When Everything Fails (De Chavez #2)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

SHEEN OF sweat coated my forehead as I squeezed my body between the two girls in the dark corner of the bench in the Gymnasium. Crowds went wild as the Grade 9 representatives scored, suppressing the opposing team's score. The girls on my both side uttered expletives as they jumped as if they'd won a lottery. It was a bad idea to be here but I couldn't do anything but to watch Kei— even though I told myself that I should distance myself further from him. I knew that what I did just made the situation worse but I couldn't help it. I wanted to see him play.

It had been 3 weeks since I talked to him. He was true to his words. He respected my request as I asked for space. I chewed the bottom of my lips as I swept my eyes across his face down to his jersey shirt that seemed like was drenched in sweat. He looked rugged, rough, and cold at the same time. He was dribbling the ball, the expression was blank but I could feel the spider crawling down to my spine. He looks so gorgeous with those cold and blank expressions but at the same time, it implicitly projected danger. If I were to be his rival in the court, I would have curled to my knees or dashed out of the court because only fools can dare to mess with this beautiful infuriated man.

When he did a layup, the ball went in seamlessly. The crowd went wild again, different names from the team mixed together creating incoherent noises. I watched him as his teammates smiled and laughed but the expression of Kei was unreadable. It sent a tingle chase down to my spine. I swallowed the bile that slowly obstructing the air to pass through my lungs. My emotions just unfurled, evoking the tears to prickle at the rims of my eyes. I do miss him but I was afraid that this affection I formed for him will jeopardize me. I shook my head. I really guessed that watching him play alone will just make everything hard. The idea of me crawling back to him made my stomach twist.

I pushed myself forward, leaving to vacate my seat. When I rose to my feet, I froze when the eyes of Kei flitted to me. I cursed myself under my breath as I balled my fist. I shouldn't have attended this game; I should have just gone home and done my readings instead of putting myself into the room of unending torture. But his eyes... the eyes that projected no emotions awhile flashed a glint of pain, sadness, and longing. In the short passage of time, I felt the multiple daggers stabbed my chest, shredding it into pieces, reinforcing the tears to flow out of my eyes. Before the tears could reach my chin, I wiped them away. My breathing was unstable.

Shaking my head, I shuffled down the way and made my exit. As I made myself out of the Gymnasium, the afternoon sun shone just before it kissed the horizon, pouring its last drop of amber glow throughout the vicinity. The wind started to ruffle the trees, making them rustle. The humidity had taken place as I strode briskly away from the Gymnasium. Tomorrow will be the day of our performance. A part of me was relieved that finally, the reason that tethered me with Kei de Chavez will be cut. But somehow, deep down, I felt something collapse, something that didn't want this to end just yet. However, I didn't take this to my account and just proceeded to my goal: to stay the fuck away from Kei.

Agad akong nagtext kay mang Cesar para sunduin na ako. Sana hindi nalang ako pumunta. Bakit ko ba kasi sinunod 'tong nararamdaman ko? I was just complicating things and I knew that it will take me to my own demise if I'll hand the rein to my feelings. Feelings make humans vulnerable; the heart is the center of vulnerability. It was the reason why it was encased inside a ribcage. This wasn't good at all.

Noong dumating na ang aming driver ay agad na akong pumasok sa loob. Habang nasa daan ay napagdesisyonan kong bumili ng milk tea sa Thirstday. Memories— happy memories splashed against my face as I entered the milk tea shop. Heap of image I created with Kei inside the classroom rampaged through my brain, like a whirlwind ruining every rational thought inside. How could Kei do this to me? I didn't realize that this feeling had already grown this strong— it grew without my notice... under my fucking wake. Instead of making a beeline toward the counter, I pivoted reluctantly. I will just go home because everything I see in this milk tea shop or even my favorite taro milk tea made my stomach churn.