"One year ago I started smoking, in the hopes that I would find that same warmth you gave me in nicotine, all to realize that I have long been addicted to it."
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strawberry sweet
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The people around me are having a commotion after we won the semis for soccer. Katatapos lang ng game at nagpapahinga na ako sa bench when Basil approached.
"Hey Mr. MVP! Kamusta?" He exclaimed and sat next to me.
"Fucking tired," I answered while catching my breath. Puno na naman ako ng pawis kahit umaga pa lang at halos maging chokolate na rin ang kulay ko dahil sa tama ng araw sa ilang oras na paglalaro. Parang gusto ko na lang din humiga sa gitna ng field sa pagod.
Natawa siya sa naging sagot ko at kumuha ng tubig sa cooler saka ini-abot sa akin which I declined kasi may pina-abot na naman si Bacon na mga inumin. "Huwag muna, may championship pa."
He drank from the bottle that he almost swallowed sa sobrang uhaw at pagod. But he's right, hindi pa pwedeng mapagod. Not right now.
Tatayo na sana kami nang bigla ulit akong natumba.
"Okay ka lang?" Basil asked.
"It's nothing," I replied but as I try to stand and take a step forward, my right foot tingled with pain. Basil noticed.
"No it's not, it's probably sprained," he insisted. "Ihahatid kita sa infirmary."
I shook my head as hard as I can na para bang dito nakasalalay ang buhay ko. "No, there's still a game later. I need to be there, right?"
Basil helplessly looked at me. I hate it. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen but here it is. Napahinga siya nang malalim na para bang kinakalma ang sarili.
"Well, yes, but I can't risk your foot," sagot niya. "And knowing you, kahapon mo pa siguro iniinda 'yan."
Hindi ko alam pano niya nalaman, siguro I've just been transparent all this time. Pero that's not the point here, he's not supposed to know.
Umiling lang ulit ako. "Hindi. You said it yourself, may championship pa."
Natigilan siya sa sinabi ko at para bang nag-isip muna ng malalim.
"Alam ko, pero ibang usapan na'to." He sounded serious and I know he is. This isn't even the time to joke around. "Thank you for bringing us to the championship, again. I'll make sure to win it for you and I'll listen to that one condition pero sa ngayon, ikaw muna ang makinig."
I hate how I said that I'll try to be more active, change my ways, and to be better, and yet this happened. Ayaw talaga siguro ng mundo sa akin.
Basil led me to infirmary since wala na rin naman akong magagawa rito. He's just to persistent which makes sense kung bakit ako napasok sa soccer for two years straight kahit labag sa loob.
I sat on one of the beds and roamed my eyes around and it seemed that the nurse's not present.
"Just rest and leave it to us!" Sabi ni Basil bago ako iniwang mag-isa sa infirmary.
