Mid-Air Ball (The Athletes #1) PUBLISHED UNDER KPUB PH

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Fall Out

"Hindi ka na talaga mag ta-try-out sa volleyball? Kukunin ka ka agad ng coach panigurado," si Alyssa habang naglalakad kami sa hallway. Katatapos lang ng entrance exam.

Umiling ako. "Hindi na. Study first," dinaan ko na lang sa biro.

I really wanted to play again, but it's not possible anymore. I cut ties with Zoren just to focus on my responsibilities, and I will just spend time for training and games? Sounds funny.

"Hanggang ngayon hindi ko alam kung ano'ng nangyari sa inyo ni Zoren..." tanong niya at sumubo ng fishball sa kanyang plastic cup

"Tss," I chuckled and hid the awkwardness.

Simula noon, hindi ako nagkwento maliban sa mga pinagsabihan ko. I treated it as a confidential issue and I was serious about it.

Maya-maya pa ay may pumaradang sasakyan sa harap namin at lumabas doon ang boyfriend ni Alyssa. She smiled apologetically at me and I nodded. Pinanood ko siyang pumasok sa sasakyan ni Alden hanggang sa naiwan na akong mag-isa.

Sanay naman na ako na madalas na mag-isa pero minsan nakakalungkot pa rin talaga. Hindi ko mapigilan na hindi maisip si Zoren sa tuwing nalulungkot at mag-isa kaya hangga't maari, ayaw kong mag-isa. Mas lalo lang akong nasasaktan.

The paper I was holding slipped from my hand. Paalis na sana ako pero nagpahabol pa itong papel. Sinundan ko kung saan ito nalipad at saka pinulot. I sighed and bent down, and when I stood properly, I saw a very familiar built of a person.

It was Zoren... with a girl.

It seemed like they were talking very privately. Bumigat ka agad ang aking dibdib, at bago pa man magtagpo ang aming mga mata, umiwas na ako at naglakad pabalik sa parking lot.

I was absentminded while staring on my windshield. Hindi ako umiiyak pero radam ko ag sakit na dumadaloy sa kalooban ko.

So he just came back?

Nang nag story kasi siya ng kanyang passport, hindi ko na siya nakita at ngayon na lang ulit. Nothing changed, it's still him. Pero parang ako, hindi na... Hindi na ako.

He left the country and lived with her sister in Los Angeles for a moment.

Everyday, I miss him. There was no day I did not think about him. Siya palagi ang laman ng aking isipan at sa tuwing wala akong ginagawa. And to see him with a random girl, and the fact that he just got home breaks me bigtime.

I feel like he doesn't care anymore.

I remembered the days I'd always fight every girl who would hit on him. But things have changed now. I couldn't do it anymore. Not because I couldn't but because I already knew my boundaries.

He's not mine in the first place, so I have no right to deprive him of deciding and choosing things for himself. He's not mine, and I have no right to chain and imprison him in me. Especially since I hurt him before... I vividly have no right to meddle in his life anymore.

Nothing has changed about my decision. It's still responsibilities over Zoren.

Iyon ang huli kong kita sa kanya ulit. I heard he's studying in one of their independent universities, and thank goodness I decided to enroll elsewhere.

My first year in college was fine.

My mom sends us messages but we never invested time reading her fake greetings in our special days. For us, dad is enough to fill in her shortcomings as a mother. Natuto kami na huwag nang hayaan pang papasukin ulit ang ibang tao na minsan nang tinalikuran kami.