Just Another Girl To You

Six

Have I ever mentioned my life-long dream? I think not. Well, here it goes: to be in the US military, serving under either the Air force or the Navy.

I know, I know, you're thinking "why the hell would a girl want to trek the horrendously unglamorous life of a soldier?"

The answer is simple, really.

I come from a family of military-oriented individuals. My dad's father was a veteran of the US Army. He participated in both world wars, and was highly praised for his work.

He would always return home tired, and although scathed, he would gladly regale my father and his siblings with tales of the war, of both the hardships and it's triumphs.

Upon hearing the tales, my father wanted to be like my grandfather and be a soldier.

He wanted to make his father proud and serve the country.

So dad took the entrance exams for the Philippine Military Academy or "PMA". He passed, in fact, he was among the top three exam takers.

He had exemplary credentials and was more than welcome in the academy.

The only problem? His parents didn't sign the permission slip. He was not able to go, and he grew frustrated.

When he married, he originally wanted a son, but he never got one. It's just me and my younger sister, Kaitlyn. And as the eldest child, I felt like I had to live up to his expectations and be the "perfect child".

He treated me as if I were a boy since I was little, and not wanting to be a disappointment, I accepted it with enthusiasm. Although it was awkward at first, I grew accustomed to it eventually.

All I wanted was daddy's approval. And since he wasn't able to fulfill his dream, I felt pressured to do it for him instead.

Back to the point; so, since I wanted to be in the military, I've taken courses and attended programs since elementary that were military-oriented. For I wanted to always be a step closer to my goal.

Since I'm now in high school, I could now join COCC in preparation for CAT in my sophomore year.

Sign-ups for COCC would start in October. I've never been a patient person, so I needed something to do while waiting.

"Women's Basketball Varsity try-outs next week!"

What? Basketball? Oh, I'm so in. Not only would it be a great pastime, it'd also grant me some street cred if I got in.

With this in mind, I tried out for the team.

I don't know how I got in. I mean, sure, years of swimming, tennis, running, taekwondo, soccer, badminton, swimming, about 5 other martial arts, 10 other sports, and dribbling must've given me an advantage, but I didn't think it'd be enough for me to get in.

This is great, i thought. I just didn't know how good it really was.

***

Our weekly trainings started, and not only did I enjoy them because of the sport, I also found a new group of people to call my family.

Our coach was Mr. Capistrano, also lovingly known to us as "Sir Caps", was in his mid thirties, tall, and of athletic build from his years in the army, running, and of course, basketball.

Such a patient mentor, he was. Always taking the time to make sure each knew what to do, and never did he speak unkindly to us. We respected him, and he in return, respected us.

He was very wise. Not only did he stand as our coach, but also as our confidante. We looked up to him as a father, and he affectionately called us his daughters. When in peril or whenever we have problems, he'd always be there for us and offer solutions and advice.

Even when someone from the team would get courted, the guy would have to ask our "father", Sir Caps, for "permission".

This meant a lot to me, since my real father has always been my hero. But as I grew up, things changed, and I realized dad wasn't the person I thought he was anymore. So having Sir Caps somehow restored my faith in people, that someone, even if you aren't related, could be there for you and love eighteen weird girls as if we were his own daughters.

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A/N: greetings! Sappy, isn't it? Forgive me, but I thought it essential that I mention my aspirations, and give insights about my personal life. For one cannot connect wholly to a character without having any emotions to relate to, am I right?

Please, I ask, tire of my story, you mustn't. I'm building a wall of suspense before I introduce the main plot twist.

Fear not, for all I write is essential, and they aren't mere fillers.

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Cheers!

Rawr 🍪