Not Me, Maddie

Chapter Sixteen

theDuncanWest  cheerleader 101
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I focused on Duncan after our short vacation on Baguio. I watched him play alone or with my friends, I cheered for him,  I always went home early, I let him drive me to school and home. I just spent my two weeks focusing on him. Walang Oura and Yvan—except kapag nagpapasama ako manood ng game niya—, walang Clau, walang Damon.

Speaking of Damon... I miss him so much. He told me he would be gone for a while for a big project. Clau's birthday naman was moved. Sa end of the month na lang daw which is on Saturday na. Will Damon be there?

May usapan kami ni Clau ngayon na maglunch daw kami sa favorite resto namin. Duncan couldn't drive for me kasi may game siya mamaya and yayayain ko na lang ulit sina Oura manood.

Duncan was fine with me hanging out with Clau. Magkakilala sila. And, he knows how much I feel for Damon. Nakapag-usap na kami about him and pumayag na siya. 'Wag lang daw niya akong makikitang umiiyak because of Dam dahil hindi siya maghehesitate na basagin ang mukha niya. Yeah, that's exactly what he said.

"How's your brother? Can't contact him e. He's not replying on my messages." I said. Kakatapos lang namin kumain ni Clau at nandito kami sa sea side ng MOA.

There was something in this eyes, eh. Like, shock? Or, wonder? Guilt? I couldn't just decipher. Or maybe, I was just thinking too much dahil miss na miss ko na si Dam.

Clau and I made it clear sa isa't isa na hanggang friends lang talaga. Nagkausap kami after ko ihatid si Dam sa house niya. Nagkasalubong kami sa mall eh tapos ayon, I asked for a talk.

Kaya ngayon, we're friends na lang talaga. And we're really happy with each other's company. At least now, I can be myself more in front of him.

"He must be busy. He's an engineer, remember? Saka balak na 'atang ipahandle sa kanya ni Papa ang EU eh. Wala na kasi siyang time sa sobrang daming dapat iconsider."

Nag-usap lang kami about our family and mukhang pare-pareho lang kami ng pinagdadaanan. Like, whether we like it or not, the pressure will always be over our shoulders. We wouldn't have an almost perfect life naman if it wasn't for our parents who worked so hard to deserve all the title, power and wealth. Kaya kami, as the children, we cannot just easily decline and disobey our parents' favors or orders. Like, we were born to continue their footsteps kaya sobrang nakakapressure. Hindi naman pwedeng puro lang kami pasarap sa life.

Hinatid ako ni Clau sa Philippine Sports Center at nagsorry dahil hindi niya ako masasamahan dahil busy siya for his upcoming birthday party. I told him it was fine since kasama ko naman sina Oura, saka siya nagpaalam at umalis.

The game went well. Although, nakakakaba kasi grand finals ngayon but Asher and Kit were both injured sa game kaya napilay rin ang team nila. It was so obvious that the pressure was put on my brother's shoulders dahil siya ang team captain. I even noticed his mannerism whenever he is frustrated. Like, brushing his lower lip. And during the game, ilang beses niya iyong ginawa. Medyo nahirapan sila makabawi at first but I didn't stop cheering for them kahit mawalan na ako ng voice. Ganun din sina Oura. Tapos, what's heart touching is the way my boys cheer for one another. Everytime makakascore si Tan and Duncan, Asher and Kit were quick to shout and tap their chest then raise their fist. Lahat silang apat, ganoon ang ginagawa kahit nasa gitna ng court 'yung dalawa. Tan and Duncan kept tapping each other's back pa, and helped each other stand up tuwing nahuhulog sila. Everyone witnessed that and I couldn't help but get teary-eyed because of how lucky my brother and I are to have a solid squad like them, including my girls, of course. Ang dami tuloy lalong admirers ng squad nina Duncan.