When You're Gone

03

I wanted to forget all of the anxiety inside my body. I don't want this anymore; I want to be happy.

I sighed. I pushed myself to focus on the moment. 

"Lift your legs and stretch them up!" The enthusiastic voice from the front of the room said.

"I heard na kalaban nila Kino ang Gulliver University today," Caroline whispered to Heather.

I rolled my eyes. I stretch my legs.

Heather gasped modestly. "Oh, really? I know it will be a good game. Knowing the two captains, especially my Hell..."

"I know, right!" Caroline giggled.

"Shhh," the instructor said, intending to quiet the two noises in the middle.

"I'm sorry, miss," Heather said in her small voice. 

I rolled my eyes again, so pabebe!

Our teacher instructor claps her hand. "Very good everyone! I hope we can master this dance and bring the championship next month." She looked at me. "Especially you, Miss Rancher. I trust you on this; don't disapoint me."

I feel the flow of my anxiety in my body. I'm nervous as fuck! Lalo't alam ko na madaming manunood at andon din siya. Sigh.

I nodded.

"I will. Thank you for making me the center; I will not fail you all." I looked around the whole room. Caroline's eyes and those of her friends are burning, but Heather gives me a small smile.

I exhaled. I don't care if maraming may ayaw na ako ang nasa position na 'to. They're jelous! I deserved to be at the center.

After the rehearsal, pumunta ako sa locker room para mag palit ako nang school uniform.

"Suse!" I looked at the one who shouted my so-called nickname.

I frowned.

"What?"

She smiled at me. Geez, I know that smile!

"Manood tayo ng basketball, please." She held my hand.

"I don't want. Wala naman akong kilala sa mga naglalaro." I untied my pointe shoes.

"Please, Suse! Akala ko ba magkaibigan na tayo?"

I rolled my eyes. I don't have friends. I don't make friends. 

"We were just friends, not a big F."

"Sus! Alam ko naman na malambot ka pagdating sa akin 'no? Please, gusto ko lang talaga manood."

Tango na lamang ang naging sagot ko. Pinanuod ko siyang tumalon talon na parang nanalo sa lotto.

Hindi ko alam bakit halos lahag ng babae rito ay kinababaliwan ang mga lalakeng walang iba ginawa kung hindi maglaro. Based on my experience, kasi may nanligaw kasi sa akin before na captain ng basketball sa ibang university.

"Thank you, Suse! I swear, you will enjoy watching." She smiled like a crazy girl.

I just rolled my eyes at her. Pagtapos ko magpalit ng uniform ay dumiretso kami sa cafeteria para kumain. I just ordered carbonara pasta and one iced tea.

I looked at her order. She ordered a lot.

"Hindi ka ba kumakain sa inyo?"

She side-eyes me while eating the chicken. "Hoy! Kumain na ako sa amin 'no, but I want to eat more. You know naman, 'di ba? I have PCOS, kaya lagi akong gutom." I looked at her. She's really pretty; she has chubby cheeks, short-haired, and a chinita. She's taller than me, and her body is voluptuous.

After eating in the cafeteria, ay dumiretso na kami sa gym ng aming school.

"Shit! Nag sisimula na." Hinila nito ang aking kamay habang tumatakbo. "Bilis Suse! Oh my God!"

Napahawak ako sa aking tuhod at dibdib dahil sa hingal. Nilibot ko ang aking mata sa kabuo-an ng gymnasium. Puno ng tao sa loob, sa left bench ay puro blue ang ka-suotan, at ang right naman ay pula.

"Dito tayo Suse," wika nito.

Nang makaupo inilibot ko ang aking paningin sa loob ng gymnasium.

"Ang pogi talaga niya! Naiiyak ako." Pag iinarte ng katabi ko. Pinaypayan pa nito ang sarili gamit ang kamay, at pinunasan pa ang kaniyang kunyaring luha.

I glared at her.

"You know, ang oa mo."

She inhaled. "What? Look at him!" I said, looking at the man he was pointing at.

The man in the red jersey.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! He's so freaking hot!" I glanced at my so-called friend, Zoey, whose cheeks are flushing red right now because of him. 

I continued staring at him. He has a very prominent nose and thick eyebrows, and the rest of his facial features say he's got foreign blood running through his veins. Tan skin, long legs, and I think he's got a long, slender finger brushing his hair right now. 

He looked at where I was. Namula ang aking cheeks.

Inipit ko ang pang-ibabang labi gamit ang aking ngipin. He's indeed hot.

"Heather, look, he's lookin' at you!"

I glanced at them. They are just in front of me. Heather giggled because of what Caroline said. 

"Psh! Ayan na naman sila. Siguro kung may award ang pagiging delulu silang magkakaibigan ang mananalo!" She whispered to me.

For the first time, I laughed at her. I don't know why.

"Geez! You laughed at me!" She hugged me. "We're best friends, right?"

"Zoey, ang oa mo."

I looked at the red jersey guy again. He's familiar to me...

I don't know where or when, but I know I already saw it before. I'm not good at remembering things.

I glanced at Zoey; her eyes were turning her heart while she looked at that man.

He's running to shoot the ball. When he's shooting the ball on the ring, most of the girls sighed at him after shooting the ball, and some started to take pictures of him.

"He's from our university, right?"

Zoey shook her head.

"Nope," she's poppin' the p.

I frowned. I'm clueless. Why do all of our classmates support that handsome guy?

"He's from Gulliver University! Kalaban sila ngayon nila Kino, 'di ko alam if sino ang susuportahan ko. Maybe my love of my life nalang?"

What? He's not from our school?

My imagination vanished because of what I learned. I should support the athletes from our school.

"What's his name?" I remember they call him

Hell..