clumsy, small steps and where it would take us

6

At age 11, after practicing volleyball for years, Bea found a team she could play with. Although busy with their respective school teams, the friends still find time to spend their sunsets together, except Thirdy. The boy has done nothing but practice and practice basketball. Isaac and Anton felt sorry for him, but the boy told them it was okay and wanted to be as good as his dad. When they were 10, their team won inter-school basketball, and Thirdy was hailed as MVP. His father became serious about his son's career, especially now that Thirdy's name has made waves to high school teams.

Thirdy was on his way home from his afterschool practice when he found his friends playing a simple volleyball pass on Anton's lawn. And one figure stood out the most because he didn't know who she was. She was as tall as Bea, a bit leaner, and her skin was as white as the paper he held. It surprised him that Isaac and Anton were no strangers to her. He was staring intently, figuring out the girl's identity, when Bea caught the ball, held it, and waved. "Thirdy!"

In a few seconds, all eyes were on him. Thirdy almost lost his balance when he felt two total weights jump on him.

"Miss you, pre."

"Buhay ka pa pala!"

But he didn't bother answering them. He quickly pushed them off when he saw Bea falling to her knees as she ran towards him. Thirdy immediately came to her side and checked if she ever hurt herself. He was busy dusting off the dirt on her legs. Bea was smiling at him.

"Kahit kailan talaga, Bea." he murmured.

The girl grinned. "I am just happy that you are here."

"Grabe, parang hindi kami tropa." Isaac sulked, also helping Bea to stand. Anton rushed inside his house to get the first-aid kit he always had. The boys helped Bea to sit in front of Asistio's doorstep.

Seconds later, Anton came out with a big box, and Thirdy immediately took it from the boy's hold to disinfect the wound on Bea's knees. She winces every time the cotton ball touches the wound. Thirdy made sure he blew it softly, hoping that would help remove the pain even for a bit.

Anton and Isaac were watching their friend with amusement painted on their faces. They never saw Thirdy domesticated. But then, they understood why. Bea was not good with her feet. They all have to watch her every time they play.

"You are so stupid," Thirdy muttered, carefully sticking the plaster on Bea's skin to cover her wound. "You should be careful."

Bea pursed her lips. "That is so mean."

Thirdy momentarily forgot the new girl who was playing with his friends. The girl was behind Bea, sat on her feet, and asked. "Does it hurt?"

Bea shook her head. "No,"

The latter raised a brow, concern written all over her face. "Are you sure? Parang masakit yan ah."

But Bea gave the new girl a big smile and pointed at Thirdy. "He takes care of me when it happens. I am all good."

Surprised by her introduction, Thirdy stood up from the steps and offered his hand to the girl. "I'm Thirdy."

And he felt naked as the girl looked at him from top to bottom. She hesitantly raised her hand and said, "Maddie, Bea's teammate."

Thirdy blinked. Numerous times for Maddie's liking. Teammates? He turned to his best friends; the boys just gave him a shrug. Was Bea part of a team? "Huh?"

"Oh!" Bea's eyes twinkled like a thought just popped into her head. She stood up, leaned towards Thirdy, and grabbed his hands. "I am playing for school!"

He turned to Anton and Isaac, and it seemed they knew for a while. He tilted his head. "When was this?"

Bea looked up, a hand on her chin, thinking deeply. Thirdy kept looking at his two best friends, waiting for an answer. The two boys just shrugged; their eyes told him he should have been around too to know about it.

Maddie leaned to Bea, which brought a frown to Thirdy's face. It must have been a while for Maddie to be this close to Bea. "It's been four months, beb," Maddie told Bea.

Bea's eyes widened, hugging Maddie before she looked at Thirdy to repeat what she said. And beb? The girl called her beb. He knew Bea longer. How come she could call Bea beb now? Thirdy hid his hands behind and balled them into a fist. There was a weird feeling inside of him, and he seemed can't put it into words.

The crease on his brows was probably prominent that he found his best friends giggling, whispering to each other, and Thirdy knew that they somehow discerned an uncomfortable feeling around Bea's new friend. Thirdy cleared his throat, diminishing all the thoughts he had. "I am a friend of Bea too. I play -"

"I know you," the girl cuts him off. "Actually, lahat naman ata kilala ka."

"Bakit?"

"You are Thirdy. The priced athlete of the town." Maddie said nonchalantly. "Brother of Kiefer Ravena, the genius."

As soon as that name escaped out of the girl's mouth, Anton found himself standing between the two of them. The boy reminded them of the first competition Bea would participate in out of the blue. The girls excitedly shared the news with all of them, hoping they would watch Bea's first competition as a volleyball player.

("Don't think about it," Isaac reminded him, a hand on his shoulders, squeezing them and hoping it would get him off the trance.

But Isaac knew he wouldn't be able to.)

---

Thirdy was out of breath, pedaling his bicycle as fast as possible. He looked at his watch. It says 3:00. Thirdy was running late. His wheels screeched, stopping in front of a small covered court. He parked his bicycle in front of a rail and locked its wheels on it before he ran, heading inside the court where a loud cheering erupted. His eyes roamed everywhere, and it didn't take a while before he found his best friends settled just a few rows before the court.

"Anong na nangyari?" He asked as soon as he sat next to Isaac.

"Na-" Another cheer burst as the girls in yellow jerseys scored a point against their opponent. Thirdy looked at the players and saw Maddie celebrating with the point she had just scored.

"One set down sila Maddie," Isaac tells him. The boy handed him a bottle of a blue energy drink. "What took you so long?"

"You know how I spend my weekends."

"Seriously, dude. Magpahinga ka naman," Anton trailed, teeth biting at the straw of his soda in an ice bag. "We're just turning 12 pero ang Dad mo parang ginagawa kang professional player."

Anton and Isaac were not blind to their friend's situation. Even if their mothers tried their best not to talk about it when they were around, they knew the pressure on Thirdy to become a good basketball player. Bong Ravena, crowned as one of the best athletes in the country, a prized coach, and a record holder of multiple MVP titles. And people expect no less from his son, his prodigy. His father wanted him to be as great as him. No, his father wanted Thirdy to be better than him. Or that's what they thought.

But what did Thirdy want?

"Anong training mo kanina?" Isaac asked. The crowd they were in sounded dismayed as the opponent scored against Bea's team.

"Talk 'N Text."

The crowd cheered again after the team in yellow jersey scored with an ace. Anton and Isaac sighed. Their eyes were on the court as the coach put Bea back into the game.

"Sana Thirdy hindi mo pinapagod sarili mo." Isaac tells him, clapping as they saw Bea behind the net.

"What do you mean by that?"

But Thirdy never heard a response from the boy as Bea scored a point after a quick attack from the middle.

(Bea's team won, and they were all invited to celebrate at De Leon's house. Even if he wanted to, Thirdy couldn't. He needs to be home by 6, and he never told his parents that he would watch Bea's game with Anton and Isaac.

He wanted to. He missed them. But he didn't want to see another whipping belt from his dad again.

Maddie, Anton, and Isaac learned that it was just Bea, her brother, and her mother in that house.)