Our favorite place (Book 1 and 2)

Two

"Come on J. You have passed the 3 month rule." Den said as she took another bottle of beer, opened it and took a sip.

"It's not an easy three months for us, but you, you survived it. Yey!!" Jema can sense the sarcasm on Jia's tone. Den playfully tapped Jia's shoulder causing Maddie, Ced and her to laugh.

It really was not an easy phase for her. It was 4 years, 4 years of relationship. It was not the perfect one, but still, she loved her. LOVED. 2 months after the "resto incident", as Ced would call it, she saw a photo of Fhen and the girl posted by a volleyball fan. They were on the beach swimming and holding hands while walking at the shore.

She swore if Ced wasn't with her at that time, she already threw the fries they were eating and her phone at the ground. But before she can't do that, Ced already saw how hard she was squeezing the phone, she took it and hugged her so she started crying. They stayed like that for 30 minutes before saying to herself, I want to move on. I want my life back.

"Sabi ko naman sainyo diba, I am.."

"NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY." They said in unison to cut Jema off.

"But you are, because you are the team manager, kung may mangyayari sayo lagot kami kay Coach Tai noh. Tsaka ikaw pinakamayaman saamin, ikaw laging nang lilibre." Jia said, Den tapped her again but this time at the back of her head, causing all of them except Jema to laugh.

"No, but J, we had a share of "hirap" sa pag momove on mo. So maybe this is a reward for all of us. You being totally moved on and us for, let's just say, successful on helping you." Den said causing everybody else to raise their glasses and bottles. She looked at the bottle which is now sweating cause it was untouched for the past 10 minutes. She smiled trying to remember all the sacrifices and love that her fellow coaching staff, no, her friends showed her during her phase.

She took the bottle and raised it to toast and she took a sip.

1 month 2 weeks ago

"Where is Jema?"

Den and Jia took glances at each other. Coach Tai was asking Maddie where their team Manager is. "Uh.. She.."

"She sick again?! She go to hospital. Call, I talk to her."

Jia immediately texted Jema that Maddie will call her and that she better be sounding sick or she swear to God that she will definitely going to hospital. Good thing Maddie already set the phone to speaker so that they can hear what Jema will say.

Before Coach can even speak, they heard Jema fake coughed. Jia groaned and whispered to Den who groaned louder that her. "Could she be any more obvious?!" The players are trying their best not to laugh, and others even snickered so Den gave them a glared, causing them to make their faces straight as possible.

But the coaching staff groaned in unison and the players are biting their lips to contain laughter when Jema started to speak. "Hello coach." She said, more of a bedroom voice that a hoarse, have a flu voice.

"Jema, where you?! You sick again?!" Coach said.

"Sorry Coach, I will go to training now." Knowing Coach Tai's attitude, they know that she will not allow Jema to go to practice anymore.

"NO!" He exclaimed. "You go to clinic, hospital, go check."

There was silence on the line. Den sensed that Jema don't know what to say anymore. So she decided to stood up for her friend. "Coach, don't worry, I will make sure that she will go to clinic, to check."

"Okay, Jema, go with Den hospital, okay?"

"Okay Coach, sorry." Jema talked again using her bedroom voice, causing Ponggay to laugh out loud. Jules tapped her shoulder but she was also trying to contain her laughter. Maddie approached the two and whispered "2 laps, go." They both groaned and blaming each other.

After the training, just like the last 2 weeks, they all went to Jema's condo. 3 days after the 'resto incident', Den and Jia went to Fhen's condo to get all of Jema's clothes. Fhen obviously don't want to give it to them not until Jema talked to her but the Iron Eagle, just being fierce, intimidated her to give it to them.

Fhen always called Jema but she was sick of her saying sorry and that she regretted what she did and that she will not do it again. She cannot believe her this time because just a year ago, the very same thing happened and this is already her second chance.

Once they arrived at her condo, they saw that same scenario and arrangement of the place for the past 14 days. Empty beer bottles all over the floor, chips and fries on the dinning table and center table, with little crumbs all over the floor, popcorn on the bowl, bottled water half empty and is already warm. The rice and viand that they cooked for her so she can eat lunch, still untouched and is now cold. She always promised that she will eat, even tho they know she will not.

Jema laying on the couch, sleeping, still holding a bottle that still almost empty. Ced took the bottle and they started to clean the mess that their dear friend made. Looking at her, she clearly lost weight for the past 2 weeks. She was drinking herself to sleep. When she ran out of stock, she was crying until her eyes will feel heavy.

Den and Jia always make sure she will sleep at night so that she has energy at the practice. Maddie and Ced fetching her trying to get her to practice, but they failed miserably as they always saw Jema drunk at 5 in the morning. If not drunk, heavily sleeping or still crying.

They can say that moving on from that relationship is hard for her and its taking a toll on all of them. They want to help her, really but one day, Maddie has it. She told to herself if Jema don't want to be helped they won't help.

"Ate Den, anong magagawa ko kung ayaw nya talaga?" Maddie said. She was talking to Den on the phone.

"Maddie kausapin mo lang sya. Hilain mo patayo ng kama."

"AYAW NGA NYA ANO BA?!" Maddie shouted before she could shut her mouth. There was silence on the other line. "A-Ate. Sorry. D-di ko sadya."

"Okay lang. Sige punta na kayo dito sa training, paparating na den naman na si Coach Tai."

"Ate.."

"Okay na Mads, just tell her you won't be coming back again sa condo mamaya. I'll talk to her myself."

"Ate..."

"Mads, wag nang makulit. Sundin mo na lang." Den said in a irritated tone.

"Okay Ate. Uh, Jema, una na kami, si Ate Den na lang daw kakausap sayo. Ced tara na daw. Malapit na daw si Coach."

She didn't heard Jema said a thing so she assumed that she fell asleep before Maddie ended the call. After 20 minutes, Maddie and Ced arrived just a minute before Coach Tai also arrived.

"Nothing?" Jia asked them.

"Didn't even moved a muscle." Ced blurted out.

"Ate.." Maddie tried to talk and apologize to Den.

"I'll slap her out of her condo." Den said before going to the court to stretch. That line made Jia, Maddie, and Ced stiffen on and froze to the ground.