clumsy, small steps and where it would take us

4

At the age of 8, the bullying never stopped. Wanting to be on his father's good side, Thirdy prevented himself from meddling. It was always Isaac and Anton who defended her.

Bea stopped playing with them. Bea stopped meeting them.

While practicing shooting on his lawn, Thirdy noticed two friends walking by in their uniforms, deeply engrossed in their conversation and not noticing him as usual. Thirdy checked his Ben10 watch and realized it was only 2 in the afternoon, and his father wouldn't be home until 6. So he quickly put away his ball and followed his friends, who were still unaware of his presence.

Thirdy heard Anton ask, "Ano sasabihin natin?" while carrying pastries he bought from the nearby bakery.

Isaac tilted his head to one side and shrugged. "Hindi ko rin alam."

"Saan punta niyo?" Thirdy's question startled his friends and made them jump.

"Thirdy!" Anton exclaimed, placing a hand on his chest. He asked, "Kanina ka pa?"

"Para kanino yang pan de coco?" Thirdy asked as he tried to snatch the bag of bread. Anton immediately pulled it out of his reach. "Damot?"

"Oo." Isaac answered. "Para kay Bea lang to. Tutal ayaw mo na pansinin si Bea."

Thirdy frowned. The boys continued walking down the street, leaving the boy behind. Thirdy followed them, and it annoyed Anton and Isaac.

"Bakit ka ba sunod ng sunod?"

"Saan ba kayo pupunta?"

"Huwag ka na. Duwag ka naman."

"Anong duwag?"

The boys didn't speak as they walked to the house on the street corner. Thirdy had never been out unless Anton and Isaac dragged him along, so he doesn't recognize most of their neighbors. It surprised him to see his friends walking confidently onto the lawn in front of the house and ringing the doorbell. As he followed them, Thirdy read the plaque above the doorbell: De Leon residence.

When he asked his friends if they knew anyone from the house, they looked at him disgustingly and gestured for him to leave. Thirdy just shook his head. His friends were determined to push him away. Thirdy shrugged, stepped back, and decided to let them be on their own when he found Bea behind them, looking at them observingly.

She was still in uniform, and she was not alone. Behind her was a tall guy, more significant than them, wearing a white polo and black pants—a uniform for high school students.

"Bea!" Anton and Isaac were chorused, ready to jump on Bea, when the older boy beside her stopped them.

"Hoy, lumayo layo nga kayo."

"Kuya Loel, hello." Isaac greeted. Thirdy saw Anton offer the older boy a plastic bag full of bread.

"Kuya, favorite mo."

The girl sneaked past them and unlocked the door on her own, leaving everyone else outside. The boys watched as she shut the door in front of them. Thirdy noticed his friends sighing in defeat. The older boy chuckled and took the pastry from the smallest boy's hands. "See, kahit anong tinapay dalhin niyo dun ayaw na kayo kalaro."

Anton frowned and pointed at Thirdy. "Ikaw kasalanan mo to e."

"Bakit ako?" Thirdy asked.

Bea peeked her head through the door and attempted to retrieve the bread from her brother, but he held it out of reach. Bea expressed frustration when she saw her brother teasing her with eyebrow wiggles. She then turned to the boys and asked a question. "Bakit ba kayo nandito?"

"Laro na tayo," Anton whined, grabbing and shaking the girl's arm. "Galit ka ba samin?"

Thirdy noticed that Bea was avoiding his eyes. She kept looking everywhere but at him. Thirdy was aware that Isaac saw it too, because he could feel Isaac's gaze on him.

"I'm not," she whispered.

"Then laro na tayo."

Thirdy felt a slight kick behind his back. He turned to Isaac and hissed, "Bakit ba?

"Your fault."

"Oo na," he admitted.

He approached Bea, noticing her tearful expression. Thirdy was not that dumb not to know that Bea stopped playing with them because of him. But he didn't know what to do. If he keeps fighting the boys that tease her, his father will always get mad at him, and he doesn't want that.

And a thought came into his mind. He grabbed Bea's hand and ran out of their lawn without saying anything. Anton and Isaac looked at each other before they followed them. They didn't forget to apologize to Loel and told him they would be back as soon as possible.

Thirdy held Bea's hand tight, checking her repeatedly to see if she tripped on her feet. He didn't let go and stopped running until he reached his house. He bolted inside and found her mom taking out a freshly baked pie.

"Mom!" he said, panting.

Bea's hands were on her knees, still catching her breath. Anton and Isaac sat just before the main door, out of breath. But Thirdy was standing still with an excited look on his face.

"Mom, you play volleyball, right?" Thirdy asked.

Mozzy let go of the pie to cool it down and removed her apron before she answered. "Oo, anak. Bakit?"

"Can you teach us Volleyball?"