Good Luck Charm
"Why do we even go there Tiana?" reklamo ko kahit sakay na naman ako sa sasakyan papuntang school. Tatiana literally dragged me out of our house and in to the car for this annual event I'm not really fond of.
It's the annual game of the basketball team. Every first Saturday of the first month of the school year may game ang junior high school players versus senior high school players. They hold the try outs a month before school officially starts and then practice in separate teams from then. This isn't even an official event held by the school, but ever since the first year they did, they couldn't seem to stop it from happening the following years and eventually it became a ritual to start off their student-athlete year. The initial purpose of the game was more on team work, building chemistry and warming up with new recruits, over time though the supposedly friendly game has become more serious and competitive. The few people who witnessed the first ever game were responsible over how much the news of the event spread resulting to the crowd growing in numbers over the years, a lot of students and even outsiders come and watch.
"This is like the event of the school year!!," yung exhaggeration niya is something no one could overlook. "No one misses this game. Don't be a kill joy and just be there. You're brothers are even playing and you're here acting very unsopportive," sumbat niya pa na kunyari disappointed sa pagayaw kong pumunta.
Ang arte talaga ng bestfriend ko, hindi na din ako sure kung bakit kaming dalawa yung nag match. Our characteristics and personalities are too contradicting it seems as if it's impossible to put us together without expecting us to fight.
"Don't act dumb Tati, we both know why you are so eager on going," I exclaimed and rolled my eyes.
"You're acting dumber Ash, you were just asking why we need to go when you know the answer naman pala," sagot niya as-a-matter-of-factly. Agad siyang bumaling sa phone case niya na sobrang reflective it doubles as a mirror and applied more cheeck tint.
Napahawak na lang ako sa sentido ko at diretsong kamot sa ulo. I didn't even have the choice. If I didn't go with her like on our first year in high school, baka hindi niya ako ulit pansinin for a month. Pero after being forced in to this last year, my perspective hasn't changed a bit. Bakit kami makikipagsiksikan at magpipilit manood sa crowded at maingay na arena to watch some student basketball players do their thing when if we really want to watch them we can do it anyday we want after classes during their normal practices and drills with less spectators? I really don't get it, it's the same freaking thing.
Siguradong halatang halata sa mukha ko ang pilit na pagintindi sa kagustuhan ng kaibigan ko. Ilang beses akong bumuntong hiningi at pumikit para lang pigilan ang sariling sabihin ang opinyon ko. It would just lead to an uneccesary fight when I'm already here anyway. Panay ayos si Tatiana ng damit at buhok niya buong byahe samantalang nanitig na lang ako sa labas kahit tatlong taon ko nang nakikita ang lahat ng ito. Ilang sandali pa ay narating na din namin ang school which is relatively close to our house.
"Ma'am hintayin ko na lang po kayo, sabay sabay na po kayo nina sir Alas na iuuwi ko mamaya," sabi ni kuya Sonny. Siguro ay manonood din siya kaya mas pinili na niyang maghintay. Tumango na lamang ako bilang sagot bago tuluyang buksan ang pintuan ko.
Nauna nang nakababa si Tati at sa sobrang liwanag ng mukha niya hindi naman mahahalata ng lahat ng makakasalubong niya na masaya siya. Isa pang malalim na hininga ang aking pinakawalan, huling subok sa desperadong pagpilit pagaanin ang sariling saloobin. Pagbaba ko ay sumabit na agad ang kamay ni Tati sa akin. Here we go again.
"Sabi ni Sam and Sasha, madami daw gwapong recruit sa junior high school. Sa senior high school daw isa lang ang bago and may hitsura. Take note "may hitsura" lang. They said Alas was taking his captainship too seriously. Focused more on skills and character specially sa seniors kasi daw limited na lang time to train them. I mean yeah, I understand but hello?! Isn't it more fun if they gain new supporters? Like-," hindi ko na pinaringgan pa ang mga sunod niyang sinabi.
