Rivalry between us

Chapter 3

"Palo kai palo!" Our libero, ate pia shouted.
I hit the ball with a full force and targeted zone 5, my other teammate stumble around when she couldn't handle to receive it.
"Nice," ate pia gives me an appear.
We're at the midst of a practice game, making plays for the upcoming championship. Coach stan planned out already a game plan and he is prepared for some new plays which he just taught us earlier.
"Kai, yung turo ko." He simply said while watching us.
"Yes, coach." I nod.
Zia served the ball and the opponent received it then they made a play too. Ate Pia are one of the best libero in the league so it's just a little bit easy for her to receive simple spikes like cutshots, drop balls and crosscourt target. She was the one who received and had a great pass to ate fen then ate fen toss it up to set it for me. I move backward to get a nice approach and when the ball flies on the air, I ran and jump, arching my back. They were expecting for a down the line hit but I trick them up with a drop ball.
"Nice." Ate fen said.
"Okay, okay." Coach made us all stop.
"Let's work on your receive naman." he continued.
My eyes catches a familiar face on the bench seating and watching us—it was Deanna.
Kanina pa ba siya diyan? I haven't seen her on the first 20 minutes though and now we're at almost 1hour of practicing.
Coach blast his hands and shouted, "line up, lineup!"
He goes spiking the ball and we should dig it up, he also made us ran and stumble on the floor for us to catch the drop ball.
It was my turn, I focus so hard and tried not to get distracted. He spiked the ball to me and I received it properly then he goes for a drop ball so I ran as fast as I could as well but I failed on getting it.
I catch my breath and bend my body getting my air back to normal.
On a 1hour of training, we haven't even got any breaks. Sino hindi mapapagod dun?
"Okay, that's all for today. Pahinga muna bago alis." He tapped on my back after he declared it.
I went to the benches and saw that my bag is right beside of Deanna, what a bad coincidence.
My teammates which is her old teammates too approached to give her a greeting. I watched at them as she is humbling making conversations with them but I immediately look away when she caught me staring.
"Dom, pakiabot naman ng bag ko please." Dom looks to where my bag is and she reacted directly when she saw it beside Deanna.
"Hindi obvious na bitter ka promise." she said.
I hit her with the towel immediately and shush her. "Wag ka nga." My brows were curled up.
"Kunin mo na lang." I demanded, then I push her. "Dali."
We were both surprise when Deanns came over to our direction and handled me the bag. She's looking at me, wide smiling. "I guess this bag belongs to you."
I took the bag immediately and let out a small smile, "yeah, thanks."
"You're still using that one, huh?" she chuckled.
Everything comes back on me again. The bag I was holding is the same bag that we both bought while I secretly visited her in their hometown at Cebu. I haven't bring any bag that time eh kase I just escaped from the house just to go see her. Deanna bought me this bag which it was imprinted by her favorite color and number—that's number 3. There's a print on the front number 3.
I wasn't really using it anymore but nagmadali kase ako kanina and I pleased to Michelle to grab me some bag that I can put on with my things. I was already outside when she handled me the bag and she already locked my door so I have no choice about it.
"Uh.."
"It wasn't really my intention."I avoid making eye contacts with her though I don't really know what will happen next if I won't. "Nagmadali kase ako kanina so.."
"Uy, okay lang." she phrase it.
"I'm just glad na nasayo pa yan." she raise her two brows repeatedly and let out a beam. Her smile is my most favorite thing about her, and she knows that too.
But that was all before.
I sigh, "Yeah, I guess so." I let out a force sneer.
"Ah sige deanns," I said to her, fully much decided to leave.
I turn around and was about to take a step but she clutch my elbow unexpectedly. My heart couldn't calm down at that moment.
I look at it and slowly look to her too.
I turn my body back to her and gave her a innocent look, "huh?"
For a minute, she freezes and all she did is just standing there staring at me.
She shook her head multiple times before she spoke up, "Wala, sorry." she curves her lips to smile.
I bob at her and went back to my attention of leaving.
"Hi deanns!" Dominique exaggerate.
"Uy, hi!" Deanna answered.
Yap, they were both close ever since before.
But, I told Dominique not to ever speak to Deanna about me and do the alternative too and she promises that she won't. And she really meant it even up until now. She only talks about it if I was the one opening the topic.
"Grabe Deanns ah, hanep kana ngayon." our teammate said.
"Imagine? Star player kana ng Ateneo." The other one spoke up.
I kept my distance with them and decided to sit alone a little bit far away.
"Wala yun." Deanna responded.
I took my phone and texted michy though she promised that she'll fetch me up after my training.
Love, asan kana?
Tapos na training namin.
Papunta kanaba?
But I got interrupted by their next conversation.
"Oh Kai, pag tinanggap mo yung offer ng Ateneo eh di magkasama na ulit kayo ni Deanna." I face them, seeing Deanna's face in a complete puzzle.
She direct her sight to me, "inofferan ka ng ateneo?"
"And lasalle." Ate Fen interjected.
"Ano yung tinanggap mo?" she looks nervous while asking.
"Nung second year ka palang, tinanggap niya yan yung offer kase plano niya sana na magkasama kayo ulit but.." Ate Fen looked to me first.
Ate Pia was the one who continued it for her, "but the two of you broke up. So, Kailyn declined the offer and chooses to stay her for her senior year."
It was very much a dream come true for me to enter Ateneo, and one of my goals there is to be with Deanna again. I doubled up my trainings just so on recruitment I could have a better performance and I was successful to that plan. I actually told her about it pero kase that time...she's busy chatting with someone while smiling.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" she looks at me with a mixed emotions,
I let out a deep sigh before answering, "I did." I smiled.
"I don't remember you telling me with it." she insist.
I tried my best not to get teary especially remembering every details about what happened that night. So, I sneer widely as possible. "You're busy kase chatting with someone else eh, I guess...hindi mo siguro narinig."
Her facial expression changed. And even my teammates reacted with it. They know. They were the one who told me.
"So yeah.." I continued
I know Deanna is cheating with me that time. I know hindi na ako nun. I know her love fades before that day. I know I'm a disturbance on her that day. I know na may iba na. She's probably an athlete too. A star player too. Ano ba naman laban ko dun diba? Alam ko naman yun. I was just waiting to let the issue comeout from Deanna's mouth, the thing that she'll be the one spilling it on me. I was always hoping that time that she'll be honest with me kase she knows. she knows that I won't gonna believe to anyone except to her. Funny, cause she just escaped with it. She didn't left even a little tiny information.
"Pero uy," I boost up, and tried so my very best to laugh. "Matagal na yun, nu ka ba."
"mukhang Malabo na siguro piliin ni Kai yung Ateneo." Someone voices out, it was Ate Pia.
Ate Pia looks to Deanna, "May lasalle na eh."
"So you're going to choose Lasalle? Over Ateneo?" Deann looks so confuse.
"I mean, no hate ha? Pero Ateneo is one of the most best school." she said. "Specifically, Better than lasalle."
Her addle face scans for an answer in the room, "what's the catch with the lasalle?"
"Kase nandun yung-.."
"I'm undecided," I raise my voice, God! That almost got me. I really don't want her to know about me and michelle. I wanted to keep it lowkey as possible as it can be. Plus, kalaban niya pa yan sa games. What would she think kaya if she'll know?
"I don't wanna think about it." I cut them. "For a while."
"At tsaka ano ba? Bakit ba ako yung pinaguusapan niyo?" I joked. "Ganyan na ba ka boring life niyo?" They all laugh, except to Deanna. She's still thinking of it siguro. Pero kase tapos na yun eh. Wala na tayong magagawa dun.
I took my bag, "Uh, I have to go," I wave at every one before leaving. Deanna remained stunned but I didn't mind and continued my intention to leave.
Damn, I have to escape from there.