Your Universe

#YU21

I was in the middle of our training when Gio called me and told me that RJ got into a fight at the gym. Napatakbo akong bigla sa gym and there I saw Jeffrey throwing a punch on Tristan pero humarang si RJ, pinipigilan silang dalawa na nag-aaway. Siya tuloy ang nasuntok. Now, it's him lying on the ground, clutching his stomach. Namali rin ata yung bagsak niya because I saw him twitch his left foot. I ran towards him. "RJ?" I asked him. Inalalayan ko siyang tumayo, kami ni Pao, and we let him sit on the bleachers. "RJ saan masakit?"

Tinuro niya yung left rib part niya. I tried to press it pero konting diin pa lang, nagreklamo na siya sa sakit. I faced Jeffrey and Tristan. "If something happens to RJ lagot kayo sa'kin," Inalalayan ko nang tumayo si RJ para dalhin siya sa infirmary. I asked Kevin to take charge while Paolo and I bring RJ to the infirmary. Wala kasi si Coach Ayo, may kausap daw sa phone.

"Poks, utang na loob wag ka nang magpabigat. Di ka namin kaya ni Maine eh!"

"Paolo! Ito naman wag mo nang pagalitan!" I told him as we walked towards the infirmary. Nakasalubong namin si Coach Ayo.

"Anong nangyari kay Richard?" he asked. Kinuha na niya sa'kin si RJ para alalayan siya.

"E coach, nag-away po kasi sina Jeffrey and Tristan. Aawat sana tong si Poks kaso nung susuntok na si Jeffrey, siya ang natamaan," Paolo said as we entered the infirmary. Binaba nila si RJ sa bed when Doc Kim arrived.

"What happened, Richard?"

"Nasuntok daw ni Jeffrey tapos namamaga yung paa," sagot ni Coach Ayo. "Please check him, Kim. See if he has broken bones or anything then please let me know. Babalikan ko lang yung mga bata sa gym."

Lumabas na si Coach Ayo and Paolo sa infirmary while I sit down with RJ. Mukhang masakit pa rin talaga yung tagiliran niya eh.

"Maine, diba may training din kayo today?" Doc Kim asked as she checked RJ. Tumango ako sa kanya. "Hindi ka ba pagagalitan ni Lena?"

"Magsosorry na lang po ako mamaya, Doc," I told her as I held RJ's hand. "Hindi ko po kasi kayang iwan si RJ eh."

"Ako nang bahala dito, sige na bumalik ka na doon."

"Pero po—"

"Wala naman siyang broken bones, swelling lang since napalakas yung suntok ni Jeffrey no?" she asked RJ and he nodded in reply. "And namamaga rin yung left foot mo, RJ. You have to rest lang and lagyan ng ice para mawala yung swelling," she turned to me again. "Maine, you have to go back to your training."

"Last question na po, Doc Kim. Can he still go back to training? May game po kasi sila in two days."

"I'd have to say no to that," she said. "Since napalakas yung suntok sa kanya and it's still swelling, baka hindi rin niya kayanin magtraining. I'll let Coach Ayo know that he has to sit out for at least one game. Basta rest lang and yung ice para maging okay siya."

"Sige po, Doc," I turned to RJ and pressed his cheek. "Balikan na lang kita ha? Pahinga ka na muna diyan. I'll get your things na din sa locker. I'll text your dad na din to fetch you here okay?"

"Okay, sige."

•RICHARD•

True enough, Coach Ayo didn't let me play for today's game because of my left foot. Sabi ko naman sa kanya na kaya ko, but he insisted on letting me sit out kasi ayaw naman daw niya na mapwersa yung mga paa ko.

Though the good side of having this injury is this. I get to watch Maine and the cheerleading team's competition. Clad in her complete uniform and her team's official jacket, she paved her way towards the bleachers where I sit with her family and our friends. My sisters Mary and Angel are here with me too to watch her compete. Sayang nga lang wala sina mommy at daddy to watch her. Di bale, kukuha naman ng video si Mary para ipapakita namin kina dad mamaya.