"Ano Kim ready ka na?"
This has been the question hasn't it? 6 months after the PSL-AFC, I did the one thing that no one expected me to do. Not only the fact that I did not play my last playing year for the UAAP, but more so, I took a break from volleyball. Yes. A break from the one thing that has been my life for the past 13 years. Which also meant a break from the people who made me who I am today.
"Ate Kim ready ka man o hindi they will be here any minute." Ara still continued dahil hindi na niya mahintay yung reply ko. "Sinundo lang kita para hindi ka naman masyadong mabigla once na andito na sila."
I gave her a small smile to at least try to assure her na okay lang ako.
"Okay lang ako, wag kang mag alala." I lied.
Nag set si Mika ng isang get together dinner to celebrate Valentine's day. Actually tradition namin ito nina Ara at Mika since our Lady Spikers' days, kahit na may sari sarili kaming dates, the three of us always find time to celebrate it together kasi sa maniwala kayo o hindi, kaming tatlo talaga yung girlfriends of each other. But this year is different. It is so unlike the past years because for the first time, kaming tatlo ay single. Pero ngayon din ay nag invite daw si Mika ng kasama namin which until now ay wala parin akong idea kung sino.
"Was it worth it?" tanong ulit ni Ara. "Was she worth it?"
"Eh kung ibalik ko kaya yang question na yan sayo?" asar ko naman pabalik sakanya.
"Brad iba yung ang akin at iba yung sa iyo." sagot naman niya. "Iniwan mo ang volleyball dahil akala mo siya nalang ang kaligayahan mo, oh eh anong nangyare sayo?"
Her words were fiery. As if she is also saying it to herself. Mahirap kasi mag mahal ang isang atleta. As the saying goes, the downfall of an athlete is love.
"Teka, ako pa ba yung topic or ikaw na?" tawa ko naman. "Hay nako Ara wag na nating balikan yung mga katangahan natin."
"Wag mo akong idamay dyan." she cut me off. "Walang nawala sa akin siya ang nawalan, eh ikaw nawala ang volleyball sayo. So sinong tanga ngayon?"
"Si Yeye." I joked again and this time ay napatawa narin si Ara. "Char."
"Totoo yan." she agreed. "By the way sinama pala ni daks si---"
Before Ara could continue her sentence, Mika finally showed up at the door. Syempre nauna kaming nag yakapan before kami nakapagsalita. We literally have not seen each other for how many months now. Dahil narin sa nangyare sa amin ni Tin kaya medyo nagkaroon kami ng distance sa isa't-isa, but that was in the past now. Wala namang makakapag bago ng friendship namin ni Mika.
"Oh ano eh di na miss mo ako diba Bossing?" agad niyang asar sa akin. "Jusko Kim Fajardo, wag kang ano ha."
"Don't me Mika Reyes." sabi ko naman sakanya. "Oo na wala na akong nagawang tama sa buhay ko. Di na kelangan ipamukha sa akin."
"Nasabi mo na ba sakanya?" Mika asked Ara completely ignoring me.
"Nasabi yung ano?"
"Brad sorry ha, si Ye kasi eh sinusunod ko lang siya." biglang sabi ni Ara sa akin.
"Hoy Ara wag mokong baliktarin ha bibigwasin kita dyan." sabay batok ni Mika kay Ara. "Actually Kimy si Ara ang may plano nito."
"Wafs ano ba to?" I cut them off. "Wag niyo sabihing--"
And there she is. Standing infront of my very own eyes. Six months. Six months have passed but damn it she still looks the same. Still as beautiful as I remembered. But who am I kidding? She has always been beautiful in my eyes.
