Dying Embers

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-One: His Pain Made the Sun Hide

ᯓ★ play this while reading: everything i wanted — billie eilish 𝄞 ⋆ˎˊ-

"Sorry, guys. Palpak 'yong laro ko. If I had gotten that ball, we could've at least won," Chance muttered, wiping the sweat from his neck with the edge of his jersey.

"It's alright, Martinez," sabi ni Henry.

"Alright?" singit agad ni Nimbus, nakataas ang kilay. "Dude, you nearly went full Hulk mode on him earlier."

Henry snorted. "Well, wasn't it his fault?"

"So he should be thankful your impulsive ass didn't get the better of you?" Nimbus shot back, grinning.

"Obviously? He should be."

"Pucha kayo," Chance muttered, napangiwi habang nilingon ang dalawa.

"Lapit ka na maging kwento kanina, pre!" sigaw ng isa nilang teammate bago humalakhak.

Napaismid si Chance, pero halata ang bahagyang ngiti sa gilid ng labi niya. Natawa rin ako nang mahina.

Ngayon ay nasa bench kami kasama ang buong team. Lahat sila ay pawisan, pagod, at gutom. Ilang bote ng soda ang nakakalat sa tabi, amoy liniment at araw ang paligid, at ang tawanan nila'y humahalo sa ingay ng field.

Tahimik na sumandal si Chance, ibinaba ang ulo niya sa balikat ko. Ramdam ko ang bigat ng pagod sa bawat hinga niya.

"Champion na naging bato pa," bulong niya, may halong tawa pero ramdam ko rin ang lungkot.

I chuckled softly. "I'm still proud of you. No one else could've pulled off four points in the last inning like you guys. You were so close. Ang importante, binigay niyo ang makakaya ninyo, that's what counts."

He lifted his head to look at me, eyes a little tired but warm. "What would I do without you?"

Napangiti ako, sabay hinawi ang buhok na dumikit sa noo niya. "Probably go into a spiral of self-doubt?" sabay tawa ko at bahagyang tulak sa braso niya. "Kidding. Pero seryoso, sobrang galing mo kanina. Kahit hindi kayo nanalo, you proved how talented you are."

He laughed quietly, then fell silent. His gaze lingered on me, it was intense, a little too sincere for comfort. "You always know what to say," he murmured, almost a whisper.

My heart skipped. "It's just... you're easy to believe in," sagot ko, pilit pinapanatiling kalmado ang boses kahit ang init na ng pisngi ko.

He looked like he was about to say something, something real, when someone suddenly called out from a distance.

"Kuya Chance! May naghahanap sa'yo!"

A player from CSU jogged over, may bitbit pang sports bottle, bahagya pang hinahabol ang hininga niya.

Chance frowned. "Who?"

"Hindi ko sure, pero babae. Sabi gusto ka raw makita."

Nagkatinginan kami. I saw the slight crease between his brows before he turned back to the guy. "Kilala mo?"

"Not really," sagot ng player, nagkakamot ng batok. "Pero parang nasa forties na 'yong babae. Tapos may kasamang dalawang lalaki."

"Sus," singit agad ng isa nilang teammate, nakangisi. "Baka naman may secret admirer si Captain."

Chance chuckled, shaking his head. "Gago. Wala, 'no."

The CSU guy just laughed, then backed away. "Sige, Kuya, una na ako."