The Start of a Loss

9] Tryouts

Arlen's POV

I am NOT in LoVe, I swear!

Why do people think that? First Selon now Dional. I think it's just attraction, that I'm feeling, nothing else. She's cool, but too moody. I can't like a person who is always angry, right? She didn't even accept my apology yet, I wonder when that is going to happen. She talks to me just fine now though!

I don't know what problems she has, but she is depressed as fuc-

"Arlen!"

Selon snapped me back to reality, "Miss is asking you a question," she said.

"Oh! Miss what is the question?"

"I think you should focus more-"

"What is the question?" I repeated, some people in the back row snickered. The teacher narrowed her eyes at me.

"Don't interrupt while I'm speaking, so you should focus-"

"What is the damn question?" I asked for the third time now, I know the answer just ask the question!

She came up to me and glared at me, "To the principal's office, now." 

I groaned, "At least tell me the question?"

"Uh, what is the answer to the question on the board?" she pointed.

I looked down at my notebook, "314.5" The class oohed, I strutted towards the principal's office, but before I left the classroom I winked at Elmery who just rolled her eyes. 

I heard the class do their 'Ooooos' and 'Ahhhhs', I just smirked.

**** 

I returned to the classroom feeling bored, the principal was talking nonstop, threatening to suspend me, threatening to call my parents, etc. I hadn't died of fear there, but boredom.

"So, how did it go with him?" Elmery asked.

"He was talking nonstop, I got bored," I said, "Ya, I can see that, we have to go for tryouts remember? It got delayed yesterday for some reason," she said.

"Some reason? Na, I'm pretty sure it was because of the theft,"

"No it wasn't," Selon came and sat down next to me, "It was because of the tenth graders, they had their practice for the tournament on Saturday, but because the thief stole a few of the basketballs, they couldn't play anymore."

"Why would a thief want basketballs?"

"I don't know, ask the thief!" Selon said.

"I mean, I could have. I was stuck in the bathroom-" I glanced at Elmery and blushed, "W-with Elmery and he was about to b-break the door-"

"No need for your explanation," Elmery had a tint of red across her cheeks, "We can't ask a thief about basketballs when he is literally about to kill us."

"That's true," Selon agreed.

The events of yesterday kept replaying in my head, not the bad ones, but the good ones. "Y-ya right." I agreed as well.

There was awkward silence, until Dional came from the bathroom. "Took you long enough!" Selon exclamied, "I was getting bored."

"We were talking to you right now! Unless you wanted to talk to Dional personally~" I teased

Selon blushed furiously, "W-what?! No! I was enjoying myself talking to you guys!"

"Then why did you say you were bored-"

"Shut up!" Selon swatted my arm, I just laughed. I glanced at Elmery who had a smile on her face.

It's not the one that I'm looking for, that's a fake.

I am very good at reading facial expressions, it's one of the talents I own. If you think about it, Elmery was happy all the time. She laughed, she smiled, she was friendly with almost everyone. She was only angry and moody to the people she trusted the most, one of them was Selon. She realized that a long time ago, that is why she stuck to her, became her close friend- 

Wai, wait, wait, she was angry and moody with me too. Right? So that means-

My head dropped onto Dional's shoulder, my brain has melted into a puddle with these thoughts. I saw Selon play, she passed the basketball to one of her teammates, they dribbled till the basket until one opposite teams' player snatched the ball from her. The crowd booed, Dional huffed. He glanced at me, "What's wrong with you?" 

"I'm tired and sleepy as fuc-"

"Ok, I get it. I'm tired of watching this, if they don't get another point, the girls will surely lose."

"Ya...." My eyes started to close, maybe if I take a quick nap without anyone noticing, "Wake up, Arlen!"

My head snapped up, I glanced at Elmery and pouted. "Come on! Don't do that! I could have died!" She rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth, "If Selon doesn't win this, I will beat the pulp out of her."

"Violent, don't you think?"

"Don't care," she said.

"Why are so mean to me and Selon?"

"Just focus on the game, will you?" she sneered.

"Ok, fine!" I raised my hands in surrender.

I did focus on the game, one point and Selon was in the basketball team. She dribbled her way to the basket, they tried to take the ball away from her, but she passed the ball to someone else and got it back after it was cleared. She stopped, held the ball in her both hands, bent her knees and threw the ball.  

If anyone was expecting it to not go in, they were highly mistaken.

The crowd cheered, Elmery was jumping up and down, Dional raised his banner and yelled her name. Even from a great distance, I could notice a blush on Selon's cheeks. She waved at him, Dional went down to talk to her, while I was left alone with Elmery. She had a book in her hands, I glanced down at it.

Oh, interesting...

"You're learning the Periodic Table?" I asked, she jumped in her seat, "Don't scare me like that! And ya, do you have any problem with it?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"No! Why don't we do a competition? Let's see who can say the most elements! The loser can't go to Selon's celebration party!" I said, smirking. "She is having a celebration party?" she asked. "No, but she will! So, what do you say?"

Her face lit up, she smirked, "Deal! I'll start, Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium..."

She looked so happy, I wanted to see that smile everyday. She squinted her eyes in concentration, remembering every single element. She stopped in between, biting her lip, before going on. I couldn't help lean against the railing and start memorizing each feature of her face, her eyes, her nose, her lips...

Elmery chuckled, "He didn't sleep, did he?" She bent down towards my ears and whispered-

"I forgive you, Sleepy Head."

That's Arlen D'Silvia signing off!

Elmery will be waiting.

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