Game Plan (COMPLETE)

02

"Ikaw, isa ka pa, tanga! Open na open kaya ako no'n, pilit mong pinasa kay Shane! Ayun, nakuha nito ni Arrie. Na-goalan tayo." Kathleen pointed at me.

I chuckled. They were talking about the Governor's Cup, specifically when we faced one another in the finals.

"Uh, when did you start playing?" Ven asked in a voice that's not too loud. Only for me to hear. Only for the conversation to be between us two.

"I think I was in junior high when dad encouraged me to play." I answered then asked him back. "How about you?"

"Five years old." He took a sip of his drink.

"Oh," I reacted. "That explains it."

His face titled a bit to the side, questioning what I meant by that. "Explains what?"

"Just... the moves and mannerisms on the field while playing."

"Ah..." He nodded. He was about to say something but was interrupted because of Mae.

"Wow, hanggang diyan lang ang usapan?" Mae asked us sarcastically, at natawa naman ang iba.

We talked about other things. They kept asking me questions here and there, trying to get to know me better, and with the conversations we had, I feel like it's going to be a fun month for me while playing and training with them.

"Shit." Mura ni Mae kaya napatingin kaming lahat. "Gago, lagot na ako! Anong oras na... Ang tanga ko, ang tanga niyo!"

She hurried to fix her things, so I also started to fix mine. Pati si Kathleen, inayos na rin ang gamit niya.

"Ven, okay lang ba ikaw na maghatid kay Arrie? Then explain mo na lang kay Coach kung bakit hindi ko naihatid. May flight nga pala kami, hindi pa ako nag-iimpake!"

Ven pursed his lips then nodded. "Sige lang, no problem."

Mae tapped my shoulder when she was about to walk past where I was sitting. "Sorry, Arrie, next time na lang ha. Nakalimutan ko kasi talaga na may lakad kami ng pamilya ko."

Nagpaalam na sila ni Kathleen at umalis na.

"Saan ka ba nakatira?" I asked Ven.

"Marymount."

"Shit. Medyo malayo sa akin." I started to think of other ways to get home. Magiging abala pa kasi sa kaniya, lalo na at hindi along the way ang village ko. "I can just call dad to pick me up."

"No, no, it's fine. L.A. Village ka, right?"

"Yes. Sila ba?" I asked, pertaining to Yago and Marcus.

Yago answered. "May pupuntahan pa ako, someone will pick me up here."

Then Marcus also answered. "Malapit lang ako, banda doon lang sa far away."

I gave a half-smile at his contradicting description. Minsan ay hindi ko rin talaga gusto kausap ang isang ito kasi feeling ko nabobobo ako.

"It's fine with me to take you home. Hindi naman problem ang gas or pagod from training, I already rested while we're here." Now it was my time to purse my lips. Ayaw ko na rin kasi talagang abalahin si dad kasi for sure ay nakahiga na iyon sa kama niya.

Pumayag na ako. I'll just make sure that this won't happen again because I don't want to be any kind of burden.

We just waited for Yago to be picked up by whoever he said was picking him up. A black sedan pulled over and when Yago hopped in, we also went inside Ven's car.

"Arrie, okay lang magtanong?" Marcus asked, peeking from the backseat to where I was seated.

Nagtanong na siya pero hindi pa kami gaanong close para mamilosopo ako. "Sure."