Torrecampo Series #1:
Elery Torrecampo, a cheerleader and aspiring fashion designer, embodies every trait a woman desires. Yet, the man she admires, Amiel, only has eyes for her brother.
How can she capture his attention and make him focus solely o...
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I sat on the bench, feeling exhaustion overwhelm my body. It was worse than being beaten up. This usually happens when a tournament is approaching; we need to practice twice as hard as usual.
I'm just lucky that I enjoy sports. Baseball, to be exact.
I heard Juno chuckling beside me and smiling like an idiot while scrolling on his phone, but his expression suddenly changed to a glare. I was shocked by his hostility towards me.
I wasn't being nosy, if that's what he thinks...
"What's your problem?" I asked, completely confused by his hostility.
There have been times when he'd give the whole team a bottle of water except me or hide my gloves during practice. I've been trying to ignore these petty actions, but I'm seriously fed up.
"Masungit ba talaga gusto ng mga babae?" He looked angry for some reason. Holding his bat and pointing it at me, he said, "Laro tayo, pre. Unang ma-strike out utusan ng isang buwan!"
He definitely holds a grudge against me for reasons I don't understand. I'm sure I've never wronged him in any way.
I shook my head. He's just being immature, and I wasn't in the mood to play with him. I heard Declan and Dante teasing him as I walked away.
"Hindi naman sila bagay ni Elery!" Juno almost howled.
Elery?
Is he talking about my sister?
"H'wag ka mag-alala, kayo rin naman," Killian said, which made the whole team burst into laughter.
Elery...
I heard that name again. He couldn't be referring to my sister, of course. That would be incest, and it sends chills down my spine.
There's another Elery I know, though.
Elery Torrecampo.
She's quite famous, especially among boys. I know her brothers too; they're prominent players in this baseball. I met her through her brothers in high school, if I recall correctly. I've been eyeing Lyron ever since to join our team, but we still haven't received assurance from him. It's not a problem; I'm actually patient. He can take his time. We're aware of the offers piling up in his mail. I just hope he chooses us when he steps into college baseball.
Many people say that Elery Torrecampo likes me, but I don't care. Just looking at her presence... it screams trouble.
I didn't believe she was interested in me because she never made a move when that issue spread like wildfire. Not that I wanted it to happen; that's just how it normally goes.
If you like someone, you either pursue them or stay silent until your feelings fade.
Many people think I don't involve myself in romantic relationships, but I'm not ignorant about these things. I had my first girlfriend in high school, though it was short-lived. We were too young and immature to last. The real reason for our breakup was my best friend.
I didn't understand it because Ada was a good girl. I couldn't find any reason why she was jealous of her, even though I drew a line between us. I just accepted that maybe we weren't meant to last.
"Gising na, dre!" I woke up to find Juno frowning at me, "tulog mantika, ampota!" He walked away with his bag slung over his shoulder.
I unplugged my earphones and stuffed my hands into the pockets of my varsity jacket while standing outside our school bus. I could hear the screams inside and the swarm of spectators at the entrance.
We changed into our uniforms before the opening ceremony then our team joined the others, lining up. Almost all of us were already sweating, though it wasn't a big deal since we were used to it. We'd been running on the field half the day.
What I hate is the noise.
I hate noise, but there's nothing I can do about it in this situation.
I looked around and saw the Jorson cheerleading team, lively and animated. The game hadn't even started yet, but they were likely going to steal the show with their routine.
Especially that girl who'd been screaming her lungs out since we arrived. She was far from our position, but her voice was still clear on our end.
What kind of volume does she have?
Sounds like a speaker if you'd ask me.
No wonder all the attention was on them when their team started their cheer.
I wonder how some people can stay recharged 24/7?
I'd be completely drained and would just sleep if not for baseball. Though, it might not be the case for others.
"Ami!" I heard someone call. It was Ada, with a gray balloon circling her small head. She waved her hands at me with a wide smile that almost tore her ears off.
I returned her smile.
She never misses any of my games, and I'm thankful for that. My family rarely watches my games because they're busy. Ada has been nothing but supportive of my baseball career.
"Gago, kaya mo 'to pre! H'wag kang sumuka! Lunukin mo 'yan!" If Declan could just smack Juno, he would. Juno always hated first games, which made him nauseous.
I have the situation under control, I'd rather die than let my team see it firsthand. It would affect the team, and I want to avoid that as long as possible.
I'm only trying to calm myself down with a candy, something I've been doing for years and find quite effective. But it doesn't completely erase the nerves.
It didn't help that the opposing team was making long hits that anytime could result to a run. We needed to put extra effort into catching the ball or else they'd go on a scoring spree.
"Kuya Miel," Orin called when we were resting in the dugout. "Take it easy, Kuya. We're up by a run." I had a hunch he knew I didn't like first games. It's funny to think that I'm older than him, but he's the one looking out for me.
I tried to calm myself, but the momentum wasn't in our favor. The screams of my teammates were slowly becoming a blur during my at-bat. I focused on the pitcher in front of me. He looked serious, prepared for a head-on battle. I'd been fouling off his pitches, which they really hate.
He was actually good; his pitches were difficult to decipher. I still couldn't get a read on them. Partly because the pressure was making me nervous.
I had no choice but to shut off my hearing senses to focus.
I was almost there...
In the zone I was trying to reach...
"Hit the ball, Amiel! Nanonod ang future girlfriend mo!"
My lips parted. It was like I instinctually found her and our eyes met. She had a smirk on her face then even winked on me.
I would be lying if I'd say that didn't distract me. I just didn't know how to react, and had no time to process her odd behaviors, so I focused my attention back on the game.
