Sa dami ng bersyon na narinig ko, hindi ko na alam kung ano ang totoong nangyari. Isa lang ang alam ko. Ivan can never play basketball again. It broke his heart. He didn't go to school for a few months and when he came back, he was welcomed with this gritty article about him.
Few weeks after that, Maria broke up with him.
For the first time in a long time, I got to see Ivan up close again. He was moping behind the stadium. Hawak niya ang bolang pang-basketball. He was just staring at it, lost in his own words.
"Hi."
He looked up. Nang makita niya ako, nag-iwas siya kaagad ng tingin.
"Ano'ng kailangan mo?"
"Kukumustahin lang sana kita."
"Wala akong panahon para sa interview."
I sat next to him. "I'm not here to interview you."
"Then I don't need your sympathy."
"Ivan."
Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga saka ibinato ang bola. I sighed and stood up. I was about to retrieve it but he stopped me.
"Leave it."
His grip on my wrist was so tight. Pakiramdam ko ay mababalian ako kapag sinubukan kong magpumiglas.
Nang maupo akong muli, isinandal niya ang ulo niya sa balikat ko. We didn't say a word, even when he started crying.
I just let him.
