Freezing His Pain (Japan Series #3)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The first day of foundation week felt as though an incubus to me. Nang matapos ang pageant ay bumalik na sa kaniya-kaniyang classrooms ang mga estudyante, kasama na kaming mga participants. 

My team members, most especially my classmates, began asking how I ended up forgetting my line. Walang direktang salita na binanggit pero tunog nanghuhusga at naninisi. 

I even heard someone say that I will most likely drag my partner down with me. 

"Pustahan, damay si Sir Dan! Crowd favorite pa naman! Sayang. Bocha kasi no'ng partner! Dapat talaga si Ate Althea na lang!" 

I stared at my classmates' backs, soles were cemented to the ground. Kinurot ng isa iyong nagsasalita at pinanlakihan ng mata saka nginuso ang banda ko. Once they learned that I was behind them and was hearing every shit they say about me, they pushed off with no hesitation. 

Nang makapagpalit ng damit ay umuwi na kaagad ako kahit na may men's futsal pa nang alas-tres. I called Mang Boy to pick me up without my brother's knowledge. Hindi na ako nagpaalam sa kahit kanino, basta ay umalis na lang ako.

"Bobo ba sila, e, ang galing-galing mo nga? Sa totoo lang, kung 'di ko kabisado 'yung script ninyo, 'di ko mapapansin 'yung pagkatigil mo. 'Di naman kasi halata!" my brother told when he got home that day and learned about my plan to stay at home for the rest of the week. 

"But still..." I breathed. "I'm ashamed. Ayokong pumasok."

Sumimangot siya. "So you're not going to watch any of my games?"

Guinevierre is an athlete. Hindi lang halata. He mostly plays basketball and is on the school's varsity team. Never in my life have I ever watched him play. Bukas sana ang kauna-unahan. Kaso ay wala talaga akong balak pumasok. 

Dahil wala naman akong mapapala kundi panghuhusga lang. Batak na 'ko roon. Tama na muna. 

His lips vaulted downward more when a minute lapsed and I was still not responding.

I sighed in defeat. "Alright. Bring your team to the championship. I'm gonna attend the last day."

The last day will involve the basketball championship and the awarding. I intend to go only in the afternoon but since the championship will be held in the morning, aattend ako... kung maglalaro nga lang ang team ni Kuya.

gio @giovannipontavedra
Go Red Team! Yung ibang team diyan pipili na lang ng pambato yung ulyanin pa hahaha #S73LLARFoundationWeek

anton @antongarcia
Replying to @giovannipontavedra
foul yan uy! pero true haha #welcomeback2mychannel

I clicked the hashtag for our school's special event with the intention to keep up with the activities I missed earlier. Makikibalita lang sana kung sino ang mga naglaro at nanalo pero iyon ang naabutan ko.

They did not mention a name but it's very obvious that I am their topic. Acknowledging the hashtag included in the previous tweet that has a relation to vlogging, there is no way it is not me.

What were Dan's words? I did a great job? And my brother's? Hindi raw halata?

E... ano 'tong mga nababasa ko? 

tanya @tanyatorres
Akala kasi niya kaya niya. Feeling magaling eh ganda lang naman palagi ambag. Oops nasabi. #S73LLARFoundationWeek

kells @kellycuevas
Replying to @tanyatorres
Hala sino yan? Name drop na!

tanya @tanyatorres
Replying to @kellycuevas
Wag na. Baka manampal ulit lol.

The insults extended until Wednesday night. Malas ko nga at lumalabas pa talaga sa feed ko. Nahinto lang ang mga iyon, pati mismong paggamit ng hashtag, nang sa facebook group ng aming school ay nagpost ng warning ang isa sa mga admin.