Almost, But Not Quite (COMPLETED)

Chapter 10

"How other girls feel kilig kapag nakikita nila sila Psalm?"

"Agreed," I said.

"Speaking of Psalm... what's happening?"

"Pati ikaw?!"

She laughed. "It's weird kasi, Joey! Biglang naging close kayo ni Psalm, so of course we'd wonder!"

Ugh! Grabe talaga influence nung Matt na 'yun! Pati si Kitty, nadamay sa mga fake news niya! At saka alam niya naman na may Kath na kaya sa buhay ni Psalm, baka bakit ba push na push pa rin sila sa amin ni Psalm? I mean, wala namang nangyayari.

Lahat na lang ng bagay nilalagyan ng malisya... Tsk.

"Wala 'yun," I said in an attempt to dismiss her. "Mahilig sa fake news si Matt."

Pagdating namin sa gym ng Brent, bumili muna kam ng pagkain kasi alam namin na matagal ang laban.

"Ang daming tao..." I said in awe dahil weird na maraming nanonood na magtatakbo sila Psalm pabalik-balik sa court.

"Start ng season, e," Kitty said. I didn't bother ask why she knew kasi syempre alam niya. Member ng council, e. After namin bumili, pumasok na kami sa loob. Dahil maraming tao na nga, wala ng pwesto sa side ng St. Claire's kaya doon kami sa side ng Brent napa-upo.

Tahimik kami ni Kitty na naglalaro—no comment from our side dahil 'di naman kami mahilig pareho sa sports... I mean, naiintindihan namin pero 'di lang talaga hilig. Sa gitna ng game, nakarinig kami ng sigaw from SCA's side.

"Wooo! Go, Brent! Lampasuhin niyo 'yang St. Claire's!"

"I-foul niyo 'yung number 9!"

"Ang pangit mo, GDL!"

Nagkatinginan kami ni Kitty. What the fuck? Ganito ba talaga ang trash talk sa basketball?

"Go, Psalm! Go, number 16!"

Sabay napaawang iyong labi namin ni Kitty. She was asking me kung kilala ko ba iyong babae na malakas sumigaw. I kept silent, but I knew that that was Kath. I should know—ilang beses ko ba naman makita mukha niya sa newsfeed ko, e.

"New victim ni Psalm?" Kitty asked. I shrugged; she frowned. "I thought..." she trailed, but didn't continue while looking at me sadly.

Tsk. Bakit parang biglang mukha akong kawawa?

* * *

After the game, nakita kami nila Matt, so they asked us to wait for them. Kitty was excited to go down dahil nanalo kami. She wanted to congratulate Saint for saving the game daw.

"Sama ka?"

Tumango ako kasi ayoko naman isipin ni Kitty na affected ako sa nangyari kasi hindi naman. Tahimik lang akong bumaba sa court while Kitty's bouncing. Ang daming energy!

"Congrats, Psalm!" Kitty said kasi si Psalm ang una niyang nakita.

"Thanks, Kitty!" Psalm said, grinning at Kitty. "Joey!" sabi niya na nagulat na nanood ako. "I thought basketball bore you?"

"Hinatak ako ni Kitty," I said, shrugging.

He faked a hurt. "Here, I thought you came to cheer on me."

"Arte, ha," I said, then tossed him a Blue Gatorade. "Congrats sa laban niyo kahit si Saint ang nagpanalo."

Magrereklamo pa sana si Psalm nung biglang may lumapit. I immediately turned my attention at Kath. Ngayon ko lang siya nakita ng malapitan. Ang ganda niya. She's kinda small, but she looked so confident that it made up for the lack in the height department.