The Brighter Side of Things

Chapter 9

It was easy to make up with Kuya Six. I only had to give him something that was connected to basketball and all my shortcomings, big or small, were forgiven (but not forgotten). Over the years, he had collected cheap ID lanyards, pins, magnets and keychains of his favorite NBA players that I could afford to buy. That's how much I had put him into trouble.

This year, however, I didn't have anything he could display somewhere or wear like a badge of a true fanatic. But it was enough for him to talk to me again. As a matter of fact, he took the first bus home after his last class for the week to discuss it with the team's second-in-command, L. With Papa away and Kuya's schedule as a second-year college student becoming more erratic, he needed to strategize early.

"Why was Paul called for charging foul? It was clearly a blocking foul!" L was fuming while we watched the amateur video footage of the championship game against the Sto. Domingo Comets at home for the nth time.
Kuya Six heaved a deep sigh. "There were too many questionable calls."

"It's becoming harder not to believe that they bought the officials." I could almost hear the air quotations in L's voice when he said the word 'bought'. "I heard the Mayor's favorite niece is from San Miguel," he pointed out. "What chance do we get if they don't play fair at all? Especially if the referees are playing favorites?"

If rubbing one's face with bare hands could deform it, Kuya's face would have been severely warped and Halloween-worthy to rival those of Freddie Krueger and Jason X without the mask. I wanted to laugh at the thought but they were seriously watching the game for the...I couldn't remember anymore. I had lost count. They couldn't be thinking doing so would change the results, right? I observed Kuya who stared at the invitation letter for a charity game like he was going to murder it.

Two weeks after the annual summer inter-barangay basketball tournament had ended and now our arch-rivals were inviting us to a charity game in August. In their home turf. The letter stated we could bring a guest player too. Even without reading the contents of the invite, we all knew it mocked us. In my head, I could already imagine Brandon saying the lines:  'Hey, you've got two months to prepare for the game. Bring along your best player whoever he is. But we bet you still couldn't win.'

Ugh. Those guys were so hateful.

"What do you think, Seven?"

My gaze swung to L. Did I hallucinate just now?

"What do you think about the charity game invite?" he asked with an encouraging smile.

From the corner of my eyes, Kuya Six remained unconcerned that L actually requested my opinion. While he was still preoccupied with what to do with the letter, I cleared my throat. "Well, it's just a charity game‒"

"Just a charity game?" Just when I thought he wasn't paying attention at all, Kuya's tone was incredulous. "Do you even know what you're talking about? It's our pride at stake here. They beat us four years in a row because‒" he stopped short and took a lungful of air, the rest of his statement exhaled into the air.

In my head, I continued his sentence: They beat us four years in a row because of you, Seven. You and your stubbornness.

"If they end up beating us again even if it's just a charity game..." The words were lost to Kuya as he threw his hands in the air.

"I didn't mean it like that, Kuya," I mumbled in a small voice. This was why I didn't want to speak my mind. It felt a lot like getting the door slammed shut to my face.

I had a feeling Kuya still blamed me for their loss against the Comets. Couldn't he chalk it all up to mere coincidence? All four of them? Surely, it couldn't all be my fault, right? I mean, we had all seen the video footages of all the games they had. There were numerous errors that the Voyagers committed that they wouldn't with their other opponents. Why blame me all the time?

The conversation I had with Lexi flashed back in my head.

...There's always fifty percent chance to win or lose. It's all about which one wants it more badly.

"I know how every game is important to the team. That's why you practically forbade me to watch," the last part, I muttered. "It's just that maybe practicing is not enough?"

"Listen to yourself!" he scoffed in disbelief. "What do you think, pray tell, do we still lack then?"

Because Kuya Six was glaring at me intensely, I shifted my gaze to L who had leaned forward as if he was hanging on to the next words I was about to say. With Lexi's words still fresh in my memory, I spoke. "I think maybe you should start actually wanting to win that losing isn't an option."