after // alyden

2.

"Volleyball superstar Alyssa Valdez rumored to possibly be sustaining a career ending injury after suffering a horrible fall at one of her SuperLiga matches. She was rushed to the hospital 3 months ago, and we have not heard anything from her or her team. Alyssa's mom however has told the media that whatever will happen to her child's career, she will support her no matter what-"

ella immediately turns off the television when she hears the door open.

"maaga natapos therapy mo?" Ella asks as she gets off the bed.

Aly simply nods without saying anything else.

"Hi jeff, how is she?" Ella turns her attention to the guy pushing aly's wheelchair. Jeff smiles at ella since he was used to being with alyssa 24/7.

"Okay lang naman. It's therapy as usual."

Jeff assists aly so that she could lay on the bed. Both jeff and ella struggle to help her friend get on the bed. Alyssa curses herself while all ella could do was watch her friends silently.

"I'm useless Ella. " aly covers her head in her hands and her bestfriend immediately knows that she's crying.

"Aalis na po ako." Jeff takes it as his cue to leave, ella waves at him as he closes the door.

"Ly.." Ella hugs aly tightly. Sanay naman siya ng ganito every day since the accident but it still hurts her to see Alyssa like this. Before, she was their strong-willed captain who never gave up without a fight, now she was reduced to an insecure, weak-willed mess. Ella couldn't help but cry as well.

"you know na nandito lang ako no matter what right? Ella pulls aly closer to her.

"i know naman eh, you've been helping me get through obstacles in my life for the past 5 years. Pero iba to eh, iba to. I don't think you can help me this time." Aly's voice breaks. She clutches tighter onto ella.

"You know i can't play na right? Not now, not ever." Ly's tears soak through ella's shirt.

"ly...." Wala nang masabi si ella. She knows that nothing she says will make any difference. Alyssa's parents Had told ella that the damage was irreparable, and that no amount of surgery could repair her knees, especially since ly has had problems with it even before she started playing volleyball.

"Hindi na ako makakalaro-" alyssa laughs bitterly, tumaas ang balahibo ni ella. "-pathetic. I'm pathetic. What am i without volleyball ella? Pag wala yun hindi ako si alyssa valdez the phenom, i'm just alyssa the girl from batangas." Aly cries even louder and all ella could do was rub her back. She had no idea how to make ly feel better.

"I don't know what to say." Ella says honestly, making alyssa look at her curiously, "-pero i know na phenom or not, nandito parin kami sa tabi mo. Not only me but your family and friends as well, tapos i'm sure your fans won't leave you just because you stopped playing. Ano ka ba ly! You're still you and you still matter, with or without volleyball."

alyssa wipes her tears and forces a smile. This is why she loved ella, kahit na puros lang ito papatawa, when it came to serious matters she always knew what to say to make you feel better.

"Malay mo, this could be your chance to excel in other sports diba? May i suggest chess? I heard magaling ang philippine chess team."

alyssa's smile doesn't reach her eyes.