Game Plan (COMPLETE)

28

Familiar jerseys, along with school and club banners were swaying in the light wind. I was tying the laces of my cleats when I heard someone from my team whisper, "La Salle oh."

I didn't look up at first. Pinigilan ko ang sarili ko.

But who am I kidding? I knew I wanted to see her.

She wasn't looking in my direction, but I saw her. Hair already pulled into a tight ponytail, water bottle in hand, laughing lightly at something her teammate said. Calm. Composed. Like she belonged there.

I sighed as I tried to ignore the punch in my gut. It's not because she looked good—she always did—but because she looked... settled. Like she wasn't searching anymore.

Certainly not for me.

Santi jogged until he reached Arrie's side. He said something that caused Arrie... to look in my direction. To look at me.

I was stunned. Para akong tanga na tumigil sa paggalaw.

Then I saw her shove Santi playfully in the chest, and Santi just laughed out loud as always. He even glanced at me and threw in a wink.

My forehead creased.

Ano nanaman bang sinabi niya kay Arrie?

Is he trying to get into my head?

If there were chances, I'd watch her play. Minsan nga ay katabi ko pa si Coach Quinn na manood kay Arrie.

She wasn't going all-out the way she did in UAAP, but you could tell—she was still sharp. Calm and strategic. I saw how it's like she's willing the ball to go wherever she wanted it to go.

We faced DLSU since we were in the same bracket. It was a draw. Then came the finals.

DLSU vs UPLB, round two.

Santi even managed to joke with me. "Should we bet? How much?"

"Shut up." I told him, making his grin wider

"C'mon, 1k bet. G?" He even offered me his hand. "Or else you're scared?"

He knows how to provoke someone. I rolled my eyes at him again and took his hand.

Nag-long passes na lang muna kami ni Marcus para hindi makatulog ang katawan. But an inaccurate pass from Marcus, and the ball flew over my head. I looked back and... Arrie trapped the ball.

Before passing it back to me.

I was dumbfounded.

"Arrie!" Marcus jogged towards her. "Kamusta? 'Nak ng putcha, si super rookie pala 'to eh!"

Arrie gave him a small smile. "Okay lang naman. Ikaw?"

"Okay na okay lang din!" Marcus threw me a glance because I was obviously stuck in my position. "Si Ven ba, hindi mo—"

"Hey, Arrie, let's go! Huddle!" A player from La Salle called her, Arrie looked at her and gave a nod.

Then he turned to Marcus again while stepping away. "Got to go. See you around!"

Marcus teased me for the whole time before the finals started. Buong araw rin ay tinitiis ko ang pang-aasar ni Santi tuwing nagkakasalubong kami.

I sighed. What did I do to deserve having two of these annoying shits on the same day?

I went to my position. I saw Coach Quinn, with Arrie beside him. Coach Quinn took a sip from Arrie's flask. On her other side was Ace, along with other UPLB girls.

Deja vu.

Pero mas mabigat ngayon. This wasn't just a game—it felt like a statement.

I could feel Arrie's eyes on me. For a moment, I let it fuel me.

I didn't just play well. I played with control. Vision. Precision.

There were no shouts from Coach Quinn that were directed to me, which means I'm playing well. I assisted our first goal and scored the second.

Final score: 2-1. UPLB wins.

I looked toward her side of the field and saw her standing there, motionless, watching me. She didn't smile, didn't nod, but I caught it—that flicker of something close to pride.

After the game, I noticed a new face speaking to Coach Quinn and Arrie. Tall guy, sharp eyes, tan skin.

I was about to continue walking to where our bags were, but he walked toward me, shook my hand, and introduced himself. "Coach Luis Reyes. From UP Diliman."

I blinked. "Hi, Coach. Uh, Steven Ferrera po."

He didn't say much. "Steven..." Just nodded once. "Good game."

I didn't think much about it. He was introduced to the team as well, so it wasn't a big deal for sure. Until two days later, during our usual training, Coach Quinn called me over.

"Ven, may kausap ako," he said, nodding toward the same man from before.

Coach Luis smiled. "We've been watching you for a while. Nakausap na rin naman si Coach Quinn. You ever considered playing for UPD?"

My chest tightened. "S-seriously?"

Coach Quinn grunted. "Seryoso ako, Ferrera. Huwag ka nang umarte. Deserve mo 'to."

"Mom! Dad!" I barged through our front door.

"Ano?!" Mom matched my energy.

Dad went out of the kitchen, a spatula in hand. "Ha?! Bakit?!"

"I got recruited!"

"Saan?! 'Wag sa gang!" My mom replied.

"UPD, Mom!"

My mom let out a squeal of joy and pulled me into a hug.

The days that followed moved fast. My teammates were individually saying their goodbyes to me whenever we got to meet around campus or during training.

"Tangina mo naman, pre, iiwan mo kami." Marcus pretended to sulk.

"Sure ka na diyan, Ven? Kaunti nalang, tayo na talaga seniors dito. Tayo na mag-uutos sa rookies." Max asked. I couldn't help but laugh at that.

Mae raised a brow at me. "Ikaw ha, kaunti na lang ay iisipin kong gumagawa ka talaga ng paraan para lumiit ang mundo niyo ni Arrie."

I chuckled. If it were the old Ven, yeah, probably.

But now, I'm trying to do this for myself. I'm just hoping that everything else—including Arrie—will follow.

At the right pace.

Coach Quinn kept it simple—when our training ended, he gave me a firm nod and one hand on my shoulder. "Make the most of it. Walang sayang."

"Thank you, Coach." I said.

In my mind, I knew I wouldn't waste this like how I wasted opportunities and important people in my past.