No Other Choice

Chapter 3

It is already our intrams week, meaning lahat kami walang klase.

Kuya texted me na they're inside the school gym daw since bibigyan ng recognition ang mga teams na maglalaro for the different sports, kasabay ng formal opening ng event. I tapped Kitty on her shoulder at sinabing pupunta na kami sa gym. I was wearing a high waisted denim pants with a black belt and our red intramurals shirt na kakulay ng grade level namin, and it is tucked in my pants. My hair is in a high ponytail at nilagyan ko ito ng ribbon na kakulay din ng shirt ko. For my shoes, I'm just wearing my white sneakers - my go-to shoes.

Kitty, on the other hand, is also wearing our intramurals shirt with her square black pants. She also wore sneakers for her foot. She let her long black hair flow freely at her back. She tied her ribbon na lang on her arm.

While on our way, nakasabay namin yung basketball team nila Chris. We have 4 basketball teams sa buong high school department. Grades 7 and 9 are in one team, then 8 and 10 naman ang magkasama. Grades 11 and 12 have their own teams, making it a total of 4. The admin decided on this type of pairing para naman hindi raw lugi ang lower levels sa mga higher levels if ever magkaharap-harap sila sa finals. Chris called my name kaya naman napatigil kami ni Kitsch ng lakad.

"Uy, punta na rin kayo sa gym? Tara, sabay na kayo samin." Yaya niya. Napatingin naman ako sa ibang kasama nila Chris. He was with his team and his circle of friends. I tried to smile at his friends, but all I got from them was an eye roll. The heck. Pero despite that, sumabay na rin kami ni Kitsch sa kanila. I mean, it won't hurt naman, right?

Halos puno na ang gym pagkapasok namin. Sa nilagay nilang pansamantalang stage nakaupo ang mga head ng school. The principal was about to talk.

"Good morning, students!" Maligayang bati nito sa amin. "Today is the first day of our intramurals, and to formally open it, may we call on our players."

Isa-isang umakyat ang mga teams na kasali sa sports. Our year level shouted loudly noong umakyat ang team namin at ng mga grade 9 sa stage. Chris's friends are behind us, and they were shouting his name kahit naroon ang iba pa nilang kaibigan sa itaas ng stage. Hindi obvious na masyadong biased, ha.

It was kuya's team na! Isa-isa silang umakyat, and the people from different levels shouted. Marami nga naman kasing good-looking sa year level nila kuya, and their team had almost all of them. Girls were shouting for my kuya and his friends the loudest. I shouted for my kuya as well. He immediately noticed me and Kitty dahil malapit lang kami sa stage. Natawa siya nang makita ako at kumaway pa sa akin. The girls behind us probably thought na para sa kanila 'yon kaya sumigaw sila nang mas malakas. Gosh, my eardrums!

Matapos ipakilala ang players, nagsalita ang head ng school. After that, the torch was lit, and our intramurals officially started.

*

Hapon pa ang game nila kuya vs. the team of grade 8 and 10 kaya naman magkakasama muna kami. Maraming nagpapapicture sa kanilang magkakaibigan maging sa ilang teammates niya kaya hindi kami makaderetso ng punta sa gym. We're on our way pa lang pabalik sa gym kasi we had our snack sa cafeteria habang kinausap naman sila ng coach nila. Nanood kami saglit ni Kitsch ng volleyball game pero nung tinext ako ni kuya ay agad kaming sumunod sa kanila.