Twins are in Love ✓

CHAPTER 2: The Twins

SKYE

After my two classes this morning - English Literature and Art History - that most of it were just an introduction of the students and professors, I decided to look for Uno. Hindi ako matatahimik hangga't hindi ko nasisigurong siya na naka-encounter ko kaninang umaga sa daan, na siya ring nakausap ko kanina dito sa school, at ang lalaki sa picture ay iisang tao lang.

The six boys I met earlier, they mentioned that it was their Captain. Maybe, they were talking about their basketball captain. So, agad akong nagtungo sa lugar kung saan sila posibleng naroon ngayon. Gym.

Nang makarating ako sa gym, agad kong nakita ang pitong lalaki na mga naka-school uniform instead of wearing jerseys. Uno, if I'm not mistaken, was standing and dribbling the ball while looking at the ring. Nakaupo lang at nakatingin sa kanya ang iba pang lalaki habang nagtatawanan. Nakatalikod sila sa direksyon ko kaya hindi nila ako napansin nang bahagya akong lumapit sa kinaroroonan nila.

"The best yung laban natin nung finals four months ago. Riot! But, I had so much fun there."

"At sino ba naman ang makakalimot sa ginawa ni Captain Uno? Imbes na bola ang abutin niya during jumble, aba! Straight to that asshole's ugly face ang kamao niya. Ayun! Hinalikan ng hayop na kalaban natin ang matigas na sahig," pahayag ng isa sa kanila sabay tawa. 

"At syempre, bago pa ko maunahan ng kalaban nating nasa tabi ko that time, sinuntok ko na rin ang pagmumukha niya kaya hindi na nakaporma. Nakakapanggigil ang mga hinayupak."

"Sino bang hindi manggigigil sa kahayupang ginawa nila sa kaibigan at kasamahan natin?"

"Kung tayo lang ang na-disqualified sa championship game that time, aba! Talagang aalma ako. Those jerks didn't deserve to be in a championship or even in the top four. Dahil noon pa man, marumi na silang maglaro. Tsk."

"Yeah. Yung sinabi ni Captain Uno sa kalaban na 'I will give you a fair fight on our game'? Nang suntukin niya yung hayop na captain nila, doon ko lang totoong naintindihan ang sinabi niyang iyon. Because those assholes never gave a fair fight inside and outside the court."

"The best din ang moves ni Captain One. Nakatayo lang siya at hindi nakikisali sa rumble natin sa gitna ng court. Pero, nang dambahin siya ng isang kalaban natin, walang pakundangan na binalian niya ito ng isang kamay."

And they all laughed again. 

So, talaga ngang may Captain One? Okay.

They just stop laughing when their Captain stopped dribbling the ball. "They underestimated him. And what do they think of him? A saint? Of course, he was also mad. Besides, it's our friend, the youngest in our team that we were talking about here."

Okay. I know it's a bad idea to eavesdrop, but it's not really my intention to eavesdrop. I just wanted to talk to him, but I think it's not yet the right time. I turned my back and started walking away from them.

"Hey, you." Narinig kong sabi ng isang lalaki bago pa man ako tuluyang makalabas nitong gym. I recognized that voice - Uno. But, I just continued and didn't look back.

"Hey, stop right there." 

I didn't mind him and still continued. Besides, it's not me that he was calling, right? I convinced myself. But then, bigla na lang akong hindi nakagalaw at nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa gulat nang may lumipad na bola sa gilid ng mukha ko.

"I said, stop right there."

I turned around. "You almost hit me!" I yelled at him. 

"But, I didn't," Uno simply replied, walking towards my direction. He stopped just few inches away from me. "What are you doing here?" Then, his forehead creased. "Wait. I know you. You're the girl earlier. And...." 

I was a bit surprised, but looked at him with full of anticipation. And the girl you met outside this campus, I added silently, hoping that it was also he would say to me.

He crossed his arms. "You're here for me. Because you're not be here if you're not looking for me," he stated, smirking.

I gazed at him in disbelief. Seriously? Siya ba talaga ang lalaking nagustuhan ko? Yes, maybe I have a crush on him. But, I didn't know that he was so full of himself and conceited.

"What brought you here?" he asked.

"We met earlier. Outside this campus."

He narrowed down his eyes at me, as if remembering what I'm talking about. "Hm. Can you elaborate that, Miss? Because I don't remember anything that we met earlier outside this campus."

"We encountered a thief on the street. Binato ko siya ng bola, pero ikaw ang tinamaan. And that ball hit the back of your head. Hindi ba masakit ang ulo mo ngayon?" 

At first, his forehead creased. Seconds later, the playful smirk on his face quickly faded away. Bigla siyang sumeryoso at inilayo ang mukha sakin. Sa isang iglap, walang anumang emosyon ang mababasa sa mga mata at mukha niya.

"You've been mistaken me from someone else."

"No, I'm sure it was you." Hindi ako maaaring magkamali. Siya iyon. 

"Yes, I'm sure it wasn't me."

"It's you." At biglang naglapitan na rin sa direksyon namin ang anim pang lalaki. "Captain Uno, hinahanap ka nga pala niya," sabi ng isa sa kanila.

"Gago, hindi ka nga sigurado kung si Captain Uno o si Captain One ang hinahanap niya."

"Pero, basta sigurado akong isa sa kanila ang hinahanap ni Miss Beautiful," sabay tawa nito.

"I'm sure she was referring to my twin brother," Uno stated.

I frowned. "You have a twin brother?"

"Yes. An identical twin, to be exact."

And before I could ask him again, someone entered the gym. Ang kamukhang-kamukha nga ng lalaking kausap ko ang pumasok na iyon. At halos manlaki ang mga mata ko nang makitang may benda ang ulo niya. Agad akong lumapit sa kinaroroonan niya.

"Oh my! I did really hurt you!" 

He glanced at me and I swear, I saw the recognition in his eyes. Then, Uno was right. I've mistaken him from his twin brother. At ang lalaking nasa harapan ko ngayon ang nakilala ko sa labas ng campus.

"Oh, it's you. Don't worry about me. I'm really okay now."

"No, you're not. Kung okay ka lang, wala dapat benda 'yang ulo mo."

"Don't worry about him, Miss. Okay lang si One. Nagpa-checkup na siya. At wala lang talaga siyang nagawa nang bendahan siya ng nurse sa ulo," sagot ng babae na nasa tabi ni One.

"Oh? Okay. Glad to hear that." 

Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin ko sa dalawang lalaki. They're really identical twins. Mahihirapan ka talagang makilala kung sino ang sino. Uno and One have the same gorgeous face, but really have different personalities. 

"Hey, Ash!" Lumapit si Uno sa babae. "I'm hungry. Let's eat. I'll treat you."

The girl, named Ash narrowed her eyes on him. "That's a blackmail." 

He smirked playfully before pushing her gently outside the gym. "I know you can't say no to me."

"Correction. I can't say no to your treat."

"It's the same, Ash." Saglit niyang tinapunan ng tingin ang mga kaibigan. "We have to go, guys. See you later." And with that, they left us here.

I glanced back at One. He already removed the gauze on his head and walked towards the court. He picked up the ball and shoot it on the ring. The gym was filled with silence. Tanging bola lang ang maririnig na ingay.

"Captain One, mukhang fully-recovered na si bunso," basag sa katahimikan ng isa sa mga lalaki.

"And by Wednesday, makakapasok na raw siya."

He stops dribbling. "That's great news," he replied without looking at them. 

Another moment of silence. After that, balik-kwentuhan ang mga lalaki habang nakatayo at idini-dribble lang ni One ang bola. The atmosphere became really differrent.

What was that? Ako lang ba ang nakapansin na hindi nagpansinan ang kambal? takang tanong ko sa sarili ko habang pabalik-balik ang tingin ko sa kinatatayuan ni One at sa direksyon kung saan lumabas si Uno.