It happened one night

chapter 24

Cathy (Pov)

At times, ..
Oh! Who am I kidding?!

All the time, I keep wishing I could have a break from the soccer practise. It's not that I didnt enjoy the sport. In fact, I did, I loved to play with the boys, to sweat and learn the new techniques, to shout and struggle with them under the Coach's orders. But as much as I loved to be the badass with them, I missed my nerd side.

I wanted to spend more time in the gorgeous library and I felt bad to leave Ching alone. She never complained but I could see that she was bored and lonely. And who wouldnt be.

Yesterday when she told me about her new friend, Arnold, I was very happy. Though the name seemed familiar to my ears I couldnt come up with any face to go with it, so maybe I dont know the dude. I asked her to hang out with him again. And she seemed to already have made plans about that.

If only Coach would leave us free during the afternoons, I could enjoy so much more and even spend quality time with Ching. I wanted to take her to the library too. Firstly, she needs to make the ID at the library and secondly, I had a feeling that she'd like it there.

Soccer kept me occupied throughout the whole day. I had to wake up early in the morning and run to the fields groggily, everyday. And our practise stretched right upto evening, until I was just a standing and walking bag of goey. My legs were like jelly and my stamina crushed and deflated. I wondered how the rest of them seemed to be okay with those hours of practise. They could still laugh and crack jokes while returning to their dorms while I dragged myself, half-alive to my room.

We were given some breaks in between, for snatching something to eat, and thats when I managed to meet up with Ching and tell her about some new tomfoolery by one of the idiots in my team. Or listen to her talk about her day.

And when I returned half-dead with exhaustion, I could only take a shower and directly pass out on bed.

But today I was determined to visit the library after my practise. I decided it was hightime I started taking the soccer hours as normal. No big deal.

Yeah.

That was the root of my problem. Because even though I tried to convince myself n number of times with such pep-talks, it was not an easy feat for me. And I have no idea how I am supposed to continue with such rigorous practise after Uni re-opens.

Yet, today I have to visit the library. It's been a week since I last visited it and I wanted to issue some books. Maybe I would take Ching along with me.

It was early in the morning and the sun was barely up in the sky. Faint light lit the room from within and Ching's still asleep body made a silhouette against the window.

I smiled at her sleeping form as I tiptoed out of the room. I would text her to meet me at the bleachers later.

In the noon break, I finally noticed Ching's absence from the bleachers, where she usually took her place to wait for me.

I gathered my bottle and gears, and fumbled around my bagpack searching for my phone. As I unlocked the device I checked the couple of texts and groaned dejectedly.

Ching was going to visit her grandma. She said she would be back in a couple of days.

It gave me a sinking feeling in my guts. I knew she wanted to meet her gran and besides it was obvious that she had nothing to do here, but I didnt want to be left alone.

Not that I had any time left to be alone after soccer, I thought to myself. I generally slept as soon as practise got over.

But still, my inner voice whined.

I ignored my inner voice and walked towards the canteen to grab the lunch. I reflected, perhaps it was a good thing that Ching had gone down town.. she would have fun and I could research about the villa. There was that blood stain on the window sill which I still recalled, and I was curious to find out more about it.

We had a practise game again after lunch break and I managed to score two goals. It was becoming more fun nowadays, as I learnt how to play better, with time and more practise.

Joel, Connor, Taren, Bob, Astin and the other guys, were slowly starting to have more faith in me. In the past few days we bonded up a lot and had become really good friends. Except two people. Those two who seemed to have some grudges against me.

Luke and Norman. They stayed aloof from me even when the rest of the team patted me and encouraged me in the game. I couldnt understand their reasons to hate me, and I guess it didnt matter to me anyways. Everytime I failed to kick the ball at the right time, or missed an easy goal, they taunted me passing snarky comments about my blue hair, laughing behind my back and calling me a freak. Yet that didnt phase me out.

Such things never bothered me. I hardly acknowledged their presence and ignored their remarks as long as they didnt encroach my personal space. Which luckily for them, they hadnt done.

Joel often shouted at them to drop their stupid acts. But they continued to try to bully me when he was not around.

As far as I was concerned, the rest of the team considered me as one of them and I was just happy enough with that.

In the evening, inspite of my exhaustion I trudged to the library. It was almost like sleepwalking. I moved among the aisles of the various bookshelves and searched for those two which I had been interested to read, the very first time I had visited the library.

At last I found them using the library card, issued them and returned to my dorm room alone. Fortunately, tomorrow morning practise had been cancelled as Coach had some meeting to attend to. And I could probably happily read the books I issued, in that time.

With that thought in my mind, I went to take a shower and then changed into my pjs.

Sleep was again, more than welcome as I dropped down on one of the empty beds in the room for three.