DESPEDIDA GONE WRONG. What's supposed to be a memorable send-off party ends up in tragedy as the celebrant drops dead after making a toast. Of all the possibilities, murder seems to be most likely scenario. And the suspects? The four attendees who w...
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COLEMAN
"CAPTAIN! SALO!"
"Huh?"
The ball hit me in the face as I was standing in the middle of the court. Halos maalog na ang tuak at mabali ang aking leeg sa sobrang lakas ng pagtama sa pisngi ko. I fell butt first on the maple floor of the gymnasium. Mabilis akong pinuntahan ng mga kasama ko at tinulungang tumayo.
"Thank you," I told them as I regained my balance.
My fault. My mind was all over the place. Hindi ako makapag-concentrate sa practice game namin. Sa sobrang pagiging preoccupied ng isip ko, pangalawang beses ko na 'tong matamaan ng bola. 'Yong una, sa may tagiliran. Ngayon, sa mukha na at napabagsak pa ako.
"Okay ka lang ba, cap?" tanong ng forward na si Jiao sabay tapik sa balikat ko.
"Baka gusto mong mag-break muna tayo?" dagdag ni Rhys na hawak-hawak ang bolang tumama sa akin.
"We don't have any second to waste," sagot ko sa kanila. "Malapit na ang inter-school basketball tournament. We can't let up, okay? We will continue kahit ilang beses pa akong matamaan ng bola."
"Sabi mo, cap—"
"No."
We all turned to the bleachers where a middle-aged man with moustache stood and walked toward us on the court. Nakasuot siya ng polo shirt na may fist-sized logo ng university sa chest part at ng kulay maroon na jogging pants.
"Let's take a ten minute break," the man said, sounding the whistle that hung around his neck.
"But coach—" I tried to protest but he shushed me by showing his hand.
"Wala sa basketball court ang isip mo, Cortez. Lumilipad yata sa ibang ibayo. Paano mo mamo-motivate ang mga teammate mo na maglaro nang maayos kung ikaw na team captain ay hindi makapag-concentrate sa practice game?"
Sir Leonard Cordero is the new coach of our basketball team this year. Dahil ilang taon nang nangulelat ang university namin sa inter-school tournaments, naisipan ng Sports Department na palitan ang dating coach na may katandaan na rin at ipalit itong si Sir Cordero. He's relatively young and fit—in his late twenties, I think?—so his insights and strategies might revitalize the team.
Maybe through his guidance and my leadership, we could make a comeback on the university basketball rankings.
He blew his whistle again, and the team dispersed. Naiwan akong nakatayo sa tapat ni coach. Hindi ko rin maisip kung saan ako magbe-break.
"What's going on, Cortez?" nakapamaywang niyang tanong. "Hindi ka ganito ka-sloppy maglaro kahit sa practice games."
"Sorry, Sir." Napayuko ang ulo ko, sinadya kong iwasan ang kanyang tingin. "Medyo distracted siguro ako ngayong araw kaya hindi maayos ang laro ko."
