Oh, foul! But, that's hilarious.
"Remember our bet, my Dear younger Sister," Zeus said before he went back to the game.
"Tsk! This is really no good," Hillary whispered.
"Ano 'yong bet niyo?" her cousins are now curious, too, but Hillary already shut her mouth and focused in the game.
Miski ako ay curious din, pero alam kung hindi siya sasagot kahit paulit-ulit ko pa siyang tanungin. What can I expect from Hillary Aeiou Madrigal, then? Tsk!