Closing Time

24

Cydthealee

"Excuse me.." I heard a girl called out from my back.

Nakaupo ako ng mag isa sa bleachers at Razon's Sports Complex at the 9th floor. It's only 8:30 am and ang call time namin is at 9:00. First day ng training ko ngayon dahil kakarating ko lang sa Manila kahapon. Yung sports director palang ng De La Salle University ang nakakausap ko and ng mom ko since we got here. Hindi parin ako naka pasok sa dorm ng Lady Spikers so we just stayed sa hotel near the university.

"Dito ba nag tratraining ang Lady Spikers?" the girl continued to ask.

I turned around and saw a fair skinned girl with big glasses on. She looked familiar. She gave me a big smile while she's waiting for my response. Alam kong nakita ko na siya somewhere. For sure if I ask her name I would remember her.

"Ay oo, dito nga." I returned a smile. "You're.."

"Kim Fajardo." she finished my sentence.

Oh of course she's Kim Fajardo. The one and only Kim Fajardo. Yung taga UST na champions ng UAAP Girls' Volleyball. She's all over the volleyverse kasama yung buong team niya. I remember having a tune up game with their team and our whole squad was just stunned on how amazing their plays were. Not going to lie pero I felt na parang nag fan girl ako deep inside. And to think na possible na teammates kami dito sa DLSUWVT.

"Cydthealee diba?" she spoke again dahil hindi na ako nakapagsalita after she said her name.

"Ay oo." I smiled shyly. "You still remember me?"

Mas kinilig pa ako dahil kilala ako ng isang Kim Fajardo.

"Syempre naman!" she answered me. "Eh kelan lang naman yung tune up game natin diba?"

"Actually almost a year ago na yun." I laughed. "Baka tumatak lang talaga ako sayo." I joked. "Char."

She laughed at me. Buti nalang dahil feel ko ay ang corny nang sinabi ko baka ayaw na niya akong maging kaibigan. I don't want to leave a bad first impression to my future teammate.

"Actually, naalala kita dahil nung first tayong nag meet eh hindi ko gets yung name mo." she informed me.

"Oh eh paano mo na alam ngayon?" I asked immediately. "Full name pa nga sinabi mo kanina eh."

"Hay nako di mo alam kung paano ko nalaman name mo." she laughed. "Tinanong ko kay coach namin sabi eh Demecillo lang daw, eh tinanong ko first name wala namang nakaka alam."

"Wala eh, di ako memorable na player." tawa ko ulit. "Hindi kagaya ng isang Kim Fajardo."

"Uy hindi kaya." she countered. "Tinanong ko sa ibang kong teammates tapos sabi nila Cyd daw." She continued. "Oh tapos nung makarating ako sa La Salle, tinanong ko naman kay Coach Ramil so dun ko na nalaman yung Cydthealee Demecillo."

I gave her a curios look. Bakit ganoon naman siya ka eager alamin yung name ko? Ni hindi nga kami nakapag usap nung tune up game namin eh. We just exchanged goodlucks and nice games, yung ganoon lang. Eh di sana kung alam ko gusto niya akong makilala I should have just introduced myself to her.

"Kaloka ka girl!" I exclaimed. "Why go through that just to know my name?"

"Creepy ba?" tanong niya ulit sa akin. "Natawa kasi ako sayo nun."

I raised my eyebrow at her. Loko pala itong Fajardo na to, tinatawanan lang pala niya ako noon.

"Oo, sorry na." I pouted. "Di kasi ako kasing galing niyo eh."