Closing Time

15

Kim

The very moment the ball dropped on to the court, confetti started to fall down and the whole arena just erupted as if a battle was just won. The green army was up to their feet shouting and screaming in victory. This was it! After all the hardships and sacrifices we've given for the past 6 months. It all comes down to this very last point. WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! THE CROWN IS BACK TO TAFT!

Hindi ko na alam kung anong una kong gagawin. I saw my teammates just rushed towars the middle of the court all together to hug each other. Si Yeye yung nasa harap ko kaya siya na yung una kong niyakap ng napakahigpit!

"WAF ITO NA TOOOO!" I screamed at her! "CHAMPIONSSSSS"

"WOOOOOHHHH CHAMPIONS!" sagot naman niya sa akin na super saya. Ni hindi nga niya alam yung una niyang sasabihin dahil naiiyak na siya at nanginginig sa super saya niya. Well syempre pati ako kasi parang naka high na kami. We are on an all time high. All of us are.

Dali dali akong naki huddle sa team. All of them were just expressing their happiness with tears of joys rushing from their faces. No words could describe what we are feeling right now. But as the captain, I needed to say something!

"GUYS! THIS IS IT! CHAMPIONS NA TAYO. WE MADE IT, WE GOT THE CROWN WE MADE IT. ETO NA TALAGA GUYS MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!"

"KIM NAG CHAMPION TAYO DAHIL SAYO. YOU ARE THE CORE OF THIS TEAM, THIS IS ALL BECAUSE OF YOU KAPITANA." Ara saluting me in return.

"HINDI. WE MADE IT BECAUSE WE DID ALL OUR PARTS! A JOB WELL DONE FOR ALL OF US. SALAMAT SA INYONG LAHAT SA TIWALANG BINIGAY NIYO SA AKIN" I shouted back at them.

"LADY SPIKERS." I shouted one last time.

All hands went in and shouted all together.

"ANIMO. ONE TEAM FIGHT."

Hindi ko ma explain and hindi ko narin masyadong naiintindihan yung nangyayare sa paligid ko. All of them wanted to congratulate me, to hug me to give me their appreciation and I really felt overwhelmed. The feeling was just unimaginable. Yung bang parang lahat nang pinaghirapan ko since nag start akong mag volleyball and it all comes down to this. Me being the captain of a UAAP championship team. I feel blessed and honored but most importanly I felt proud of myself. I finally did it.

Of course inuna ko talagang hinanap at hinug lahat ng teammates ko. Lahat sila ay umiiyak at yung iba ay talagang napaka expressive at tumatalon talon parin hanggang ngayon. I have never seen them this happy. Every single one of them is thanking me for what I have done for them but honestly this all because of what they have done to me. Every single one of my teammates motivated me to achieve this goal. Kung wala sila eh talagang hindi ko magagawa ito.

After all the people I hugged and thanked including all of coaching staff, may isang tao pa akong lubos na gusto kong pasalamatan. Yung taong from the start ay siya na yung na kasama ko. I've been actually wanting to find her kanina pa pero sa dami ng humaharang at nag cocongratulate sa akin mas lalo akong napapalayo sa kanya. Finally there she was. Her arms were open wide reaching out for a hug with me.

"Kimmmmmyyyyy!" she screamed with that familiar excited high pitched voice of her. I still can't deny it na her voice is still my favorite sound. It has always been my favorite sound.

I rushed to her accepting her open arms and just settled to her hug. Syempre ay yinakap ko siya ng sobrang higpit. Of all the hugs I have received, yet again the one from her is my favorite. She felt like home and on the instant I was falling even more. She settled her head on the nape of my neck and she just rested it there. I just held her head with both my hands as they were wrapped around her and enjoyed that moment with her. We were both sweaty and out breath but that did not stop us from clinging on to each other like we were clinging on to our lives. Nothing else mattered that time. Suddenly I felt her tears stream down her eyes wetting yung basang basa ko ng jersey kanina pa. I knew she would do that. Kung may tao siyang gustong gustong iyakan I know it's me. I know hinintay niya talangang pumunta sa akin para iiyak ng sobra yung nararamdaman niya.