Chapter 1
“Ano ba yan, King! Sa lahat ng makakalimutan mo talagang sapatos mo pa.” Alvin pokes for the nth time as King sulked on the bench.
“Oo na, gago. Ako na tanga,” King replies. “Tumawag na ako sa bahay. Ihahatid na ni Q rito. Kumalma ka na dyan.”
“Uy, sino si Q? Bagong chicks mo?” Del butts in, leading the rest of the team to the bench for a break.
“Siraulo ka.” King looks a bit uncomfortable, then adds, “Kapatid ko ’yon.”
“May kapatid ka? Ate mo?” King shakes his head. “Ah, mas bata. Kaya pala hindi mo sinasabi sa ’min.”
“So you have a younger sister we didn’t know about,” KP adds, plopping down on Del’s other side. “Where’s she been?”
“Sa probinsya. She finished her high school degree there. She got a full scholarship after winning an essay writing contest in Grade 6.”
A loud snort comes from the other side of the bench. Niles can’t help it anymore. The proud look on King’s face suddenly pissed him off.
“In other words, your sister is a geek.” King shoots a glare down the line.
“Yes, Fabellore, a geek who was just screened to be one of this year’s university scholars. Can your stupid sorry ass say the same?”
“Chicks ba kapatid mo?” Niles continues, knowing this would only annoy King more. “Aba, nagtatanong lang. Sayang naman talino ng kapatid mo kung kamukha mo lang din, Escaño.”
King tenses, ready to lunge at him at any moment. Sensing the argument coming, KP speaks up.
“Ngayon lang ba siya lumuwas ng Manila? Parang wala kang nabanggit na nag-enroll na siya ah.” King reluctantly pulls his attention from Niles back to KP.
“Enrolled na siya last last week pa. Umuuwi rin siya ng probinsya pagkagaling dito kasi wala siyang matutulugan sa dorm ko.”
As if on cue, Alvin nudges King’s shoulder, gesturing behind them. The whole basketball team turns to see a young woman walking toward them, long curly brown hair, bright brown eyes and pale lips. King stands from the bench and walks toward her, fully aware of the team watching behind him. They watch as she hands over a paper bag and they share a hug before she heads out of the university gym.
When King turns back, he notices as Niles’s eyes tracked Q through the gate. He steps into Niles’s line of sight, grabbing his attention and shooting him a warning glare.
“Umayos ka,” King growls, pointing his fingers at Niles.
“Ano?”
“Malilintikan ka sa ’kin, Niles.” He steps back up to the bench. “On second thought, malilintikan ka muna kay Q. Hinding-hindi mo malalapitan yang kapatid ko.”
“Hmm...tignan lang natin, King. You know me well enough.” Niles wiggles his eyebrows and smirks only for it to drop off his face as King launchs himself across the bench.
