KHIAZEL ALSO GOT A DOG. It was Angela’s brother. While Angela’s color was of dalmatian, Bogart’s — that's what they name their dog — was not. Its color was mostly gray then white spots around.

They're thinking the two might be a half-breed, or crossbreed; nevertheless, they're cute and fluffy.

Instead of playing, the kids played with the puppies. They also let them join in their balay-balay. They spent their day playing with the puppies. And several days after that.

After one week again, they get back on playing every afternoon. Only they are not complete; there is only Khiazel, Mary Ellen, Mark Jun, and Aira Marie, or who they call Aiai.

And they wanted to play tintin cross. It's a game where they draw a cross, a big one at that. Pagkatapos gagawa sila ng pitong boxes sa loob ng cross na ‘yon. Kada isa sa kanila ay may dalang sari-sariling batano, o maliit na parte ng tile, at ‘yon ang gagamitin nila.

First, they'll find out who the first player is. Gumuhit si Khia ng letrang H sa lupa at saka nila ihahagis ang hawak nilang mga tiles, at kung kaninong tile ang malapit sa guhit (sa gitna ng H), siya ang unang player.

It's the game that they frequently play. And it's fun, according to all of them.

"Oh, first! First! First!" Aiai exclaimed and laughed cheekily. "Make way!" she declared and threw her arms off, her face proud and funny.

"Yog, siga lang na bala!" Khia said and lightly pushed her friend.

Aiai looked at Khia and feigned a hurtful emotion. "Nakakasakit ka na, tol, ah?"

Mary Ellen snorted. "Dalian mo na lang diyan, Rang," she said, and gestured her hand to the cross.

"Aye, aye, captain!"

And they started. Aiai put her tile on the first box then leaped using only her right feet to the second and third, then both her foot landed on the fourth and fifth box. The right on the fourth, which is in the center, then the left on fifth, located at left side of the center. Then she transferred her right feet on the place her left feet is and raised the left. She did the same action with the center (or the fourth) box and six, then seven. Then the last one, she jumped on the center. Both of her foot landed gracefully. And she went back to her base.

She did that until she was on level seven. Imbes na pumasok sa loob ng box ang tile niya, lumampas ito sa straight line. Napasinghal si Aiai at kinuha ang tile niya at nilagay sa ika-anim na box.

"Sino na 'yong sunod?" tanong niya sa mga kaibigan.

Tinuro ni Khiazel at Tintin si Makmak — or Mark Jun, Makmak is his nickname — na tahimik lang na nanonood at patawa tawa lang minsan.

"Hipos simo da gina pa ba," komento ni Aiai. Tumawa lang si Makmak at sinimulan na ang laro niya. "Kanina pa siya tahimik, 'no?"

"Manahimik ka muna diyan, Ai," suway sa kaniya ni Khia. "Crush mo lang siguro."

"Ay, hala." She let out a bemused laugh and didn't reply at Khia's words. "Mak, ingat baka biglang matapilok!" pang-aasar nito sa kaibigang lalaki. Makmak, though, didn't heed her any attention. "Tipalo ka, ha!" patuloy na pang-aasar nito.

Nalampasan na at lahat lahat ni Makmak ang level ni Aiai, hindi parin natupad ang pang-aasar nito. Ni hindi man lang nga siya binigyang tingin ng kaibigan, eh, kaya paano matatapilok?

Aiai grunted when Makmak returned at the base with a triumphant smile. He held his tile in his grip, then in front of the three, he flip it in the air and catched it with the back of his hand but failed.

"A-bwahahahahaha!" Aiai hollered in laughter.

"Baka mabilaukan ka, ah?" Makmak playfully said, then laugh when his friend stopped laughing.

"My turn!" Khia announced and started without waiting for her friends comment.

She was having fun until the cursed of Aira Marie flew upon her; natapilok siya. Malakas ang pagka-tumba niya kaya napaiyak siya ng mahina. At nang, maupo, ang tuhod niya’y dumudugo na.

Napatigil siya sa pag-iyak at napatingin saglit sa sugat niya at isinawalang-bahala na agad iyon dahil maliit lang. Malayo sa bituka.

She chortled. "Okay lang, maliit lang naman! Continue!" she exclaimed.

And so, they did play with Khia heeding no attention to the aching bruise on her knee. And when she got home, her mother saw the bruise.

"Khiazel! Ano nanaman ang natabo diri?!" Her mother, Dada Bing, was livid and pointing the new bruise on her knee.

Tanging iling lang ang naging sagot ni Khia at iniiwas sa tingin ng ina ang tuhod. Kung kanina ay hindi siya umiyak noong nasugatan, ngayon naman ay napaiyak siya nang makitang kumuha ng walis ang Ina.

"Linisin mo 'yang sugat mo! Magsibin ka doon at gagamutin 'yan!" Gamit ang walis, itinuro ni Dada Bing ang direksyon ng banyo nila. "Dalia!"

And Khiazel sprinted away from her livid mother towards the confinement of the bathroom where she cried whenever the cold water touches her bruise.

Kabalan ka gid mung, she told herself while sobbing.

*****

Just to make clarity about their nicknames:

Marianne; Yan
Mary Khoney; Bait
Zyndy; Kulit
Khiazel; Khia
Evangelyn; Nene
Mary Ellen; Tintin
Maria Ericka; Ericka
Mark Jun; Makmak
Aira Marie; Aiai
Vince Louise; Vince

I guess that's all? Haha. More characters to come, yay! ♡

ps. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE 70+ READS !!!!! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT MADE CHUFFED TO BITS. I LOVE YOUUUUUUUU ♡

with all love,
maireve (●♡∀♡)