A Change of Heart

II

10 years ago…

 

She strums her guitar while humming a tune that she’ll soon have to put lyrics on. Iba ito sa kadalasan niyang kino-compose, mas mabilis ang beat at mas masaya. Kadalasan kasi puro slow music ang kanyang sinusulat. This one is more of a dance to music.

“Jane! Ibaba mo na muna yan. One-on-one tayo dito!”

She was interrupted by him, but she smiled dotingly. She watches him as he tried to shoot the ball away from the three-point line. He dribbled the ball and positioned his stance. He threw the ball and it goes in the ring perfectly. She couldn’t help but smile more. He’s really a pro.

“Hey! Daydreaming about me again?”

Hindi niya napansin na tumigil na pala ito sa pagshu-shoot at ngayon ay nakatingin na sa kanya. He smirked at her goes back to his game.

“Give up Al! Hindi mo na mashu-shoot yan!”

She laughed mockingly, trying to tease the guy. But instead of getting annoyed, he gave her a naughty smirk. Para bang naghahamon siya. Really? Then watch me. His smirk says it all. He moved away from the three point line and walked past the boundary line… he stood his position, breathed out and shoots the ball towards the ring.

She watched the ball sailed to the ring. What a show off she thought. Malamang hindi papasok to. But then she heard the clunk of the ring when the ball went in. Wow! Hindi niya maiwasan na hindi mapabilib. Pero syempre, hindi niya yun sasabihin sa kanya. She doesn’t want to feed his ego, not that he’s so proud. But when it comes between the two of them, walang hanggang asaran na naman yan.

“Ano bilib ka na?” Then he gave her a wink.

She laughed and rolled her eyes at him. Then she goes back strumming her guitar.

“Jane, don’t be a KJ and play with me,” he insisted once again.

She looked at him apprehensively. Pawis na pawis na siya dahil sa kanina pa siya naglalaro nang walang tigil.

“I don’t want to. Amoy pawis ka na tapos pagpapawisan din ako pagnaglaro ako diyan.”

“Ah..ganun..”

She ignored him and went back to what she’s doing. Little did she know that he went behind her. He hugged her tightly from the back and laughed out loud. She was surprised, but she couldn’t help but laugh with him too.

“Eew! Pawis mo!”

Then she laughs even louder as he hugs her tighter and put his head on top of her head as he laughs out loud.

“Aaargh! Ambaho mo!” She was struggling under his hug, but failed as he was way stronger than her. Nanghihina na din siya dahil sa sobrang kakatawa.

“Gusto mo naman ang amoy ko eh!”

“Ang kapal mo talaga!”

Then he laughs with her too. Actually, he was right. Kahit naman pawisan na siya, mabango parin siya. After minutes of playing, she can still smell the faint scent of his perfume.

“Okay MVP. Just move away from me!” she told him while giggling.

He released her from his tight hug and face her. Hinawakan niya ang mga balikat ni Jane at ngumiti.

“Someday, I’m gonna be a real MVP! Hindi lang ikaw ang tatawag sa akin niyan balang araw.”

Then he started flexing his arms which made her laugh again.

“Oo naman! And someday, magiging sikat ako na artista!”

Both of them laughed at what they said. Little did they know, that they are on their way to fulfilling the call of their first loves.

This happened 10 years ago, both of them were high school students. One an aspiring actress and the other one an aspiring basketball player.

Jane Oineza and Alvin Teng grew up together. Una sila nagkakilala nung lumipat ang pamilya ni Alvin sa subdivision nila. Pareho sila nang pinapasukan na school nun. Hindi man sila magkaklase dahil dalawang taon ang tanda ni Alvin sa kanya, naging magkaibigan ang dalawa dahil sa pareho silang natitira sa school bus sa tuwing naghahatid ng mga estudyante.

Their worlds are very different, Alvin Teng came from a famous business family while Jane is from a simple middle class family. He is more playful and happy-go-lucky than she is, maybe because he is the youngest in the family, while Jane grew up to be more mature and strong as she is the eldest child.

“Jane, samahan mo naman ako bukas.”

“Saan tayo punta?”

“I’m going to Linfield. Kuha ako ng entrance form.”

“Whoah! Linfield? Really?” She was a bit surprised to find out that he wanted to try Linfield. His siblings are in UST. She thought, he would want to study with them in the same school.

“Bakit di ka pa magUste? Para kasama mo siblings mo?”

“Hmmm. Wala lang, maybe just to try something new?” Actually, he had thought about it a long time. He wanted a place where he could start from scratch. Somewhere he wouldn’t be compared to someone or be behind someone’s shadow. And Linfield seems like the perfect place for that.

“Okay. Let me just ask Mommy. Baka mamaya kasi may errands ako dapat gawin bukas eh.”

“You’re completely free tomorrow. Pinaalam na kita kanina pagdating ko,” Then he smiled at her as if he was God’s gift to her.

“Alam mo, minsan napapaisip ako bakit kaibigan parin kita hanggang ngayon eh.”

“Hey! Ngayong gragraduate na ako, hahanap hanapin mo din ako no!”

“Hindi rin siguro.Maybe I’ll be thankful kasi tatahimik din ang buhay ko sa wakas!” Then she laughs loudly.

“Sabihin mo, sasaya ka kasi wala nang magbabantay sayo.”

“Hindi ko naman kailangan ng bantay. I’m a big and strong girl na.” She stood up and folded her arms.

“Basta! I’ll still visit you in school pag may time ako. Sisiguraduhin ko na di aaligid aligid sayo yung mga totoy na nagkakagusto sayo.”

“Inutusan kaba ni Mommy na gawin yan? Haha!” She couldn’t help but laugh and feel loved by her friend’s protectiveness.

“Hindi no. I’ll sacrifice my free time out of my free will for my friend’s welfare!”

This time she couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Minsan hindi niya magets kung seryoso ba o nagpapatawa si Alvin.

“Pero seryoso, Jane. Wag ka muna papaligaw ha? Or much better wag ka muna magboyfriend ha?”

She could hear the seriousness behind his words. She stopped laughing and looked at him solemnly. Wala pa naman talaga ako balak mag boyfriend. She thought, not yet, not now.

“No suitors, no boyfriend, I promise. Not until I’m 22…”