A Game of Luck//Kobe Paras FF

Chapter 15

The buzzer finally rang.

For the UST community, it sounded like voices from the angels above. For the UP Community, it sounded shrill, too noisy and too violent.

I looked up at the score board, still refusing to believe na that was it.

65-68

UP is really out of the game.

Naiiyak akong bumaling sa team. Bigo silang nakayuko. Jun's eyes were red na dahil sa kakaiyak while Kobe tried to comfort him.

Nanatiling maingay ang loob ng MOA, UST fans were jumping in joy for the win habang kami naman ay nananatiling bigo. Kobe turned towards my direction at agad na nagtagpo ang aming tingin.

I didn't know how it was possible, pero in that moment alam ko na agad ang tumatakbo sa isip niya. He looked at me solemnly habang sinubukan ko naman siyang ngitian.

Tinapik siya ni Ricci kaya bumaling siya sa kanya. Kara was also trying to hold back her own tears beside me.

Nang matapos na ang pagkanta ng Alma Mater ay nagsimula nang magsialisan ang mga tumitingin. I turned to look at Kara para sana ay umalis na kami.

The Fighting Maroons weren't really in a festive mood right now at pakiramdam ko naman ay dapat magkausap usap muna sila ngayon.

I looked back on the court para sana ipaalam kay Kobe na aalis na kami. I saw him talking to some of the players from UST kaya medyo natagalan pa bago ko nakuha ang atensyon niya.

I pointed outside nang nilingon niya nga ako pero umiling siya and he gestured for me to come closer.

Nalilito man ay ginawa ko ang sinabi niya at lumapit nga sa board. "Hey," pagbati ko sa kanya nang nasa harap ko na talaga suya.

He looked so defeated, his shoulders immediately sloped downward at lahat ng composure na ipinakita niya kanina habang hindi pa natatapos ang broadcast ay nawala.

My heart hurt for him, seeing how he voluntarily showed his vulnerability to me. Niyakap ko siya ng mahigpit pero kumalas rin para matingnan siya ng maayos.

"I know what you're thinking right now but believe me when I say na it's not that," ani ko. I saw his teammates start to go back to their dugout kaya tinaboy ko na siya. "You should go back, aalis na kami ni Kara so you can spend the rest of the night with the team."

Nagpakawala siya ng buntong hininga bago sinundan ang aking tingin kina Bright na papaalis na. "I want to be with you."

Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya. Kahit sa sitwasyon ngayon, nakukuha niya pa ring magpakilig. "Pwede ka namang sumama sa amin," ani niya.

I sighed in defeat, wala man akong magawa para maiba ang resulta ng laro, kaya ko namang pagbigyan si Kobe and it's the least that I can do.

"I'll wait for you outside," I told him.

"I didn't bring my car. Let's just go inside the dugout para sabay na rin tayo sa bus."

I looked at him in awe. Aangal pa sana ako kasi nakakahiya naman talaga kung sasabay ako pero he already carried me into the court.

Nilingon ko si Kara who was also waiting near the dugout na. Huh, ang weird.

Sabay na nga kaming pumunta sa loob. Coach Bo was saying something to the team pagpasok namin at medyo nahiya naman ako nang bumaling sila sa aming direksiyon.

Kobe led me to a chair near his bag at doon ako pinaupo. Nagpaalam siya na maliligo na muna kaya nilingon ko ang iba.

Kara was outside habang may kausap. She looked serious at mamula-mula pa ang mga mata. Out of the blue, tumawa siya at mahinang sinapak ang kausap. Nang mapansin niyang nakatingin ako ay nagpaalam na siya at lumapit sa akin.