Favorite Mistake

FM 38

"So Dennise, ready in 3.. 2.. 1"

I arrived at my interview at the Blue Eagle Gym this morning, and I asked Jus to come with me. Truth be told, I don't really feel like doing this interview as it would open a floodgate of memories. To begin with, being here at the gym reminds of the days when we found each other again. In here, we spent a lot of days crying and laughing together, through the best 5 years of my life.

"Ready Den?" Patricia asked me as soon as I got out of the makeup room. I am in dress down jeans and an Ateneo jacket, and probably, I could still pass as a college student.

I nodded my head as she led me to the center of the gym where they have set up 2 seats, lights, camera, and a projection screen. Several production crew were busy moving about as one handed me a lapel mic before asking me to take my seat. The lights in the gym was turned down as the stage lights came on.

"Good afternoon, I am Noel Zarate for Solar Sports and with me today is none other than the Queen Libero of the first back-to-back championship of the Ateneo Lady Eagles. None other than the Iron Eagle herself, Dennise "Denden" Lazaro!"

"Hi Noel, hello everyone!" I smiled at the camera. It has been a long time since I've been in front of the cameras and I was seriously nervous.

"It's great to see you again Den. What have you been up to?"

"Well, after college, I went straight to med school, and I'm a doctor now, specializing in pediatrics."

"That's great! Beauty and brains indeed. Ok, so let's talk about your volleyball career at the Ateneo. Everyone knows that you started in UAAP season 73 with Alyssa Valdez, and you formed the formidable combination of best spiker and best libero. The ultimate lethal weapon. How was your first meeting with Alyssa?"

"I actually met her before Ateneo. We were in the Under-17 Philippine Team together."

"Oh, was it your joint decision to go to Ateneo together?"

"Actually, No. We didn't know that we were both recruited for Ateneo, we only found out during the first day of training."

"We all know that Alyssa is your bestfriend.."

Was.. My mind immediately butted in, but I silenced it

"... tell us something about her that we don't know."

"Uhmm, Ly is really a caring person, she's sweet and responsible. She always had my back.."

I started sweating as the memories came flooding in. No, I can't be emotional, control yourself Dennise!

"It's no secret that you two were a couple in college. How has it been?"

"We broke up after college. But she's happy now, I know she's already engaged. Congrats Ly!" I forced a smile as I waived at the camera.

"Do you miss her?"

"ughhh, you mean playing with her in the same team? Yeah! I miss my entire team, and I miss playing volleyball, but it's just work for me now." Right Den, dodge the question, my mind laughed at me.

"Well, to remind everyone of the greatest tandem in Ateneo women's volleyball, we have here a reel of your greatest moments with Alyssa. Play video.

I turned my attention to the screen as the video played. It showed photos of how we celebrated after each point, and you could see in our eyes how genuinely happy we where. There were pictures of us hugging each other and it reminded me of how fearless I was, because I knew that she'd always catch me. Every hug, every smile, every memory, tore into me until I didn't notice that I was already crying.

I miss her. If only I can turn back the clock and let it stay in that moment when I felt that I could handle everything because I had her. Freeze the time and have it at a standstill, so that I can lock her in my arms. Before I hurt her, before she fell for Alfred, before I lost her.

I was not even attempting to stop my tears as they fell freely from my eyes and drenched my shirt. I knew I wasn't ready to come back to Manila, even photos of our past would cause a major breakdown.

I was surprised when the video suddenly stopped

"I think we are having a technical glitch" Noel said, as another video came up.

And I saw Ly on screen, I staggered and almost fell on my seat. "Hi Den! I know you're a bit confused now, this is not really an interview, I set everything up. this is the only way I know I could get you to talk to me, or actually to listen to me coz I'm here and you're there.."

Ly looked so nervous "Anyway! Ok, here goes... We met when I was 14 and you 15. I knew from the first day I met you that I was already in love with you, but things would not be that easy for us. Fast forward to 2 years after, I saw you again here in this exact venue, the Blue Eagle Gym, and my heart still beat as hard as it did the first time. 12 years after and I still fall for you every single day."

I creased my forehead in confusion.

"I love you Dennise Lazaro."

Then the lights in the gym turned on and I was momentarily blinded. I put my hand over my eyes to shield it from the glare. I closed my eyes as the tears stung my eyes

"Open your eyes sweety" I heard her call me, and I opened my eyes to see Ly standing in front of me, holding a bouquet of roses.

------

Den stood up from her chair and started hitting Ly on the shoulders.

"What do you think you're doing huh?! Are you trying to play with my feelings?? You're a jerk"

"Ouch, ouch Den stop"

"You think this is funny" Den continued hitting Ly "do you hate me this much that you need to humiliate me?"

"Ouch. No, I'm telling you ouch.."

"Go back to your fiancee, enjoy your new life! Leave me alone!" Den cried as she stormed to run away but Ly was quick to catch her. Ly grabbed Den's arms and turned her around, encasing her in a hug to prevent her from escaping.

"Would you listen!!! You need to stop running away Den! Problems cannot be solved by escaping."

Den continued struggling. "Just go back to Alfred! Get married, I don't care!!"

Ly couldn't contain Den anymore, so she did the only thing she knew to make her stop-- she kissed her. When they separated, Den's eyes were huge with shock.

"I left him Den, we're over. Because I realized that I'm still in love with that 15 year old girl who stole my heart 12 years ago and never gave it back. My soulmate, my true love, my bestfriend." Ly looked lovingly into Den's eyes, as they were both crying now.

Ly held Den's cheeks and kissed her forehead. "No more running Dennise, ok? We will face life together, through good and bad, and we will always hold each other no matter how difficult it becomes."

Den just nodded her head as she smiled while her tears continued to flood.

"I love you Ly" Den replied as she hugged Ly tighter. Raising herself on tiptoes, she reached up to kiss Ly to erase all the pain that they have gone through to reach this point.

They have finally gone full circle, and they are back in each others arms.