Aiah's Pov

"Still sleepy, Colet?" I asked.

"Ah oo, medyo napuyat lang," Colet said.

Kakatapos ng morning classes namin, muntik na late kanina si Colet na kasabay sila Mikha pumasok. Okay na ba sila?

Nasa cafeteria na ako with the girls. Kakabili namin ng food at naghahanap na ng vacant table.

"Mukhang puno lahat ng tables," I said.

"Nope, may vacant table ako nakikita," Sheena said.

"Yun oh kila Gwen, tara," Colet said.

Si Gwen at Jho lang ang nasa table, kaka-start lang din nila kumain. Umupo na kami.

Seating arrangement:

Colet - Jho - Gwen Me - Stacey - Sheena

"Hi bebe, hi girls," Gwen said.

"Hello Gwen, where's Maloi?" I asked.

"She's busy preparing the things for the game tonight with Coach Mickey," Gwen said.

"Hi Stacey," Jho said.

"Hello Jho," Stacey said.

Tahimik ng dalawang mahilig magbardagulan. Tagal na din nila hindi nag-uusap. Namiss ko na din ingay nila. Jho suddenly placed a box in front of Stacey. I gave Stacey a look to accept it.

"Thank you, Jho," Stacey said.

Stacey opened the box. Inside is a pink shooting glove.

"I noticed that your glove is a bit worn out," Jho said.

"It's beautiful, Jho. Thank you talaga," Stacey said.

Both of them smiled at each other. Well, all of us are smiling while looking at them.

"Ehem kain na muna tayo at may game pa sila later," I said.

"Aiah's right, let's eat," Colet said.

After eating lunch, Colet and the others went to the gym since they were excused for their game. Our afternoon class was only one hour, so we went to the gym. The volleyball team is scattered around the place. Some are meditating, taking a nap, holding a ball, and playing games on their phones.

"You're looking for her, are you?" Maloi asked.

"Loi hindi ka namin nakasama nag-lunch. Busy ka daw preparing the things for the team," I said.

"Ah oo, alam mo naman sila makalat pag hindi ako tutulong sa kanila. Speaking of tulong, can you give Mikha her lunch? She's in the locker room. Thanks, Aiah," Maloi said while smiling.

She gave me the bento box, then went to the other players. Hapon na pero hindi pa siya naglunch? I grab a pen and a sticky notepaper, write something, then put it on top of the lid. I went to the locker room. Nakahiga siya sa bench habang naka-headphone, she's sleeping.

"You really can sleep everywhere, Mikha Lim," I said.

I just put the bento box on the bench where her things are. Akala ko naayos na ni Maloi gamit nila. Inayos ko muna mga gamit ni Mikha sa sports bag niya bago lumabas ng locker room.

"Maloi tulog si Mikha," I said.

"Medyo maaga pa naman. Magigising na din yun maya-maya," Maloi said.

"Himbing ng tulog," I said.

"Namimiss mo noh?" Maloi asked.

"We still didn't have the chance to talk," I said.

"Pagpasensyahan mo na si Mikha. She felt your fear that night even if you only saw her back and claws," Maloi said.

"I wish we could talk to each other," I said.

"The field trip would be the best chance for the two of you to talk," Maloi said.

"Sana huwag siya umiwas," I said.

"She better not do that, look at the others. They are back to talking, especially Jho and Stacey," Maloi said.

"I miss their bardagulan," I said.

"You and Mikha are the only ones who are not yet okay. We kinda missed teasing the both of you too," Maloi said.

"Don't worry, I'll really take the chance on the field trip, even if I have to use my skills as a hunter," I said.

Maloi and I went to our friends. Jho and Stacey bardagulan are back. Gwen and Sheena having bebe time. Maloi sat beside Colet, who was suddenly smiling.

"Nicolette Vergara, my hunter instinct is sensing something," I said.

"Huh?" Colet asked.

"Kanina inaantok ka tapos ngayon naka-smile ka pagka-upo ni Maloi sa tabi mo," I said.

"I always smile pag katabi ko si Maloi," Colet said.

"Iba yung smile mo ngayon," I said.

"Guni-guni mo lang yan Aiah," Colet said.

Ang weird ngayong araw. After an hour, Mikha came out of the locker room carrying her sports bag and the bento box. Our eyes met for a few seconds before she went to Maloi.

"Loi, thanks for the lunch," Mikha said.

"Ikaw nalang kasi hindi pa kumakain," Maloi said.

"May kasama na note, is the food from the fans?" Mikha asked.

"Note?" They asked at the same time except Maloi.

"Ah oo, bigay ng fans. It's safe to eat," Maloi said.

"May food pala na galing sa fans. May pa-note pa nalalaman," Jho said.

"Ano sabi sa note mikhs?" Gwen asked.

"The note says, toujours le meilleur. Hindi mo ba binasa nung dinala mo sakin yung bento box Loi?" Mikha asked.

"Hindi ko siguro napansin yung note," Maloi said.

"May pa-french word pa ang fans ngayon. Always the best is the meaning of toujours le meilleur," Colet said.

"Ah okay, punta lang ako sa parking lot," Mikha said.

Mikha went out of the gym while the girls were looking at me. Yung tingin nila na mapang-asar.

"Ms. Maraiah Arceta, explain," Sheena said.

"What?" I asked.

"A little fact about the four of us hunters: you, me, Stacey, and Colet. You and Colet are the only ones who mastered the French language, but it's impossible that Colet would write that for Mikha," Sheena said.

"Okay, the note is from me. I just want to do a little cheering to Mikha. I kinda change my writing style, para hindi niya mahalata na sulat ko," I said.

"Mabuti hindi alam ni Mikha na master ni Aiah ang French language," Gwen said.

"Akala ko sasabihin ni Maloi na si Aiah nag-dala," Stacey said.

"Sasabihin ko sana pero hindi na, kasi sa note palang nakakatuwa ang clueless reaction ni Mikha," Maloi said.

"Kayo talaga inaasar niyo kahit wala siya dito," I said.

"Uy protective sa captain namin," Jho said.

"Staku paki-kurot si Jho," I said.

"Sorry Aiah, pero kampi ako ngayon kay Jho," Stacey said.

Napa-facepalm nalang ako. Niyaya ko na si Stacey at Sheena na uwi muna kami para makapagpalit at diretso na sa arena mamaya. Dala ko ngayong araw car ko. Pagkadating namin sa parking lot ay kita namin si Mikha naka-sandal sa isang puno habang may katawag. She's now wearing a cap, but our eyes met again.

"Titigan pa more," Sheena said.

"Get inside the car," I said.

"Yes, captain," Sheena and Stacey said.

Hinatid ko muna silang dalawa bago umuwi sa bahay. Nasa open kitchen si Mom habang si Kuya Bryan nasa sala. Kakauwi niya kagabi galing ibang bansa.

"Hi everyone," I said.

"Aga mo umuwi nak," Mom said.

"Mom manunuod yan ng game," Kuya Bryan said.

"Kuya, how did you know?" I asked.

"Enzo told me, but I have a feeling that you never missed a single game of Mikha," Kuya Bryan said.

"Maka-Enzo nalang, close na kayo? Parang hindi ka sinubukan patayin," I said.

"We're now friends, and it looks like the two of us are the same in being scared at our sisters," Kuya Bryan said.

"Speaking of the game, Aiah nak bring these sandwiches for Sophia and her teammates. It's their snack after the game," Mom said.

"Huh? For the volleyball team? This day is really weird," I said.

"How weird?" Kuya Bryan asked while laughing a bit.

"First, Colet came to class with Mikha and the others; they were still sleepy. Second, Stacey and Jho are now okay. Plus, Colet is kinda acting different to Maloi," I said.

"That's good, everything is going well. Friendship will still prevail," Mom said.

"Then third, they said Maloi prepared the team's things; that's why she was not with us during lunch time. We went to the gym, pinasuyo ni Maloi na ibigay ko kay Mikha na nasa locker room ang bento box lunch. She was sleeping, so I just placed her lunch in the bench where her things are, but her sports bag was still a mess. So ako na nag-ayos ng gamit niya bago ako lumabas ng locker room," I said.

"Haba ng explanation pagdating sa part ni Mikha," Kuya Bryan said.

"Basta ang weird Kuya. Si mom nga gumawa ng sandwiches for the volleyball team," I said.

"Nak, I just feel like giving the team a reward," Mom said.

"Really mom? You don't have any alternative motive?" I asked.

"Ikaw talaga umaatake na naman hunter instinct mo," Kuya Bryan said.

"I'm sure the volleyball team is going to be tired for their game today, so they can just eat the sandwiches and rest early at their homes," Mom said.

"Okay mom, I'll bake some cookies too then," I said.

"Uy pahingi sis," Kuya Bryan said.

"Naglalaro ka ba ng volleyball? Hindi diba Kuya? Pagawa ka nalang ng sandwich kay Mom," I said while smiling.

"Mom, oh si Aiah," Kuya Bryan said.

"Hay nako kayo talaga magkapatid. Mabuti hindi nakuha ni Sophia pagiging ganyan niyo," Mom said.

I baked a lot of cookies, not only for the volleyball team but for my friends too. After baking, sabay-sabay na kami nila Stacey at Sheena pumunta ng arena. Sinundo ko sila gamit car ko. Sinalubong kami ni Maloi sa hallway.

"Aiah, ang dami niyan," Maloi said.

"They can eat Mom's sandwiches after their game. Also, I baked cookies for the whole team," I said.

"Wow, dami ng food," Sheena said.

"Don't worry, Shee. May naka-separate na box of cookies sa car ko para sa inyo," I said.

"The best ka talaga Aiah," Stacey said.

"Sama kayo sa locker room, always welcome kayo sa team namin," Maloi said.

Totoo sinabi ni Maloi, kilalang-kilala naman kasi kami ng mga staffs ng volleyball team at teammates nila Mikha. Inside the locker room, nag-reready na mga players, pero halata ko na may halong kinakabahan sila. Wala si Mikha.

"Gwen, si Mikhs?" I asked.

"Kanina nandyan lang siya eh," Gwen said.

"Lumabas po si captain, may katawag ata," Teammate 1 said.

"Pansin ko kanina pa may katawag si Mikha kahit bago tayo pumunta dito," Jho said.

"May nililigawan na siguro si captain. Naka-smile kanina sa school pagkagaling sa parking lot," Sophia said.

"Sophia lapit ka sakin," I said.

"Ate Aiah nandyan ka pala. Hanapin ko lang po si captain," Sophia said while smiling.

"Halika saglit lang Sophia Elizabeth," I said.

"Patay tinawag na pati second name," Sheena said.

"Ate Aiah hahanapin ko talaga si captain," Sophia said.

"Maloi wag niyo bigyan ng sandwich at cookies si Sophia," I said.

"Hindi pwede wala ako makuha sandwich gawa ni mom," Sophia said.

"Pwede ka naman gawan ni mom sa bahay." I said.

"Para sa team yan Ate Aiah, I'm part of the team din," Sophia said.

"Ah basta hindi ka bibigyan ni Maloi," I said.

"Ihh, Ate Maloi wag ka makinig kay Ate Aiah," Sophia said.

"Oops, ayaw ko madamay dyan," Maloi said.

Napatawa nalang lahat sa locker room. Yung napansin ko na kaba sa mga players ay nawala na. Bumukas ang pinto at pumasok si Mikha na naka-smile.

"Ayan na si captain Lim," Teammate 1 said.

"Mikhs, saan ka galing?" Colet asked.

"I just talked to someone on the phone," Mikha said.

"Looks like that someone is going to watch the game," Gwen said.

"Yes, she is," Mikha said.

"She? Baka pwede mo ipakilala sa amin," Jho said.

"Next topic. We have a game, so let's pray first," Mikha said.

She? Sino naman kaya yun? Mikha's smile was different. Baka may bagong friend na siya. May pa-next topic ka pa nalalaman Mikha Lim.

We prayed with the volleyball team, then pumunta na kami nila Sheena sa bleachers, na nasa likod lang ng bench of Mikha's team.

"Aiah, what was that?" Stacey asked.

"What??" I asked.

"Your reaction when Mikha's teammates were saying she was talking to someone on the phone and that she's smiling," Stacey said.

"Then your face expression when Mikha said that someone she was calling is going to watch the game," Sheena said.

"I just feel irritated, that's why," I said.

"Irritated or jealous," Sheena said.

"Me? Jealous? What reason for me to get jealous? Nothing," I said.

"Talaga lang nothing, let's see," Stacey said.

"May kunin lang ako sa car, dito lang kayo," I said.

"Okay, Ms. Nothing," Sheena said.

Sarap talaga ma-wrestling mga kaibigan ko eh. Pagdating ko sa car, kinuha ko agad isang box na may laman ng cookies para kila Sheena.

Pagkapasok ko sa entrance door ay may napansin ako na isang girl na naka-tingin sa seat ticket niya. I introduced myself first, then asked if she needed help. She can't find her seat, so sinama ko na siya sa bleachers since magkatabi lang pala seat number niya sa amin.

"Thank you, Aiah," Belle said.

"Your welcome, Belle," I said.

Belle leaned her arms to the railings and then called a player's name. A name that I didn't expect she would say.

"Mikha Lim!" Belle said.