"Maxwellians fight! Fight! Maxwellians Fight! Fight! Let's go!" People cheered.

Today was our final match against Oxford Montessori, and it will be my last play this elementary. Dahil gragraduate na 'ko ngayong year.

We're now on the third set. First set, Oxford won, while the second set is us. Oxford Montessori is one of the elite schools when it comes to sports. I think last year napunta sa nationals table tennis players nila.

It was really nerve wracking this set, kasi set point na kami. One point left.. We'll win.

"Vien!" I called our ace. I tossed the ball to her in time with a rapid pace, making us do a quick. It kinda took us a lot of practice before to do that strategy perfectly.

Vien jumped as high as she can. When she was about to spike the ball, three blockers from the opposing team jumped to block her, but Vien saw an opening. She smirked then spiked the ball with all force.

The captain of the opposing team suddenly came out from behind the blockers to receive the ball. The ball hits her wrist and lost her balance. Imbes lumipad pataas yung bola, lumipad siya out of the court.

That moment made our hearts skip a beat.. Because we won! After shedding blood and sweat, it was so worth it. We finally got our revenge. Last year kasi panalo sila, and last year na rin noon ng former captain namin. Her last play with us. We got so upset, but her words motivated us. She told us not to be upset just because it's her last play, we should be motivated because she played along with the greatest players.

We all hugged and patted each others back. Whispering 'good job' and 'great play' to each other. May umiiyak pa nga dahil sa sobrang saya! All of them were so happy, it made me smile, I was so proud of them. Our coach was even crying when we went to her.

"Maxene!" I heard a familiar voice from the distance.

I furrowed my eyebrows and looked behind, finding the person who called me. Then I saw him, my bestfriend.

"Congrats! You guys were so sick!" He shouted from the bleachers.

I gave a chuckle and waved at him, smiling. Sobrang supportive talaga ni Caleb, kahit pa sa maliit na bagay. Katulad noong nanalo ako sa small raffle ng school, parang gusto niya pa yata magpahanda.

"Congrats again! It was so shocking you guys won, and pro mo tuloy tingnan sa laro kanina!" Caleb teased while laughing.

"Please stop," I laughed.

Then a question popped out of my head.

"By the way.. You guys? Did you guys won?" I asked.

He suddenly stopped walking making me stop walking also. Caleb went infront of me and looked at me with a stupid smirk on his face. Nagmumukha siyang ewan, well mukhang ewan naman talaga siya.

"Of course naman! How dare you underestimate us, Maxene La Nueva." He then posed like an idiot, bragging about that they won and how they are the 'best' players in Maxwell.

I sighed getting tired of his arrogance, and started walking ahead of him. He called my name but I ignored him, he chased me hanggang pumantay na siya sakin. Dumeretso kami sa bagong bukas na Café dito, sabi niya ililibre niya raw ako ngayon dahil pareho kaming nanalo.

Pagkapasok namin ng Café, the interior design caught my eye, it has a warm and comforting vibe. Me and Caleb started finding somewhere to sit, until we found one. He'll be the one ordering so I told him what I want.

"Pst." He suddenly called me out of the blue.

I placed my cup of latte on the table and raised my eyebrows.

He shaked his head and let out a small laugh. I furrowed my eyebrows, what is he laughing about? I was about to speak but he spoke first.

"You look like Santa Claus. That's all." Then he started laughing.

My eyes widened and touched my philtrum to feel if there is. And there is! Caleb handed me a tissue. I grabbed it and wiped off the foam. Suddenly realization hits, I really do look like Santa Claus. I let out a small giggle.

"Max, you wanna get some street food?" Caleb suddenly asked, the moment he finished his cocoa cup.

"What? Libre mo?" I asked with a teasing tone.

"Oo naman! Ngayon lang 'to kaya wag mo na sayangin 'tong opportunity na 'to," He scoffed proudly while hiding his grin.

I just rolled my eyes chuckling. I swear to God.. This guy, after a ton of years finally nanglilibre na siya. I was so happy because hindi na siya kuripot. After I finised my latte, we both went out of the Café and went straight to the park. There were a lot of people when we arrived there.

"What do you want?" Caleb asked me while putting some sauce inside the cup that has kikiam and mini hotdogs in it.

"Isaw? It's been a decade since I last ate tho-"

"No."

"What? Why-"

"Don't be stubborn. Alam mong bawal 'yon sa 'yo, tsaka that thing causes your LBM." And there. Biglang nagmisa sa harap ko si Caleb, he looks like a father scolding his daughter. He literally caused a scene! It was so embarrassing, people were already staring at us.

I immediately covered Caleb's mouth with both of my hands to make him stop talking. He looked at me furrowing his eyebrows, then slowly took off my hands from his mouth.

"I'm sorry, okay? I was just teasing you!" I tried to laugh it off.. But he was just there, crossing his arms while showing a serious face.

He's mad. Everytime he's mad, he always do that. Nagbuntong hininga nalang ako tsaka umiwas ng tingin sa kanya. His stare can literally melt someone. When I was about to talk, I suddenly felt his hand on my head. He gave me a pat.

"Alright, alright. I'm not mad anymore. Kwek-kwek nalang sa 'yo, 'no?"

I looked at him as he slowly took away his hand from my head. I nodded, answering his question a while ago then he gave me a smile. He also gave me his cup full of kikiam and small hotdogs, para makabili siya ng kwek-kwek para sa 'kin.

"Solved. Grabe busog ko," I spoke,while we were walking.

I mean, who wouldn't get so full? If someone bought you three cups of kwek-kwek! He even told me that I should finish all of those because he's already full. Though, in the end.. He still helped me finish them.

"Thank you ah," I thanked him.

"No problem! Grabe ilang taon din bago kita linibre ulit 'no?" He even laughed after saying that!

I just rolled my eyes and scoffed while walking straightly, without noticing the stop light already went green. I was already in the middle of the road. Loud honks made me back into my senses. I was panicking, I didn't know what to do.

"Maxene! Tumabi ka diyan!"

I heard Caleb's shout as I felt him pushed me on the opposite side of the road. His push was so hard, it made me fall and hit my head on the floor. My vision was starting to get blurry.. Then I heard a loud screech and boom.. Caleb.

"Caleb!"

I immediately sat up on my bed, then I felt a sting on my head. My hand went to my head to hold it as I slowly closed my eyes. What happened.

"Anak! Careful! 'Yang ulo mo.." I heard my Mom's voice.

I felt her hands, guiding me to slowly lay down. Then I felt her embrace.. She was sobbing. My eyes slowly opened to look at her, then place my hand to her back.

"Mom, I'm okay," I said.

My gaze shifted to the two other people inside the room.

"Maxene!" Vien and Ikka shouted.

Both of them went to us to join the hug. The amount of people hugging me is making me suffocate! I tried patting their backs, pero mas lalo nilang hinigpitan!

"Wait, wait. I can't breathe!" I shouted. Then they released me from the hug.

I started catching my breath while looking at them. Wait.. Why are they here again? And, where am I. The sudden realization made me look around. I am inside a hospital.. Caleb.. Caleb. Where's Caleb?!

"Mom, si Caleb?" I faced my mom as I slowly sat up on the bed. Eyes full of worry.

The atmosphere suddenly changed. Their expressions changed. I bit my lip as I slowly gulped, trying to think what happened to Caleb. My mom looked at me then slowly placed her hand on my cheek.

"Anak.. Si Caleb. He's.." She sighed. Sounding hesitant. "He's in a coma."

What.

I barged out of my room with my dextrose stand, rushing to the counter. People were already looking at me but I don't care. I need to see Caleb.

"Maxene!"

"Miss, can you please check which room Caleb Davidson is?" I asked the Nurse on the counter, she got surprised about my presence.

"Ma'am you should be in bed right now, because of your situation-"

"Just please tell me which room Caleb Davidson is. Please." I asked her again. Tears already forming in the corners of my eyes.

"Anak! Please your head! Hindi pa magaling, tapos palakad-lakad ka." My Mom is now with me.

"Mom, please. I just need to see Caleb." My voice broke.

After walking for a few minutes I saw Caleb's room number. When I was about to open the door knob, the door opened. Revealing Caleb's little brother. Chase.

"Ate Maxene?" He called, making the attention of his Mom and Dad go to me.

Chase gasped in concern when he saw the bandage that was wrapped around my head.

"Who hurt you?!"

My eyes widened when he shouted. I slightly felt embarrassment so I made him shush. Chase was such a caring kid.. He always gets concerned when you're hurt. Even if it's a small scratch.

"Ate Maxene, got tripped last night. No need to shout okay?" I gave him an assuring smile. He replied me a nod and smiled back.

When I slowly looked at Caleb, my smile immediately faded. He was laying on his bed, while a ton of apparatuses were attached to his body. Then my gaze shifted to his Mother. I wanted to approach Tita Clara, but I'm afraid that she'll cry again. I inhaled a lot of air, gaining the courage to approach her, but she suddenly faced me.

"Maxene? Why are you here? You should be resting in your room ah." She asked.

"I wanted to see Caleb.. I heard na.. Coma po siya.." I bit my lip, when I saw her tearing up again. "I'm sorry." I clenched both of my fists, fighting the urge to sob. This is all my fault.

Tita Clara stood up from her chair and walked up to me. It got me scared, making my eyes go shut.. But I felt her embrace. She was hugging me.

"It's okay." She whispered while caressing my head, already sobbing. "'Wag mong sisisihin sarili mo, okay? I know my son did that for a reason."

I nodded, then she gave me an assuring smile.

Several days had passed. Even Tita Clara told me not to blame myself, the guilt is still there. I can't stop thinking about, what if I watched where I was going? What if I didn't got upset after Caleb teased me? What if I focused the road more? So many 'what ifs'. If only I can turn back time.

Ever since that incident happened, palagi na 'kong sinusundo at hinahatid ni Mom sa school. She was worried na baka may mangyari ulit sa 'kin. I always ask her if I can visit Caleb time to time, and she always answers 'yes'.

Everytime I visit Caleb at the hospital, I always update him about my day, especially volleyball training. Kahit 'di man siya nagigising, it's important for me to update him on what's going on.

Four months had passed, finals on volleyball came. If we win today, we're going straight to the regionals. Our opponent for today is Luxemburg University. Gosh, me and Caleb always dreamt about going to that university! Especially on college. But.. I guess I'm going to apply there alone for now.

After warming up, the game started. Our first match was so difficult! Simula palang ng laro purong-puro na kami! The power of their ace was so strong, and their setter was so brainy that we can't even read their next move. Also their blockers, all of them were so good!

First set our score was 17, then the second set was 20. Luxemburg won the first and second set, one more set to go they're going straight to the regionals. This is the reason why me and Caleb wanted to go to that university. We wanted to become stronger.

When the final match started, we didn't let our guard down, we literally shed blood and sweat just to win. But in the end.. We lost. It was disappointing that we lost, but the important thing is we all had fun.

We all went back to school for our final meeting as a team. Some of our juniors cried because that match we had a while ago was already our final play as a team. Next year, a new captain will lead the team.

"Mamimiss ka nmin ate Maxene!" My junior hugged me so tight.

"'Wag naman kayong umiyak! Naiiyak tuloy ako!" Vien complained, but she joined the hug afterwards.

"I'll miss you guys too. Me, Vien, and Ikka." I hugged them all back.

"Thank you for the 3 years."

It was so hard saying goodbye to my teammates! Last year ko na kasi, kaya medyo nakakalungkot. I get emotionally attached to every people I meet, kahit minsan lang kami nagkakausap, I still consider them as an important person in my life.

After saying goodbye to each other, I asked my mom again if we can go straight to the hospital. I went inside Caleb's room with my mom, and it got me surprised that there's only a nurse inside.

"Relatives po ba?" The nurse stood up.

"I'm friends with Caleb's parents." My mom answered.

"Ah sige po, lumabas lang po kasi sila ma'am at sir kanina. Bibili raw po ng pagkain." She said.

"Ahh okay. Kami nalang bahala kay Caleb, okay?"

The nurse nodded. Me and my mom went inside the room as the nurse went out. My mom sat on one of the couches inside the room, then I sat on a chair near his bed.

"Hey.. Uh, we lost." Suddenly my voice cracked.

I didn't noticed that I was already sobbing when I held his hand. My heart started aching, I don't know if I was crying about losing a while ago or is it about Caleb still not waking up. I closed both of my eyes, as I placed his hand on my forehead, holding it with both of my hands.

"Please.. Wake up as soon as possible."

"Anak can we talk after you clean yourself up?" My mom suddenly asked.

I looked at her, then nodded. Nasa bahay na kami. We went home after Caleb's parents arrived, they told us to eat with them but I insisted. I didn't want to cry while eating.

I went upstairs to my room and started cleaning myself up.