Game Plan (COMPLETE)

15

LB Agila Football Team

Coach Risto
@everyone Mapapaagap ang uwi ko. Ayaw ko na dito. Hahaha!
Joke.
Balik training na ulit tayo. IRRI, Wednesday, 3:00 PM.
If you will be absent, provide your valid reason below.

Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ba ako kasi makakasama ko ulit ang teammates ko sa Agila, o malulungkot kasi hindi ko na makakasama ang UPLB team.

And I wouldn't be seeing him as much, that's for sure.

I guess I'll just make the most of whatever time we have left. Sunday pa lang naman. We still have three more days.

The next day, I felt more eager to train than usual. I got up early, showered, and got ready for practice.Nauna pa akong makagayak kaysa kay Dad, so I just waited for him to finish.

At training, kami ulit ni Ven ang naging pair sa lahat—warm-up, jogging, drills, ball passing.

We were required to do a hundred one-touches. Out of the blue, he kicked the ball too hard. Tumama sa ilalim ng bola kaya umangat ito at tumama sa hita ko imbes na sa paa.

"Sorry," he said quickly.

As if I would just let that slide.

"You know the punishment. Five push-ups," I said smugly, crossing my arms.

He rolled his eyes at me, which only made me laugh.

Even during offense-defense drills, walang I like you, you like me dito. Both of us were competitive, and it amused the team.

Nag-pustahan pa nga sila—Mae, Kathleen, Shane, and Yago bet on me, while Marcus, Dea, Laila, and Max bet on Ven.

The score ended up even, so wala ring nanalo. Apparently, neither of us were that great at defense.

That became the pattern for the rest of my days with them. Puro training, tawanan, at kain pagkatapos. I didn't decline their invites to eat out after training either—kaya ngayon, nandito kami ulit sa Enzo's Ramen.

"Hindi! Hindi ako ang pinagalitan noon. Si Kathleen!" Mae was defending herself while the others laughed, talking about a months-old issue I could barely relate to.

I just sat there, smiling at their chaos.

"Sus, hindi ka lang nahuli!" Max said to Mae, making everyone laugh harder.

They were talking about vaping—and who among them had gotten caught.

Suddenly, I felt it. Ven's hand brushing against mine under the table.My brain scrambled. Do I focus on them, or on him?

"Huy, baka nakakalimutan niyong nandito 'yung anak ni Coach!" Marcus joked, making them all glance at me nervously.

I managed to shrug casually.

"I won't snitch. I'm sure Dad already knows anyway. Hindi niya lang pinapakialaman kasi malalaki na kayo." When I said that, the conversation eased again.

Kathleen turned to me. "Ikaw ba, Arrie? Nakapag-try ka na?"

"Vaping?" I asked, she nodded. "No, hindi pa. I'm scared of getting addicted to it, so I don't plan to risk it."

"Iyan!" Max pointed at me dramatically. "Tamo 'yan, ang bait! Mahawa ka sana, lintek ka!"

That sent everyone back into bickering. I let them be.

Instead, I extended my hand under the table and fully intertwined my fingers with Ven's.

Kung simula bukas, hindi ko na sila masyadong makakasama... siguro tama lang kung susulitin ko na ngayon.