Seductive Return

18. Watching from a Distance

THE ball was on Luis’s team. Lance dribbled and ran to their ring but Dave appeared in his front and managed to abduct the ball.

Nagsigawan naman ang mga fans ni Dave at Keith. Pero hindi rin siya sigurado dahil kahit sa bawat shot ng bola, team Luis-Lance man o team Dave-Keith ay halos sumisigaw yata lahat ng nanonood.

Dave passed it to Keith. Keith immediately jumped to shoot the ball on the ring but while the ball’s flying in the air, Luis caught it and passed it to Lance but Dave caught the ball before Lance could.

Napahugot siya ng hininga. Ang tindi ng laban kahit simula pa lang. Kahit sino sa mga ito ay walang nagpapatalo. Napansin din niyang sobrang seryoso ng mga manlalaro. May palagay nga siya na baka hindi alam ng mga ito na marami na pala ang nanonood sa mga ito dahil sa naka-concentrate lang ang mga ito sa laban.

Dave ran, dribbling the ball. Pero naagaw iyon ni Lance. Lance ran to their basket and was about to shoot the ball when Keith jumped in the ball’s way but Luis’s reflexes were fast too. Right after Keith jumped, he also jumped. Both their fingertips touched the ball that caused the ball to fly skyward.

Everyone’s covering their mouth. Kahit sino sa team, walang nagbibigay ng pagkakataon at sa nakikita niya ay walang rules ang larong ito. Pero kahit ganoong ay hindi nagkakasakitan ang mga ito.

Just above Luis and Keith, Dave and Lance appeared to catch the ball. At the same time, both of them got a hold of the ball.

Everyone gasped. Tense of what will happen next. The tension was cut off when the referee blew his whistle loudly. End of first round. Zero to zero, none of the two teams was able to get a score.

The two teams occupy the opposite sides of the court.

“We love you, Luis!” shouted the girls.

Suzie felt sad. All she can do is watch Luis from a distance.

* * * * *

HINIHINGAL pa rin si Luis. Palagi talagang ganito ang nangyayari kapag silang apat ang naglalaro. Walang nakakapuntos. Mautak talaga ang ina niya para piliin ang sarili niyang barkada bilang kalaban niya. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang sinabi ng ina niya kina Dave at Keith para pumayag na kalabanin siya dahil hindi naman pumapatol sa mga hamon ang dalawa kapag walang malaking nakasalalay.

“Grabe! Hindi rin talaga patalo ang dalawang iyon.” sabi ni Lance saka uminom ng tubig.

“Alangan namang magpatalo sila. Siguradong lagot sila sa president kapag iyan ang ginawa nila.” sagot niya.

“Sa bagay. Pero bakit nga ba ayaw mong ma-expel si Cris? Dahil ba nagalit si Miss Suzie?”

Pagkatapos niyang uminom ng tubig ay ibinuhos niya ang natitirang tubig sa ulo niya. “It was not because of her.”

“Okay. Sabi mo eh.”

He smiled. Lance is really a best friend.

Accidentally, his eyes caught the girl who was silently watching the game from the audience. The whole court was filled with students watching them. Ngayon lang niya napansin iyon dahil siguro sa init ng laban. Pero sa dami ng mga tao roon, sa isang dalaga lang nakatuon ang pansin niya. May kausap itong lalaki.

Kanina nang makita niya itong umakyat sa puno ay napuno ng kaba ang dibdib niya dahil baka mahulog ito. Mabilis na naglakad siya palapit dito. Papababain na sana niya ito kaya lang ay naisip niyang baka magulat ito at mahulog ng tuluyan kaya hinintay na lang niya itong makababa. Kunti na lang at makakababa na ito ng ligtas nang madulas ito. Hindi niya maipaliwanag ang bilis ng t***k ng puso nang makita iyon. Sobra ang takot na naramdaman niya. Mabuti na lang at nagawa niya itong saluhin.

Ipinilig niya ang ulo para malinawan ang utak niya. Kailangan niyang mag-concentrate para manalo.

The buzzer sounds loudly indicating the start of the second quarter. Bago siya pumunta sa gitna ng court ay muling tiningnan niya ang dalagang nagpapakaba sa puso niya. She was now talking to her girl classmate.

He watched her from a distance one last time.

* * * * *

NAGSIMULA na ang second quarter. Keith caught the ball and he did not allow Lance or Luis to touch it. He shot it. Two points.

Lance secretly glanced at his partner. He heard Luis uttered a curse under his breath. This game must be very important for him. Because Luis never cursed. And he’ll help his friend win the game whatever the cause is for his two other friends.

* * * * *

THE BALL was now on Luis, he dribbled it and was about to shoot the ball when Dave got it and ran as fast as he could to slam dunk the ball to their ring.

Napakapit na lang si Suzie sa upuan niya. Two points na sina Dave at Keith samantalang zero naman sina Luis at Lance.

Sa nangyari, hindi na hinayaan ni Luis na makapag-shot pa ang team ni Keith. Kahit hindi pa rin sila nakakapuntos, basta ang mahalaga hindi na makapag-shot agad ang team ng kalaban.

Third quarter was the most breathtaking part. When the referee threw the ball high in the air, Keith and Luis jumped. Tinapik ni Luis ang bola papunta kay Lance pero nagawa iyong tapikin ni Keith sa ibang direksyon. Lance and Dave ran after the ball. Followed by Keith and Luis. Dave managed to catch it. Lance guarded him strictly. Keith ran to Dave’s back from a distance, Luis was after him. Dave turned and passed it to Keith but Lance immediately jumped to take a hold of the ball but it slipped away from his hands. The ball bounced to a direction no one was guarding while he landed on his arms to support his body. He signaled Luis to catch the ball and don't bother him.

Luis made it and shot the ball to the ring gaining three points. Naghiyawan naman ang mga nanonood. Lalo na ang mga fans nina Lance at Luis.

Now, the ball is on Dave and they’re running to their basket. Pero naagaw iyon ni Luis. Dave tried to get the ball but it was passed to Lance. Suddenly, Keith caught it appearing from behind and shot the ball. The ball ran circling the ring before it fell inside the basket. That was the end of the third quarter.

When the fourth quarter began, Luis and Lance were stricter. Lance got the ball and shot it. Two points for the slum dunk.

Keith was now holding the ball guarded by Lance. When Keith saw a weak point, he managed to throw the ball but Lance tapped it to Luis and he managed to get rid of Dave and shot the ball. Five to eight.

Wala talagang nagbibigayan sa dalawang team.

Keith was able to get three points. Tabla na ang laban. Pero agad din iyong nadagdagan ng dalawa pang puntos ni Dave nang maagaw nito ang bola mula kay Luis.

Hanggang sa isang minuto na lang ang natitira sa labanan at itatanghal na ang panalo.

Luis was holding the ball and was dribbling it. Keith was guarding him heavily. Dave did the same to Lance.

Forty-five minutes...

Inagaw ni Keith ang bola pero hindi iyon hinayaan ni Luis. He managed to escape from Keith. Dave blocked his way and Keith was now guarding Lance.

Thirty-five seconds...

Dave got the ball and passed it to Keith. Keith ran but Lance managed to stop him and guarded him.

Twenty seconds...

Lance got the ball and passed it to Luis. They ran to their basket but Dave’s on his way. He passed the ball to Lance again.

Five seconds...

Lance was going to shoot the ball but right after he focused his strength to his right arm, a pain crushed over and he tapped the ball with less force.

Everything seemed to slow in motion. The ball touched the very edge of the ring and ran through its edges before...

It buzzed aloud finishing the game.

Everyone is silent. No one dares to make a move.

Suzie felt her heart fall.