If you want it, you must work hard for it. Those were the words that my Dad would always say to me pag may gusto akong kunin, bilhin or something that I really want.
That's why I'm here at MOA, pumipila so I can buy a ticket for the do or die game match sa semi-finals ng Men's Basketball game and it's UP vs Adamson.
And I'm rooting for UP kasi aside sa, I'm an iska of my own school, syempre yung crush ko and my favorite player is in it too. Si Juan Gomez De Liaño, yung taong bago ko lang hinahangaan. Like just this season lang talaga.
And I don't know how he caught my attention, it's just siguro, simple, since I'm a fan of UAAP Basketball and I always watch live games, doon ko siya napansin sa game nila vs UE. Their first game of season 81. He's just really good in playing and I don't know but there's just something about him na parang nahulog ako sa kanya.
Kaya, from then on, I'm always at his games like always talaga kasi yung sched ko na Monday-Wednesday, hanggang 3PM lang yung class ko. So, pag may game si Juan sa 2pm or 4pm, I'm able to catch and watch him except nung game nila na it was held sa Ynares. Antipolo kasi yun and malayo. Hindi ako pinayagan.
Hindi ako yung tipo na fangirl na showy sa social media like nagpo-post from time to time about sa mga idols niya or kaya may maraming pictures kasama yung idol niya.
Because I'm the opposite with that. Tahimik lang kasi ako and hindi rin ako masyado gumagamit ng social media. So, parang, I'm like "lowkey" lang na humahanga sa kanya.
Pero pag tuwing games naman nya, there are times talaga na doon ako showy. Like, I would always scream my heart out everytime binabanggit ng commentator yung name niya or kaya any from the UP players.
And also, I just thought na hindi naman necessary na you should post things about him to prove na you're a supporter kasi it's the thought that counts already. And I know in my heart naman na I support Juan and everything that he does for his team, I admire it so much.
Tapos, I always get to see Juan in person mapa live games man or kaya sa pagnagkataon, sa campus din pero never pa talaga akong nagkaroon ng picture na kasama siya. Like I never had the guts na lumapit sa kanya and ask for a picture because yun nga, I am really a shy type person. Like super. Kaya, okay na lang din sakin yung makita siya kahit sa malayo.
Though, there's still also a part of me na I really want to have a picture with him kahit isa lang naman.
I look at the time and it's quarter to 5. I've been standing here for almost almost 2 hours already and I really need to buy a ticket for this game because this is a must watch game for the UP Fighting Maroons. And hindi ako papayag na I'm going home with no ticket in my hand.
My phone rang and when I look at the caller I.D, si Ate ko tumatawag so I immediately answered it.
"Hello Ate?" I said after picking it up.
"Where are you? Are you done buying your ticket?" I heard her asked.
"No pa po eh. The line is still long and medj malayo pa ako Ate. Why?"
"Great. Can you come here muna sa ground floor? I'm here sa Mango Clothing shop and I left my ATM card pala sa house. Can you pay it muna? I promise I'll pay you once we get home"
"But Ate, pumipila ako dito. Someone might take my place here if I leave" I whined on my phone
"Just ano, just ask the person behind you na pabantay sa place mo and tell that person na you have to go somewhere really quick lang"
"Okay, fine"
"Yay! I'll be waiting. Bye!"
I dropped the call after and I look behind me to see an elder woman. So, how am I going to do this?
"Excuse me po, Ma'am. Uh- pwede po ba pabantay sa place ko po? May pupuntahan lang po kasi ako sa baba Ma'am. Madali lang po ito" I say to the elder woman at napatingin siya sa akin
"Oo naman. Basta bilisan mo hija ah" She smiled at agad naman akong tumango. "Yes po Ma'am. Thank you so much po"
Umalis na'ko and I immediately went sa ground floor. And when I was on the ground floor area ay I looked for the Mango Clothing Shop. I passed several stores bago ko nakita yung Mango Store.
I went inside and nakita ko naman si Ate kagad.
"Ate" I called. She looks up from her phone and she smiled widely when she saw me
"Eva" Lumapit si Ate sakin and she has a few clothes on her hand.
"Tara, let's pay it na. I'm in a hurry" Sabi ko kagad and we walked towards the pay counter area.
"Okay na po ba yung sizes nyo Ma'am?" The cashier asked habang nagre-register sya sa price.
"Yes po"
"4,321 pesos po lahat" Sabi niya. I gave her my ATM card and nilagay nya doon sa ATM reader. I put the pin number and after it, ay nakuhaan na ng 4,321 pesos yung ATM ko.
Binalik na iyon sakin and pagkatapos namin magbayad, we went out na.
"Ate, balik na'ko ah. And you can just go ahead na lang Ate, magg-grab na lang ako pauwi kasi mahaba talaga yung pila e" Sabi ko kay Ate.
"Are you sure? Pwede rin naman na uwi muna ako tas you can text if magpapasundo ka na" She says and umiling ako
"No, it's fine Ate. Magg-grab na lang ako" I said then suddenly, bigla niya akong pinanliitan ng mata
"Why? Bakit ayaw mo magpasundo? May maghahatid siguro sa'yo noh" Ate teases me and I made a face "Wala noh! It's just, ayoko ng mahassle ka Ate tas baka matatagalan pa ako sa pagbili ng ticket"
"Hmmm. Ikaw Eva ah, baka mamaya we'll know na may boyfriend ka na pala ah, you're not still allowed with that" Pagsasabi niya sa akin
"Wala nga Ate. Okay fine, I'll text you if magpapasundo na'ko" Irap ko para matapos at matigil na ni Ate yung pag-aano niya saken na may boyfriend ako, e wala naman.
I have a strict Dad kasi and he doesn't allow me to have a boyfriend. He wants me to focus on my studies muna like he wants me to finish my education first bago raw ako magboyfriend. And wala naman kaso yun sa akin kasi, parang wala rin naman sa isip ko na pumasok sa isang relationship muna.
There are some guys who tried to court me pero hanggang dun na lamang yun kasi, binabasted ko na sila una. Bawal nga kasi akong magboyfriend tapos let me add din na if you want to court me, you have to court my Dad first. And sa Daddy ko pa lamang, I'm sure hindi na sila pasado sa kanya kasi nga he will not allow me to have a boyfriend.
And sa Mom ko naman, she's really the opposite of my Dad. If si Daddy ay super strict, si Mom ko naman yung may pinakamalambot na puso. She's the most kindhearted person I know. Pinapayagan niya ako sa kahit ano even sa pagbo-boyfriend but si Dad lang talaga.
Though kahit kindhearted si Mom, may pagkastrict pa rin naman. Hindi nga lang parehas kay Daddy.
I bid my goodbye to Ate and napagsunduan namin na yun nga, sya na yung magsusundo sa akin after I buy my ticket.
I started to walk back to the ticket booth area and biglang naman nag ring yung phone ko. This time, it's from my best friend, Erica.
"Eva, punta ka sa school! UP is selling extra tickets daw! Bilis!" She said after I answered it.
And my eyes widened naman at what she said, "Seryoso?!"
"Oo nga! Bilisan mo, their tickets are limited lang daw"
"What?! Can you buy me na lang? I'm still here at MOA"
"Wala ako sa school. Papunta pa nga ako kasi I just thought na bibili na lang din ako ng ticket so I can watch na lang din"
"Seryoso talaga?! Kasi I'm about to leave na"
"Oo nga. Bilisan mo. I'll meet you later"
"Okay sige, coming!"
Agad ko naman binaba ang tawag and decided to dial Ate, baka kasi she's still here so she can fetch me going to UP-D.
After a ring, ay sinagot na ni Ate.
"Ate, sa'n ka?"
"Nandito na sa car. Why? Nakabili ka na ng ticket?"
"No Ate. Erica called me na UP is selling tickets daw. That's why I'm going to UP now. Pasabay ako"
"Okay sige, bilisan mo. I'm still at the parking lot"
"Okay"
And with that, I ran as fast as I could without minding the people who were looking at me differently. They're probably wondering why I'm running like a marathon. I don't care because all I really want right now is makabili ng ticket.
Nang nasa parking lot na'ko and I saw Ate's car, I immediately climbed inside the front seat and commanded her na punta na kami sa UP
"Lakas maka-utos ah" Sabi niya as she turned on the engine. I laugh and said sorry tapos we drove off to UP-D.
The ride was a little long kasi nagkaroon ng short traffic. We arrived at UP-D and Ate just dropped me sa sidewalk.
Pagbaba ko naman, I started running na ulit and when I ran passed sa basketball gym ng UP Men's Basketball team, agad ko naman naalala si Juan. They're probably having a training or kaya he's in his class.
I shook that thought away kaso may nabunggo akong tao bigla.
"Sorry" We both apologized at the same time and when I look at the person in front of me, bigla atang tumigil sa pagtibok yung puso ko when I recognized that it was Juan yung nakabunggo ko. Like yes! It's Juan Gomez de Liaño!
Holyshit, I was just thinking about him awhile ago tapos makakabunggo ko siya kagad.
"You okay?" He asked at hindi ako makapagsalita nang dahil sa bilis ng tibok ng puso ko. Ohmygosh.
This is so unexpected. Hindi ko talaga inexpect 'to. This is my first time nakita ko siya nang ganito kalapit and our first interaction din!
"Sorry, I wasn't looking kasi" Salita na naman niya ulit.
"Ay-- um.. I'm fine, it's okay. Sorry din because I wasn't looking also" I said and I am really trying to sound normal kahit inside, sobrang kabadong kabado na'ko.
"Um... I should go ahead na kasi I'm going to buy a ticket for your game tomorrow, baka maubusan ako. Bye! and Good luck on your team!" Pagmamadali kong sabi sa kanya.
Naunang na'kong nagpaalam sa kanya kasi as much as I want to stay longer, like ready nakong makipag-converse sa kanya, kahit hindi ko inexpect 'to, hindi pwede kasi baka maubusan ako ng ticket. Okay na okay na sakin sobra yung nagkita kami and did a short talk. Masayang-masaya na'ko.
"Bye! Thank you!" I heard someone yelled habang nasa malayo na'ko and when I turned around, it was Juan who yelled at nakita kong ngumiti siya.
I gave him a quick smile and a thumbs up bago ako pumihit patalikod.