It was so disappointing. I was frustrated on how this final game ends. We lost and it's hard to accept. No words can explain how pained we are feeling right now. We all cried in frustrations. I hugged Ahia and Mom. I can't help it but to cry.

Tears were automatically flowing down on my cheeks. I wiped it out when we called us to award the second place. I can't think of nothing except that we failed. After the medias took photos of us, nagbalikan na sa dug out yung mga team mates ko. Pero si kuya Prince, umiiyak ulit. Inalalayan ko siya. I comfort him pero naiiyak na naman ako.

After a few minutes, Ahia decided to go back to dug out. I followed him but someone caught my eyes. So I told to Ahia na mauna na siya. He looks at me with confusion. I assure him that I'll be okay so he left me.

I look back at her who captures my attention. It's no other than Khaira. I am thankful that she's here. I know that I am mean for not answering her texts and calls. Hindi ko din naman gusto yung ginagawa ko sa kanya. In fact I miss her so much.

Aside from Mom, siya lang yung babaeng nagpapasaya sa akin. Of all my friends na girls, sa kanya lang ako very comfortable and I really can't explain how happy I am when I met her. She's something special to me. Medyo nainis lang ako from our last conversation. Hindi naging maganda yung pag-uusap namin. Hindi ko alam, feeling ko iiniwasan niya ako.

Pero if that's the case, why she's here? Kung iniiwasan niya ako, dapat wala siya dito ngayon.

I stared at her. She's searching for something in this crowded area. But one thing that caught me is, why she looks teary eyed? Umiyak ba siya? What happened to her? Ang sakit sa mata na makita siyang ganyan. Pansin ko ding she looks paled. Is she sick or what?

She was about to turn back so I walk nearer to her. But I stopped nang mapatigil din siya sa paghakbang. Feeling ko nakita niya ako. Nasa left side niya lang ako, hindi kalayuan sa kanya. When she finally looks at me, I saw satisfaction in her eyes. Feeling ko tuloy, masaya siya dahil nakita niya ako. Mahirap mag-assume pero sana, sana masaya nga siya.

It feels like myself is betraying me right now. When her stares change from satisfied to worried looks, nakaramdam na naman ako ng lungkot. Feeling ko nag-aala siya sa akin. Naalala ko na naman tuloy yung pagkatalo namin sa game. Tears are trying to escape from my eyes again. I don't want her to see me vulnerable but I just can't help it.

She looks worried. I don't know if I'm the reason why. All I want to do right now is to hug her. So I found my feet walking closer to her. When I finally close the gap between us, I hug her tight so she can't push me if she's getting angry. But I am thankful that she's not. I felt that she was stiffened but later on, her hands were hugging me back.

Mas hinigpitan ko pa ang yakap ko sa kanya nang maramdaman kong umiiyak na naman ako. She let me hug her and be my shoulder to cry on. No one is speaking. This hug already speaks a thousand words.

I don't care if others will caught us. I don't care about what will they think. One thing is for sure, I don't want to lose again in the next season. But right now, I don't want to lose her. I don't want to lose Khaira.

Khaira's P.O.V

"Lynn ija, okay ka lang? Tulala ka diyan?" Tita Abi suddenly asked me so I look and smile at her.

"Yes po, I'm okay." Then I look at Ricci na hindi pa din ginagalaw yung pagkain sa harap niya. Sinama ulit kasi nila ako para mag-dinner. Kumpleto sila.

Ang cute ni Riley. Ngiti ng ngiti sa akin. Katapat ko kasi siya ng upuan then sa kaliwa ko si Gelo, and sa kanan ko naman si Ricci.

"Kumain ka na." I whispered to him. He just glanced at me and smile a little.

"Huy Ricci! Sige na, kumain ka na. Baka magalit yung girlfriend mo." Kuya Prince jokes around that makes Ricci smirks.

"Oo na, ikaw din." He said to kuya Prince then look at me. "Bakit ikaw hindi kumakain?" Tanong niya sa akin.

Pero ako dedma lang. Paulit nagpi-play yung sinabing girlfriend ni kuya Prince.

"Hey, I'm asking you kung bakit ikaw din, hindi pa kumakain? Okay ka lang ba?" He whispered closely to my ears.

"Pwedeng lumayo ng kaunti Cci, masyado mong na-miss no? Ayiee, haha!" kuya Prince continues teasing us.

I smiled awkwardly at him and glance at Ricci.

"Hmm. Mauna ka muna, kapag kumain ka, kakain na din ako." I answered.

"Ayiee! Dahan-dahan sa kasweetan Lynn. Baka mamatay sa kilig si Cci. Tignan mo nakangiti na siya. Haha!" Rasheed laughs.

What the fudge?

"Loko ka Rash!" Ricci just smiled lightly trying not to laugh.

Okay, awkward.

After almost an hour, natapos kaming kumain. Mukhang okay na si Cci and kuya Prince. Nakakatawa na sila kapag nagjojoke si Rash. Riley even cheered them up. But one thing they don't forget was giving thanks to God for this day even though they don't win in the game.

I decided na magpaalam na sa kanila. I told them that my Mom gave me a curfew para makauwe na ako, kahit ang totoo ay wala naman talaga akong curfew. As usual, Ricci offers me to take me home but I refused. Pero mapilit siya, ayaw niya akong paalisin. Kaya pumayag na ako pero hanggang PhilCoa lang, at no choice na siya.

So heto kami ngayon, naglalakad papunta sa parking lot, holding hands. Yeah, yeah, ayaw niyang bitiwan ang kamay ko. Kaya naman hindi ako mapakali. Sa ginagawa niyang 'to, lalo lang akong nafafall. At ayoko ng ganon because everything that falls breaks.

Pinagbuksan niya ako ng pinto then pumasok na din siya agad at umupo sa driver's seat. Nilalamon kami ng katahimikan. Wala ni isa ang nagsasalita. Inistart niya na ang kotse pero hindi pa kami umaalis. I look at him but he's already staring at me.

"Hmm, okay ka lang?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"Yeah." He smiles and holds my hand. I flinched so he holds me tight. "But I guess its you who seems not okay. Kanina ko pa napapansin, you look paled. Are you sick?" Then his left hand touches my forehead to check my temperature as well as my neck which makes me tickled by his touch.

"Mainit ka, okay ka lang ba talaga?" Nakatitig lang siya sa akin habang hawak-hawak pa din niya ang kamay ko. Hindi ako makasagot. Natutuliro ako dahil sa sobrang lapit niya kaya naman binawi ko ang kamay ko at medyo umatras ng kaunti.

"Galit ka ba sa'kin?" He asked with a worried face. Aish, that looks again caused my heart to melt. Okay na siya kanina, ayokong malungkot na naman siya.

"No, why would I? I thought ikaw ang galit sa akin." I look at my lap and bite my lip. Totoo naman eh, galit siya sa'kin kaya hindi niya ko nirereplyan.

"Sorry, nainis lang ako sa sarili ko. I'm being a meanie.---"

"No." I cut him off. "You're not, because I am. I'm the meanie one. Ako yung unang hindi nagparamdam so its my fault, sorry." I said while still looking down.

He holds my chin and move it up to meet his gaze. We're looking at each other. He's more closer now.

"Can we forget that days? Can we start again like how we met first?" He says without breaking our eye contact.

That's impossible. I already have feelings for him.

"I like you." He softly said. I scrunched up my eyebrow looking shock.

"I like you Khaira, more than just a friend." He sincerely said to me but I don't know how to react. I smirk in disbelieve. Is this for real?

Did I heard it right? He likes me too? Ayoko sa lahat, yung sinungaling at manloloko. Pero pano kung joke lang yun? Anong isasagot ko? Aish!

"Okay ka lang ba talaga? Pulang-pulang ka naman ngayon. Kanina lang---"

"Okay lang ako." Pinutol ko na naman siya sa pagsasalita. "Its not time to joke around Cci. May curfew ako remember? Please, ihatid mo na lang ako."

Umayos ako ng upo. Ramdam kong nakakatitig siya sa akin. Hindi ko maintindihan kung ano ba talagang nangyayari ngayon. Ang alam ko lang, gusto kong mawala na parang bula dito.

He finally starts to drive his car so I deeply inhaled and exhaled. He glanced at me again with a sad face. Problema niya? I asked if his okay but he just only nod.

Hindi ko namalayan ang oras. Naka-idlip pala ako. Nang magising ako, malapit na kami sa Commonwealth na siyang ikinagulat ko.

"Sabi ko PhilCoa lang di ba?"

"Ang sarap ng tulog mo eh. Hindi na kita inistorbo." He said straight.

Nang nasa Commonwealth na kami, pinatigil ko na siya sa pagdadrive so he parks his car along the side ways.

"Hatid na kita sa inyo, malapit naman na yung Fairview."

"Traffic na Cci. You better go home and rest. Alam kong pagod ka. No need to take me home."

"But---"

"Please Cci. You need rest. Isipin mo yung sarili mo."

"Ikaw lang naiisip ko eh, anong gagawin ko?"

Natameme ako dun. Bolero din to eh no. Basketball player nga naman oh. Haha, pero kinikilig ako dun. ∩__∩

"Huwag ako Cci, iba na lang." I said seriously. Ewan ko ba, nangingibaw ang sinasabi ng isip ko na kung ayaw kong masaktan, dedma na lang.

I am scared. Hindi pa ako ready sa ganito. Pero iba ang pinararamdam ng puso. Gusto ko sya. No crap that. Mahal ko na siya. Nalilito na ako. Ano ba ang nararapat? Ang sinasabi ng isip ko o ang tinitibok ng puso ko?

"What do you mean iba na lang? Are you rejecting me? I like you Khaira. Seryoso ako. Masaya ako from that first day we met and became friends. I'm happy when we talk. I'm happy when I'm with you. You somehow looks like Mom. You never fail to cheered me up. I like you. Please Khaira."

He looks at me and I look back. I can feel that he's sincere. Every words he's saying marks deeply in my heart.

"I don't want to lose again. I don't want to lose you. I like you... and I am.., starting to love you." Ricci confessed that makes me leave out from his car.