Simula noon, hindi na kami nagpansinan. Kami, this time, dahil maging si Uno ay hindi na rin namamansin.

It had been over a week since I noticed that he became distant. Pati sa trainings namin ay hindi na siya nagsisikap na magkaroon kami ng kahit kaunting interactions, 'di katulad noong nakaraan na todo lapit siya sa akin kahit na ang ilap ko naman.

I would be lying if I said that it didn't bother me, because it did. Bakit, simula ba umpisa ng lahat ng 'to, kailan ba naman ako hindi nabahala? But at some point, I'd like to believe that we were on the right track.

I would just have to accept that the Uno card game with his friends that he promised me might never happen anymore.

Panatag na rin akong hindi naman umiiwas sa akin ang mga kaibigan niya. I could still exchange curt smiles or nods with Ulrich and Stancent whenever we crossed paths, although I wasn't expecting a bond like before anymore.

Nakakapanghinayang. Pero kaysa naman magkamali kami at humantong sa mas malalang outcome, 'di ba? Yes, uulit-ulitin ko ang lahat ng ito sa sarili ko.

Hanggang sa matanggap ko nang buo.

But... it was crazy that I was already trying to move on from what I had with Uno, yet Lizeo still seemed stuck in our past relationship.

The rascal was still there. Him now, barging in front of me at the canteen, said a lot about it.

"'Tang ina, Rivi, ang tagal mo namang magpakipot?" he hissed, both his face and voice showed deep frustration. "Kailan ka ba makikipagbalikan, ha? Naiinip na ako. Ikaw rin, baka wala ka nang balikan."

"Eh, 'di wala. Sino ba may sabing makikipagbalikan ako?"

His jaw clenched. He almost hit the table with his balled hand. "Will you just stop acting hard to get!"

"I am not. Get over it," walang gana kong sagot. Pakiramdam ko ay nasimot na talaga niya ako.

"You're just saying that. 'Tang ina naman... Balikan mo na nga sabi ako, eh..." he demanded, still oozing with pride despite his statement.

Duda akong taos-puso ang pakikipagbalikan niya. If ever he'd declare that love was his motive in doing this, I'd doubt it. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang tunay niyang dahilan. Maybe his ego's famished and he needed to feed it? I didn't know. I didn't care.

Iniisip ko nga rin na wala yata talagang dating sa kaniya ang pagpapakilala ko kay Uno bilang boyfriend ko. Or he got a hint that it was fake all along? Dahil nga hindi na rin naman kami nagkakasama ni Uno?

"Hey..." Napatayo siya bigla at bumati sa mga napadaang lalaki. "Should we go? Sorry, 'to kasing ex ko ang kulit. Nakikipagbalikan..." aniya sa mga ito.

Naging tampulan ako ng mga tingin nila. Some were inquisitive, some curious, some with disgust. Dinala naman agad sila ng walang hiya kong ex-boyfriend paalis sa kung saang lupalop man sila tutungo.

I gritted my teeth. I balled my hands. Napakagago.

Naudlot nga lang ang inis ko nang mamataan si Uno na nakatayo malapit sa mesa ko. May hawak siyang tray na may pagkain. He wasn't moving while staring at the content of his tray. His distance convinced me that he heard Zeo.

Bumuntong-hininga ako nang tumuloy na siyang lumakad. Nagpatuloy na rin ako sa pagkain kahit na hindi naman yata ako nabubusog.

Pagdating ng oras ng training ay nakita ko muli si Uno. Sa kanilang official players nakatuon ang atensiyon ng mga coaches sa ngayon. Pagkatapos nga ng warm up at isang match ay nanood na lang kami sa kanila.

Hindi ko na ipinagkait sa sarili ko ang mapanood si Uno habang nakasalang siya sa isang laban. I watched him prove himself as an official player with Jenica beside me. 

But actually, he didn't have to just prove anything. He was entitled to brag his skills. But knowing him... a bit, he was not the type to.

"Sheesh!" hiyaw ni Jenica sa tuwing maganda ang rally. Highlights of the match kumbaga.

Hindi na ako dapat nagugulat sa galing ni Uno. It was just that the admiration wouldn't waver for him. In quite a short time around him, I had already recognized how he played the sport. He got it all. From the precise foot works up to the effective deception tricks.

"Sheesh!" si Jenica ulit nang muling nakaisa si Uno.

Gumamit siya ng backhand trick. His whole posture made the opponent assume that he would return the shuttlecock straight but he actually hit it to the opposite direction. Mabilis ang pangyayari at hindi inaasahan kaya hindi na nahabol ng kalaban.

"Galing talaga ni Zorca manlinlang!" Jenica commented. "He doesn't always use tricks naman. Just at times... and he delivers it perfectly, grabe!" Idinagdag niya pa na kahit kilala mo na maglaro si Uno at maaari ka nang makapaghanda, he'd find a way to deceive you while in game. He had that kind of mastery in him.

Nag-imagine tuloy ako na kami ang magkalaban. Who would win between us, though?

Teka, ang kapal ko naman yata na tanungin 'yon? Pero sa tricks sa tingin ko ay may laban naman ako! Since that was how my sister used to play and I had grown to ruin her tactics like that. But I was aware that I shouldn't be complacent too.

Para mag-improve, dapat alam at lalong tanggap ko na mayroon at kung saan ako nagkukulang. Paano kasi gagaling pa kung ang tingin mo sa sarili mo ay magaling na, right? Iyan naman ang turo sa akin ni Ahia.

Iyon nga't nanalo si Uno sa laban na 'yon.

"By the way, hindi uli ako makakasabay sa dinner mamaya, ha?"

"Okay lang, Jen," sagot ko.

Pinagmamasdan ko ang ibang mga naglalaro. It wasn't just Uno who was playing a while back. Sa lawak ng covered court ay limang nets ang naka-set up at sabay-sabay na naglalaban. It was just Uno's game we chose to focus on, just like the majority inside the court.

"Hindi ko lang din sure sina Rhea at Patri..." Jenica trailed off.

Napatingin tuloy ako sa kaniya. Her eyes were set on somewhere else as she gestured me with her lips. My back straightened at the sight of Uno approaching us.

Nakapagpunas na siya ng pawis at neat pa rin tingnan kahit katatapos lang maglaro. Kalmado ang mga hakbang at seryoso lamang ang mukha niya habang halos nagtatagpo na ang makakapal na kilay.

"I want a match with you." He stared straight into my eyes. He took my racket from the side and handed it to me without breaking the contact.

"Nakapagpahinga ka na ba?" I blurted out and held the racket. Iyon naman din talaga ang concern ko kaya hindi na nagsisi sa nasabi. Parang five minutes lang kasi ang lumipas.

He raised an eyebrow. He looked unsure of what he heard.

"Hindi na kailangan," he deadpanned, then turned around. Nauna na siya sa banda ng court na puwesto niya rin kanina.

Bilang curious din naman sa kalalabasan ng laban namin at nag-imagine na nga rin kanina, tumayo ako upang sumunod sa gitna.

"Woah! Go, Rivi!" Jenica sounded thrilled. My dormmates weren't aware of what was going on. It was either they failed to observe our distance lately, or ayaw na nilang makialam.

Bigla akong tinamaan ng kaba noong nakalapit na ako nang tuluyan sa gitna. I had trust in myself, alright, but it was the Uno Zorca I had to beat! Ni hindi ko sure kung ano'ng purpose bakit niya ako niyaya? Gusto niya ba akong lampasuhin? Baka nga?! Malay ko!

Nakatalikod pa si Uno sa gawi ko dahil una akong nakapuwesto. He flawlessly spun the racket on his one hand as he turned to face me. And then he scooped the shuttlecock from the floor with the racket very smoothly.

Kaya ko rin naman iyon kaso iba lang talaga ang dating sa kaniya. Never ko naman itinanggi na guwapo si Uno, pero sadyang dagdag karisma rin ang badminton sa kaniya.

Habang namamangha sa kaniya ay hindi ko namalayan ang sunod niyang ginawa. He smashed the shuttlecock straight toward me and I failed to catch it. Pero dinampot ko iyon agad at sinimulan ang laban.

Naligo ako sa pawis ko sa sobrang tensed buong match. Bukod kasi sa kalaban ko, feel na feel ko ang tingin ng mga nanonood na nakakadagdag lang sa kaba ko. Oh, my god, when would this be over?

"GO, RIVI MY GIRL!" Jenica cheered so loud from the large audience.

She must've noticed I was on the brink of losing. Okay, alam at tanggap ko naman na mas magaling si Uno sa 'kin, but my performance was purely damned! Shit! Hindi ako 'to!

I bit my lower lip and composed myself with determination. Hindi puwede itong nilalampaso niya ako sa harap ng marami! Lalo na ng mga coaches! Ano, nagsisimula pa lang ako, ibabagsak niya na agad? No way!

"AHHH! TAMA 'YAN, RIVI! IPAKITA MO KUNG SINO KA!" tili ni Jenica nang madale ko si Uno sa isang net kill. Unti-unti ko na ring nasasangga ang deception skills ng lalaki.

Uno's eyebrow arched and I smirked.

Kumunot ang noo ko nang ngumisi rin siya. It must be a mistake that I saw a proud reflection from that smirk. 'Di ka naman siguro magiging masaya na tinalo ka ng kalaban, right?

Sa huli ay nagwagi pa rin si Uno. 

Ayos lang naman sa akin iyon dahil inasahan ko na. I'd admit that he could play better than me. Importante lang naman sa akin ay napakita ko ang real skills ko, at hindi mukhang talunan tulad noong umpisa.

Sumama si Jenica sa ibang group of friends niya na mag-dinner kaya mag-isa akong lumabas ng school. Or not at all. Kung akala ni Uno hindi ko napapansin na naglalakad siya sa likod ko, mali siya. I noticed him.

But to give him the benefit of the doubt, I just thought that he might be heading to our dorm building as well. And to test that further, I entered the Jollibee along the way. Nag-crave rin kasi ako sa chicken joy. I had high hopes that it would be crispy, though.

I stepped out the store with my take-out only to spot that Uno was still there. I gave him a look.

Inangatan niya ako ng isang kilay. "What? We live in the same establishment."

I raised an eyebrow too. "Oo nga, but I literally spent almost twenty minutes na sa Jollibee. Bumili ka rin ba?" Pinasadahan ko siya ng tingin. "I don't see anything."

Tahimik na tinitigan niya lamang ako habang magkatapat kaming nakatayo. Medyo matagal na titigan iyon at hindi ko sure kung paano ko natagalan—kung sa estado ba naman naming dalawa nowadays.

Bumuntong-hininga ako at sinenyas ang daan. "Mauna na ako."

I didn't wait for his reply and turned around. Inasahan ko rin namang nakasunod siya sa akin kasi sabi niya nga, we live in the same establishment.

Ngumiti ako sa lady guard ng building namin bago makapasok. But before I could fully enter, I heard Uno from outside who seemed to be talking with someone over the phone. Hindi naman kalakasan ang boses niya, sadyang tahimik lang ang gabi kaya inabot ng pandinig ko.

"Okay na. I'm on the way there. Hintayin n'yo 'ko..."

I got confused this time. May lakad ba siya? Biglaan kaya 'yon? Kasi nandito na siya at aakyat na rin ng dorm niya tapos biglang aalis? Napailing ako sa sarili.

Si Rhea lang ang nadatnan ko sa dorm namin. Nakaugalian ko nang bumibili ng extra kapag food for instances like this na may maaabutang dormmate. Kumain naman na raw siya ng hapunan kaya sapat na iyong chicken sandwich na inalok ko.

I prepared my chicken joy meal and grabbed my AirPods. I was torn between scrolling through TikTok or listen to music from Spotify. Inakit ako ng chicken joy kaya napili kong mag-focus sa pagkain at makinig na lang ng music kaysa manood.

"Huh? May bago na naman? Kailan kaya 'to?" I murmured to myself when I discovered that another song was added to my collaborative playlist with Uno.

Rebound – Silent Sanctuary

Inisip ko tuloy kung tanggalin ko na ang sarili ko rito. I hadn't contributed since he made this. Saka hindi naman na kami okay na dalawa, eh. The idea still pinched my heart but... it was what it was.

Nag-shower at nagligpit ako pagkatapos kong kumain. Hindi ko na naubos iyong fries at sakto namang trip din ni Rhea kaya siya na ang sumalo. I also felt sleepy already since napagod din ako sa training. Nakalaban ko ba naman si Uno.

"Good night, Rivi Girl!" Rhea shot me a sweet flying kiss.

I answered with a kiss sound. "Good night!"

Ang sarap ng kain ko sa Jollibee meal ko kaya mahimbing din siguro ang tulog ko ngayong gabi.

I was totally wrong.

It was around 1 a.m. when I surrendered to the mad vibration of my cellphone. Kanina pa iyon at hindi ko na kinaya kaya sinilip ko na. It was Uno who was calling me at this fucking hour! Nang namatay iyon, mayroon akong nakita na mga text messages.

Uno:
Hahghah bkit mo kaso simira rajkweeta ko rivi? :((

Uno:
Rivutjymia siooooo :(

Napaupo ako sa kama ko at napahilamos sa mukha. Inaantok lang ba ako o mali-mali talaga ang typings ng lalaki na 'to? Teka, mukhang... drunk texts?