His Silent Addiction

06

Kilala ko si Caf, he might be lazy but he's actually quite the athletic type at kahit sabihin niya mang wala siyang pake sa mga ganitong bagay and would take it lightly, I know that he still wants to win and he won't settle unless makuha niya ang gusto niya. On top of it, mahaba rin ang pasensya niya which makes me wonder why he's acting so fired up.

Caf started running again as Bacon makes another point. Right now, it seems like sina Caf at Bacon na lang ang naglalaro. We only have a two point lead now and I'm starting to get anxious, siguro dahil na rin sa deal that Bacon decided on his own.

Hindi lang naman ni Caf ang competitive dito, ako rin, hence I don't want us to lose, not that bet.

I saw our team bring the ball close to the ring pero agad din itong nahablot ni Bacon. Now he's running with the ball to the other side of the court nang harangin siya ni Caf. They're playing head on again and there's only a minute or two left.

This suspense is felt in the entire gymnasium.

All of a sudden, there was silence in the entire gymnasium with Caf and Bacon facing each other one on one. Pinipilit agawin ni Caf ang bola pero hindi niya ito magawa dahil sa depensa ni Bacon. But when he had the chance and was in possession of the ball, agad din naman itong binawi ni Bacon as though not letting his possession get taken away.

Bacon ran quick na tila dito nakadepende ang buhay niya and had to focus on taking this one shot that would determine our fates. 

He has already jumped nang lumitaw sa harap niya si Caf. Hindi lang siya ang nagulat, maging kami. Kaya kahit hindi ako ang tipong magsisigaw para lang magpakita ng suporta, I still didn't, but my chest did.

I whispered and prayed to all the fucking saints although I never went to church once in almost a decade. "Fucking make that shot. Fucking do it."

I don't know why I'm rooting for him now but somehow, at the back of my head, I just do. Although I don't want to do any favors for him, I still hope for him to make the shot, thinking na nadadala lang ako sa emosyon ng mga tao sa paligid ko. 

Siguro nga ay nagmumukha na rin akong mangkukulam sa pagbulong ng mga salitang ang halos laman lang naman ay mga malulutong na mura.

And within a blink of an eye, all the seniors are celebrating.

The crowd is going wild and confetti has filled the air. Laughter and screams of people filled my ears pero wala akong pake at tila sa iisang tao lang nakatuon ang atensyon ko, the one in the middle of the court. 

Bacon didn't make it. 

Bahagya akong nawalan ng tinik sa dibdib and yet I felt a different type of burden in my chest.

Is it guilt? Hindi ko alam, all I know is that this is not good.

Hinayaan ko munang kumalma ang tila alon ng tao sa dami bago ako bumaba para salubungin sila Caf. I felt the ache in my foot again, akala ko nawala na, nakisama lang pala habang nanunuod ako. 

When I reached the side court, I caught a glimpse of Bacon. He was with his team and about to leave the gym along with the other audience.

Ibinuka ko ang bibig para sana batiin siya pero lumagpas lang ito na akala mo ay isa akong multo. Ni hindi man lang siya tumigil ng isang segundo, not even uttering a single word. I was left confused by him and the face that he made when I saw it. But more than the confusion, tila nadagdagan ang bigat ng loob ko nang makita siyang ganoon.

Devastation was evident in his eyes as well as disappointment. It must be a let down for him who was just expecting so much from himself.

Pero it was more than just disappointment, para bang may kaunting inis sa mukha niyang 'di maipinta. I guess it's normal to get mad though, especially for him who put so much effort into this.

Naputol ang takbo ng mga iniisip ko nang biglang may umakbay sa akin, hus weight against me.

"Nics! You saw my game? Ang galing ko diba?" he exclaimed, leaning closer at my face each time na para bang bata.

"Putangina alam ko pero 'wag ka naman magpabigat, my foot is still injured," I told him, slightly shoving him away since sumakit na naman ulit ang paa ko. "Atsaka ang baho mo, puno pa ng pawis amputa."

I can feel the dampness of his chest against my shoulder pero tinawanan niya lang ako. His smile could almost reach the sky but he never moved an inch and even squeezed me closer.

"Deserve mo 'yan! Saka, parang 'di ka pa sanay sa amoy ko," he said and even leaned over with a smile that made his eyes disappear. When he finally looked at me, it seemed serious. "You really won't congratulate me?"

Parang nagpapaawa pa ang nga mata nito na parang tuta na gustong maampon.

I sarcastically smiled. "Congratulations," I said and struggled out of his arms. "Will you fucking let go of me now?"

It wasn't even a request, it was a command kasi alam ko na kapag hindi pa siya gumalaw, baka hindi na nga siga makagalaw buong buhay niya. So when he knew what it meant, he also moved away and grinned for the hundredth time.

"Thank you!"

He really is just like a kid.

When I walked out of the gym at the same time waiting for Caf to finish his business inside, I saw Basil who happily walked up to me. Mukhang alam ko na ang ibig sabihin nito.

"Hey Nic!" He's still sweaty, siguro katatapos lang din ng laro nila. "Kamusta ang paa mo?"

The way he beamed at me doesn't look like someone asking about another's injury.

Hindi na ako nagpaligoy pa and asked, "Cut to the chase, nanalo ba kayo o nanalo kayo?"

Natawa siya sa naging sagot ko but even without asking, I already know, perhaps I just need to hear it from him.

"You're leaving me with no choice," natatawa niya pa ring sabi. "But of course ano pa ba, we won!"

Akmang aakapin na niya sana ako nang bahagya akong umiwas at itinaas ang kamay kaya napahinto ito. Basik awkwardly laughed and tapped my shoulder.

I just nodded at him with an awkward smile as a response although there is a relief within me after hearing the news from him. Ilang segundo lang ay lumabas na rin si Caf and we headed to back to the gymnasium along with Basil.

Once the gymnasium is filled with people, the council immediately announced the overall champions which to no one's surprise, are the seniors.

"Nga pala, there will be a victory party this Friday night, sama kayo?" Basil asked as we walk out of the school gates.

"N–"

"Count me in!" Caf cut through my sentence as I glared at him. He pursed his lips na parang bata. "C'mon Nics, sumama ka na. Minsan lang naman, you don't get to come across this opportunity that often you know."

Patuloy lang sa pagkumbinsi si Caf sa akin habang tinatawan kami ni Basil.

"Para kayong mag-jowa na nag-aaway," he even teased to which I creased my brows while Caf just blushed. "Mauna muna ako, make sure na pupunta si Nic, Caf!"

With that, Basil rushed to walk away dahil na rin siguro ay naramdaman niyang malapit nang maubos ang pasensya ko sa kaniya. And Caffeine kept what he said in mind and persisted na sumama ako sa kanila.

In the end, I had no choice and was given none at all to begin with.

——