It was already afternoon and the whole barangay had gathered at the vacant lot where a simple basketball court had been built. The air was thick, the sun blazed hot, but nothing could stop the people. The place was filled with cheers and noise—kids running around, moms and dads carrying stools, and bystanders having fun with soft drink bottles in hand—everyone eager to witness the final match of the day: Barangay 143, the Castillian team, versus Barangay La Huerta.
But amidst the noisy crowd, Mico—the point guard of Castillian—remained calm. Even though he knew all eyes were on him, he wasn't nervous. Every move he made was filled with confidence, his eyes focused on the ball being passed to him by a teammate. He listened intently to their coach's whisper from the sidelines— "We need a good play, Mico. It's up to you now."
The game was intense. It was the final quarter, and the score was tied at 58-58. La Huerta's defense was tight, barely allowing Castillian's offense to move forward. But Mico was different—he was the brain of the team. Everyone knew he would carry the weight of the game. He was their hope.
Mico held the ball at center court. He could feel the pressure from his defender, La Huerta's shooting guard, who was covering every angle of his dribble. But Mico wasn't fazed. He scanned the area, assessing the positions of his teammates and opponents. His eyes were locked on the target—the basket.
He made a quick crossover, prompting a sudden cheer from the crowd. His movement was like lightning—a swift step-back confused his defender. Then, with a strong fake pass to the left, the opponent took the bait and slightly shifted direction. Mico instantly drove right, using his speed to get through. With just two dribbles, he was already inside the paint.
But the center of La Huerta was already there, ready with a strong defense. Tall and broad-shouldered, he was like a wall not easily breached. Still, Mico didn't hesitate. He raised the ball as if to attempt a layup, but in a flash, he executed a no-look pass back to Uno, who was at the three-point line. La Huerta's defense was caught off guard, and while they were still focused on Mico, Uno released a clean shot.
Bang!
The ball hit the net without even grazing the rim. The entire barangay erupted in joy. It went in! 61-58.
Castillian quickly returned to defense after the beautiful play, but they knew the game wasn't over yet. La Huerta moved fast, also looking for a chance to recover. But Mico was there, showing his agility with every move. His eyes were sharp, trying to read La Huerta's point guard's next move.
When the La Huerta point guard advanced and attempted a pick and roll, Mico saw it. As the opponent tried to pass, Mico intercepted it. A clean steal! He rushed to the open court, dribbling quickly toward the hoop.
La Huerta's defense ran to block him, but Mico moved faster. In a blink, he jumped from the side, hung in the air for a moment, and landed the ball with a smooth finger roll.
Swish! Another point!
Cheers and applause erupted once more from the spectators. The noise was thunderous. Mico, still calm, glanced at the scoreboard: 63-58 in favor of Castillian.
In the final seconds of the game, La Huerta made a desperate attempt. They tried a quick three, but it missed. Finally, when time ran out, the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the match.
"This year's champion: Castillian!"
He high-fived Uno. "Nice game."
Even after the match ended, the screaming and cheering didn't stop—especially from the girls.
"Mico, you were amazing!"
"So handsome, oh my gosh!"
"Mico, play me too!"
"Hey!"
"Castillian, still the King!"
He just kept wiping himself off with the towel his friend handed him, then took a sip of water.
Lynx slung an arm around him, "And since our Captain won us the game today, he's treating us!"
"What do you mean I won it? Was I the only one who played?" He raised an eyebrow.
"That's not what we meant, Captain. Of course, it's because you made the final shot—the three-pointer that sealed our win," Felix explained.
"But it's not like I—" Lynx placed a finger on his lips to shut him up.
"Shush! No matter what you say, you're still treating us tonight."
He let out a sigh.
---
Castillian—a renowned street basketball team, always the champion in every barangay and university league. Composed of the best students from the prestigious universities of Casa. Aside from their basketball skills, they were also known for their charming looks and well-built bodies, which explained their massive fan base, especially among the ladies.
"Go, Mico! You're so handsome!" She joined the crowd in cheering after Castillian scored a point.
She quickly made her way down, holding a face towel, and approached the Castillian captain. He was sweaty and panting, which only added to his sex appeal. The women were practically drooling over the Castillian's masculine charm.
"You're all sweaty." She wiped the sweat trailing from his temple down to his jaw, then over his Adam's apple. She swallowed and locked eyes with him.
Slowly, their faces inched closer...
"Kikay!"
She blinked and snapped out of it, realizing she had been staring into space with puckered lips.
"Why didn't you come last Saturday? You know how weak my cheer buddies were? They looked like they were about to faint every time the Castillian boys glanced in our direction instead of cheering!" Kathryn, her best friend, whined beside her.
"Weaklings! They can't even keep themselves together," added Liza, another best friend.
"Even I would faint if I locked eyes with baby Mico." She closed her eyes, imagining the moment, and her body tingled. She let out a small squeal.
"Tss. So why weren't you there last Saturday?" Kathryn asked sharply.
"Well, I had a fever! I couldn't even stand without getting dizzy." She pouted.
"But are you really better now?" Asked Liza.
She nodded. "I'm not dizzy anymore and I'm back to normal, but my head still feels a little hot."
"Let me check." Liza placed the back of her hand on her forehead. "You still have a bit of a fever."
"As long as you can attend class. We still have a Math quiz today," reminded Kathryn.
"Oh no, that's right," she cried. She hadn't reviewed yet, and she sucked at numbers.
She hurriedly pulled out her math notebook, and the first thing she saw was a picture of the Castillian team captain.
"Sigh, you're so handsome, baby Mico."
She smiled like a lovesick fool while gazing at the pocket picture, gave it a quick kiss, and giggled—almost shaking from sheer giddiness.
She returned it to its usual spot and finally started reviewing. She knew daydreaming wouldn't pass her quiz. She couldn't afford to have Mico's handsome face in her mind while answering math problems.
---
She slumped in her seat and stared blankly into space.
"5 out of 20," Kathryn read her score.
"I really have no hope in math. I give up." she said dully.
Liza patted her on the shoulder. "It's okay. I only got 10 out of 20."
"At least you passed half without even reviewing. If you had taken it seriously, you'd have scored even better. Me? Even if I made math my vitamin, I'd still be dumb at it."
"Scarlet, you're not dumb. Math just isn't your forte. Not all of us can be like Mico who's perfect at every subject and every activity," Liza encouraged.
Kathryn nodded in agreement.
She propped her chin on her hand, elbow resting on the table. "Sigh. You're right. He's handsome, smart, and talented in both academics and extracurriculars. He's like a star—too far to reach."
"Okay, stop before you start daydreaming again. Our next teacher might arrive soon. And it's hard enough pulling you back into reality."
She pouted while Liza giggled.