Spotlight on Me

Prologue

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

            
         ***

As soon as I heard the announcement that the first game was already done, I immediately panic.

Hindi naman ako ganito noon, hindi naman dapat ako nagiging ganito pero ano na ang nangyayari sa'kin ngayon?

"Calm down, Alodia. It's just a game kaya huwag kang mag panic. Sanay ka naman na, 'di ba? Wala namang pinagbago," pilit kong paalala sa sarili ko pero mas lumala pa nga ata ang kaba ko.

"All of you, come here! We only have 10 minutes and I need you guys to know that there's another plan," our Coach said. I think my teammates already know that I'm not in my usual state right now. I can feel that they are worried but I don't need that.

I walked lazily towards them and our Coach started discussing. Wala rin akong ganang makinig kaya nilibot ko na lang ang aking paningin. I'm not in the mood to talk, to listen, and to think because of what happened.

"Jimenez, are you listening?!" I came back to reality when I heard Coach Ran. My teammates looked at me like they are really confused of what's happening to me.

"Y-yes, Coach. I'm sorry," guilty of what I acted. Tinignan niya ako na parang malaki ang kasalanan na nagawa ko.

"Anong nangyayari sa'yo, Alodia? Kahapon naman e maayos ka pa?" Yumuko na lang ako dahil sa kahihiyan.

"Kung may problema ka, sabihin mo. Ikaw ang inaasahan ng teammates mo dahil ikaw ang Captain nila kaya huwag kang magpakita ng gan'yan mamaya kasi maaapektuhan din sila at ang laro niyo," tumango na lamang ako at humingi ng tawad bago siya nagpatuloy sa pagpapaliwanag ng plano.

All I need to do now is to forget what happened. Tama si Coach, hindi dapat ako umaakto nang ganito dahil pati ang mga teammates ko ay maaapektuhan at maaaring masira pa ang laro namin.

"Pasensya na talaga sa inakto ko kanina. Something happened that's why I'm being down today," they just nodded and I sighed in relief.

"Also, I just want to remind you, everyone, that it's already semifinals and we really need to do our best, okay? Mapapagod pero hindi susuko. We can do this!"

I can't hear what my teammates are saying as we stepped on the court because of the crowd. I can hear their cheers from here.

Inilibot ko ang aking paningin at napangiti na lamang. Is he here?

Alodia, focus! Malamang, wala 'yon dito ngayon! I smiled sadly because of the thought that he's not really here.

Hindi ko na namalayan na naroon na pala sa bench ang teammates ko dahil sa lalim ng iniisip ko.

I walked towards them and saw how attentive they are while listening to Coach Ran.

"Tiwala lang, kaya natin 'to! Malapit na tayo sa hinahangad natin kaya bibitaw pa ba tayo? Lalaban o bibitaw?"

"Lalaban!" Sabay-sabay naming sigaw kaya napangiti si Coach.

"Okay, good. You can do this, we can do this!"

Bumalik na kami agad sa bench pagkatapos mag warm-up dahil magsisimula na ang laro.

Inumpisahang tawagin ang Zhipron University na aming kalaban. Hindi ko maiwasang ilibot muli ang aking paningin, nagbabaka-
sakali na isa siya sa mga nanonood. Kung hindi lang nangyari 'yon, e 'di sana, narito siya, sumusuporta.

"And now, here comes the Brentwood University!"

Hindi pa sana ako titigil sa kaiisip nang marinig ko na ang pagtawag sa amin at sigawan ng mga tao.

"Number 18, Farrah Sy!"

"Number 5, Mild Sanchez!"

"Number 11, Zidney Devayne Moriona!"

"Number 3, Yvonne Shenaya Singh!"

"Number 10, Denize Riley Pascua!"

"Team Captain number 14, Alodia Maurisse Jimenez!"

"And their libero number 7, Kaye Andrada!"

"Mananalo tayo, tiwala lang!" Pagpapalakas ko ng loob sa kanila.

Our opponent will be the first one to serve. Pumunta na kami sa kaniya-kaniya naming pwesto at nag handa.

The referee whistled and the opponent served. Kaye, our libero, received the ball very well that's why Farrah, our setter, got the chance to toss the ball very clean.

She tossed the ball to Yvonne, who goes for a quick play. Hindi iyon nabasa ng blockers kaya naman nakalusot siya.

Nagpunta na si Farrah sa service line para mag serve kaya agad na kaming nag handa.

Float serve ang ginawa niya kaya naman 'di natukoy ng kalaban kung saan babagsak ang bola. Hindi maayos ang naging receive ng kabila at dahil doon, free ball na lang para sa amin.

Kaye received the ball and she gave it to Farrah who tossed the ball to me.

I spiked the ball with my full strength but unfortunately, it went outside. I looked at Coach Ran and apologized through my eyes.

The opponent also did a float serve that's why Jaira haven't receive the ball well and it almost went to the opponent's side if Farrah didn't do a one hand set.

She tossed it to Yvonne who goes for another quick play but the ball touched the hands of the blockers that's why they received it easily.

Their setter tossed the ball to their Opposite Spiker who goes for a drop ball. We didn't expect that so the opponent got the point.

The game continues and I don't know how many errors I've made. I sighed in disappointment as Coach Ran called for a time out.

"Alodia, ano na ba ang nangyayari sa'yo?! 2-6 na ang score! Lamang ng apat ang kalaban dahil sa errors mo!" Bungad niya kaya naman napapikit ako.

"I'm sorry, Coach. I promise, b-babawi ako," ang hirap naman maglaro pag wala ka sa sarili mo. Ang hirap pag iba ang iniisip mo.

Magsasalita pa sana siya nang pumito na ang referee.

"Focus, Alodia! Focus," pahabol niya at tumango na lamang ako. Bumalik na kami sa mga pwesto namin at naghanda na para sa serve ng kalaban.

I received the ball and gave it perfectly to Farrah who tossed the ball to me. I won't miss this chance, I won't disappoint people around me, this time.

I hit the ball straight down the line and we've got the point.

Pumunta na agad ako sa service line dahil ako na ang mag se-serve. I will be doing a jump serve, as usual.

I looked at the crowd and saw how they were anticipating my serve. As I look at them, one thing caught my attention or should I say, a person standing caught my attention.

People are shouting, drums are everywhere, banners can be seen, but I only see him and that spotlight is on him.

He was just standing there but his effects on me were just too much that I could feel my heart going insane.

***