Just...Friends.

I Just Can't

Chapter 2: I Just Can't

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Kinabukasan after ng Victory Party ng Lady Eagles...

Nagkita si Ella at Nic sa isang coffee shop sa may UP Town.

"How are you?" tanong ni Ella as she takes a sip from her coffee.

"Bad? Worse? Ang sakit ng ulo ko." Sabi ni Nic habang nakasandal sa malambot na upuan nung shop. Doon sila nakaupo sa may couch area ng coffee shop.

"Drink moderately nga kasi. Wala sa bokabolaryo mo yan pag masama loob mo kay Lia... o sakin?" Ella asked as if may makukuha siyang sagot kay Nic.

"Sayo? This isn't about you naman." sabi ni Nic habang nilalabanan niya yung antok.

"Nicky… tingnan mo sarili mo, you look miserable. Sana wala kang fan ngayon kasi nakakahiya ka" Sabi ni Ella as she tucked a piece of hair sa tenga ni Nic na nakatakip sa muka ng kaibigan niya.

"Bakit nga ba nakipagkaibigan ako sayo?" Sabi ni Nic habang nagface palm siya "Dami kong iniisip ngayon Besh, and I’m really sorry. Good thing tapos na yung League"

"Ayaw mo naman magsabi kasi..." Sabi ni Ella habang nagvibrate yung phone niya sa bulsa. Binasa niya. Nagvibrate din yung phone ni Nic sa table.

From Lia: Beshies, can't come today. Here ako sa house nila Kent natulog. See you tomorrow girls! ______________________

Another text from Lia ang natanggap ni Ella pagkatapos makaalis ni Nic.

From Lia: Kasama mo pa si Nic?

From Ella: Kakaalis niya lang. Masama ata pakiramdam.

From Lia: Ganun ba? Galit ba siya sakin?

From Ella: Hindi naman. I think it's not about you naman.

From Lia: Okay. Thanks Besh. Bukas na lang.

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Habang nakaupo si Lia sa couch ng kwarto ni Kent, pumasok yung boyfriend niya.

"Babe? Gising ka na pala." Tumabi si Kent kay Lia at hinalikan niya si Lia sa leeg.

"Ah oo. Si Ella tinext ko lang" Sabi ni Lia habang umuurong siya palayo kay LA.

"Parang may hang over ka pa din? Payakap nga" Niyakap ni Kent si Lia habang patuloy niyang hinahalikan niya si Lia.

"Babe stop it!" Sabi ni Lia as she puts force sa pagtulak kay Kent.

"Ano bang problema mo? Kagabi ka pang ganyan! Dahil ba di ako sumama sayo diyan sa party na yan!?" Sinigawan ni Kent si Lia at tumayo siya sa upuan.

"I’m not in a mood okay? Just... stop" Sabi ni Lia as she dismissed the issue.

"No! Tell me! What's wrong? Galit ka dahil mas gusto ko pang kasama yung mga kabarkada ko instead of you?!" sabi ni Kent papalakas na ng papalakas ang boses niya "Im sorry Lia, pero di lang sayo umiikot ang mundo ng lahat ng tao. Overly attached ka kasi!" naluluha na si Lia.

"You know what? Pwede mo naman sabihin sakin yan ng di sumisigaw. Why you have to shout at me?" Tumayo si Lia as she grabbed her bag from the nightstand "Aalis ako kahit di mo sabihin! You're such a jerk!" sinigawan ni Lia si Kent as she closed the door with a loud bang. Lia grabbed her keys from her bag at nagdrive siya habang umiiyak.

Nag dial si Lia ng number.

"Please Nic, answer the phone" Lia puts the phone on speaker. Nag ring naman yung phone ng six times wala pa ding sagot."Nic answer the god damn phone"

"Lia, oh ba--" bago pa makasalita si Nic nag salita na si Lia.

"Where are you?" Tinanong niya si Nic habang umiiyak.

"Umiiyak ka ba?!" gulat na tanong ni Nicole sakanya.

"I said where are you!"

"Sa court, dito sa campus"

"Okay. Hintayin mo ko."

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"Tin talaga! Sabi ko magpapahinga muna ako ngayon! s**t ang sakit ng ulo ko!" Sabi ni Mich habang naglalakad sila ni Tin papunta sa court.

"Kahit mga ilang oras lang, may practice match bukas. Ayoko malagot kay coach, and besides para mapractice mo mga set ko" Sabi ni Tin as they walked sa corridor. "Teka? si Ate Ella ba yon?" sabi ni Tin.

"Ate Ella!" sumigaw si Mich.

"Wow, practice agad? Ok na ba mga ulo niyo?" Sabi ni Ella sa dalawa.

"Kaunti lang naman nainom ko kagabi eh"Sabi ni Tin kay Ella.

"Ako? marami! Itong Tin na to, she doesn't even gave me credits. Basta gusto niya magpractice kahit gumagapang na kasama niya wala lang sakanya" Sabi ni Mich as she lazily carry her sports bag at umiinom ng coffee.

"Grabe naman to---" Napatigil si Tin as they reach the door sa court "---may tao na? Sino naman kayang magpaparactice dito"

"Inutusan nga ako ni Coach na ayusin yung net today, pero parang may nauna na" sabi ni ella.

"Sino naman kayang baliw ba kagaya ni Tin ang magpapractice diyan ngayon---" napatigil si Mich.

"Shhh... Wag kayong maingay. Si Lia at Nic yung nasa loob" Sabi ni Ella "Maluwag na talaga turnilyo ng dalawang to, kala ko masama pakiramdam ni Nic."

"Teka... naguusap sila." Sabi ni Tin. Nakinig yung tatlo mula sa pinto. They came unnoticed sa loob ng gym.

Nic and Lia...

"Bakit ka nandito?" Lia said as she enters the premise.

"Wala lang, to keep my mind busy?" sabi ni Nic. "Umiiyak ka ba kanina?"

"Nagaway kami ni Kent," sabi ni Lia as she take a seat sa isa sa mga bench.

"Doesn't seem news to me... what's new? Babastusin ka niya, mag aaway kayo, iiyak ka, tapos lalapit ka sakin--- samin ni Ella. Tapos ano? babalik ka sakanya tapos ganun ulit?" Sabi ni Nic habang naglalakad palapit kay Lia, hawak niya pa din yung bola "Di ako galit Lia ok? I’m just saying... di ka ba napapagod?"

"But... I love him" Sabi ni Lia. Parang nag echo yung mga sinabi niya sa loob ng gym.

But... I love him... Him... inulit ulit ni Nic sa isip niya. Nic felt a fang of pain sa puso niya at di niya maexplain kung bakit. She can't be falling. I can't be inlove with my bestfriend... I just can't.

Reasons why I cant be inlove with my bestfriend. Nicole listed one by one in her mind why she can’t be possibly inlove with Julia.

1. May boyfriend siya, may boyfriend ako.

2. She's straight, Ako din staright(?)

3. I have a reputation and fame to protect

4. She won't reciprocate my feelings, IF inlove talaga ako sakanya.

5. It’s just a kissed, walang meaning yun sakanya.

"Nic! are you listening? Nagkukwento ako! para namang di mo ko pinapakinggan..."

"I’m sorry?"

"See? May narinig ka ba sa mga sinabi ko?"

"Sorry... I just can’t focus right now." sabi ni Nic habang nilalaro niya yung bola sa kamay niya.

"Can I atleast just hug you?" tanong ni Lia. Di pa nakakasagot si Nic niyakap niya ang best friend niya at umiyak si Lia sa balikat ni Nic for hundred times already.

Sa kabilang part ng court nakikinig yung tatlo, and they're studying Nicole's gestures and movement.

"Something's deeper and the issue here is not Kent and Jovee anymore" sabi ni Ella. Tin and Mich nod in agreement.

"Yes. I think there's something behind this story..."Tin said habang nakatitig lang sila sa dalawa.

"The way Ate Nicole grip on that ball, feeling niya siguro leeg ni kuya Kent yan" Sabi ni Mich at siniko siya ni Tin.

Back to Nic and Lia...

"Nicky, thank you... you always make me feel good. Alam kong marami kang iniisip pero you're here. Iniiyakan ko nanaman..." sabi ni Lia without looking at Nic and still envelopes in Nic's arms.

"Im always here, whenever you need me. That's what friends are for right?" sabi ni Nic na super stiff and tense under Lia's touch.

Pag nakita ko tong Kent na to... malilintikan sakin to. Pagbabanta ni Nicole kay Kent sakanyang isip.

"Thank you, Nic." sabi ni Lia as she looks up, hers and Nic's eyes met halfway.

Bakit parang gusto kong maulit yung nangyari kagabi? I just want to prove something na hindi si Nic ang dahilan kung bakit umiiwas ako kay Kent... sa boyfriend ko. Si Kent... Julia’s head is just clouded of thoughts of the possibility that she might really have felt something for Nic.

Shit... I’m on a big trouble. I think I’m more confused. Is gravity just playing some tricks on me? Kasi feeling ko its pulling me towards Lia. Nicole is trying her very best to resist whatever that is pulling her towards Lia… To get closer to her… To reduce the space between them.

"I---I think you uhm--- you need to go home na. Lia you should just rest" sabi ni Nic as she jolt patayo sa bench.

"Yes!!! Oo!!! I---I got to go! uhm Nic? I---Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow!" Lia said at nagmadali siyang lumabas ng gym.

Naglakad si Nic papunta sa gitna ng court at sinet niya yung bola at inispike ng malakas.

"Ahhhhhh!!!!" sumigaw si Nic. Napaupo siya sa sahig at umiyak. "I hate you Julia Montenegro! Bakit sayo pa!"

Ella, Tin and Mich watched the scene in shocked.

"You know what girls? We need to do something. We need to figure what the heck is happening sa mga beshies ko" sabi ni Ella habang umikot siya para harapin yung dalawang rookie.

"I agree. Im sure papanget laro ni ate Lia at mawawala sa focus si Ate Nic pag nagtuloy pa tong... whatever it is" sabi ni Tin at nalilito siya sa mga nangyayari.

"I second the motion!" sabi ni Mich.

"There's this really something... somewhere in between" Sabi ni Ella. Umalis silang tatlo at iniwan na lang nila si Nic para makapag isip.

"So operation NicLia is on?" sabi ni Ella

"Operation NicLia? I like the name" sabi naman ni Tin.

"What's the plan?" Sabi ni Mich.

"I have all the plans... from A to Z" Ella said with a smirk. Tin and Mich walked her as they just shrug.

Wala namang mawawala kung tutulungan namin si Ate Ella...

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