'Di Makatulog

• Epilogue •

Epilogue

Fabian Ares Gatchalian

"The derivative of..." I lost my focus on our professor. Instead, I looked at the girl beside the window. She has fair skin, pink lips and nice eyes. She'd look like an anime if she had bangs. Her focus was on the projector while my focus was only on hers. Who's this girl? Is she new in our class?

It was my first time seeing her.

"Mr. Gatchalian."

Holy shit. I turned slowly only to see our professor who was glaring at me. I smiled at him. "Yes, professor?" I asked, a bit confident that he wouldn't scold me. I am Fabian Gatchalian, so why would he?

"Are you even listening?" he asked.

I nodded. "Of course, I am. Why wouldn't I, professor? Calculus is my favorite subject and you are my favorite teacher," I answered. I heard some of my blockmates chuckling. Looks like everyone's awake now. 'Cause every time that we'd have Calculus class, most of the people in this room are asleep. Nakakaantok naman kasi talaga. I know Calculus is hard. I should be listening... but, I'm out of focus. Damn.

My professor only shook his head and resumed into discussing the derivatives. I stopped myself from looking back to see that girl. She's just a girl. Why was I looking at her anyways? But, she's not just some girl. She's got this... I don't know. She's got this charisma, maybe? That makes me want to get to know her more. She's interesting.

"Class dismissed."

I was about to approach the girl when I saw a guy waiting for her outside. It was Oliver, one of my team mates in basketball. I see, she's taken. She's pretty, what was I even thinking when I thought that she was single? Of course, with a face like that and a smile like that—she has a boyfriend. "Oli!" she exclaimed as she hugged Oliver. Fine. Confirmed, she's already taken.

Backing off...

Backing off...

Oh, damn it!

"You okay, dude?" asked Alesso.

I answered him with a sigh. "Not really."

"Why? What happened? Bakit mukha kang nalugi d'yan?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing..." I already have my eyes for a girl. "Too bad, she's already taken."

"Huh?" tanong niya.

But I didn't answer him.

I left him there—confused.

"Nice, dudes!" Greg said. I nodded at him while I was dribbling the ball. I motioned to Ali to guard Hilton High's point forward. I crossed over one of their players before aiming for the basketball ring and shooting the ball.

As the ball whirled around the ring, the buzzer was heard. As expected, the crowd roared and stood up. They were cheering for my name, it felt nice—as always. My team mates were all running to me and they all hugged me. Buzzer beater huh. We fist bumped with one another. Confetti came pouring down. I smiled to what I was seeing. This was my life.

Basketball was my life.

"MVP!"

"MVP!"