The buzzer sounds then Mark and Justin hug each other in jubilation. Both of them jump and down shouting like lunatics.

“HOPYAA’!!“ shouts Justin.

“LUMPIAA’!!” shouts Mark.

“HUMBAA’!!”

“ISDAAAAA’!!!!”

Cesar approaches them both and puts his arms over them.

“We’ve done it, boys. We beat the reigning champs.”

“We sure did,” replies Justin.

“And we’ll gonna beat them again,” replies Mark.

“I love your attitude, Splash. We’re gonna beat them next time; we sure will,” says Cesar.

Kevin also huddles with them, “What did I tell you, guys? I knew we’re gonna beat them. We beat them, bums.”

The entire team crowds around them, jumping up and down including their coach.

“That’s what I call teamwork, boys!!" says Coach Perez. "With this win, we’re showing to the competition that we can win the championship trophy!! We’re gonna be champions!!!”

While they’re celebrating, Coach Perez comes to Cesar and hugs him.

“Great block, Owens. We owe it all to you.”

“You’re welcome, coach.”

Coach Perez lets him go and says, “Our dream of a championship will finally be realized, Owens. God is so good to give us a strong team.”

“All glory to God, coach. But a strong team is nothing without an ingenious coach.”

“Heheh. You’re a great kid, you know that?” Coach Perez then messes Cesar’s hair.

The opposing players and coaches shake each other’s hands at the conclusion of the game. Mark reaches to Velazquez, both shake each other’s hands.

“I heard about you, Mercado. I didn’t realize how much of a three-point shooter you are until I saw it myself. Keep improving and you will be in the Basketball League of the Philippines along with The Sniper.”

“Thank you, Velazquez. Call me, Mark. I’m sure you will also be in the BLP when we finish studying.”

“Thank you… Mark. But until then, I will enjoy our battles together.”

“Me too… By the way, what can I call you?”

Velazquez chuckles, “My name is Mark too, so you can call me Mark.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Oh, yeah. I forgot that that’s your name.”

The two of them laugh.

The Maaravi Warriors team enters their school bus. And when they’re seated, the bus starts and drives off to whence they came.

Mark and Justin are beside each other again while Kevin and Cesar are also beside each other behind them.

“Haa〜,” says Mark as he leans back on his seat and scoots his bum forward. “Rest at last, plus aircon.”

Justin also follows suit as he leans and scoots in his seat.

“That was a good game, don’t you think, bro?”

“Yeah, it was. Too bad I’ve gone cold in the fourth quarter.”

“Oh, yeah. Why do you think that happened?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I was just not feeling it in the final quarter. Maybe it was nerves. I don’t know, bro. But I’m gonna get it in next time around.”

“I know you’ll sink it in next time, bud,” Justin adjusts himself in his seat and closes his eyes. “But for now, we’ll finally get some sleep.”

“Me too,” Mark adjusts himself in his seat and closes his eyes.

‘Serves you right,’ Mark thinks about Aguas’s mumble a while ago.

Mark says in his heart, “Lord, soften Kyle’s heart. Make him not hate me or whoever in our team, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Mark falls asleep cozily in his soft and comfy seat.

Mark then wakes up and finds that he’s on the podium with his team.

“Smile!” says a photographer.

“Wait. Where am I?” says Mark.

“What do you mean ‘Where am I?’ “, says Justin beside him. “We’ve won the tournament.”

Then Mark sees a big golden trophy with a figure on top of it as if it’s shooting.

“Mark.”

Mark didn’t take his eyes off the trophy.

“Woaaah,” says Mark.

“Mark!”

Mark wakes up suddenly and sits straight up while Justin laughs at him.

“Look at your face, you’re drooling,” says Justin, and he continues to laugh.

Mark falls back to his seat and Justin ceases his amusement.

“Did you call me, Justin?”

“Yeah, I was calling you, bud. We’re almost there, so get ready or you’ll miss the destination.”

“Oh, sorry about that,” Mark sighs.

“Did you dream again?”

Mark gives Justin a glance and says, “Yeah, I just did.”

Justin’s taken aback, “Don’t tell it’s Code Over-Arms.”

“No, not that. It’s different this time.”

“Oooh. What was it?” Justin says with his glimmering eyes.

Mark chuckles a bit, “Uhmm. I saw myself standing at the podium with the team—

“Our team?” says Kevin as he lays his head on the seat of Justin overlooking Mark. “Woah. What is dis dream of yaws?”

“Oh…” replies Mark. “Uhmm. We were at the podium and there were photographers and television people in front of us.”

“Why would that be, Mark?” says Cesar leaning sideways where he could see Mark by the aisle. “What was the reason why we’re there in the first place?”

“That was what I was thinking. And then Justin here said in my dream that we’ve won the tournament.”

“WHATT!? I KNEW IT WILL HAPPEN!” Justin says.

Some of their teammates look at them and they also share his dream. Upon sharing the dream, their elation is through the roof. They cannot contain their excitement.

“That maybe is his own invention,” says Aguas to one of his teammates. “Who knows what he has eaten today?”

“Hehe. It’s just a dream, guys,” says Mark. “We also have to do our part to win.”

“He’s right, guys,” says Cesar as he stands in the aisle. “We have to do our part to win. It doesn’t matter if we have a prophecy or vision; unless we put blood, sweat, and tears into our game, we’ll lose the tournament. So we better focus every single game we have before we reach into conclusion of our victory. DO YOU UNDERSTAND, BOYS!!??”

“YES, MASTER!!” the team replies.

Mark glances mesmerizingly at Cesar.

‘That’s why he’s the leader, Cesar is,’ Mark thinks. ‘He always takes the lead, always keeps us on the straight and narrow road of discipline. Always giving us incredible speeches. He’s irreplaceable.’

“Please, Lord,” Mark says in his heart. “Keep him safe from danger.”

Then suddenly, Coach Perez stands up in the aisle and says, “Hey guys. We’ll have dinner at Jollibee tonight, don’t go home yet.”

“Don’t we have a game tomorrow, coach?” says Cesar.

“We’ll be fine. Besides, the reason I want us to eat together is that we’ve beaten the reigning champions in our first game. That doesn’t happen especially when we were not even included in the Magic 4.”

“Ok, coach. As long as you pay for us,” Cesar chuckles.

“Oh yeah, I will,” and Coach Perez laughs.