TAKE A CHANCE (MikhAiah AU)

5

Aiah's POV

"Hi." I spoke.

"My name is Maraiah Queen Arceta, but you can call me Aiah. As the president of student council, we thank you for helping us to prepare for the game." I said, then smiled to show them that I am really grateful for their help, but I couldn't help but be conscious of myself as I saw the red-haired glances at me. Na pa isip tuloy ako if she recognized me, and it makes me nervous again.

"Hello po! I'm Sheena." Sheena bubbled, smiling from ear to ear when Gwen waved at her. Hindi pa natatapos ang araw pero parang buo na ang taon ni Shee.

"And I'm Maloi." Maloi said, wearing her bright smile. We were taken aback when Stacey did her energetic self-introduction.

"Hello everyone! I'm Stacey, your kikay princess!" She said, then striking a pose.

The shock is evident in the faces of the members of the varsity team, as they didn’t expect what Stacey’s did. Ngumingiting napailing naman ang mga kasama namin sa student council dahil sa sanay na kami sa mga pakulo ni Stacey. Hindi ko talaga alam kung saan siya humuhugot ng confidence niya kasi parang na pa subra yata, but that is one of the things that I love about her.

After introducing ourselves, we started doing stretches and did some volleyball drills. Na baling naman ang atensyon namin kay Colet ng bigla itong nag salita.

"Can I have the attention of everyone?!” She said that caught our attention.

“To know your skills in playing volleyball, let's play 3 sets, and the first team to win 2 sets will be the winner, as you already know.” Our eyes widened at what we’ve heard. Yes, we know how to play volleyball, but we are not pro-players like them.

“We will divide the group into two teams, and to be fair, each team will have equal varsity players as their teammates,” she added.

"Don't worry, we will maintain an appropriate force throughout the game considering that this is just a practice game," Gwen said to reassure us.

"Yeah. After all, just like our captain said, everyone's safety must come first," Jhoanna added, and it makes us sigh in relief.

"But still, you need to take the game seriously," Mikha said in an authoritative voice. Kaya naman bumalik ulit ang kaba namin.

“So, what do you say?” Colet asked.

We agreed to their idea, for after all, it was us who asked for their help, and they are way better than us in this field. Before the game, we were given 5 minutes to prepare, and knowing my friends, they have used it to chitchat while preparing.

"Alam ko namang tinutulungan lang nila tayo para sa laro natin pero beh para na mang sasali tayo sa international game sa pressure na nararamdaman ko." Sabi ni Maloi habang pinapaypayan ang mukha niya gamit ang kamay niya.

"Di yata carry ng beauty ko to." Sabi ni Stacey na kakatapos lang mag retouch ng makeup.

"Hindi pala makeup dapat dinala mo Staks. Dapat pala efficascent oil." Sabi naman ni Sheena habang inaayos ang knee pads niya.

"Girls, I know that we are not pro-players, but there's nothing wrong with trying and doing our best right?" Pagpapagaan ko sa loob nila. Me too can feel the pressure, as I can’t remember the last time that I played volleyball, but what we need now is to be optimistic to somehow survive this game.

"Let's just enjoy the game. Come on, they are already waiting for us in the court," I said to them when I noticed that the others are already in the court waiting for us.

Stacey and I are teammates, and kasama rin namin si Gwen at Colet sa team habang magkasama naman sina Sheena and Maloi, and they were also teammates with Mikha and Jhoanna sa  kabilang team.

The game started as Stacey served the ball from the service area, but it didn't reach the net, and it ended after Mikha’s team won the 3rd set, making them the team who first won 2 sets. Our team managed to win the second set thanks to the effort of every member of our team, especially Gwen and Colet, who seem like they are in a championship game. Well, they are all good, and there is no doubt in that.

Hingal na hingal kami ng ma tapos ang game while Mikha and her friends seem like they just did a couple of volleyball drills. Unfair naman, kami kasi ng mga kaibigan ko parang naglinis ng whole campus buong maghapon. Ganyan kami ka pagod.

"Beh parang nag triathlon na tayo sa pagod." Hingal na sabi ni sheena habang naka upo kaming apat at nagpapahinga.

"Ang haggard ko na." Pagrereklamo ni Stacey.

"Pawis na tayo't lahat-lahat pero tingnan niyo yung apat ang fresh pa rin. Yung Mikha parang amoy baby powder pero ang hot talaga nung Colet." Maloi squealed while pointing to the four who were talking.

“Huy! Be dicreet naman.” Suway ko kay Maloi.

After ng break we did basic volleyball drill again, and after ng ilang hours we decided to end our training para makauwi at mag pahinga.

“First day pa lang ng training pero parang last day ko na sa Earth.” Maloi said, then knocked at the wood sticks that she found lying on the ground, trying to ward off bad luck. Me and my friends are now on our way to the parking lot to go home, feeling the body ache caused by the earlier game.

“Dapat daw sa buhay na puno kumatok,” Stacey said while we chuckled as Maloi ran to one of the trees that we passed to knock.

“Hindi. Sabi sa amin dapat daw sa puno na pinutol tapos tinanim ulit.” Sheena said that makes us laugh so hard while Maloi just gave us a menacing look.

“Tigilan niyo na si Maloi baka mag tree planting yan.” I said trying to contain my laugh.

“Che! Sana hindi masarap ulam niyo mamaya.” Maloi lashed out. We ended our bantering as each of us got on with our own cars and parted ways.

I immediately took a warm bath after arriving at my condo and blow-dried my hair to prepare myself for bed. I tiredly slumped in my bed, silently enjoying the comfort of it, staring straight at my ceiling, and while doing so, the earlier scene at the gym where Mikha stared at me suddenly popped up in my head.

I remember how her thick eye brows almost meet up when she is trying to focus and the way she would crack her neck when she had a chance during the play. How she subtly wipes off her sweats after...

“Wait, that comes out wrong.”

“Why do I even think about her?”

“It’s probably just my guilt towards her.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” I uttered to myself.

It was not long after I felt drowsy, then a few seconds later my eyes started to shut, which led me to a deep sleep.