Our favorite place (Book 1 and 2)

Three

"It's not bad after all. Na-miss ko to." Jema said while smiling after her third bottle and Maddie handed her another one.

The players on the other side of the room is actually having the time of their life and are clearly tipsy and all. Jema took a glance at them again, Den followed her gaze. "We should probably go home."

Ced agreed as she looked at her watch. "Yea. Its getting late."

"Paumaga na kaya." Jia said and laughed. Her cheeks is clearly getting color as it was her 10th bottle of the night. We looked at her. "What?!! Tama naman ako ah?" Yes she was right it was 11:45pm afterall.

"Get yourself together. Bea's not here para mag alaga sayo." Den said.

"Let's go." Ced fished her car keys and Maddie made her way to the players table to gather them. They groaned and asked for another hour but immediately shut up and obliged cause Den stood behind Maddie.

Ced brought her own car and they didn't left until they secured the girls and the coaster left. Maddie, Den and Jia are on the back and already drifted to sleep while Jema and Ced are wide awake as the latter is driving.

"Nakausap mo na ba sya? After the..." Ced asked her out of nowhere.

"No." Jema clearly knows what or who she was talking about.

"Masakit pa den ba?"

Jema was confused for a second on what she is talking about. "What does?"

"Your heart. Diba ayun naman ang purpose ng 3 month rule? To heal the wounds?"

"To be honest, 'di ko alam. How can you tell?" She looked at me as we stopped at the red light.

"Hmm. Go to her. Look her in the eye."

"And say what?"

"I don't know, uhhh, tell her you have moved on, that you don't love her anymore. Tell her what you feel."

She sat there silent, she looked outside as Ced drove again. She lied, she already saw her, she already heard her talk. She didn't know what to feel at that time. She was clearly confused. She jerked slightly forward as Ced halted in front of her Condo.

"I lied." Jema said, Den and the other 2 are now awake and are listening intently to what she has to say.

"Huh?" Ced raised her left eyebrow in askance.

"Nakita ko na sya."

"What happened?" Jia asked.

"I didn't talked to her. I just saw her waiting outside the dug out after their game against Banko. Second round."

1 month, 3 days ago

Jema groaned as she heard a loud bang on her door. She gave her friends their respective keys so that they can come and go her condo.

"So ano Jessica Margarett Galanza?" She knows its her Ate Den who knocked and she know shes pissed as she called her by her full name. She opened her left eye to confirm. "Hihiga ka na lang jan? Tutunganga? Iinom? And what is this?!" She lifted an unopened pack of cigarette. "Are you really that tanga and pabaya?" She bought it a while ago when she went out to restock her beers and drinks. She wasn't going to smoke, really, she just don't know what she was doing.

"Di ko naman.." she tried to stand up but she was immediately on her back. She couldn't stand up. She has no strength or what so ever. She remembered that she didn't ate her dinner and then she threw up just this morning after her 12th bottle.

She expected her Ate Den to help her stand but no. She just stood there looking at her. She went to her dinning area to get her supposed dinner. It was not spoiled but its already cold. As in cold, because the AC was turned on.

Den got another plate for her and another plate for Jema. So now Jema has two. Den said that she better finish all of this because she swore to God she will really slap her.

She placed the 3 plates on the coffee table. "Eat." She said firmly.

Jema can feel that her ate Den is angry at her. She don't need to be told because, one, she is giving her the cold treatment. Two, she called her by her full name. Three, she saw this kind of her Ate Den when she and her Ate Aly fought in front of them.

But she really don't have the appetite to eat so she gathered all of her remaining strength to talk to Den.

"Ate.."

"Jema, hanggang kailan ka ganyan? Hanggang kailan ka namin tutulungan, pag tatakpan kay coach? Hanggang kailan ka namin pupuntahan at ipagluluto? Hanggang kailan mo papahirapan ang katawan mo?"

She wish she wasn't the utensils that her ate Den is holding because her knuckles turned white. Den realized that and she let go of it before speaking.

"Napapagod na den kami Jema, napapagod na si Maddie at si Ced na magsundo sayo. Napapagod na kami ni Jia na magpaalala sayo na kumain ka at matulog ka. Napapagod na kaming lahat na antayin ka sa practice."

"Sinabi ko naman sainyo diba? Hindi nyo ako respon..."

She was cut off because Den just threw her plate to the door.  She stood up and went to her fridge, she get 2 beer bottles and threw them at the same direction.

"What the hell?!" Jema shouted.

"Saan ka kumukuha ng kapal ng mukha para sabihin yan saakin? Dito?" She got another bottle and threw them near Jema's couch.

"Ano ba?!" She shouted again.

"Ano?! Dahil lasing ka kaya kaya mo na akong pagsabihan ng ganyan? Ikaw na nga ang tinutulungan Jema!!!" She threw another one which is now much closer to Jema's feet.

"Tama naaaa!!" She wanted to shout again but it turned into a whisper. She closed her eyes and tears stated to fall.

"Tama na please." She can feel her Ate Den hugged her from the side.

"Shush. We are just trying to help J. Pero paano ka namin tutulungan kung hindi mo kayang tulungan ang sarili mo?"

"Ate, ang sakit pa den. Everything still fvcking hurts. 4 years, 4 fucking years."

"I know. I know. Pero hindi mo naman kelangan magmukmok dito sa condo mo. Coach Tai is always asking you. Nauubusan na nga kami ng sakit na pwedeng idahilan eh. Ang pinaka latest na naisip namin masakit yung buhok mo."

"Ate naman eh!!" Jema tapped Den's shoulder and the latter chuckled.

"No but seriously J, come to practice, focus yourself on other things, good things will come. Believe me."

Jema swung her face towards Den. "Yun na yun Ate? Wala nang sermon?"

"Gusto mo ba?" Her Ate Den threatened her.

Jema smiled and returned her head on Den's shoulder and shook her head "no"

"So will I expect you to practice tomorrow?"

"Sorry Ate. Can you just give me few more days?"

"Sure J."

"Thank you."

"Why didn't you eat pala?" She asked Jema, but the latter didn't responded.

Jema feel asleep.

For how many days, she fell asleep sober.