The Golden Ruins (High School Series #2)

Chapter 31

"Kailangan mo ba ng tulong?"

Kael had outdone himself, bringing along his professional volleyball friends to assist with the training. They had organized specialized workshops for each of our team members, honing in on specific skills that needed improvement.

From early morning until afternoon, the team was immersed in these workshops, pushing themselves to their limits. In the evening, they shifted their focus to teamwork, holding practice matches that challenged them to apply what they had learned.

I glanced up from where I was crouched beside the cooler, refilling the stock of water bottles for the team to make sure everyone stayed hydrated throughout the day.

My mind constantly checked off tasks—heating towels, refilling water, monitoring events, and even mopping the floors to ensure the court was spotless and free of any obstacles during practice.

"I'm okay!" I replied, my voice cheerful despite the long day.

Cal stood nearby, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, a hint of concern in his eyes despite the fatigue from his morning training session. His receiving workshop must have been intense, but he still managed to check in on me.

He gave me a once-over, his brow furrowing slightly. I still had a lot of empty bottles left to refill. "Mamaya pa naman practice ko," he said quietly. "Tulungan muna kita."

Before I could protest, Cal had already started helping me with the bottles. I watched him work beside me, feeling a warm flutter in my chest at his thoughtful gesture. His hands moved methodically, filling each bottle with water as if it were the most important task in the world.

"Aray!" A loud shriek broke through the quiet. I looked up to see Leif clutching his face, his eyes wide with pain.

Without thinking, I dropped the bottle I was holding and rushed over to him. Cal called after me, but I was already at Leif's side. He had just spiked the ball, and it had come back harshly, leaving a red mark across his face. I quickly assessed the situation, noticing a small scratch on his cheek.

Leif winced, rubbing his cheek where the ball had struck him. "Hindi ako nakaiwas agad, sorry," he muttered.

I grabbed a clean towel from the nearby cooler and gently pressed it against his face to stop the bleeding. He flinched slightly but didn't pull away.

"My bad!" Kleo's voice echoed across the court. I glanced over to see him sprinting around the other side, struggling to keep up with the drills. "Hindi ako nakapag-react agad!"

I saw him struggling on the other court, chasing after the balls that seemed to slip through his fingers no matter how hard he tried. He was out of breath and visibly frustrated, and his attempts to improve his reaction time fell short. The professional coach beside him tried to guide him through the exercises, but he kept fumbling, his movements awkward and out of sync.

"Mali hula ko!" Skye groaned, slamming his hands on the floor in frustration.

In another corner of the gym, the twins were having their own difficulties. They were struggling with their blocking techniques, their timing off and their reads inconsistent.

I watched from the sidelines, my heart sinking as I observed their struggles. Despite their best efforts, it was clear that everything wasn't falling into place as smoothly as we had hoped.

The drive to improve was there, but it seemed as if the mental and physical toll from Nationals was still lingering, dragging them down. Their performances were faltering, and the confidence that had once been there seemed to be slipping away.