My Kind of First Love

Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Intramurals Week**

Intramurals week had finally arrived, and the entire campus buzzed with excitement. The usual academic pressures melted away, replaced with the thrill of friendly competition, team spirit, and camaraderie. For the next five days, the focus shifted from books and lectures to sports and school spirit. It was a welcome change for everyone, including Caroline, who, despite her usual academic focus, was starting to appreciate the break from their intense study schedule.

“Alright, Caroline, so what are you signing up for?” May asked as they walked across the campus green, where teams were already assembling. “You can’t just hide behind those books all week, you know.”

Caroline laughed. “I wasn’t planning on it! But honestly, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’m not exactly a sports person.”

“Try volleyball with me!” May suggested. “Or dodgeball—April’s playing that. Oh, or you could even join James’s basketball team.”

Caroline raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, right. I’d probably just trip over the ball.”

“It’s intramurals, Caro,” May said with a grin, using her nickname for Caroline. “It’s all about fun! Come on, don’t be so serious!”

Though she hesitated, May’s enthusiasm was contagious. The energy around campus was undeniable, and she found herself getting caught up in it, even though she’d never been one to gravitate toward these events. Besides, James had been pestering her to join in on the fun, and there was something about his laid-back attitude that made her want to relax a little.

---

That afternoon, Caroline found herself flipping through the list of available sports at the registration booth. The laughter and excited shouts of students already warming up filled the air. She could see James practicing on the basketball court nearby, his brow furrowed in concentration as he dribbled the ball.

“What are you thinking?” he called, jogging over when he spotted her.

Caroline shrugged. “Still deciding. You know I’m not really the athletic type, right?”

James grinned. “Then try something like track or even trivia. I saw a booth for a trivia competition on Friday, and that seems right up your alley.”

“Trivia, huh?” Caroline mused, her interest piqued. “I could see myself doing that.”

She glanced at the sign-up sheet and noticed the slots filling up quickly. “Alright, fine,” she said, scribbling her name on the trivia sign-up list. For good measure, she also signed up for the 400-meter dash in track. It wasn’t much, but at least it meant she was getting involved.

“Now you’re officially part of the fun,” James said, giving her a thumbs-up. “No backing out!”

---

The next morning, campus was alive with the sound of cheers and laughter. Vendors had set up food stalls along the walkways, selling everything from fishballs to fried bananas. Caroline, May, Kevin, April, and James made their way to the food stands, their stomachs growling from the tempting aroma.

“Lahat na yata ng pagkain nandito!” Kevin said, eyeing the fried goodies with excitement.

May nodded. “Tara, let’s try everything!”

They spent the next half hour sampling from each stand, sharing bites and giving their own ratings for each dish. Caroline laughed as James tried balut for the first time, scrunching his face with uncertainty before declaring, “It’s actually pretty good!”

They grabbed ice-cold sago’t gulaman and sat down together under a shaded tree. James nudged Caroline as she sipped her drink. “You have to admit, this is better than sitting in the library.”