The Squad

••••

Kyn's Point of View.

Praktis namin ngayon, mabuti at andito na si coach. May mag-uutos sa amin kung ano ang dapat na gawin.

"Kyn, Lyn's been staring at you," bulong ni Renz.

"Don't mind her, Renz. Let's just focus on our practice."

Natapos ang break namin kaya't bumalik na kami sa pwesto. Lumapit ako sa team when I unconsciously glanced at the squad. Lyn is still looking at me... not in a good way.

Bumalik ako sa reyalidad nang kalabitin ako ni Kurt. "Kyn, canteen muna kami."

"What? What did coach say?"

"Bukas na lang daw ipagpapatuloy. We're starving," sagot niya.

Wala na akong nagawa kundi ayusin ang mga gamit ko. Aalis na rin kami sa court maya-maya. Habang nag-aayos, hindi ko maiwasang isipin kung bakit nagpanggap kami ni Lyn noon. It was all to make Jiemie jealous, I didn't expect it to go this far. I hurt Jiemie a couple of times already, ayoko ulit mangyari yun.

"Hurry up, Kyn. You're so fucking slow," angal ni Yver.

Sinamaan ko sya ng tingin. "Loko ka a, heto na nga!"

Nadatnan namin sila bunso at ang mga kaibigan niya sa canteen.

"Oorder na ako," si Jhanessa. Palagi naman sya nauunang umorder, e.

As usual, Mike and Jester went with her. They have the money to buy enough foods for us.

Akala talaga ng lahat na girlfriend ko si Lyn. Kaya siguro siya nabansagan na queen bee dahil sakin o baka queen bee na talaga siya bago pa kami nagkakilala. Noon sa Team, si Lyn ang fling ko. Si Aya ang girlfriend ni Kurt. Si Renz naman ay crush si Cheska. We told Yoj to pick Vanessa out of the choices but he refused kaya nagpustahan kami. The Team bet that Vanessa will fall for real or not. Vanessa found out about the bet and was furious about it. Nag-abroad upang makamove on. I didn't expect she'll fall head over heels with him. Sana nga lang ay nakalimutan na nila yun dahil ako ang may tunay na sala kung bakit sila nagkaganito.

"Heto na ang order nyo," nilapag ni Mike ang trays sa mesa.

Kumuha ako ng french fries saka juice. Wala ako sa mood mag-coke. Nagkukwentuhan lang sila, gaya ng dati tahimik si Yelo. Si Renz naman kinakausap si Yver, e parang bingi yan si Yver. Kapag kausap mo yan, para ka na ring kumakausap ng pader. Hindi nagsasalita pero ang tikas ng tindig.

Eto namang si Renz, sya yung baliw na palaging kumakausap sa pader. But sometimes, Yver responds to him like he listens. Maybe he's listening. May napagkakasunduan siguro sila minsan.

"Jam, gusto mo?" inabot ni Joseph ang platito na may chichirya.

That's unusual, Joseph never gives food to Jam, but she just ignored him. Tumayo siya at niligpit ang kanyang pagkain. "Mauna na ako sa classroom, Jhanny."

"Just finish your food here," si Jhanny.

"I lost my appetite. See ya," saka siya umalis.

Jhanny looked at Joseh with a raised brow. "Did you do something to make her mad?"

Joseph shrugged. "Hindi ko alam. Wala akong maalala. Kahapon niya pa ako hindi pinapansin."

"Dense," Jen whispers.

Napalingon ako sa gilid at nakita si Jester na text nang text.

"Jester, mamaya ka na nga magtext! Andito naman si ate sa gilid," utas ni Jehna.

He puts the phone back to his pocket. "Sorry."

"Jen, gusto mo?" iniabot ni Mike ang ham sandwich sa kanya. "I know this is your favorite."

She looks at him coldly bago niya ito tinanggap. "Thanks, Mike."

Nasamo ko ang noo ko dahil sa kanya. If it's ham and bacon, Jen will definitely eat it.

"G-Guys, someone's coming. Should we leave?" ani Jiemie na natingin sa entrance ng canteen.

Natingin kami sa direksyon, maliban kay Jen at Yver na walang pake, at nakita ang squad na papalapit sa amin.

"Vanessa told me na pupuntahan niya raw ako," sabi pa ni Jhanessa. "I told him to see me in the classroom. Ayaw talaga makinig ng babaeng yan."

Sinamaan ko sya ng tingin, "Ba't di mo sinabi sa amin?" tanong ko.

"Do I have to? It's just Vanessa, Kyn," irap niya.

"Hello, guys! Kumpleto ba tayo?" Vanessa greeted with a smile. "Jhanessa, tabi tayo!"

Napilitang umusog ang kapatid ko dahil sa kanya. Jen groaned in disgust and scooted to Renz's side.

"Do you want to switch seats?" Renz asked my sister.

"I'm fine."

"Hindi na tayo kasya rito. Doon na nga kayo sa kabilang table!" inis na tinulak ni Jhanessa si Vanessa palayo.

"She's right, Van. Let's find another table," si Cheska na nakita kung paano binigyan ni Renz ng space si Jen.

Does she like Renz now? Too bad she's too late.

"Come on, guys. We all know that we can't join this people because of Jennifer Ramirez," pagtataray ni Aya.

"And the cheater speaks," my sister casually dropped the bomb.

Natahimik siya at nagtago sa likod ni Lyn dahil sa hiya. "Let's get out of here, Lyn."

"Vanessa, humanap tayo ng magandang mesa. We don't fit in the losers' table," Lyn glanced and rolled her eyes at me. Naglakad sila paalis sa table namin habang nakasunod lang ang kanyang mga galamay. The queen bee and her bees.

"Bye, bestie. See you later," she kissed her cheeks.

Maganda naman si Lyn, kaso topakin saka siraulo. Ewan ko ba dyan ang lakas lang talaga siguro ng tama nito sakin.

"Still thinking of Lyn, Kyn?" ani Yver na mukhang baliw.

I saw how Jiemie's expression shifted. Is she jealous? "I'm not. Stop talking nonsense, Yver. I might kill you."

I glanced at Jiemie and smiled. Inirapan niya lang ako at nagpatuloy sa pag kain. Why are women so complicated Nagpatuloy ang kwentuhan namin nang makita naming tumatakbo si Yoj palapit.

"Kanina ka pa namin hinihintay," bungad ko.

"Saan ka ba galing saka ba't pawis na pawis ka yata?" Jhanessa asked.

He chased his breath before talking. "Si Kurt kasi nasa clinic. May nakakita sa kanya na gumulong sa hagdanan," he said in between his heavy breath.

"What! Where is he?" my cousin snapped.

"Clin- hoy!" she cuts off Yoj's words nang mabilis siyang tumakbo paalis ng canteen.

"Wew, now that's something," Yver smirked.

"Ano ba ang nangyari Yoj?" Jhanny asked.

"Hindi ko alam ang buong detalye. Basta ang sabi nung estudyante na nakakita kay Kurt, gumulong sya sa hagdanan. Buti na lang at nahimatay lang si Kurt at nabali ang paa," sinabi niya yun na parang wala lang.

"What. Did. You. Say?" tinignan ko ng seryoso si Yoj. "He can't be fucking injured right now. May laro pa tayo, Yoj! What the hell, let's check on Kurt! Sinong ipapalit ko sa kanya?"

Hinawakan ni Jen ang polo ko. "Calm down, kuya," malamig nyang sabi. "Nakalimutan mo na ata na naging parte ng team mo sila Jester at Michael. Sila ang dating MVP's bago si Tanga, hindi ba?"

She's right. Medyo nabuhayan ako ng loob doon. Ang tali-talino talaga ng kapatid ko. Mana sakin.

"Do you want to be on the team once again?" tinignan ko sila pareho. Nag-isip muna sila ng maigi bago sagutin ang tanong ko.

"Well, I will but on one condition," si Mike.

"Anything!" confident kong sagot.

He rolls his tongue on his lips at natingin kay Jen. "Let me date Jen for a day."

Natapon ko ang inumin ko, pati na rin kay Joseph, Jehna, at Jhanny. Si Renz naman nabilaukan. Grabe naman si Mike makahingi ng pabor.

"I-I can't do that," sabay inom ng juice. Jen would be freaking mad. She won't talk to me for years!

"Fine. Your choice, Kyn. If you won't ask Jen, I won't play for the game," Mike sips from his frappe.

Kainis! Tinignan ko si Jen. Nakikinig lang siya ng music mula sa mp3 niya. "J-Jen, bunso, mahal kong kapatid, do you-"

"Yeah, I'm fine with it, kuya," aniya at tumayo bago umalis. "Puntahan ko muna si Assej."

"Did she... agree?!" Jhanny looks surprise. "Si Mike? Ugh."

"Tse!"

"I have to go, puntahan ko muna si Kurt," paalam ni Renz.

It doesn't matter as long as Mike is already reserved. Lumingon ako kay Jester. "What about you? What's your deal?"

"Same with Mike."

"You also want to date my sister?" inis ko. Si Mike, pwede pa siguro pero si Jester, ililibing ko nalang siguro siya ng buhay.

"Siraulo, I'll date Jiemie instead of Jen. Is that okay, Kyn?"

Natigilan ako. We awkwardly eyed each other. "I'm not Jiemie's boyfriend so you should ask her instead."

Parang ako lang din ang nasaktan sa sinabi ko.

"Sure. Just text me the details, Jes," ngumiti si Jiemie, yung masaya at totoong ngiti.

Jiemie, please don't be like that. I'm doing this for the sake of the team not for me.

Yver sips from his frappe and whispers to me. "You have done it again, Kyn."

Inubos ko ang laman ng juice ko. Palagi naman akong nasasaktan e, kailangan ko lang masanay minsan.

Renz's Point of View.

Nadatnan ko sila Jen at Jhanessa sa loob ng clinic. Wala pa ring malay si Kurt habang nag-uusap silang dalawa ng seryoso sa loob.

"Jen, are you seriously going on a date with Mike?" lumabas nalang bigla sa bibig ko. Hindi ko matiis, e.

Jhanessa was confused. "A date? You're going out on a date?"

"It's just a date," she nonchalantly said.

"With Mike?"

"It's just Mike, Assej."

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin sa kanya. It should not be my business pero apektado ako dahil may gusto ako kay Jen. I will never deny the fact that I like her.

"Why?"

Jen looks at Kurt. "Dahil sa kanya."

"Jen, can we talk," I demand. Napansin yata ni Assej na seryoso ako kaya't umalis muna siya saglit. "In private."

Naupo siya at tinignan ako. "Go on, talk."

"Is he your first date... if you know, magdadate talaga kayo," tanong ko.

"Oo, why'd you ask?"

"Please don't go out with him, Jen," lumapit ako at pinantayan ang tangkad niya. "I want to be your first date."

"You want to go out with me?" turo niya sa sarili.

"I badly want to take you out but I want it to be romantic. Wag muna sa ngayon," I sighed. I don't sound convincing but I hope my message will get through her.

"Napaka-straightforward mo masyado, Tanga," a small smile formed her lips. "But I can't, it's a favor for your team and you are part of that team."

"But Jen..."

"I'll think about it, Tanga. It'll be fine."

Dapat gumaling si Kurt agad upang hindi maglaro si Mike sa game. Nakakainis, bakit ba kasi nagseselos, e wala namang kami. Masyado akong demanding, it's her life not mine.

——