Closing Time

1

Cydthealee

*7:30*

Buzzzz

Eto nanaman tayo, sinabi ko sa sarili ko habang inaabot ko yung phone na nag aalarm ng napaka lakas. Monday ngayon kaya naman 9:00 ang training. Isa lang naman ang nagpapaganda ng gising ko eh ---

*phone vibrates* oh ayan on cue siya.

"Can't wait to see you today beautiful! Smile always 💚"

Sa isang iglap ay napalitan ng ngiti ang nakakuno na mukha ko dahil sa early morning wake up call. Isang text lang galing sa kanya at bigla ako ginaganahan na bumangon. Maybe its cheesy for others pero thats just what it takes to make my grumpiness go away. He is Ricci by the way. Ricci Rivero, a Green Archer. Hindi ko masabi na kami, pero hindi ko rin naman masabi na hindi kami. It's complicated I guess. It's complicated in a way na we both can't commit to each other. Not in a negative way though. We can't commit because of our student-athlete life. Lalo na ako, Im a senior, this is my last playing year and I promised not only to my coaches and teammates but also to myself that I would give everything that I could to bring the crown back to Taft. Siya naman, 3rd playing year lang niya but still he is committed to the team as much as I am. Well, buhay athlete eh. We chose this lifestyle and we are going to be committed as long as we're wearing the green and white jerseys.

Mag rereply na sana ako ng marinig ko ang sigaw ni Joy from first floor. Nakagawian na naming Lady Spikers na kumain ng sabay sabay sa hapag kainan, may consequence ang late na bumaba, ito ay mag hugas ng plates kasama ng designated dish washer ng araw na yun. Kaya naman hindi na ako nagpadalos-dalos pa at nag madali na akong bumaba. I didn't even check kung gising na yung roommate kong si Kianna. As usual nakaupo na ang mga early birds na sina Mok, Tin, Cj at Julia. Roomates kasi ang mga yan at simula nung nakasama nila si Mok, naging responsible and mga rookies na ito. Siyempre si Mowky yan eh, ate nalang lahat, minsan pati ako ay nakiki ate narin.

"Good morning ate gurl!" Tin greeted me sleepily as I walked towards my seat.

"Anong ate gurl? Beautiful ate gurl Tin!" Hirit naman ni Cj. Ako naman ay tumawa lang at binati ko rin sila ng good morning.

"Sus, you guys didnt have to say that. For sure may bumati na sakanya ng "beautiful girl" kanina." Mok teased as she made her way towards me to give me a soft peck in my temple. Ganyan si Mok, mang aasar pero grabe siya sa kanyang sweetness sa lahat ng member ng team.

"Shh gurl." I replied giving my best poker face. "Walang ganyang ganap kaya wag na mang issue."

Before Mok could say anything else nagsi babaan na ang iba naming teammates. As usual si Eli ang nahuli. For sure kung hindi pa hinila ang kanyang paa ni Ara ay hindi pa ito magigising. At dahil early morning today, hindi pa ganoong kaingay ang lahat while having breakfast. Ito kasi yung first early training namin for this season kaya wala pang nakaka adjust na maging morning person. I couldn't help myself but to observe my teammates every morning but today something felt different. Na feel ko na in 5 months, wala nang ganito. In 5 months tapos na ang career ko sa UAAP and kelangan ko nang mag move on. Not that I would be alone after leaving this team, but I feel like a huge part of me will be left here in this very dorm, left with my teammates. Bago pa lumalim ang pagka emotional ko, naramdaman ko na may gumagalaw sa aking braso.

"Huy didit! Umagang umaga nakatulala ka diyan." Narining kong inasar ni Kim sa akin. "Sino ba nanaman yang iniisip mo?"

No one on the team knows about me and Ricci. No one. Hindi naman sa ikinakahiya ko siya or what but I dont think there's anything to share to them. Same goes for Ricci, never ko pa siyang pinakilala sa Lady Spikers and never parin niya akong pinakilala sa Green Archers. It's been almost a year but it is our deal. Hindi pa namin na paguusap kung kelan namin kayang sabihin sa mga kaibigan namin, siguro we're just waiting for the perfect time.

"Pano kung sabihin kong ikaw?" Agad ko namang banat kay Kimmy. "Kilig ka no?" Asar ko sa kanya habang inaayos ko ang aming mga pinag kainan. "Ano boss, kilig ka eh."

Ganito talaga kami ever since nag start kami sa team. Ako si Dora siya si Kimmy. Sabi nga nila, walang Cyd kung walang Kim. Paano nga ba kami naging close ni Kaf? Simple lang naman, batchmates kami. Yes ka batch rin namin si Mok, pero nung nag sisimula palang kami, star na yang si Mok, Rookie of the Year lang naman siya. Kaya naman habang siya ay gumagawa ng pangalan niya sa volleyball, kami ni Kimmy ay matiyagang sumusuporta para sa team. So ayun kami yung laging partners sa training, warm ups we were even roommates for 3 years. Kaya naman siya na talaga naging bestfriend ko ever since.

Best friend. But still she doesn't know about Ricci. 

"Oh Monday ngayon, for sure may lakad ka nanaman after school today." Biglang sumingit si Kianna sa usapan namin.

Binigyan ni Kaf ng puzzled look si Kianna. Her face seems to be saying na 'bat hindi ko alam yan?' Look.

"Hay nako Kaf, di mo alam yang si ate gurl, kung maka rush after our last subject eh kala mo naman may training na i-aattend." She explained.

Shit. I didn't know Kianna observed me like that. Monday kasi eh. Monday is our only day to try to see each other. Minsan wala pa nga eh, but we don't complain. Katulad ngayon on going season nila, habang kami may 2 months pa before kick-off which means off season naman ito para sa kanila. Times like these gusto ko nang sabihin sa kanila. Sabihin na oo may ka meet ako pag Mondays na importante sa akin. But i can't. 

"Hoy gurl, watcha talking about?" Sabi ko naman with my cebuana accent. "Kaya lang naman ako nag mamadali dahil gutom ako after ng class na yun. You know me naman."

"So late lunch with me today?" Biglang yaya ni Kimmy as if she was challenging me.

"Hala siya." Agad kong sinabi. "For real yan?" I asked her while im arguing with myself kung sasama ako sa kanya or kay Ricci.

"Kung gusto mo, or baka naman nga kasi may lakad ka mamaya.." Kim is testing me. Kilala ko siya eh. Siguro may hint na siya ng doubt sa akin na baka may tinatago ako sa kanya. "Libre ko---"

"Oh tara! 4pm sharp." Hindi ko na siya pinatapos na mag salita. And then she smiled at me. She smiled like a kid who just opened an early christmas gift. Ganun ka genuine yung smile niya. Why? Maybe because finally after a long time mag sasama ulit kami. So in return, I gave her one of my biggest smile na para bang nag papacute lang and i know she loves it.

"See you."