CAN'T WIN, CAN'T LOSE

10 - The First Date

Natigilan si Raven nang sa pagdating niya sa tulay ay makita na roon si Gazi, nakasandal sa barandilya habang nakayuko sa mga paa. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang sinisipat nito sa suot na puting sneakers— he'd guess she was trying to check if it got dirty.

Napangiti siya at sandali itong sinuyod ng tingin mula sa puting sneakers paakyat sa maputi at makinis nitong mga binti. He stopped there for a while— iyon ang unang beses na nakita niyang nagsuot na maiksi si Gazi.

Ang school uniform kasi nito'y mahabang palda na halos umabot na sa sakong. Ang iba sa mga ka-eskwela nito'y lampas-tuhod lang ang suot na mga palda, pero ang kay Gazi ay sumobra.

Itinuloy niya ang pagsuri rito. She was wearing a short faded blue jumper skirt and a black turtle neck, long sleeve top. Her long and wavy hair was in a ponytail. And on her feet was a pair of white rubber shoes.

She was looking adorable and gorgeous at the same time.

She was really stunning even at a young age. Hindi na nito kailangang magsuot ng mamahaling damit o maglagay ng makapal na make-up para sabihing maganda ito. She didn't need them. Kahit marahil magsuot ito ng sako ay ito at ito pa rin ang pinaka-maganda sa paningin niya.

He smiled at the thought. I got the 'Gazi virus' and I can't get it out of my system...

Napa-iling siya sa sarili saka niyuko ang oras sa relos. Three minutes before eight. He could use that time to stare at her while he could.

Subalit ang plano ay hindi nangyari dahil sa pag-angat niya ng tingin ay nakita niyang naka-lingon na si Gazi sa kinaroroonan niya, nakahalukipkip at nasa ang anyo ay pagka-inip. Ngumisi siya at itinuloy ang paglapit.

"Kanina ka pa ba?" he started.

"Nauna lang ako ng mahigit limang minuto sa'yo," she answered as she raked her eyes from his head down to the tip of his black sneakers.

He was wearing jeans and a navy blue long sleeve cotton shirt. He wore that to hide his tatoos, dahil nag-aalala siyang ma-ilang si Gazi habang kasama siya sa arcade center at makita ng mga naroon ang itsura niya.

He didn't care of what people had to say about him— but it was Gazi who he was most worried about.

"Have you had breakfast?" he asked again, smiling about how Gazi's cheeks turned to red as she continued to survey him.

Tumikhim ito saka umiwas ng tingin. "No."

"Great," he said. "Do you like pancakes?"

Umiling ito.

"What do you normally eat for breakfast?"

"Hot chocolate drink and bread."

Sandali siyang nag-isip. "Oh, I know. May isang coffee shop malapit sa boundary ng San Guillermo. They serve delicious breakfast there— let's go?"

"Mas gusto kong dumiretso na tayo sa arcade center," sagot nito saka muling tumikhim. Nasa anyo ni Gazi ang pagka-ilang. "Mayroong hotdog stand doon, iyon na lang ang kainin natin."

Tumango siya. "Sure, kung iyon ang gusto mo." He then released a dashing smile. "By the way, my heart is pumping so hard right now."

Doon na siya nito sinulyapan. Ang mga kilay ay nagsalubong, "Bakit?"

"Because you look very pretty today— gustong kumawala ng puso ko," nakangisi niyang sagot na ikina-laki naman ng mga mata ng dalaga.

"Gago," pabulong na sambit ni Gazi sagot bago mabilis na tumalikod upang ikubli ang lalong pamumula ng mukha. "Masyado pang maaga para lumandi, Raven," anito saka inumpisahan ang paglalakad. "Hali ka na nga! Dami mong satsat."

He chuckled and followed her.

Siguradong magiging masaya ang araw na iyon para sa kaniya. At tulad ng hamon sa kaniya ni Gazi kagabi— he will do his best to impress her.

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Pagdating sa arcade center ay namangha si Raven kung paanong gumuhit ang galak sa mukha ni Gazi. It was as if a child had seen rainbow for the first time. And he had never seen her looked for happy before.

Lalo na noong halos takbuhin ni Gazi ang token booth. She was prepared to play all games— kung ang pagbabasehan ay ang dami ng token na binili nito.

Hindi siya mahilig magpunta sa mga ganoong lugar. He didn't hate it, but arcade centers were not his thing. Pero kung iyon ang ikaliligaya ni Gazi, at kung sa lugar na iyon ay makikita niya itong nakangiti at masaya, he would love to go there with her every single day.

Hinayon niya ng tingin ang paligid. Wala pang alas nueve ng umaga pero bukas na ang nasabing lugar at may iilan nang mga kabataan at teenagers na naroon upang maglaro. Wala siyang ideya kung paano laruin ang mga naroong arcade games. He was more of an outdoor person— he was not used to playing video games.

But Gazi was a gamer. Lahat ng arcade games ay sinubukan nito nang may pananabik. She was very enthusiastic as she played every machine. She was laughing merrily, and all he did was watch her with fondness.

Nang mapansin ni Gazi na wala siyang sinubukan alinman sa mga nakahilerang arcade machines ay hinamon siya nito sa isang car racing game. Kung sino raw ang matatalo ay siyang manlilibre ng breakfast at lunch. Pinagbigyan niya ito. At nang manalo ito sa unang round ay sumimangot ito imbes na matuwa.

"Next round," she said without smiling.

Ngumisi siya. "Gusto mo ulit akong talunin?"

"Gusto kong manalo sa patas na paraan at hindi dahil gusto mo akong manalo. You intentionally lost the game, saan ang victory ko roon?" busangot nitong sabi.

Oh no... she is not impressed.

Tumikhim muna siya bago muling nagsalita. "You want me to give my best and defeat you?"

"I want you to give your best— period." She then smirked. "Don't get cocky on me, Raven Angelo Worthwench." Muli itong nagseryoso, "Sa susunod na matalo ka nang hindi ibinibigay lahat ng best mo ay hindi kita kakausapin buong araw."

It was his time to smirk. "Let's make this even more interesting then," he said. "Let's forget about who's going to buy lunch— this is our first 'date' so I will be buying you lunch. Ibahin natin ang pustahan."

Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Gazi at hinintay siyang dugtungan pa ang kaniyang mga sinabi.

"Kapag nanalo ako ay may isang bagay akong hihilingin sa'yo."

That broke her rhythm. Nakita niya ang biglang pag-ilap ng mga mata nito.

"What... do you want?" she asked after a while.

He smiled sheepishly. "A second date."

Gazi opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off.

"But if I lose while giving my best, I will be your slave for a week. Not bad, huh?"

She pouted and said no more.

His smile widened, and without breaking eye contact, he pushed in four more required tokens into the coin slot. "Let's get serious, shall we?"

Umikot lang ang mga mata nito bago rin isinuksok ang apat na token doon sa coin slot ng gamit na racing machine.

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Napa-iling na lamang si Raven nang magtatatalon sa tuwa si Gazi matapos siya nitong talunin sa pangalawang round ng car racing game. He really thought he could beat her— he almost did. But Gazi was an expert.

The arcade center was her turf.

"I'm glad you're happy," he commented, trying to sound defeated.

Gazi turned to him, eyes sparkling in excitement. "So, magiging alipin kita sa loob ng isang linggo, huh?"

Isinuksok niya ang mga kamay sa magkabilang bulsa at hinarap ito. "I can see your excitement."

"Talagang excited ako," sabi pa nito. "Magsisimula kang magsilbi sa akin sa Lunes."

Napangiti siya sabay iling. "Yes, Master."

Tumawa ito, dahilan upang lalong lumapad ang pagkakangiti niya.

Madalang niyang makitang nakangiti o nakatawa si Gazi, kaya naman hindi niya maiwasang matuwa at mamangha sa nakikita. Hindi siya makapaniwalang mababaw lang ang kaligayahan nito.

"Let's go grab some food," he invited. "You must have been hungry. Wala ka pang almusal at siguradong naubos ang lakas mo kanina sa kasisigaw mo nang muntik na kitang lampasan at talunin," dagdag pa niya sabay ngisi. Lumingon siya sa glass wall ng arcade center at itinuro ang barbeque house na nasa tapat. "Wala akong nakitang hotdog stand, kaya okay lang bang doon na tayo kumain?"

Nang hindi sumagot si Gazi ay muli niya itong nilingon at nakitang tahimik siya nitong tinititigan. He frowned at her.

"What's the matter?"

Gazi let out a faint smile. "I like you."

Muntik nang umawang ang bibig niya sa biglang rebelasyong iyon. He was in shock— he did not expect her to say that.

And he was about to ask her if she was serious when she added,

"Bakit gulat na gulat ka? Hindi ba at iyan ang salitang gusto mong marinig mula sa akin?"

Oh.

Biglang pumasok sa isip niya ang naging usapan nila kagabi ni Gazi nang ihatid niya ito. He did say that. He did tell her that he wanted to hear those words from her.

But he didn't want to hear them if she was only saying them just because that's what he wanted. Gusto niyang sabihin iyon sa kaniya ni Gazi dahil iyon talaga ang nararamdaman nito.

Ang sumunod na ngiting pinakawalan niya ay pilit na. "Bakit mo sinasabi ngayon 'yan? I am not that desperate for a forced affection."

Nagpakawala ng pinong ngiti si Gazi. "Mabait kang tao at maalalahanin. At totoong gusto ko ang pag-uugali mong iyan. Kaya ko sinabing gusto kita. I like how you treat me."

But how about me as a man? Don't you like me... in a romantic kind of way? He wanted to ask, but he couldn't. Because he thought that it's best not to.

He would let fate decide for them.

Kung magugustuhan siya ni Gazi ay magugustuhan siya nito nang kusa— at hindi dahil gusto niyang magustuhan siya nito.

"Kadalasan, kapag nilalapitan ako ng mga lalaki ay tatlong bagay lang ang gusto nila sa akin."

Kinunutan siya ng noo, curiousity hit him. "And what are they?"

"Ligawan ako dahil maganda ako. Ligawan ako para may gumawa ng assignment nila. Ligawan ako dahil gusto akong i-kama."

Hindi na nawala ang kunot sa noo niya. "You are pretty, yes. Pero hindi kaya ikaw lang ang nag-iisip ng ganiyan?"

She shrugged. "Bakit, mapapansin mo ba ako at magugustuhan kung hindi ako maganda at kung hindi matured ang katawan ko?"

"Well, I won't deny that your beauty caught my attention, but it wasn't the reason why I decided to get close to you— and you already know that." His eyes went down to her body... and by God, yes. She had a mature woman's body. The kind of body any man would kill for.

He swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and tore his gaze from her body. Ibinalik ang pansin sa mukha ni Gazi— upang mahuli ang pinong pag-ngiti nito.

"Alam mo ba kung bakit ko nasabing gusto kita?"

He shrugged off, trying to appear nonchalant. "Pray tell?"

"Dahil iba ka sa mga lalaking ang dahilan lang kaya nakikipaglapit sa akin ay ang tatlong nabanggit ko."

Huminga siya ng malalim. "Forget about them. Hindi ako katulad ng mga lalaking iyon."

A wry smile briefly touched her lips as she spoke again, "Kapag ba pinayagan kitang ligawan ako ay ipapangako mong magiging matiyaga ka at hindi mo ako tatarantaduhin?"

"Liligawan pa lang kita pero naiisip mo nang susuko ako at tatarantaduhin kita? You have terrible trust issues, baby." He couldn't help but smile.

Again, Gazi just rolled her eyes. "Kung iniisip mong kikiligin ako sa pagtawag mo sa akin ng 'baby', ay nagkakamali ka, Raven Angelo Worthwench. Hindi ako mababaw tulad ng ibang mga babaeng nahulog sa'yo."

His smile broadened into a grin. "Sinasabi mo bang nahuhulog ka na rin katulad nila, ha, Gazenchelle?"

Natigilan ito na lalo lang niyang ikina-ngisi. Lalo nang rumehistro sa isip nito ang sinabi at pinanlakihan ng mga mata. Gazi cleared her throat and looked away. "Ang hilig mo talagang bigyan ng kahulugan ang lahat ng salitang binibitiwan ko. I was just—"

"Don't bother explaining— it's all over your face." He bit his lower lip to stop himself from grinning all the more. Kung hindi siya titigil sa kangi-ngisi niya ay baka mapunit na ang magkabilang gilid ng kaniyang bibig

Si Gazi nama'y tarantang dinama ang mukha gamit ang dalawang mga palad. "Wha—What's all over my face?"

Doon na siya nagpakawala ng mahinang tawa. "Ang kilig. Namumula ka sa kilig."

Napasinghap ito, at ang mukha'y lalong namula. "Neknek mo, Raven!"

Natatawang lumapit siya rito at hinawakan ito sa kamay na lalo lang ikinalik ng mga mata ng dalaga.

"Let's go grab some chicken barbeque."

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