When The Flower Bloom

CHAPTER 15: HIT AND RUN

CHAPTER 15: HIT AND RUN

“Megumi is a slut.”

Kasabay ng paglubog ng araw ay ang pagbalot ng katahimikan sa buong team. Para bang may dumaang anghel matapos iyong sabihin ni Stanley hanggang sa sumingaw ang kanina pa pinipigilan.

“Ew! Ninong umutot ta inyo? Ngayon talaga?” tanong ni Kevin na kanilang setter habang nakatakip sa kanyang ilong.

“Seriously?” natatawang tanong ni Scien, “Tara na, baka hindi lang utot ang lumabas kung hindi tayo magmamadali,” pag-aaya niya sa team.

“Sorry na! Tao lang ako!” depensa naman ni Lance na kanilang libero at muli pang umutot, and this time, sunod-sunod na ito na tila isang paputok.

They fell silent, forbidding themselves to breathe the air that has just been released by Lance.

They were having fun, except the two; Yoshiko and Stanley.

“Come on, you two! Magtititigan na lang ba kayo riyan?” pag-aayang muli ng kanilang captain kina Yoshiko at Stanley.

Sinubukan ni Stanley na sumunod na sa team ngunit hindi niya nagawang kumilos matapos siyang pigilan ni Yoshiko at mahipit na hinawakan ang kanyang braso.

“Guys, that can wait, tara na,” ani Scien.

“Anong sinabi mo, Stanley? Megumi is a what?” pag-uulit ni Yoshiko at pilit na pinahaharap sa kanya ang kaibigan, “What happened? What makes you say that?”

Tumawa si Stanley at humugot nang malalim na buntonghininga.

“I saw her with a guy. It was a college guy from our school. I bumped on him and stained his shirt, and then, I saw him walked towards a girl from Libero High. You told me about her, kaya hindi ako pwedeng magkamali na si Megumi 'yong babaeng 'yon. Sinabing mo noong isang araw na hiwalay na sila ng boyfriend niya, and without missing a beat, she's got a new one? Wow. She's a slut, she's toying yo—?!”

Tumilapon si Stanley matapos siyang suntukin ni Yoshiko sa mukha. Napaupo si Stanley, naluluhang kinapa ang mukha at makita ang bahid ng dugo sa kanyang palad.

Madali siyang tinulungang tumayo ni Scien at salubong ang kilay na nilingon si Yoshiko, “Yoshiko?! Why did you do that?”

“s**t, his nose's bleeding!” sigaw ni Lance at agad naglabas ng bimpo para punasan ang ilong ni Stanley, “Nakikilala mo ba ako, dude? Teka, anong pangalan mo?”

Subalit imbes na sagutin si Lance ay tinulak niya ito at akmang susugurin si Yoshiko ngunit nauna siyang nahawakan ni Scien habang pilit hinihila naman ng team si Yoshiko palayo.

“Wala kang karapatang tawagin si Megumi nang gano'n! Slut? You went mad at their libero calling your girls slut, and without missing a beat, you called, Megumi a slut just because you saw her with a guy? Paano kung kaibigan niya lang 'yon, or perhaps, her brother!”

Sarkastikong tumawa si Stanley, “She was obviously blushing, they even hug, he even kissed her and hold hands while walking, hm, just a friend? Siblings, they don't look alike at all!” depensa ni Stanley, “You're denying it, Yoshi. That girl is no good. She just broke up with her boyfriend, and now seeing a guy? Or, maybe, it was him? They make up? She's a slut.”

“That was just an assumption, Stan! Anong problema mo, Stanley?! Without knowing what really happened...you just...can't say that to a woman you never knew!” bulalas ni Yoshiko at pilit na kumakawala sa pagkakahawak ng kanilang team.

“Then, what?! Oh, she's super friendly!” sarkastikong sigaw ni Stanley bago siya tuluyang mahila ni Scien palayo sa grupo.

Scien signaled the team to take Yoshiko, while he will handle Stanley.

It was troublesome.

Nang makalayo sila ay hinila ni Scien paupo si Stanley at inabutan ng bimpo para sa kanyang dumurugong ilong, at umaagos na luha.

“What was that, Stanley?”

Hindi umimik si Stanley sa halip ay tumawa lang ito.

“What happened?”

“My fault. Kasalanan ko.”

“What exactly happened? Come on, kailangan ko ng details para sa mga firsts sa team. This is the first time na nag-away kayo, kailangan ko ng details!” hirit ni Scien dahilan upang mapangiti si Stanley.

“Idiot.”

“So, did you tell him?”

“Wait, we're not in the same page,” usal ni Stanley at nangungunot ang noong nilingon ang kanilang mabuting captain.

“Oh, go on, what the f**k is that about?”

“I insulted his crush, no, sinabi ko lang naman ang nakita ko, and yep, mukhang sumobra.”

Scien couldn't hold it. He burst out laughing.

“Dude, masyado ka ng obvious.”