I like the feel of your name on my lips
And I like the sound of your sweet gentle kiss
We are currently having our party for Coach O's birthday.
"Ano? Mahal mo na?" I heard Maddie asked Jaycel.
I looked at them, and Jaycel was saying something that I can't comprehend.
"If you love her, be serious. Don't be like Beatriz." I heard Maddie said.
I creased my brows. Ba't ako na naman?
"Maddiiieeeee" I yelled.
She looked at me with a smirk.
"Don't listen to her, Jaycel. I am a good girlfriend, the best compared to others, actually."
"Is that so, ate Bei? Ate Maddie was actually mad last night because of her girlfriend daw eh."
"What?! And why?" I asked, confused.
"You're malandi daw po." Jaycel answered politely.
My mouth hung open.
Me?!!
"What?! And how did I become malandi? Babe, what is this?" I asked, looking at Maddie helplessly.
She just shrugged her shoulders.
I walked to her, and the girls gave me their knowing smiles.
"How did I become malandi again, babe?" I asked as I sat next to her.
"You know you're the only one for me."
"I love you kaya."
I was blabbering continuously when I felt the familiar lips on my cheek.
"The girls were just fooling around. Naniwala ka naman agad. I know you love me. I love you too." Maddie smiled at me after she kissed my right cheek.
The way that your fingers run through my hair
And how your scent lingers even when you're not there
And I like the way your eyes dance when you laugh
And how you enjoy your two-hour bath
Nauna na akong maligo while Maddie
helps the rookies sa paglipit sa mga bola and net.
I am standing on the sidelines, watching her interact with the rookies.
"You girls know naman where to put those, diba? Kindly put it back where we took it kanina, please. Thank you, girls. And maligo na kayo after." Maddie instructed the rookies.
They all nodded and walked their way to where we put the balls.
"So, you're done na pala." she said as she stands in front of me, running her fingers through my hair.
"Eh, you're so matagal eh." I answered.
"I was helping the rookies, captain."
"Saw it. Ang bait din pala minsan ng isa pa naming captain."
"Hey! I am not that bad naman ah."
"You're not, babe. You're so strict lang sometimes, that's why the rookies are kinda afraid of you."
"Here we go again. Sige na, I'll take a bath na"
"Hug me muna."
"As you can see, Isabel Beatriz, hindi pa ako nakakaligo." Maddie said, standing right in front of me, her hands on her hips.
"Eh, you smell good pa rin naman eh."
"You're so gross, Beatriz!"
I just shook my head and pouted. This'll work.
"What's with that face? You look like a lost puppy. Hahahahaha." Maddie said and laughed. Her chinky eyes disappeared.
"I really love you, dork! Wait for me. I'm just gonna take a bath and you can hug me na." Maddie said, bopping my nose with her fist before she headed to the dugout
I am just watching her as she walks.
I know, I'll be waiting for her for more than an hour and a half but who am I to complain?
I love her so much.
And how you've convinced me to dance in the rain
With everyone watching like we were insane
"It's raining so hard, babe. We're gonna get sick." I said as I park the car slowly.
"Please. You haven't really enjoyed the rains. Like, really really enjoy." Maddie pleaded.
"How am I supposed to enjoy the rains if the only thing I can get from it is cold?"
"Pfft. As if you haven't danced in the rain when you were a kid."
"I did but that's pa----" I wasn't able to finish my argument when Maddie hopped off the car.
"What the hell, Madeleine?! Get back here!" I called, though I know that she might not hear me.
I saw her as she dances in the rain like a kid. Our team mates are just behind us. They are in another car, trailing behind us kanina. So, they surely see Maddie dancing like a duck right now.
Maddie looked at me and gestured to join her. I smiled looking at her.
"Wala naman sigurong mawawala kung sasabayan ko kabaliwan ng girlfriend ko." I mumbled as I stepped out of the car to join her under the pouring rain.
She immediately hugged me like a kid seeing her mom coming home from work.
"Finally!" she smiled.
We enjoyed dancing, laughing, and kissing under the rain. I can see our team mates taking some pictures and videos of their captains being such juveniles.
I feel so liberated under the rain with the girl I love the most. And I am thankful for Maddie coming into my life.
"I love you so much, Beatriz!" Maddie whispered as she looks me straight in the eyes.
That look that brings shivers on my spine.
"I love you too, so much, my Madeleine." I answered as I captured her thin lips.
I can hear our team mates cheering in their cars.
But I love the way you love me
Strong and wild, slow and easy
Heart and soul so completely
I love the way you love me
"Be serious in training, girls! Focus!" Maddie instructed the rookies.
I can see her game face on. The serious Maddie Madayag with her knitted eyebrows and slightly pouted lips.
Such a cutie!
"She's mad na naman?" Deanna asked. She's right beside me as we watch Maddie teaching the rookies how to do running attacks.
"Of course, you can't spell Maddie without MAD." I retorted.
"Just like how you can't spell Beast without BEA." Deanna quipped.
We giggled and did a high five, which Maddie saw.
"Isabel Beatriz and Ma. Deanna Izabella, if I am not interrupting something, can you two please help me with the rookies?" Maddie asked, with her right brow raised.
I cleared my throat.
"Of course. Sure. Sure." I answered immediately.
"Ehem! Under! Ehem!" Deanna coughed.
I just rolled my eyes at her. Everyone in the team knows that even though I am technically the team captain, I still follow orders from my team mates, especially Maddie.
I went to Maddie and asked her what I should do.
See? She's still my captain.
"Teach them how to do quick attacks." Maddie replied.
"Okay, baby."
"And be strict."
"We'll see. We'll see."
"I love you so much, babe. But if I see you and the rookies not being serious with the training, I'll punish you. Only you." Maddie said and smiled like what she had said was the nicest thing.
"That's kinda unfair ah?"
"Be serious then."
"I really love the way you love me, babe." I sighed.
"So do I, baby." Maddie winked.
And I like the sound of old R 'n' B
And you roll your eyes when I'm slightly off key
"My California kiiinnngg..." I sang with all my heart out.
And I just saw my girlfriend rolling her eyes.
"Hey! My voice was great, tho!" I protested.
"Sure, babe. Your voice is really great. Like, when you speak, ovaries will likely explode. But every time you sing? My eardrums kinda hurt." Maddie complained.
"That's exaggeration!" I said, pointing at her.
"It was not."
"Well, that hurts ah."
"Don't worry, even without a good singing voice like mine, you're still my Beatriz. My one and only Beatriz."
"I love the humility in your statement, babe." I answered sarcastically.
And we both laughed at our own antics.
And I like the innocent way that you cry
At sappy old movies you've seen thousands of times
"Babe, we've seen this movie for the nth time and we already know that they both died in the end. Why are you crying again and again?" I asked as I closed the laptop.
"Because their love deserved more than that! They could've built a family and grown old together!" Maddie sniffled.
"Their story isn't true, baby."
"But maybe, it happened in real life. Some other people might have experienced the same ending! Every one deserves to love and be loved!"
This will gonna be a long night. I shouldn't have let her pick that movie again.
And I could list a million things
I love to like about you
But they could all come down to one reason
I could never live without you
"Mahal mo talaga?" Kianna asked.
She accompanied Marck here in Ateneo because the latter has something to talk about with Coach O daw.
"So much. I never thought I could love like this." I answered as I watch Maddie reading her notes on the sidelines while we are still on a break as coach O and Marck talk.
"Do you see her as your lifetime partner?"
"I love how she smiles, I love how her eyes disappear every time she laughs hard. I love how her face turns serious when we're in training. I love how she makes me do things I never thought I can. I love how she completes my day. I love how she raises her eyebrows when I do something she doesn't like. I love how we exchange banters like we're unsupervised kids. I love to see her face every morning. I love to tuck her in bed every night. I love to talk to her nonstop about everything. I have so many things I love about her and I can't list them all, but one thing I am sure of, I can't live my life without her in it." I stated, looking at my Madeleine.
But I love the way you love me
Strong and wild, slow and easy
Heart and soul so completely
I love the way you love me
"We're just two points away from the championship title. Let's get that trophy and get things done!" Kat said as we huddled in the court.
Kat looked at me and nodded. I just smiled.
"Let's get things done." I told myself.
Maddie is now on the service line.
She served the ball......
And it landed right on the corner where no one was there to receive it.
Service ace!
The crowd went wild. Ateneo supporters are now screaming.
"Relax, baby." I told Maddie.
She served the ball again and our opponent's libero received it this time.
Their setter gave it to their open spiker,
I immediately ran to the side and jumped as high as I can to block her attack.
And I saw the ball bouncing back to their side of the court with no one to get it.
I felt my whole world lit up.
WE WON THE TITLE!! WE TOOK THE TITLE BACK!!!
Everyone celebrates. Confetti fell down.
I saw my Madeleine running at me.
"We did it! We got the title back!!" She said happily as her happy tears flow.
"Congratulations to us, baby." I smiled and hugged her.
As the host went in to the center of the court, I know, it's time.
Maddie was busy celebrating with our team mates.
Anton came closer to me and gave me the mic.
"Time to make this season's best blocker to be yours forever." Anton whispered.
I just nodded.
"Hello. Hi everyone." I greeted.
The crowd cheered.
"I just want to thank everyone who came here today to support us, and to those who are watching on their televisions right now. Our journey wasn't easy. We faced a lot of challenges but we still made it here. I planned my college life to be with the green and white team, but destiny happened and I ended up choosing the archrival of my dream university. I thought, it was really just a coincidence that I ended up choosing Ateneo, but I guess, it is not. Destiny brought me here because my other half is here." I started and the crowd began to go silent.
"Fourteen can't be fourteen without its other half. To the girl who wears the half of my jersey number..." I said, looking at Maddie, who's shocked with all the happenings. She's covering her mouth with her palm.
"Baby, I love you so much. I don't know what to say next, I don't know how to make those sweet words, so I'll just go straight forward..." I said as I walked closer to her.
I stopped in front of her and knelt on my one knee.
The loud cheers and screams erupted from the crowd.
"Will you make me the happiest girl in the world and allow me to call you mine forever?" I asked as I opened the box, revealing a ring inside it.
Maddie started crying while looking down at me.
Jaycel held the mic and pointed it a Maddie, waiting for her answer.
Please say yes.
"A million times yes! YES!!" Maddie answered and I immediately slid the ring on her finger.
It fits perfectly.
I stood up and hugged her tightly.
"Thank you!! I love you so much, my Madeleine!"
"I love you so much too, my Beatriz!"
The crowd went wild, and our team mates cheered for us.
"Winning the championship and winning the girl of your dreams for the rest of your life? Yes, I am the happiest girl in the world!!"
And we sealed everything with a slow but romantic kiss for everyone to see.
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😅