Loving Her Ways

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 | Illusion

The moment my alarm pierced the silence of dawn, I was up. With a routine swift and practiced, I dived into the day, knowing full well that the role of cheerleader came with its own set of unspoken rules—punctuality being one of them. Today's practice was important, starting at dawn, and I couldn't afford a minute's delay.

Our cheerdance coach had only two to three hours to mold us into champions. Given the tight schedule, returning home after practice wasn't an option. I prepared my essentials last night to avoid a foggy mind during the grueling session.

With the district competition merely eight days away, every moment felt like a step closer to the grand stage. My attire was simple yet functional—a white t-shirt paired with black jogging pants, rounded off with dancing shoes to cushion my feet from the relentless practice.

Currently, Ma'am Rañez hasn't deemed it necessary for us to rehearse throughout the entire day. We've all committed the steps to memory. The emphasis of our practice sessions has shifted to perfecting our movements and achieving flawless synchronization—a task that was easier said than done.

Tito Niko noticed me going downstairs. "Oh, you're leaving early."

"May practice po sa cheerdance, malapit na po ang competition. Sa mga susunod po na araw ay maaga rin po akong aalis," I informed him even if it wasn't necessary.

"Kung gano'n ay kumain ka muna, Serin."

"Hindi na po, bibili na lang po ako sa labas," I politely declined. "Bawal po kasi akong mahuli."

Naramdaman siguro ni Tito Niko ang aking pagmamadali kaya sa huli'y hinayaan niya na lang akong umalis. Mabuting handa na rin ang aming driver nang lumabas ako. Applying makeup barely crossed my mind; I only allowed myself a quick application of cream to combat exertion.

Kahit sa maliit na oras sa biyahe, nakuha ko pang pumikit at ituloy ang tulog. Ginising ako ng aming driver nang nakarating na kami sa paaralan. Hindi ko pala siya nasabihang magda-drive through kami sa isang fast food para bumili sana ng aking almusal. Habang nasa daan patungo sa venue, iniisip ko kung anong oras ba madalas magbukas ang main cafeteria ng school.

I was the first member to arrive. Ma'am Rañez was already setting up the speaker we would be using today.

"Good morning, Ma'am," I greeted.

"Carthage, mabuti't maaga ka. Paki-ayos ito sa likod ng speaker."

Sinunod ko ang kanyang utos kahit hindi ko pa nabababa ang mga dalang gamit. It was an easy task anyway.

"Inform your members to come early. Dapat 6:30 o 7 nagsisimula na kayo. Panonoorin ko kayo bago pumasok sa unang klase. Dadating ang instructor niyo ng mga ten."

"Noted po."

I immediately took out my phone to relay her announcement in our group chat. May iilang sumagot na parating na.

"Kabisado niyo na ang steps, hindi ba? Nililinis na lang ngayon?"

I looked up to answer, "Opo, saka sinasanay ko na sila sa mabibilis na parts."

"Mabuti. Ang balita ko may pasabog ang kalapit school natin," she sounded worried for a couple of seconds. "But I know our team's better."

The thing about this cheerdance team that set them apart from others was that most of the dancers were not just cheerleaders for show, but were actually trained in dance and gymnastics. They weren't that difficult to lead and collaborate with—but they could easily be distracted and sometimes arrogant.

My dance journey began in the world of hip-hop during my elementary days, gradually evolving as I sought out various dance styles and mentors. It was more than just a passion; it was my escape. I tried to do many things to distract myself from being alone. As senior high came, I decided to step back from the competitive scene to focus on my academic aspirations without abandoning my love for dance.