Signed, Sealed...Undelivered

Chapter 24: Spectators

Dy & Don POV – The final game

The Martians made it to the finals and today is the championship game. Papa and Coach Matt had promised to celebrate, whatever the game's result would be. It was a full house once again at home. Mama ordered food from a neighbor's catering business. Papa had reserved just enough booze to commemorate our journey in this tournament.

Being this the championship match, the basketball court was packed. The audience was equally divided into both the teams' supporters and a small percentage of casual viewers, the unbiased spectators. Apart from our respective family members, a few friends also came to witness the game. My sister got reinforcement from her best friends, Driggs and Ska, who were close to Mike as well.

At the end of the second quarter, the score was tied at 36. It was a low scoring game due to the tight defense that both of our teams had displayed. This is indeed a championship match! It's the halftime break and we have 15 minutes to replenish our strength and re-strategize. Most of my teammates were either married or in a relationship so they went to their respective partners.

Kuya Dy was being attended by Sheena. I went to sit on the floor in front of Mama. She gave me my water tumbler and wiped the sweat on my face, neck, and back. I'm still Mama's baby.

I wasn't surprised anymore to see Mike approach my sister. He could've gone to his mother, but they were seated far up the bleachers. She handed him his Gatorade. Throughout this tournament, Ate Lytes has been tending him. He sat beside her, at Driggs and Ska's seat. It's empty now as the two went to the nearby 7-11.

Ate fished a face towel from his backpack and gave it to him. She used the bigger towel hanging on her shoulders to dry his neck.  

"Don't be obvious, Bro," Kuya whispered. He sat beside me on the ground. Kuya and I had both observed the closeness of our sister to Mike. Although it's given since they are friends, we were hoping they're more than that. We like Mike for her.

I tried to be discreet. When glanced back at them, Mike had his back facing my sister. Ate had her hand inside his jersey, rubbing off the sweat from his back with a towel. I tapped Kuya's arm to look at them while I stood up and stretched.

Instantly, Kuya Dy stood up and joined me. "Such a lucky guy!" He said.

Coach Matt assembled us for a huddle and pep talk before the third quarter starts.

After 48 minutes of play, the Martians...lost...by two points. Our Team congratulated our opponent and went back to our bench, some to their respective partners. We waited for the stats tally as a closing ceremony and awarding will take place.

My older brother squeezed my shoulder when he found me watching the winning squad celebrate in the court.

"It's alright Don. We did great in the game. We gave a good fight."

I sighed, "I know, Kuya. I just feel sad that we lost."

"Don't be...someone's winning here," Kuya motioned to where Ate and Mike were. My sister was holding Mike's hand. She seemed to be comforting him. Suddenly, they hugged. It was a quick embrace.

"I told you," Kuya commented. "Do you know that Mike has fangirls?"

"Yup, those ladies with that funny poster," I gestured to a group of females from the other side holding up a manila paper with a martian drawing and Mike's jersey number.

"But they couldn't get near him because Lytes had built her version of the Great Wall of China around Mike."

"They're both single, right?" I turned to my older brother.