Taking Chances

Footsteps and Handshakes

A/N: Hi, thanks for taking the time to read this... Uhm, dragging na ba? If yes, well, let me know what you guys think! 😁

BEA

That was going to be my last free weekend for awhile. But why doesn't it bother me? Ah, because something better is coming my way...

These were my thoughts when I woke up ng Monday morning. Excited nga siguro ako dahil 4:00 am palang eh gising na ako, nauna pa sa alarm.

After getting ready, I was humming when I went down to eat breakfast, and si Nanay Cecile ang naabutan ko.

"Aba, Masaya ang gising natin ngayon ah!" nakangiti niyang sabi.

"Good morning Nay" simple kung sagot.

"Inspired ata ang alaga ko ah, dahil ba yan kay "Siya" na minumokmok mo last week?"

Nginitian ko lang siya habang kumakain.

"Nay, inspired naman talaga ako araw-araw."

"Haha, Oo na, sige na, malalaman ko din yan" at iniwan niya na ako sa dining table.

After eating, umalis na din ako and headed to Ateneo. Buti nalang pinapasok ako ng guard sa school.

I know I was very early for the practice, wala pang 5:00 am ng dumating ako, pero mas mabuti na yun kesa sa late, I haven't attended the last few days training pa naman.

I decided to take a nap nalang muna while waiting so humiga ako sa ilang benches with my earphones on.

Nagising ako when I heard footsteps inside the gym, yung sound ng sneakers on the floor to be exact. Bigla akong kinabahan, at lumakas ang tibok ng puso ko.

Wala naman sigurong masamang loob na makakapasok dito noh? Shoot! My multo ba dito? Is this place hunted? Help!

But the footsteps stopped. So I decided to take a peak kung my tao nga. I opened my eyes for just a little bit and saw her, I was afraid that she'd see me so I closed my eyes again immediately.

There was no mistaking on who she was, that hair na sa gitna ang hati, and the #12 on her jersey is a big tell. It was her, and she was alone. I could feel her coming closer, at sa kaba ko I couldn't think of anything to do, so I pretended to continue sleeping.

Great Bea! How brave of you! This is your chance to get to know her! Ano na?

I could sense that she was standing near me, I wanted to open my eyes so badly, and yet I couldn't. Sa sobrang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko, di na ako magtataka kung naririnig niya to.

And then I heard her footsteps again, this time moving away, and I let go of the breath I didn't even know I was holding.

Should I get up now?

What do I say?

What do I do?

Kakausapin kaya niya ako?

Should I explain why I'm so early?

Wait, does she even know na I'm her teammate na?

Did coach tell them?

Should I tell her?

All this thoughts kept running through my head, over and over again and I couldn't decide what to do. Ilang beses, paulit-ulit, and isang malaking wala! naka higa pa rin ako sa bench!