Madrid Squad

What Dreams Are Made Of

The sun shines at its fiercest blaze. The skies are merciless and decide not to offer a single cloud for shade. It was noisy and iffy as sweaty men and women marched their fifth rotation on this sports complex. Whistles. Screams. Commands. Marching songs. It isn't a pretty setting but for a particular couple, it was paradise. Being in that very complex meant taking their first steps to serving the motherland and fulfilling their patriotic dreams.

Despite all the challenges of military training, Kylie and Ruru knew nothing would stop them from serving their beloved Pilipinas.

"Padilla!" called Colonel Aguilar.

Kylie came firmly jogging her way to the man and halted right in front of him to offer a salute. As soon as the man returned her salute she put her hand down and listened attentively to what he was going to say.

Try as she could, she couldn't make words out of whatever the colonel was saying. Kylie felt her world turn and she saw colors that weren't there to begin with. Calming herself down, she tried to inhale and exhale as slowly and deeply as she could but the colors didn't go away and she felt her knees getting weaker. Nothing seemed to help.

Private Kylie Padilla fainted.

Opening her eyes to a white light so blinding, she thought she died. She looked around and noticed she was just in the infirmary of the camp. It must have been because of the little fainting incident she had a while ago. Private Padilla tried to sit up but failed as she felt a weight heaving her down on her stomach area. She looked down to see a headful of hair resting upon her tummy. She let out a small smile. It was her dearest Madrid, Private Jose Ezekiel Madrid, or as she liked to call him, her Ruru.

"Babe, get off of me. Your head's heavy," she snickered as she gently tugged on a few strands of his hair.

Ruru fluttered his eyes open to see the lovely sight of his beloved staring down at him. "You're awake. Thank God!"

"Well, my eyes are open now, aren't they, dummy?" she smirked. "Up now. Back to training."

She started to get up but before she could get to her feet, Ruru held her hand firmly, squeezing it ever gently to tell her not to leave just yet.

"Sit down, babe. We've got something to talk about," he said. His words were sombre and authoritative but in juxtaposition, his tone was affectionate and soft as a hummingbird.

"Oh, okay," she smiled and sat back down. "What's up?"

"So, I was thinking maybe you should just... I don't know...like...what I'm trying to say is..."

"Babe!" she chuckled, took his hand in hers, and ran her thumb over his knuckles. "It's me, calm down. It's just me."

"That's exactly why," he breathed. 

"Ru, start over. I couldn't make out a sentence from your rambling."

"Ky, you know I love you, right?"

She nodded, "Love you too."

"I love you to bits and pieces and atoms."

"Right back at ya', my man," she smiled.

"So, if I were to tell you to take a break from military training, you would understand, right?" he hesitated.

Kylie's smile broke. "No."

"Love, please just-"

"No, Ru. I'm not quitting the military. I won't do it," she answered firmly, looking at him with a death glare like a lioness ready to take on its prey.

"Kylie, you're not quitting, just taking a break. Just for a while, then you and I can train again. I'll put my training in a pause too if that would make you feel better," he tried a different approach.