Maybe This Time

Finals

Jhoana

Game 3 of the Finals. Ito na yun, one step closer para mag stay samin ang crown. Game 1 panalo La Salle, Game 2, luckily, nanalo kami in 5 sets. Kaya ngayong game 3, all out na. Wala nang next game, it's all or nothing.

Quick huddle habang tinatawag ang first six ng La Salle, Ate Ly of course talked to us "Girls, it's now or never. All out tayo okay? Wag mapressure, wag kabahan ha? Wag pakinggan ang crowd. Listen to your heart at wag natin kalimutan mag-communicate sa court. Think of the crown ha but don't let that get into you. We need to relax and have fun just like how we did last 3 sets nung game 2 okay?" Nag-yes naman kaming lahat. "And girls always remember that I love you all so much and mamimiss ko kayong lahat" Ate Ly said. At shet sobrang nakaka goosebumps yung sinabi niya na yun parang mas lalo ako kinabahan? Charot. Tulad nga ng sabi ni Ate Ly, think of the crown but don't let the pressure get into you.

1st set. Maaga kaming lumamang against La Salle. 7-0 hanggang sa mag 7-1 dahil sa error namin. Naging 10-1 ang score, lamang padin kami at masasabi kong ang ganda ng nilalaro namin ngayon. Nag-timeout ang La Salle. This timeout medyo chill lang kami. Tinatanggal kaba ng isa't isa dahil grabe talaga yung impact ng crowd. Hindi kami magkarinigan dito during timeouts. "Good job girls! Let's keep it up okay?" Ate Ly.

After that timeout expected na yun hahabol ang La Salle. Mas lalo namin tinrabaho ang bawat point. Pero hindi naging ganun kadali ipanalo 'tong set na 'to. Nakakalito din talaga mga sets nila kaya laging naiiwan blockers namin. But still we got it, magandang puhunan ang manala ng 1st set. "Beh! That's nice!!! You're doing so good!" Sabi ni Bea sakin. "Hay nako ewan ko sayo! Tuloy mo lang din yang blocks mo! Grabe mga angle ni Kianna beh ha ang hirap!" I answered. We all did well naman sa 1st set. Kaya ngayon ang pinaka instruction samin ni Coach Tai is to meditate lang, focus sa game.

2nd set. Mas dikit ang laban. Dahil na rin sa crowd at sa pinapakita ng La Salle ngayon kung saan sila kilala, sa defense, hindi nalang 'to palakasan. Utakan na din 'tong laban na 'to mga bes! Ganon kaintense! Hindi La Salle yan kung di sila babawi sa set na to, kaya ayun sila din nakakuha ng 2nd set.

Beatriz

3rd set & 4th set everything went down. We fell short. Pagod na din si Ate Ly and we're slowly losing our confidence. I'm looking at my teammates and most of them you can see na pinanghihinaan na sila ng loob.

La Salle is already at the championship point. I looked at Jho and I can see it in her eyes thats she's overthinking every move she makes, I looked at Jia and she seems panicked deep inside but still composed thinking of whoever she's gonna give the ball, I looked at Ate Ly and I can see it in her eyes na gusto niya pa lumaban. For the seniors, ilalaban ko 'to. Heartstrong.

I managed to get a block. They may be a point away from the crown but I will fight until the end. "Laban lang guys!" As we celebrated a point. We got another point from Ate Ly's attacked. "Woo!! Let's go girls!" We all cheered for each other.

For the next rally I checked Ate Mika's hit but someone got it. They set it up to Kianna, and that's it. It hurts just like our break up. "Our new champions, the De La Salle Lady Spikers!" The barker announced and we all grieved silently. I immediately hugged Jho because I know how much she sacrificed for this season. We comforted each other because we both know how big and important this season is.

When it was time to shake hands with the opponent, of course as a sign of sportsmanship, respect for each other, and our friendship outside the court, we all congratulated each other. "Nice game Kianns. Congratulations. I'm proud of you" I hugged Kianna. "Thanks Beatriz, it was a nice game😊" she said with a smile. She was awarded as the Finals MVP and I couldn't be any prouder.

After the game and the awarding ceremony the team went straight to the Church of Gesu for the thanksgiving mass. We still got silver and it's still something to be thankful for. After naman we'll have a mini celebration at our house. Everyone's invited even their families of course and this has been planned even before the finals started.

"Hey are you okay?" I asked Jho. She's so quiet kasi. "Okay lang ako beh" She answered pero you can see na pilit yung smile niya. "I think I kinda know what you're thinking" she just smiled at me. Mamaya ko nalang kukulitin 'to while having dinner. Tita Lovel, her mom, and Jaja, her sister, are here as well. I think they'll be staying in their condo because they have one here near Ateneo, but Jho doesn't like living alone that's why she's staying in the ALE dorm with our teammates.

The seniors gave their final speeches. It was sad but when you think of it, the friendship will remain. We went to our house na din after because we're feeling hungry na din and we just wanna have fun and forget about the pain for awhile.

"So am I right?" I asked Jho while eating, she seems confused naman "Huh saan?" "Awhile ago sa kung ano iniisip mo" I answered pero she looks confused padin. "Di mo pa nga sinasabi kung ano sa tingin mo eh!" I don't really wanna say it kasi baka isipin niya lalo pero nvm feeling ko talaga I'm right. "You were thinking if you made the right decision of asking for space" I said ng medyo mahina though ang ingay na ng surrounding namin because kwentos everywhere.

"Uhm yes. Medj? Halong sad nadin kasi talo tayo pero, oo iniisip ko din yun" she said. I'm not sure if she eats really slow lang talaga or she lost her appetite. "Huy eat your food! Anyway, what are your thoughts ba? I mean you know I'm always here to listen." I said. "Yun na nga exactly beh. Di ko alam kung magsisisi ba ko sa ginawa ko? Pero hindi eh. I don't regret my decision kahit na hindi natin naabot yung mismong goal." Jho. I don't know how but I can see it in her face that she's thinking of something more than that. I don't wanna be too nosy naman, she'll say it when she's ready. "Hmm well if that's what you think. You just answered your own question eh🤦‍♀️ you said you don't regret it naman." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Maiba tayo beh. Ikaw, now na tapos na yung season. Based sa past few games natin mukhang okay naman na yung family ni Kianna, she performed good the whole season din, and sabi mo in good terms na kayo. Soooo ibig sabihin ba nun ipu-pursue mo na ulit siya?" She asked and she seems really curious. Well about that, I don't know and I'm not sure. "Yea about that, I'm not yet a hundred percent sure about this but, I don't think I will?" I answered slowly. I wouldn't say I've moved on already but Kianna and I being friends made me appreciate her more. "Huh? Bakit naman? Beh alam kong di ka pa nakakamove on wag mo kong niloloko! May chance ka na grab it" Jhoana advised. "This may sound weird but mas naappreciate ko siya ngayon than we were together. Maybe what we had before was just because of excitement. You know naman gano kabilis naging kami right? Like it was just, what, a month of, not even courting, but fling then we were official na. So yah maybe Kianna and I are just meant to be friends." I said my thoughts while Jho on the other hand looks shocked.

"Huy why is your face like that? Walang reaction? Why are you tulala?" Weird because I wasn't really expecting that reaction from Jho. "Tama ka Beh! Ang galing galing mo talaga kahit kelan alabyow" she suddenly said while clapping and then hugged me after. "What are you talking about?" I said, she's so weird. Was she even listening to what I said? "Di din ako sure but maybe I feel the same towards Marci? Baka kaya lagi ako nagui-guilty? I love his company, I love being with them but feeling ko talaga he just deserves someone so much better than me. Alam ko okay, ang panget ng excuse na "deserve someone better" pero yun talaga beh! He's too good for me na hindi kinakaya ng konsensya ko lahat ng ginagawa niya para sa akin. Nahihiya na ko na hindi ko mabalik lahat ng ginagawa niya para sakin. Pero tulad nga ng sabi ko kanina di pa ko sure dito at pag ginawa ko 'to edi dumagdag nanaman yun sa ikahihiya ko sakanya? Hindi ko na nga nireciprocate yung love and effort niya sakin, sasaktan ko pa? Bwiset naman ang complicated ng love! Ayos buhay tayo self!!" Jho explained. And woah? I wasn't expecting that either. All I did was to offer her a drink after that. "I think let's just drink this off. Celebrate muna tayo and free our minds for awhile" whew that was an insane mini-roller-coaster kind of talk.