Just This Time

Chapter Five

"Prrrrrrt!" The sound of a whistle marked the start of the games.

"Mine!" A player shouts, trying to chase down the flying volley ball. The squeaking sound of shoes scattered across the gymnasium as basketball players fight for the trophy. The whooshes of badminton and tennis rackets flow down the air, and the synchronized melody of stumping feet was felt around the track field.

It's finally the Intramurals in Sta. Cornelia, and both Marco and Therese are competing in their own sports. Marco's doing brain sports as he competes in chess — while Therese plays her childhood sport, badminton. The high school's heartthrob Jayronne Caringal is joining once again in basketball. Food stalls are installed all across the campus, with some souvenir stalls too. Cheers from different chearleading groups are heard all day, almost memorized by every student in the school.

"Checkmate!"

Marco cheekily smiles.

The competitors shaked hands, marking the end of the games.

"And our chess division qualifier, Roy Marco Sumulong!" The head coach announces, drawing the final line on the tally board.

"Nice one, Roy!" Elijah exclaims as he vigorously pats Marco.

"Hoy, not my hair."

"Bro, division qualifier ka na!"

"Pffft. I barely sweat."

"Yabang nito. Oh, saan mo libre?"

"What? Ikaw dapat manlibre, loko!"

Therese's POV

Mga dzai, tulong-tulo na pawis ng ate niyo. Paano ba naman, ang init-init dito sa area namin — ikaw ba naman paglaruin ng badminton sa initan??? Sino 'di maliligo ng pawis dito?

Third set na namin. Score. 18 — 20. In favor of yours truly, siyempre, the prettiest. Eme.

Mabilis kalaban ko. Very agile siya. Nanghahabol ng shuttlecock, mga te. Sana all, shuttlecock, hinahabol. Eme ulit.

SMASH!

Oh, ha! Anong say mo doon, dzai?

Panalo ang ate niyo!

Nagpalakpakan mga tao. Thank you Lord, division qualifier.

Sumilong na ako para mahabol ko hininga ko. Hinanap ko si Claire sa crowd.

"Congratulations ante!!!" A voice greets me with a warm hug.

"Bolera, wala ka pa ring libre, FYI."

"Hindi naman libre habol ko dito, duh," Claire said, rolling her eyes.

Suddenly, napaatras ang ate ninyo.

Mga te, biglang nagblurred paningin ko.

"Teh, pakikuha nga ako ng tubig, parang nahihilo ako," utos ko kay Claire.

"Anti, okay ka lang?"

I placed my palm on my forehead.

Bago pa man ako makasagot,

I blacked out.

Moments later.

Indistinct chatter was the only thing I was hearing.

I woke up, laying on a hospital bed. Nasa school clinic ba ako, o nasa literal na ospital?

"P-papa?" 'Di ko alam bakit 'yan una kong sinabi, eh wala naman akong pake sa papa ko.

"Shhh, anak, parating na papa mo."

Oh, great. It's the school nurse.

"Ano pong nangyari?"

"Hindi ko pa sigurado hija, pero ang assumption ko, naheat-stroke ka."

Pinikit ko na lang mga mata ko, at saka huminga nang malalim.

"Sino pong nagdala sa akin dito?"

"May nagbuhat sa 'yong lalaki papunta dito."

Hala ka diyan.

"Lalaki po?"

"Oo. Bakit? Boyfriend mo?"

Napangiti ako. Siya na kaya 'yung knight in shining armor ko?

Jeez, Reese. Nakuha mo pang mag-delulu, eh muntik ka na ngang namatay.

"Baka po, hehe."

Ngumiti si ma'am. Sige.

Someone opened the door. Great, si papa.

"Therese, 'nak, are you okay?" He concernedly asked while approaching me.

"Jeez, oo, gasgas lang."

"Sabi ng nurse na-heat stroke ka raw. Did you drink water before you played?"

"Pa, I'm an athlete. Alam ko ang ginagawa ko. Kailan ka ba nagkaroon ng pake sa akin?"

Papa made a long pause.

"Magpapahinga ka for the rest of the week. I'll tell the teachers na excused ka na sa division competition," he said.

WHAT!? BALIW BA SIYA?

"What, pa? NO WAY!"

"Stop being stubborn, Maria."

"Pati ba naman paglalaro ko pagbabawalan mo?"

"It's for your own good."

"You never cared about my own good!"

Papa was taken aback.

"Puwes," bumwelo siya bago magsalita.

"Fine, you'll play. Gawin mo gusto mo. The only condition: Next time na himatayin ka, don't ever say I never cared enough to tell you what's best for you."

He stands up.

"Kukunin ka ni Manong Abner mamaya."

He exits the clinic.

Marco's POV

"Hmmmm, thank you Roy, my very best friend!" Elijah expresses in joy as he devours every chicken wing on his plate.

"Shut up," I said. "Bad manners 'yung kumakain ka tapos puno pa bibig mo."

"But it's never bad to say 'thank you' to someone, is it?"

Lokong 'to. Palaging may pang-counter sa sinasabi ko.

"So, are we going to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"'Yung about sa kanina."

"Please, don't. I did it out of pity."

"You mean, you carrying that girl, and specifically THAT girl, was out of pity? I don't believe you, brother," he argued.

"Loko, akin na 'yang plato mo!"

"Okay okay, chill, joke only, I'll zip my mouth."

I bit my chicken wing out of annoyance.

"Pero at least, division qualifier ka na, hehe," Elijah speaks.

I mockingly smiled to him.

"Mabigat ba siya?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Bayadan mo 'yan."