Game Plan

04

"Hey." Ven greeted me when he arrived. Oddly, I was stilled. Though I was quick to regain my composure. I was seated at the ground, putting my cleats on. "Bakit wala ka kahapon?" 

Now he's tracking my absences? "I had practice at school yesterday." 

"Where's coach?" He asked. 

"He's on his way." Galing kasi ako sa practice sa school ulit, and dito na ako dumeretso. 

I saw that he nodded while he was getting his cleats out of his bag. Walang shoe compartment 'yung bag niya, so he uses a plastic zip lock bag. And his is a sling bag type, while mine is a spacious backpack. 

I blinked then I stood up to get a ball from the equipment bag. I shouldn't be minding what he does and what he has. 

I was juggling the ball, extremely focused and trying the around the world, when someone clapped two times. I put the ball down and looked straight. Ven was standing far, but we were facing one another. 

I took that as a signal take four steps back. I did a run up then kicked the ball. It curved but landed on the exact direction to where Ven was standing. He trapped it flawlessly. 

He did the same, but I noticed that he only took three steps. When he kicked the ball, it also curved and landed to where I was. I guess we both have accuracy. 

We did that back and forth, but once in a while, one of us would have errors. And I believe that is fine. 

A whistle made us stop. I did not even notice that my dad arrived. 

We did the usual warm-up, and then it was time for jogging. Nagulat ako nang tumabi ulit sa akin si Ven. 

"What?" He asked because I was staring at him. 

"I thought you told me to remind you not to be my partner." I was trying to conceal the smug look on my face. "Sa jogging." I copied the way he paused and said it the last time, mocking him. 

He was pursing his lips, trying not to smile. "I figured that it's great to challenge myself." 

I shrugged. Siguraduhin niya lang na hindi siya pupulikatin ngayon. 

After the practice, they invited me to go with them to lotus. It was just near the UPLB gate, so we just walked. 

I was the first one to order. Sinadya ko na rin para makaupo ako kaagad. Napagod din ako sa training session today because not only did we do a lot of drills, we also planned some plays. 

I think dad is making a wrong decision to let me play with them because that requires me knowing about their game plan, which I could use in the future against them. 

I was a little surprised when Ven sat beside me. Wala pang ibang tao sa table namin, there are many vacant seats, yet he sat beside me.