Double Victory

Mielle

"Please tell me your decision."

"Can I have 3 days ma'am?" I asked my adviser. 3 days starting from tomorrow.

"Yes miss, of course." Then she smiled.

Class has ended. Games and contests for intramurals were discussed earlier. Our volleyball team is in need of the last member. All of them have already chosen the games they'll join except me. So they suggested that I should take that open spot in our lineup.

"Hey, sali ka na."

"Go na Mielle, wag ka mahiya. Close naman tayong lahat ng nasa lineup."

"Pumayag ka na ba?"

Ito ang lahat ng naririnig ko on the way to the school gates. 'Di ako makaimik.

"Alam naman nilang hindi ko hillig ang sports. Nahihiya ako, hindi sapat ang bilis ko sa bilis ng kilos ng mga players. Hindi ako matangkad, baka magmukha lang akong ewan. Isa pa, malakas ang mga tunog at madaming tao pag Intrams. Hindi ko kaya." I said unconsciously to myself while walking out of our school.

"Pero ako, alam ko na kaya mo."

I turned my head to where the voice came from. I saw Liezel, my closest friend since childhood.

I didn't answer.

"Mielle, I joined too. I'll be there with you." I looked at her astonished. It's her first time to join Intrams. But unlike me, Liezel is really sporty. It's just that, something happened that made her stop playing for years.

"Tough Dainty."

"What?"

"She is an alumna of our school. During her time, everybody called her that. I've heard that she was never seen playing a sport. But she joined their Intrams.'' She said.

Yung mga kaibigan ko laging may kinukwentong alumna sa school. Tough Dainty ang tawag sa kanya. Nakatanggap daw ng medalya dahil sa pinakita niyang character noong intrams nila. Hindi pa daw yun nakikitang maglaro kaya nakakabigla daw na ang galing ng pinakita niyang laro. May pasabog ganon.

"Ah may sikretong talento. Sige, bye." Pamamaalam ko. Hindi siya mao-offend, sanay na 'to sa akin.

Noong kailan pa nila 'ko niyayaya sumali sa mga laro. Kahit isa lang daw. I did not join because i know na hindi ako masisiyahan. Ayokong pilitin ang sarili ko. Kapag sumapit ang intrams, madaming tao, malakas ang mga tunog. It's not that I hate it, but I'm just afraid and too shy to be seen by many. To be talked about, to be laughed at. Haha. Yeah, why would they even look?

"Teka nga, 'di yan chismis." aniya sabay hila sa akin pabalik.

"Alam ko, seryoso mukha mo mag kwento e. Ayoko lang." Bulong ko sa isipan.

"Nangako ka noon. You said you'll do any favor I will ask and now I want you to join." Bigla kong naalala, may utang nga pala ako dito, nung muntik na akong masagasaan noon.

Ginamitan ako ng alas ah.

Hours have passed, I'm getting drowned by my thoughts here in my room. I searched "Tough Dainty'' in my social media accounts. I saw no pictures or posts about it. Huli ko na naalalang wala pa palang mga apps gaya ng Facebook noon.

Days have passed. I asked my adviser to think about my decision for 3 days. On the third day, I said I'll join.

We had seven days of practice. But more like seven days of failure for me. I tripped on day 1, a ball slap on day 2, combination of 1st and 2nd day experience on day 3. I wounded my arm on day 4, slightly sick on day 5, felt restless on day 6.