Chapter 14: Flying Marcus
Marcus went back to his home, opened the door, and saw his tita sitting on the couch while watching the TV.
Noticing Marcus, his tita inquired about his tryout.
"Anong balita sa basketball tryout mo, Marcus?" His tita said as she adjusts the volume down slightly using the remote.
With a heavy heart, Marcus faced his tita's question. "Uh, Tita Mari, hindi po ako pumasa sa tryout," he admitted, his voice cracking slightly.
Despite his efforts to appear strong, the weight of disappointment pressed down on him.
Mariyah, sensing her nephew's turmoil, reached out and pulled him into a comforting embrace.
"Mahalaga ang pagsubok, Marcus. Hindi lahat ng bagay ay magiging madali sa unang pagkakataon," she assured him, her voice gentle yet firm.
Hearing that, Marcus is grateful for her unwavering support during his moment of vulnerability.
"Kain muna tayo Marcus, kakadating lang ng naorder ko na jolibee," Mari said as she broke from the embrace and led Marcus to the dining room.
As they sat down together, the aroma of the food filled the air, offering a sense of comfort amidst the turmoil.
They shared a meal, the clinking of utensils punctuating the silence.
Tears welled in Marcus's eyes as he ate, betraying the facade of strength he had tried to maintain.
Amidst the gentle clinking of utensils, Mariyah softly broke the silence. "Alam mo, Marcus, okay naman na ma-disappointed. Lagi mo lang tandaan na failure doesn't mean the end."
Marcus nodded, his throat tight with emotion. "I know, Tita. It's just... gustong-gusto ko talaga sumali."
"Naiintindihan kita, Marcus," Mariyah replied, her voice tender. "Pero di natin alam, may mas maganda pa palang nakalaan ang Panginoon para sayo,"
Marcus sniffled, wiping away a tear. "Talaga po ba, Tita?"
Mariyah smiled warmly, her eyes full of unwavering belief. "Oo, Marcus. Nandito lang ako at ni Ate sa itaas nakasuporta sa iyo," she continued as she glanced at a frame, where a picture of a woman smiling widely is displayed.
Marcus glanced at the photo frame that caught his tita's gaze earlier, a picture of a woman with a radiant smile. He felt a pang of longing for his mother, wishing she could be there to offer her wisdom and encouragement.
As they continued eating, the atmosphere became lighter, infused with the warmth of Mariyah's words and the comfort of Jolibee.
The next day arrived, and Aria, Emily, and Marcus found themselves in class, listening to the lecture attentively.
"So that's all class. Remember to study in advance. Class dismissed," the instructor said as she gathered her materials and went out of the room.
"Diretso kana sa open court, Marcus?" Aria asked, tapping the shoulder of Marcus.
"Oo, sama kayo?" Marcus replied as he fixes his bag.
"Of course, sasama kami ni Aria," Emily said as she gestured to go out the room.
Soon, they arrived at the open court.
As Marcus warmed up with his fellow aspiring varsity players, Emily and Aria watched from the sidelines, chatting quietly as they observed them practicing.
After warming up, the coach called all aspiring vball players and gave them a brief outline of the tryouts.
The volleyball game then began. As usual, Aria immediately took Marcus' phone and started recording his performance.
"Alrightt!!" Marcus exclaimed as he landed from spiking, successfully scoring a point.
With each powerful spike, Marcus displayed his exceptional skills on the court.
As Marcus delivered another powerful spike, Emily exclaimed, "Wow, kita mo yun Aria? Ang galing ni Marcus!"
Aria nodded in agreement, her eyes glued to her phone screen as she captured the action.
"Woooh! Spike-an mo pa yan sila Marcus!" Emily cheered with her hands beside her mouth, making her voice louder.
Encouraged by their cheers, Marcus flashed a grin in their direction before focusing back on the game.
Emily and Aria couldn't help but feel proud as they witnessed their friend's impressive performance, their cheers echoing across the court.
As Marcus continued to impress with his exceptional skills on the court, the coach and the varsity players couldn't help but take notice.
The coach, a discerning figure with a keen eye for talent, nodded approvingly as he watched Marcus's high vertical jumps and powerful spikes.
"Magaling. Definitely someone we need to have in the team," the coach remarked to one of the varsity players standing beside him.
The vball captain nodded in agreement. "You're right coach. Impressive ang kanyang verticall jumps. Tsaka ang kanyang spikes? They're on another level."
The varsity players on the sidelines exchanged impressed glances, acknowledging his skill with nods and murmurs of approval.
As the final whistle blew, signaling the end of the intense game, the coach gathered the aspiring players together for an announcement.
With a sense of anticipation hanging in the air, Marcus stood alongside his fellow aspirants, his heart pounding.
'Sana mapili, kahit dito man lang Lord,' Marcus internally prayed as he rubbed his hands together.
"Alright, everyone, I want to thank you all for your hard work and dedication during this tryout," the coach began.
"We've seen some exceptional talent on display today, and it's been a tough decision to make."
The players leaned in, their eyes fixed on the coach, waiting anxiously for the verdict.
"After much consideration, I'm pleased to announce that Marcus," the coach paused for effect, "and Von," he continued, "have been selected to join the team."
Marcus couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and gratitude wash over him.
"To those who didn't make it this time, I encourage you to keep working hard and pushing yourselves. There will be more opportunities in the future," the coach added, his tone encouraging.
With the announcement made and the excitement still lingering in the air, the coach dismissed the players, signaling the end of the tryouts.
Marcus wasted no time and made a beeline for Emily and Aria, a wide grin plastered across his face.
"Guys, you won't believe it! Nakapasok ako sa team! I'm officially a varsity player!" Marcus exclaimed, his voice filled with joy.
Emily and Aria's faces lit up with excitement as they wrapped Marcus in tight hugs, their cheers of congratulations echoing across the court.
"Simula palang nung nagspike ka, alam na namin na pasok ka sa team eh," Aria exclaimed, her eyes shining with pride.
Emily nodded enthusiastically, her own excitement bubbling over. "Congrats Marcus! Proud na proud kami sa'yo!"
"Pero magbihis ka muna, dumidikit pawis mo samin eh," Emily said as she jokingly breaks free from the embrace.
Marcus grinned at Emily's playful remark, "Kayo una nang hug eh, eto pa pawis ko oh," he joked, playfully wiping his forehead and gesturing it to Aria and Emily.
Aria laughed, "Magbihis kana uy,"
Marcus grinned and proceeded to swiftly change his jersey with a new one.
"Sige guys, una muna ako," Emily said as she got up from her seat and continued, "Nandito na kasi boyfriend ko,"
Marcus and Aria exchanged surprised glances, their expressions reflecting disbelief at Emily's unexpected revelation.
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