Back to You || Maiden/Aldub

t w e n t y - t w o

Dear Mr. Cruz,

Congratulations! It is with great pleasure that we invite you begin training in Miami, Florida for NBA's Miami Heat. You will be joining a handful of new recruits who are as eager and as motivated to put their mark in basketball history.

While we are aware that you have yet to meet the standards of an NBA player, we are more than happy to work with you over the course of pre-season to join the legacy many other Asian players have paved in the sport that has become a part of the American culture.

The next step is up to you. We understand that you currently have commitments with your team in the Philippines, and we're willing to hold our offer until you are ready.

We see great things in you, Mr. Cruz, and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Micky Arison - Miami Heat Owner

Erik Spoelstra - Miami Heat Coach

It was his third time reading the letter and yet not a single bone in his body wanted to believe it.

Was this really happening? This had to be a prank.

This was the NBA for crying out loud. It was the league of all leagues, the one that had every seven year old boy up every night - dreaming of one day stepping on to their favorite team's court to play alongside the athletes who were plastered on their wall.

These kinds of things didn't happen to a simple boy from Manchester. It was just unheard of. A Filipino boy born and raised in the UK, invited to play for one of the top teams in America - whilst currently being a current player of the PBA?

Yep, this was definitely just the seven year old boy in him daydreaming yet again.

With a sigh, Justin stood from his couch - pacing across his living room floor.

It was such a wonderful opportunity that anybody would kill to have, but why was he having such a hard time on deciding? Why was the thought of him leaving the place he had called home for the past five years tugged every string in his heart?

Knowing himself, if this offering had arrived at his doorstep a year ago, he wouldn't have thought twice about it and packed his bags the very next day - ready to take that leap in his career.

"I need to talk to Maine about-" He stopped himself from reaching over to his coffee table where his phone laid.

That was it.

She was stopping him.

Though he had come to terms that he and her might not ever be together, his attachment for her grew - finding it hard to leave her behind knowing how much pain she is going through.

Right now was when she needed someone the most. Because even though he said they had to take some time apart from each other, being a call away when trouble was near was far more different than being an ocean away.

But who was he kidding?

He wasn't who she needed the most - she just needed to realize it; and he was going to make her do that.

-----------------------------

"Damn it, you can't-" He sighed, running his hands through his hair out of frustration. "You can't just show up at the airport, thinking you can stop me from leaving. We're not in a Nicholas Sparks or John Green book. It doesn't work like that."