Call of the Battlefield Online (TAGLISH)

Level 03:\Derek

Level 03:\Derek Velarde\Startup -That Desperate Call of Duty-

Derek brushed his side-swept bangs rightward. His 5-man team marched to Estelle's burger stand in V-formation. His skin warmed up, as if the fiery aura of self-regard blasted off from his body. As his group approached the burger stand, a laughter from the nearby table flowed through his ears. He glanced at the group. Crap. It's Ren, other members of his Tejeros Triggers, and Estelle.

Lordino called his name, then he patted his right shoulder, "Huy, anong meron sa kanila?"

"Uy!" Derek gasped, and he peeked at his tall and skinny teammate. "Kaibigan at kaklase ko ang lider ng Triggers, at yung anak ng may-ari ng hamburger-an."

Badong rubbed his shoulders with his large fatty hands from behind, "Rek, huwag mong sabihin na may gusto ka sa kanya ah!"

"Gutom lang yan, 'Dong!" Derek adjusted his glasses, then he walked first to the burger stand's counter.

Derek took his old, brown leather wallet from his khaki shorts. Papay Danny turned around, then greeted him, "Welcome to Estelle's! May I take your order?"

The stubby owner smiled at Derek, and he brought out a small notepad and a black ballpoint pen. Derek ordered 9 pieces of hamburgers, and a bowl of French fries sprinkled with tangerine cheese powder. The stubby owner jotted down his orders fast, and belted out Estelle's name to fry the French fries.

He and his team sat at a nearby plastic picnic table, as they waited for their order. He noticed his team members in high spirits — they laughed at their best kill moments during the semi-finals. The 11-year-old member of the Valiants said, "Di ko aakalaing makaka-head shot pa pala ako kanina, kahit ang layo ko!"

"Malayuang head shot lang?" Jason brushed up Hagibis' straight bangs, "Wala yan! Ako naka-double kill, pistol pa!"

"Yung buhay mo naman?" Hagibis laughed at Jason, "Ten points na lang!"

"Wala kayo sa'ken!" Badong pointed his thumb at his chest, "Quad kill, tig-apat na bala lang, head shot pa!"

He turned away from his buddies, as they stared at Badong, "Weh! Di nga?"

Derek gazed at Ren and his friends, as if he still lacked something to be in tune with his team. He's unfazed at the laughter around him. He glanced at his mother's picture in his wallet. He remembered her disfigured face, that brought horror during their job hunts in Manila. He must get that five hundred thousand pesos! That prize money's geared for her mother's reconstructive surgery.

Estelle called Derek, then she served fried hamburgers, a bowl of french fries & bottles of sodas to his group. She peeked at his mother's photo. "Ang ganda naman ng mamay mo, Derek..."

"Dati pa yan, Estelle." He whispered, then he slipped his wallet back to his shorts' pocket. "N'ung hindi pa ako pinapanganak."

"Tse! Ang bugnutin mo naman!" Estelle returned the trays back to the burger stand. then she sat at Ren's table.

"Ang weak mo, pards! Ba't mo naman ginanun yun!" Lordino laughed at him. "Prinoproblema mo ba kung mananalo pa tayo mamaya?"

"Derek, kanina ka pa problemado ha!" Badong patted his shoulder, "Ngumiti ka naman, kahit ngayon lang!"

Derek bit a small chunk of greasy, tasty, fried burger sandwich. His mud brown eyes locked onto Ren & Estelle. He didn't know how will he approach Ren and his friends, as they'll clash today. He took a deep breath, then he shook Ren's hand, "Congrats sa'yo, kaibigan!"

"Oo nga eh, at tayong dalawa na'ng maghaharap mamaya!" Ren smiled at him, yet he wore a straight face. His mind projected a barrage of events, and let out a "Hmmmmmm..." noise.  He saw a vision of intense gunfights, and their characters pointed guns at each others' heads.

"Oo nga eh, galingan na lang natin mamaya." Derek adjusted his glasses, "Kung isa sa'tin ay manalo ng 500,000 ngayon, anong gagawin mo?"

Ren raised his shoulders, "Aba siyempre, pampa-aral ko, o kaya sa business ng nanay ko.", then he smiled at him.

"Ganun din ang gagawin ko, pero..." Derek lowered his head, and fidgetted his hands, "Kailangan ko talaga ang premyong iyon." 

Bakit niya pa nakukuhang ngumiti? Parang laru-laro lang sa'ming barangay lang ang trato niya rito! His mother's scarred face flashed at his mind for the second time. Tight-lipped. Torn between playing a fair game with his bestfriend's team, or will risk all odds for his mother's treatment.

"Derek, may problema ka ba?" Ren stared at Derek with watery eyes.

Estelle turned around, then she hugged Derek, "Ano ba? Namatayan ka ba?"

He caressed her back, as she pinched his shoulders, "Wag mo na kami alalahanin, kabado lang kami..."

Estelle sighed, then she headed back to the burger stand. Ren and Derek finished their hamburgers quickly. Their eyes met. His heart raced, as he can't believe he'll fight his best friend in Call of the Battlefield. Ren and his team headed to the red-lit gaming booth, while his team walked to the blue-lit gaming booth on-stage.

Derek's Valenzuela Valiants, and Ren's Tejeros Triggers walked closer to their gaming booths.

He heard the crowd chanted their in-game names louder. He noticed groups of people waved their printed team banners, and thus the Grand Finals kicked off!