The ball was tossed in the air. The man stared at the ball as it rolled itself in the air. He then stretched his arms to grab the ball that was about to fall on him.
“Mr. Andrew Sy.”
He grabbed the ball as he heard a woman’s voice outside his room. He slowly sat up from the bed and stared at the door. From there, he could see the woman’s head on the other side through a rectangular glass attached to the door.
“You have a visitor,” the woman muttered.
He stood up from the bed and walked to the door. The door opened and a woman wearing a police uniform entered the room. He then stretched his arms forward, placing his hands together as if it was a normal thing for him to do.
“He’s loyal,” the woman commented as she clutched Andrew’s wrists in the handcuffs.
"I did it to protect you." The man says."I don’t need any protection from you! All I want is Emman! Bring him back!" Andrew pleaded.Napaluha ang binata habang nakatingin ito kay Andrew na nang-gagalaiti sakanya."Emman..." paghihikbi ni Andrew sa pagtulog nito.Nagising naman si Karl sa tabi nito tsaka na dahan-dahang tinapik sa braso si Andrew. "Andrew?""Emman..." ngunit hindi pa din ito nagigising at patuloy pa din sa pagsambit ng pangalang Emman.Muli itong tinapik ni Karl sa braso, "Andrew... An-""Emman!" Agad na napamulat si Andrew. Napatingin ito sa kasintahang si Karl na halatang nag-aalala."Were you having the same dream?" Pagtatanong nito sakanya."Karl..." Napayakap si Andrew sa kasintahan nyang si Karl na yumaka
"Bilisan nyo dyan ah baka may gawin pa kayong kababalaghan." Pang-aasar ni Sam, vice-captain ng Silver Valley Volleyball Team, bago pa man iwanan si Karl at Andrew na nagpapalit pa ng damit sa club room.Nagkatinginan naman ang dalawa with a silent conversation of Si vice-captain talaga kahit kailan."Karl." Tawag ni Andrew ng makalabas ang kanilang vice-captain sa club room."Hmm?" Busy naman si Karl sa pagpapalit ng kanyang pantalon.“I’ve changed my mind.” Wika ni Andrew tsaka na humarap ito kay Karl. "Why don’t you live with me for real?"Napalingon naman si Karl kay Andrew na nakatitig na sakanya."What’s with the change of heart? I asked you about it so many times before pero sabi mo ayaw mo." Sagot naman ni Karl tsaka na nagsuot ito ng pamalit na t-shirt.Humarap naming mul
"Andreeeeeeeeeeew!!!!!!!" Sigaw ng lalakeng may blonde at spiky hair ng makita nito si Andrew sa di kalayuan na kasama sila Karl, Nelson, at Troy. Agad itong tumakbo patungo dito with his arms wide na ready ng yakapin si Andrew. "Terry-" agad namang naputol ang pag bati ni Andrew sa kaibigan ng humarang si Karl.He was stretching his long right arm forward with his palm up-front enough para mahawakan nito ang dibdib ni Terry at mapigilan ito sa tuluyang pagyakap kay Andrew."What the he-" Pero agad na tumigil si Terry ng makita nito ang mukha ni Karl with his sharp eyes and cold gaze. “Andrew!” Isa pang lalake with dark chocolate brown hair ang lumapit kila Andrew. And after him, tatlo pang lalake ang sumulpot smiling widely kay Karl na matagal na nilang di nakikita.“Karl, sya nga pala si Will. Sya yung vice-captain namin sa dati naming volleyball team nung highschool.”
“Nandito na ba si Andrew?” Pagtatanong ni Karl ng makarating ito sa club room. “Di ba sya nagsabi sayo?” Pagtatanong naman ni Sam na nagpapalit ng t-shirt. Umiling naman si Karl. “Isa yang masamang pangitain.” Agad namang napalingon si Karl sa umakbay sakanya. “Pag nagsimula ng hindi magsabi sayo ang tao ibig sabihin may iba-“ agad naman syang napatigil sa sasabihin nya ng binato ito sa mukha ng bola ni Dale, captain ng Silver Valley Volleyball Team, na nagpapalit din ng t-shirt sa tabi ni Sam. “Imbis na kung ano-ano ang sabihin mo dyan Troy, magpalit ka na!” sigaw ni Dale sakanya. Napatawa naman ng malakas si Nelson. “Kung ano-ano kasing pinagsasabi mo dyan, akala mo naman relate ka!” Pang-aasar nito na nasa likod lamang ni Troy. “Ikaw talagang asungot ka“ wika nito tsaka na aakmang aabutin si Nelson pero agad na tuma
“Totoo ba?” pagtatanong ng isang estudyante sa classmate nito. “Yep. Narinig ko kay Dad. The case was so famous 5 years ago.” Sagot naman ng classmate nito. Nakuha ang attention ni Andrew ng mga nag-uusap nyang classmates sa harapan. “5 years ago” ringed on his ear like an alarm. An alarm that he doesn’t want to hear but still rings no matter how he tries to ignore it. He couldn’t help but listen to what they’re gossiping about. “He killed three people but since he was still a minor back then, dinala sya sa Juvenile center.” Pagdudugtong ng classmate nito. “OMG nakakatakot.” Tsaka na niyakap nito ang sarili habang nakikinig sa kwento ng classmate nila. “Bakit pinalaya?” tanong naman ng isa pa nilang classmate. “Sabi ni Dad, maganda daw ang records. They think the guy was cured. And you wouldn’t believe i
Kakatapos lamang ni Karl mag-shower ng madatnan nya si Andrew na nakatayo sa tapat ng bintana. He was leaning sideways against the glass window with a worried expression. Napansin naman ni Karl ito kaya agad nya itong nilapitan.“Okay ka lang?” yapos ni Karl mula sa likod ng kasintahan.“I’m fine.” Sagot naman ni Andrew, pero bakas sa tono nito na may bumabagabag sakanya.Agad namang pumasok sa isip ni Karl ang payo sakanya ni Sam. Alam nyang malimit kung magkwento si Andrew sakanya pero ika nga ni Sam, walang masama kung sasabihin nya na bumabagabag ito sakanya.“Andrew…” Karl murmured against Andrew’s head. “Don’t you trust me?” he added na agad na nagpalingon kay Andrew sakanya.“What are you talking about?” tsaka na hinaplos ni Andrew ang kanang pisngi ni Karl. He looked Karl i
“What are those?” pagtatanong ni Andrew ng maupo ito sa kabilang silya habang nakatingin kay Karl na kaharap ang mga nakapatong na notebooks at intermediate papers sa lamesa.“Ahh, mga notes to ni vice-captain nung 3rd year sya, pinahiram nya sakin.” Sagot naman ni Karl.“Hmm, that’s so nice of him.”Napangiti naman si Karl as he read on Sam’s notes. Same si Karl at Sam ng course kaya naman malapit din sya dito. Unlike sa iba nilang teammates, Sam is that one varsity student na hindi lang talent sa sports ang meron pero may angking talino din. That’s why as much as possible gusto ni Sam na makatulong sa teammates nya, not just in volleyball but also in academics.Habang binabasa ni Karl ang mga notes ni Sam ay napansin nitong natahimik si Andrew. Napatingin sya dito at nakitang nakatulala ito patuon sa kanyang ginagawa.&ldquo
Black and white symbolize a lot of things in life. Black represents evil, darkness, night, and despair. It's the color used to convey certainty and authority, and when used in opposition with white, it's a symbol of the eternal struggle between day and night, good and evil, and right and wrong. These two colors also represent mourning, purity and perfection of the deceased person's spirit. In the hall, everyone wears either of the two color. Each person coming in and out of the hall has sadness, misery, or even regret in their faces. May iba na nakatulala, trying to grasp everything. May iba naman na umiiyak at labis ang pagdadalamhati sa yumao nilang kamag-anak o kaibigan. Other visitors are questioning kung sino ang walang-awa na kumuha sa buhay ng isang inusente, positibo, at pala-kaibigan na si Sam. Lahat ng nakakakilala sakanya, walang maisip kung sinong may hinanakit o nakaaway nito. If anything, mas kilala si Sam bilang isang tao na gagawin ang lahat pa