Destiny's Game

72

M got up from bed and neared the window when she heard the happy sounds of kids outside. J fulfilled her dream of owning a house for their family. It had a swimming pool and a large garden. Large windows were a main feature of the house, providing sufficient lighting everywhere.

M looked out the window as neighborhood kids biked past. One of them was holding a soccer ball while the others trailed behind. M watched as the boy with the soccer ball whizzed by, looking back and taunting his friends to chase after him. The naughty glint in his eyes reminded M of her childhood.

Back then, most of her afternoons were spent in the village park. Because it was summer time, a lot of outdoor and sports activities happened most especially in the park. For one, M remembered rehearsing for a concert. She was part of the village church choir and that particular summer was memorable. She had seen the cute soccer player at the pitch. If he wasn't playing with the team, he would be practicing and kicking the ball into a temporary goal off to the side of the grassy area. M found the game interesting and exciting. She wanted to join and learn the sport but her grandparents thought it was too rough for girls to be involved in. M contented herself with watching practices and games at the village pitch. Sometimes, she would come to the park early to watch the boys practice then she would go to the village chapel for choir rehearsals.

Aside from watching games and sometimes joining in the park activities, M was very much involved with the village choir. In fact, she was one of its soloists who sang during Saturday anticipated masses or Sunday masses. It was during one rainy afternoon in the chapel when she met J.

J had seen the pretty morena girl frequently watching the games and practices at the village soccer pitch. Even if there were other girls who approached and tried to befriend him, he was very much into meeting and hopefully becoming friends with this pretty girl. Because of the pain and trauma of losing his baby sister, J became aloof and distant. If it weren't for the persistence of his cousin and best friend, Carlo, and his love for soccer, J would have probably turned into a recluse.

He would often watch the pretty girl seated in the bleachers. She seemed to know a lot about the sport judging from the way she animatedly spoke and gestured, explaining the game to her friends. J would follow her with his gaze until she 'disappeared' somewhere near the chapel area.

He convinced Carlo to start parking their bikes on the racks nearer the chapel. It was also more logical actually since the chapel was right next to the soccer pitch. While preparing to leave the park after games and practices, they could hear the rehearsals going on inside the chapel. Soon enough, J would peep in the chapel and see the pretty girl inside. He also suddenly became more religious as he attended mass on days that he knew she would be present and singing solo.

Serendipitously, they finally got a chance to meet each other. After an accident he had at the pitch during a game, M administered first aid. He dodged the rain (and a flying insect) by rushing into the chapel and startling her. They soon became friends but secretly kept their friendship from the others. They both feared not being able to stay friends for long because of their impending separation at the time – he was leaving for college in the US while she was set to go home to the province.

Never in their wildest dreams did they think they'd meet each other again after all the years of being separated. J retreated back to his aloof and irritable self. It was ironic that he was a pediatrician but had a very sour and foul attitude which he wasn't afraid to show. It took a partnership with M to soften him up and bring out the gentle kitten from the angry tiger he was known to be.