‘Samieeee…’ I shouted while running towards Sam na palabas sa locker nila. I missed him badly. Ngayon lang kami nagkita after ng ilang araw.

‘Waaahh…’ Nagulat ako ng buhatin ako ni Sam. ‘Wait, Sam put me down please’ pinagtitinginan na sila nung team mates niya.

‘I missed you Marga’ sabay kurot sa baba ko.

Eeee..kaloka talaga tong si Sam oh.

‘How are you?’ mahigpit niyang hinawakan niya ang kamay ko.

IKR, we really did look like a couple. But seriously, we’re not. How I wish, ganito kami ni Gino..haha..btw, where is that supladong guy na may walang kuwentang FB??

Ayun..huling-huling nakatingin sa kanila ni Sam habang umi-inom ng Getorade samay pinto ng locker room, and take note nakasimangot ang loko. Umiling ito sa kaniya showing that he doesn’t approve that she’s here again in the practice game.

‘Samie…I missed you too’ may pahilig-hilig pa ko sa balikat ni Sam. ‘How’s your mom na?’ yun yung emergency last time kaya di niya natapos yung practice.

‘Hay..thank God, she’s recovering.’ ngumiti at inipit sa likod ng tenga ang buhok ni Marga.

‘I’m so happy to hear that. Don’t you worry, gagaling na yung mommy, I’ve been praying for her. So cheer up na’ kinurot ko ang tig-kabilang pisngi ni Sam.

‘Thanks Marga..I really hope she does..malapit pa naman na yung championship game namin, ang hirap tuloy mag-concentrate’

‘Hey..magaling ka kaya.’ kinurot ko sa tiyan si Sam.

‘Will you two cut it off???’ it was a command.

Bigla kaming napalingon ni Sam sa pinaggalingan ng boses. What the heck?? What his problem?! Biglang tumahimik sa paligid, pati tunog ng bola na dini-dribble na wala. And I can feel a lot of eyes staring at us.

‘Anong bang problema mo??’ I shouted at him. ‘Hindi ka naman namin ina-ano ah..nag-uusap lang kami dito’ kaka-badtrip talaga tong lalaking ito, palibahasa puro BV ang nasa katawan niya. Ewan ko ba kung bakit pumunta pa ko dito, ayaw ko naman talagang pumunta dito eh.

‘Anong problema?’ he went outside at hinarap kami, ako lang pala. ‘The problem is, you’re here again, disturbing our practice. Can’t your thin skull get it? that you’re not supposed to be here? You’re not allowed here??!’

‘So ako ang problema mo?’ we were facing each other na, and I am really angry..as in really..really angry.

‘Marga..Gino..stop it’ that’s Sam.

’S***!’ I heard him and like me, he really is mad, namumula na mukha niya sa galit and you can see he is controlling his emotions. Tumalikod na siya sa’min and I thought that was it..suddenly we heard na may nabasag sa loob ng locker room. Nagkatinginan kami ni Sam.

‘Stay here’

Bilin ni Sam sa’kin..but I wanted to see what happened inside.

‘Oh s***!’

Lalo akong na-curios ng marinig yung kay Sam.

‘Dude, what did you do?’

Pumasok na ako sa locker room and was shocked to see blood on Gino’s hands. ‘What happened?’ I’m worried..what if..

‘The window..it’s broken’ Sam explained looking at the broken window.

Ang hirap talagang espelingin ng taong ito. Ano ba talagang problema niya?

I started looking for the first-aid kit. Buti na lang they have it here in the locker room. Lumuhod ako sa harapan ng kina-uupuan ni Gino to check on his wounds. Pero agad niyang inalis ito sa pagkaka-hawak ko.

‘No!’

‘Gino!’ tiningnan ko siya ng masama. Uunahin pa ba niya yung galit niya sa’kin kesa sa sugat niya. I grab his wounded hand again and this time hinawakan ko ng mahigpit para hindi na niya maalis pa ito.

‘I said no’

‘Will you stop okay?’

‘I’ll call coach, wait lang’ paalam ni Sam.

‘I really don’t understand you Gino.’ dubbing a cotton on his wound.

‘Sino ba may sabi sa’yong intindihin mo ko?’

‘Yung totoo, may sakit ka bang Bipolar?’ I took the alcohol and pour it over his wound.

‘What the hell is that??’

‘One minute you’re in a good mood then suddenly sisigaw ka na lang sa galit’

‘Wala akong sakit’

Tiningnan ko siya and caught him looking at me too..pero may kunot sa noo niya. I wonder what goes through his mind right now. Una akong bumawi ng tingin and went back to what I am doing.

‘Yung utang mo sa’kin bayaran mo bukas’ he spoke after a few minutes.

‘What??’ pabigla-bigla talaga.

‘May utang ka sa’kin di ba? Bayaran mo na bukas’

‘Magkano nga ba yung utang ko sa’yo?’ parang ubos na ata yung allowance ko eh.

‘Sumama ka sa’kin bukas’

‘Ha?’

‘Why do you keep on asking me that why?’ binawi na ang kamay.

‘Wait..di pa yan tapos’ kinuha ko uli ang kamay niya.

Nag-concentrate ako sa paglalagay ng benda sa kamay niya.

‘Tomorrow 10am, daanan na lang kita sa bahay niyo.’

‘Haha..are you asking me for a date?’ Eeee..eto talagang si Gino oh, gusto lang palang makipag-date hindi nagsasabi..sabi na nga ba eh, may gusto talaga to sa’kin.

‘Sige managinip ka lang’

Nagulat na lang ako nasa pinto na si Gino.

‘Tomorrow, 10am’ agad na umalis.

‘Wait..Gino..’ ano bang meron bukas?