The Last Rule

Chapter 22 - Flower

"Hernandez number three, for three points again and yessir!" sigaw ng announcer kaya pinause ko agad ang video saka ako pumalakpak.

He was late kanina, pero nagpaalam naman siya kay Papa. Kararating lang niya pero grabe bumawi. Seventeen points ang lamang ng kalaban kanina pero after a few minutes, tie na. Nagsimulang humabol nung dumating si Dos.

Pero I couldn't even relax while watching. Medyo nagiging pisikal na kasi yung kalaban. Ang daming banggaan, siko, tadyak, pero walang tinatawag. I could literally feel Papa's anger from here. Everytime sinisiko si Dos, I could hear Papa shouting from the bench.

Dos just kept playing, though. Parang walang nararamdaman. 

Everyone knew, even the crowd, that he was the reason nakakahabol ang team nila Papa. The moment he entered the game, nag-iba ang takbo. Mas mabilis, mas aggressive, mas may chance manalo. And of course, the opponents knew that too. Kaya siguro ganoon na lang sila kung makasiko.

PRRRTTTTT!

My heart dropped when I saw him curled up in the middle of the court, clutching his stomach. I saw it clearly in the video on my phone, siniko talaga siya. Pero hindi na yun ang inuna ko. The other players rushed to him and carried him to the side, right where I was sitting.

"Hindi ako makahinga..." he said, barely catching his breath.

My whole body froze. I don't know what to do. I just stood there, holding my phone uselessly.

The game continued after a few minutes, pero I didn't care anymore. I stopped recording. My focus was only on him. There was no medic, no nurse around, buti na lang andun si Kuya Calli. He immediately helped Dos, and after a few minutes, he was fine.

They still won the game in the end. Laking tulong nung points na naiwan ni Dos bago siya pinalitan, pero walang nag-cheer. Walang sumigaw. Tahimik lang kaming lahat, worried pa rin.

Tahimik kaming lahat sa sasakyan pauwi. Walang nagsalita, walang nag-celebrate.

I sat across from him sa loob ng L300, just watching silently.

"Should we go to the hospital?" I asked softly.

Umiling si Kuya Calli. Sabi niya hindi raw kailangan, minor lang daw, but I still didn't feel calm. Dos smiled at me again, that soft reassuring smile, but my heart didn't believe it.

Pagdating namin sa bahay, tinulungan siyang bumaba ng mga players pero tumanggi siya. "Kaya ko,"he insisted. Pero nung makita ang upuan, ayun, agad umupo.

That's when I noticed the blood on his knee. Napahinto ako. May gasgas din sa braso at sa binti.

Kaya kinuha ko agad yung kit ni Kuya Calli at ako na ang naglinis. I didn't even think twice.

I sat on a low chair at ipinatong ko sa hita ko yung paa niya para mas madali.

He must be in pain, pero ni minsan hindi siya nagreklamo. Every time I glance at him, nakatingin lang siya sa akin. Smiling pa.

"Masakit?" I asked quietly.

He shook his head. "Hindi naman."

I looked up at him and caught him staring. Nakangiti pa rin. Yung tipong parang wala lang talaga kahit obvious na nasaktan siya.

"Don't do that again," I said softly, still dabbing his wound. "Yung tatakbo ka kahit sinasaktan ka na. Do you even realize how scared I was watching you?"

He didn't answer. He just kept looking at me. Then, out of nowhere, he leaned closer, like really close , enough for me to smell the faint scent of sweat and cologne mixed together.