Chapter 4

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and turn." We cheered as we danced along to the beat.

Cheer stunts definitely add a lot of excitement to any routine, but they can be difficult to execute well. I rolled my eyes dahil pagod na ako at nakakaramdam na ng uhaw.

Cassandra, Vettinah, and Ernisha are part of the cheerleading team kaya nasama rin ako. Required na each student ay kasama sa isa isang organization, kaya noong organization day ay wala akong choice at nagpahila na lang sakanila. Pero qualified din ako mag-join sa student council, at namimili pa ako ng partido na sasamahan.

For now, cheer dance muna ang iniisip ko. We started practicing for the opening of APSTAP Sport League. We still have two more months to prepare. Medyo hassle lang kasi malapit na ang finals namin for this semester.

"Water break," ate Miranda, the head of the cheerleading team, announced.

I was drinking my water when Vettinah, approached me. "Kanina pa tingin nang tingin dito si Leo," she whispered.

"Namamalikmata ka lang," I replied as I put my bottled water inside my bag.

"Anong namamalikmata, Cassandra saw it too! Right, Sandra?" She put her hands on her waist as she looked at Sandra.

"Oo. Trip ka 'ata ng ungas na 'yon," Cassandra concluded. Just thinking about that thought, makes me want to vomit!

"Look," turo ni Ernisha sa half court. "Nakatingin pa din siya dito," she continued.

Fearfully, I shifted my gaze, and saw him looking at me. Amusement twinkled in his eyes and played with the corners of his mouth. He gave me a slight wave. Instead of waving back, I raised one of my eyebrow and shifted my gaze.

Hindi ko pinansan ang pang-aasar nila at agad na bumalik sa gitna. We continued practicing some stunts like basket toss and superman.

Hindi ako makapag-focus sa mga steps na ginagawa namin. Naiilang ako sa mga pagsulyap niya. I suddenly feel conscious in my actions. Natatakot akong magkamali dahil ayaw kong mapahiya sa harap niya. Hindi ko alam kung bakit parang gusto kong magpasikat sakanya.

"Tatiana, are you still with us?" I bit my lower lip dahil hindi na pala ako nakakasunod, dahil sa pagsulyap ko din sakanya.

"O-of course! I'm sorry," I apologized.

I tried to focus dahil medyo delikado ang susunod na stunt. When you prepare for more difficult stunting, it's important to not only prepare yourself physically, but also mentally.

If you are on a competition cheerleading squad, making difficult cheerleading stunts look easy is all part of the job. Whether you are part of the base or one of the flyers, practice and skill will make any difficult cheerleading stunt come off with ease.

"Shet na malagket! Natapos din," Cassandra said with a sigh of relief, glancing up at Ernisha. Inayos namin ang mga gamit namin at naglakad na palabas. We were planning to eat somewhere.

"Boiling Shrimp o Samgyupsal?" Cassandra, asked.

"Samgy!" Sabay sabay naming sagot. We laughed and continued to walk.

"Wait,Ladies!" Leo, said as he grabbed my hand.

Hinawi ko ang aking kamay. I heard my friends whispering to each other. Obviously, ini-issue nanaman nila kami.

"What do you need?" I asked and raised a brow.

"You," he answered and chuckled softly.

"Tomboy, alis ka jan! Tabi baka matapakan mo buhok ni Tatiana, ang haba kasi," pagbibiro ni Vettinah. Pabiro niyang hinila palayo sa Cassandra, na nasa tabi ko.

Leo, shifted his gaze to my friends and give them a light smile.

"I mean, uh, let's have lunch together," he asked shyly. "Kung libre ka, at wala kayong lakad, syempre." Pahabol pa nito nang hindi ako agad nakasagot.

Lunch my ass. We're not friends nor close to each other. I was about to answer pero naunahan na ako ni Cassandra. "Libreng libre siya ngayon," sabay tulak sa akin na ikinatawa naman ni Leo. "Basta ingatan mo yan, ha?" dagdag pa nito.

"Hoy, akala ko ba sa samgy tayo?" pagtutol ko dahil sa pambubugaw nila sakin, sa bakulaw na to.

"Next week pa 'yon diba?" palusot ni Vettinah.

"Oo nga, basta ingatan mo yan, ha?" ulit pa ni Cassandra. I looked at Ernisha, and tried to ask for help pero masyado siyang abala sa pagtitipa ng mensahe para sa boyfriend niya.

"Iniingatan ko siya, I mean, oo iingatan ko." parang lintang kinilig ang mga kaibigan kong taksil. They wave their hands and start walking away. "Wear a condom! Safety first," Cassandra shouted.

"Gago," I shouted back.

"Where do you want to eat?" he asked.

"Kahit saan," I replied.

"Ang labo naman ng sagot mo," he said at pilit na kinukuha ang mga gamit ko. "Kasing labo na ipagpalit kita," he added. Nagkunwari akong nasusuka, at tinawanan lang ako nito.

"Can we just eat somewhere else?" I asked. Dito niya ako dinala, sa wing street kung saan kami unang nagkita, at kung saan ko siya hinalikan.

"Why?" mapaglaro nitong tanong sa akin.

"Diet ako," palusot ko. He just chuckled, at hindi naniwala sa sinabi ko.

"Diet? Baka naman may naaalala kang-"

I immediately opened the door and entered. Tumawa lang ito at sumunod din.

"Hindi ko alam na dancerist ka pala." He chuckled sexily, but I choosed to ignore him.

Inabala ko ang sarili ko sa paghahanap ng tamang anggulo. I love sharing my hanash on Instagram.

"Hey," he said trying to get my phone and also my attention. "Ulitin mo! Wait, dapat gwapo ako sa IG story mo a."

I rolled my eyes and looked at him with disbelief. Akala niya yata ay kinukuhanan ko siya ng litrato.

"Assuming. Pagkain pini-picturan ko, hindi ikaw. Bakit, pagkain ka ba?"

"Hindi ako pagkain, pero masarap din ako."

Tumawa lamang 'to nang magkunwari akong nasusuka.

"You did not follow me back."

"Ano ka chix?" I hissed. "Baka gawin mo lang akong liker ng mga post mo."

"Pwede rin," he jokingly replied.

"Ew! Ayoko nga!"

"Kung ayaw mong i-like ang mga post ko, edi ako nalang i-like mo. Realquick, darling."

Hindi ko na 'to pinansin at kumain na lang. Ang harot harot niya, nakakainis! Ang mga katulad kong marupok ay allergic sa katulad niyang maharot.

I smiled as he cleaned our mess. Well, atleast kahit maharot may manners naman.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. He looked puzzled. "I mean, sorry doon sa nagawa ko. Uh, you know yung ano," he laughed at my reaction. Hindi ko kasi masabi ng buo dahil hanggang ngayon ay nahihiya pa rin ako.

He looked at me with a hint of amusement. He reached for my cheeks, and pinched it.

"I enjoyed it, don't worry." He said playfully.

"Nandito yung ex kong manloloko that time. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko, wala ako sa katinuan tapos nagulat nalang ako, nahalikan na pala kita." I explained. Baka kasi isipin niya na may gusto ako sakanya or what. Sandali itong natahimik at tila may naisip.

"Bakit kaya ganon 'no?" He suddenly asked pero hindi ko alam kung ano ang tinutukoy niya.

"You keep on loving pero wala kang natatanggap in return. You keep on pushing yourself to be loved by someone pero wala pa din." he gave me a light smile, pero halata namang peke.

Naging tahimik ulit siya. I don't know kung may nagawa ba ako, or may nasabing kakaiba.

"Uh, yung bayad ko." pilit kong iniaabot ang pera ko.

"My treat," tipid niyang sabi.

I rolled my eyes dahil ayaw kong magkaroon ng utang sakanya, mamaya isumbat niya pa 'yon sa akin.

"Let me pay for my bill," pagpupumilit ko pa din.

"I don't let my girl, pay."

Mariin akong napapikit. "Ayaw kong magkaroon ng utang na loob sayo," I harshly replied.

"Edi, ilibre mo nalang ako sa susunod." He said as he walked away. Leaving me dumbfounded.