"Go Abbey Tigers!"
"Go go, fight fight, win win, Tigers!"
"Laban, sigaw, Abbey Tigers!"
"Tigers?" patanong na sambit ko sa dalawang kasama ko.
Naupo kami sa gitna ng bleachers. Kahit na sinabi nilang practice lang ito ay ang dami pa ring nanonood. May ilang mga players sa ibang sports ang tumigil para siguro manood ng laro. The team must be really good.
"Noong sumali ang team sa Christmas Cup, tinawag na silang Tigers kaya naman nakasanayan na rin. Sa huli, tinawag na Abbey Tigers ang Hockey team," sagot ni Gerimhae.
She's already holding pom-poms and chanting with the other students. Hindi rin nagpatalo si Larianne. Saan naman nila nakuha 'yan?
"Mas pipiliin ng lahat manood nito kaysa mag-training. Pati ang mga teachers ay iyon at manonood," ani Larianne habang nakaturo sa likod namin.
I glanced at my back and saw the windows open. Some of them I recognized as the faculty staff and teachers. Umiling na lang ako. They must not disappoint me now, will they? Baka sakaling may matutunan ako sa kanila kung sakali mang matanggap ako sa Women's Hockey. I would love them to shout my name.
"Team, gather!" shouted the guy who I assumed the coach. He's wearing the team's shirt. Maroon ang kulay nito at medyo fitted, making his built practically visible. "Just like the usual, this is just a friendly game but that doesn't mean you're going to hold back anything just because they're your friends. Fight like you mean it!"
"Mervin will lead while Erylle will lead the other team. Form your own strategy! Magkakakilala na kayo kaya inaasahan kong kaya ninyo nang gawan ng paraan 'yan," he said mostly to Mervin and the guy named Erylle.
Hockey is also called field hockey, an outdoor game played by two opposing teams of eleven players each who use sticks curved at the striking end to hit a small, hard ball into their opponent's goal. It is called field hockey to distinguish it from the similar game played on ice.
Both teams were split into half – the other group on our left and the other on the right. I watched as Mervin talk and told them the game plan. He looked serious, far from the guy I saw at the airport and the guy I'm with yesterday.
I was so busy examining him that I haven't noticed that I'm staring for too long. Thanks to Larianne for screaming when the game was about to start. The team positioned themselves and the crowd started screaming again. I just clapped my hands to show that I'm with them.
Nang magsimula ang laro, I watched him. Sa buong laro, siya lang ang pinanood ko. It seemed like his twin was not there. Malalaman ko naman iyon kapag nakita ko siya. They're twins after all. Pero siya lang ang nakita kong naglalaro ngayong umaga.
He looked so focused that he didn't bother glancing at my way. I'm not really assuming or anything pero syempre, kilala niya ako kaya bakit hindi niya ako ngingitian man lang. Though, while watching him, I can tell that he really loves playing.
Doon ko lang ulit nakita ang ngiti sa labi niya kahit na may gear sila sa ulo. He was just having fun. Kung sineseryoso niya ang laro o hindi, hindi ko masabi. Pero isa lang ang nakikita ko. He's having fun playing with his teammates. At sa tuwing nakaka-score ang isa sa kanila, kalaban man o hindi, masaya silang lahat at nagtatawanan.
I envy him. Napapalibutan siya ng mga ganitong kaibigan. Na kahit na magkakalaban sila sa isang laro ay masaya pa rin sila. Yes, I had friends from my previous school. Pero hindi ko masasabing kilalang-kilala ko sila. I doubt that they knew me well, too. Ni hindi nga nila alam kung ano ako noon.
BINABASA MO ANG
Suzy Azarcon
Weerwolf[SHAPE SHIFTERS BOOK 1 SIDE STORY] Suzanne's the next heir of their family business. She grew up playing with guns and knives, and witnessed gruesome killings done by her grandfather. She thought it was just right. She thought that those werewolves...
