No Stitch

Espy: Mum!!! Mummy?!!!! Sally: Esperanza naman kung maka sigaw ka oo! Espy: Kung maka Esperanza ka naman po. Anyway mother!!! I got in, I got in, I got iiiinn mum! Sally: You got in sa ano ba? Espy: Soccer team! Mum! THIZ IZ FIN... Sally: Ay tumahimik ka nga! How many times do I have to tell you? No soccer not until pagkatapos ng debut mo? Espy: Mum? That's like a one day event! This is a once in a lifetime chance! Sally: Ay tigil tigilan mo nga ako! You can't be tan on your debut! Ano ba? Espy: Mother?! Ayaw mo pa nun? I'd be the only morena there! Besides mum, that's being racist ha! Sally: I'm not racist ano! You're tita Tess and tita Mimi are morena! Gaga kang bata ka! Espy: Sa bagay. Pero mum? Aren't you proud that I actua.... Sally: I am proud of you Es but then why don't you just focus on your studies for now? Espy: Ma? I'd be in 3rd year college if I'll wait pa matapos ang debut ko. It would be difficult for me to join the team na by then. Sally: I said no!!!! That's it! Go to your room!!! Espy: Muuuum?? Sally: Now Esperanza! Esperanza Alcantara Lim has always been a member of the school's soccer team since her first year of high school, so she expected to continue playing when she started university. However, Sally, her mother, wouldn't allow it, as Esperanza will be joining Hijas de Davao for her 18th birthday. Enrico: What's with the face? Espy: Mum wouldn't let me play soccer just because of that debut whatever thing. Sophia: What did you expect? Suzanne: Didn't you see that coming? Enrico: Actually shob. You've seen achi and dichi so you should have known. Anyway, I have a flight to catch! Suzanne, the eldest daughter, is followed by Sophia, and then Enrico, the only son, comes as the third child, followed by Espy, the youngest child of Sally and Reynaldo Lim. Espy lay down on her bed as soon as she entered her room, then stared at the ceiling, contemplating a way to continue playing soccer when she goes to university. However, not too long after, her phone rang with a call from Enrico. Espy: Hmm? You forgot something? Enrico: No but shob! I badly need your help! Please!! Espy: Eh? Me??? Sa akin ka hihingi ng tulong? Enrico: Yes, because from all I know, you're the one who'd understand me best. Espy: Cheesy! Whatever! What is it ba? Enrico: I have to be in school in 2 days but I... I'm actually off to Singapore for a music competition. Espy: What the hell?!!!! Ahia?!!!! Enrico: Jude was supposed to cover for me but something came up. So help me! Do something! Espy: Ako?? What? I.. Hello? Ahia?!!!!!!!! Enrico: I'll call you back in a bit. GO THINK OF SOMETHING!!!!! Espy: Luh? Bakit ako??? Hello?? While Espy was waiting for Enrico to call back she thought of the craziest idea. A mission impossible kind of idea. (through phone call) Espy: Hello accla?! Sam: You're not the kind of person to actually call unless it's an emergency. Espy: This is an emergency!!! Where are you? Sam: Manila pa. Why? What's the emergency? Espy: Meet me in Cebu tomorrow!! I'll explain everything when you get there! Sam: Gaga ka ba?! Orient me naman baks! Jusko naman! Espy: You know how much ahia wants to pursue his music career right? But of course among mum nga murag M16 kung maka yawyaw dili mag sugot. (Ang mum naming parang M16 kung maka sermon eh hindi papayag) Sam: Baks!!! Sandali! Relax! From the top! With every detail! Shuta ka! Espy: Ayon na nga, ahia must be in school in 2 days but he's in Singapore for his music thing and he needs me to think of something to cover for him at school. Sam: Shocks baks! I'm still lost! What do you want? Espy: I'll be Enrico this summer and play soccer for USC and then.. Sam: Are you trying to kill yourself? Gaga ka ba? Sa katawan mong yan baks paano ka magiging Enrico?!!! Baks ang layo ng height nyo. Tsaka hello? Espy: That's why I need you! Please accla! Please! If I get to play for USC this summer that's a very good way for me to convince mum and my Uni's coach to get me on their team! Please baks!! Sam: Es, ikaw ang pinaka shuta kong friend sa buong buhay ko! I'll book us a flight. Espy: OMG!!! ACCLA!! I LOVE YOU!!!! I'll tell mum I'll be with you ha? OMG!!!!! I love you Sammygurl!!! Samuel Alazas, is her longtime best friend. Espy: Mum, dad. I forgot to tell you mag ce-cebu nga po pala ako to see Sam ha? Rey: Espy, ha! That's not something you can just forget to tell us about! Espy: Sorry dad. You know Sam, very spontaneous. I'll be there for a month nga pala. Hehehe. Sally: Hoy Esperanza!!! You're 16! Ano ka?!!! You're too much ha! You're not leaving! Espy: Mum? It's my last summer before college. Please? Dad? Rey: Ehhh. Ask your mum. Sally: My goodness Es! Be sure to call twice a day! Thrice!!! Call us thrice a day!!! Don't stay under the sun for too long!!! Espy: I LOVE YOU MUM!!!!!! Espy rushed back to her room and began packing her things. Completely forgetting to keep her phone nearby to answer Enrico's call, she missed two calls from him. She then texted him, mentioning that she had sort of figured things out, but didn't elaborate on her plan. Enrico, overwhelmed with the competition, just sent his sister a thumbs-up emoji. Espy, equally excited to play, completely forgot again to tell him her plans when she woke up the next day. She took the first flight to Cebu and met Sam at his mum's clinic for a makeover. Espy's eyebrows were made thicker, and a sideburn and a little bit of a mustache were attached. Sam also taught her how to wrap her upper body with a binder to flatten her chest, and she even practiced the whole day, mimicking how boys walk and act, just to avoid being caught that she is actually a girl. The following day is the first day of summer class and so Samuel dropped her off but when she saw all the students, she suddenly got anxious and told Sam she couldn't do it. Sam: Shuta ka ba? After all? Hindi pwede! Kayanin mo! Ginusto mo to baks! Sinimulan mo, taposin mo!!! Espy: Baks, don't leave. I might actually get caught so... Sam: Ngayon ka pa natakot gaga ka ba! Go na!!! Espy got out of the car with the soccer ball tucked under her arm, then went straight to her classroom. She attended all the subjects as she was supposed to, then ate lunch alone at the cafeteria. As she did, she noticed from her peripheral view that there were guys staring at her. Completely forgetting that she was disguised as "Enrico," she instinctively spoke in her natural girl voice and asked the three men if there was something wrong. Philip: Ay! Barbie sabi ko na!!! Charles: Sabi ko na Barbie! The third guy just laughed along, and when they were about to turn their attention to something else, she cleared her throat like a man, then deepened her voice. Espy: Unsa katawanan bai? (Anong nakakatawa?) Hanson: You play? She nodded then looked at the ball on Espy's table. Espy: Aw. Yes bro! Why? Hanson: Try out this afternoon. 2 PM! Espy: Sige. Thanks! She nodded back at him and took a deep breath. Her hands were shaking but at the same time also felt relief that aside from her voice, they didn't seem to notice that she is a girl. A couple of hours later she went to the school ground and was told by the assistant coach to wear proper garments if she wanted to try out then Hanson came and joined the crowd so they exchanged nods awkwardly. Hanson: Naa kay bola pero wa kay jersey? (May bola ka pero wala kang jersey?) Espy: I have oy. I just didn't know where to change. Hanson: Tara, sa locker room. Espy: Eh? Sabay us? She once again forgot that she should use words like men do. Espy: I mean tara bro! Sabay ta. As they walked towards the locker room she slowly realized that she actually had to take her clothes off in front of other boys so she started to panic. Espy: Ay uhm bro. Uhm eh. Una na lang. Mag CR lang ko . (CR muna ako) Hanson: Naay CR tapad sa locker room. (May CR sa tabi ng locker room) She nodded like a real man, then went to the restroom and changed into her jersey, layering a hoodie on top. Returning to the field, where Hanson was already waiting, she joined the others in line as their coach began giving out instructions. They started with warm-up exercises before the game and ended with a cool-down session Coach: Nice game boys!!! This isn't a try out for nothing. The names I will call are the first strings. Hanson Gokongwei. Philip Liao. Charles Gothong. Enzo Nadela. Jeric Tan. John Paul Castillo. Tristan Go. Patrick Yap. For the second string, don't feel bad, instead practice harder. Enrico Lim. Ryan Chua. Kaiser Tongco. Pietro Diaz. Anthony Navarro. Jose Carcel. Practice is every 3:30pm. I'll see you boys tomorrow. Everyone nodded and fist bumped each other but Espy on the side, expected too much, and now disappointed to be part of just the second string. Espy: Uhh. (ehem) Coach? Can second stringers actually play for the summer playoffs? Coach: Second stringers are reserved players. Wala ka kahibaw ana? (Hindi mo ba alam yan?) Espy: I was just making sure coach. But is there a way to be part of the first stringers? Uhhmm.. Coach: If you get better, nganong dili. (why not) Pwede ka ma first stringer.(You can be part of it) Espy: Thanks coach. Hanson: Hoy Lim!! Dean's office daw. Espy: Ha??? Hanson: Hala!! You're busted!!! Espy: What the?????