That Game Called Love

Queen

"Jersey Number 9."

"Number 9 daw."

"Bakla!! Ikaw yun!!!" sabay sapak ni Oliver.

Ako yun? AKO YUN!!! A-anong gagawin ko? Stay calm Kassey. Stay calm. Heto na ang hinihintay mo, stay calm. Anak ng--- karpintero!! Kinakabahan na ako!!!

"Yes coach?" me trying to fake my emotions with a fake smile.

Lalong sumimangot si coach, lagot. Sininyasan n'ya akong lumapit sa kanya and I immediately followed.

"Are you wasting my time?!"Masungit nitong tanong, "Kanina pa kita tinatawag."

Napakamot na lamang ako ng ulo. Ang ganda naman ng intro ni coach sa akin, napaka-encouraging. "S-Sorry p---"

"Replace Jenny, faster!" He directly said giving me the number board. Agad ko din itong kinuha at patakbong pumunta ng court showing the referees the board. Replacing Jenny, our utility spiker na rumotate na sa likuran means ako na ang nasa service line. Agad ding pumasok sa isipan ko na isang service ace ang gusto ni coach na mangyari, the easiest and fastest way to gain the lead.

Nang payagan ako ng refs na palitan si Jenny, si Faye agad-agad ang sumalubong sa akin sa loob ng court.

"Really?" she smirked and then left.

Yah really. Hindi yata s'ya makapaniwala na ipapasok ako ni coach in this crucial score. Napangiti na lamang ako nang maisip na baka ganun na lang ang tiwala sa akin ni coach para ipasok ako. I should prove him right, I will prove myself.

I then went confidently to the service line at sinalo ang bola. Dahan-dahan itong dinrible to soften my hands, I breathe out at tiningnan ang aking harap, there you go my teammates and our opponents staring straight on me. That's when I felt my legs shaking. Tiningnan ko ang aking mga paa, anak ng! May earthquake ba? Minasid ko ang aking mga kamay, aba'y may sarili ding lindol. Tiningnan ko ang buong paligid, aba'y nakatingin din sila sa akin. I tried to calm my nerves, breathe in, breathe out. Ngayon ka pa ba kakabahan Kassey? MVP ka nung highschool! MVP ka!

Prrrttt!

That's when I heard the whistle. I toss the ball, and parabamm I spiked it.

I spiked it...

I spiked it...

I spi...ked..it..

I spiked it straight to our setter's head. Straight to Faye's head.

At tila bigla na lamang nangdilim ang buong paligid ko at tanging ang unti-unting paglingon ni Faye sa akin ang tangi kong nakikita. She looked at me like she's about to eat me, na kung nakakapatay pa ang tingin ay matagal na akong nasa hukay. I heard the audience laughters and what's worst, I saw the score board.

25-24. Set point na ng FEU.

And with great horror, agad akong nilapitan ng mga team mates ko.

"Okay lang yan Kase."

"Bawi lang."

"Relax ok?"

"You wanna die?" galit na tanong ni Faye.

"S-Sorry." I answered pero inirapan lang n'ya ako at agad ding umalis. Talagang makukuha ko ang loob ng setter namin.

Hinintay ko ang pagpapalabas sa akin ni coach upang ibalik si Jenny but he didn't. Napabuntong hininga na lamang ako knowing that I still have chance para bumawi. Naman talaga, rookie jitters, rookie jitters, I told myself. Babawi ako, babawi ako, pag-uulit kong sabi sa sarili ko habang pabalik ako sa aking posisyon.

25-24. FEU's service.

Simple lang ang gagawin ko, perfectly receive the ball and bring it to the setter. I can do it.

Prrrtt.

Ayan na, ayan na ang bola, papunta pa sa akin. Oh M! Short serve, parang ang layo ko sa bola, hindi ko yata maaabutan 'to. Patay na naman ako nito.

"Bending your knees first before receiving the ball is a cardinal sin in volleyball."

"... kung kelangan mong langoyin yong bola para maabotan mo, layongin mo."

And all of the sudden, Drew's advices flew on my head and I immediately obliged. I stretched all my muscles to reach the ball and it miracously delivered to Faye's position. She then tosses it to our wing spiker, it was spiked hard but the opponent's libero was able to dug it. It was an easy response dahil freeball ang ibinigay nila sa amin. Kayang-kaya. The ball was thrown at the center, me, the libero,Gemma went for it but unfortunately, unfortunately, none of us received the ball.

And the ball closely dropped infront of my feet.

26-24.

And the opponent's crowd cheered.

"Queen Error." Faye said when she strode at me while we are returning to the bench.

"Ano ba 'yan Besh, ang ikli na nga ng exposure mo, palpak pa." Natatawang sabi ni Oliver nang makabalik ako sa may kilid.

Tiningnan ko si Trixie upang sumaklolo but she too is giggling.

"Pati ba naman ikaw Trix?

"Sorry besh hah, napaka epic fail mo lang talaga." And then laugh. "But that was a good hit for Faye, she deserves it."

"Okay lang yan besh, you sure made a mark. The Queen of Error." Muling pang-aasar ni Oliver.

"Ok na, ako na ang Queen Error." Malungkot kong tugon. But really, I'm not disappointed sa naging performance ko. I did the best I could, error lang ang mga yun, adrenaline sabi nga nila. I would learn from this and be better the next time I'll step that court. I told myself while I stared the court.

On the 4th set, ibinalik ni coach Trex ang original line-up. It was a tight match but thanks to Mika and Faye, everything went well for our team. We won our first match for this season.

Kinaumagahan matapos ang larong yun, I became somebody from nobody. "Queen Error" ang naging palayaw ko sa tuwing may volleyball fan akong nakakasalubong. Okey na rin yun kaysa hindi ako napapansin sa larangang mahal ko. But really, lolonokin rin nila ang sinasabi nila.

Our Second Match: Augusta Univerity vs. University of Eastwood Makati. Kung sa isang pyramid pa, ang UE ang nasa pinakaibaba sa standings. It was 2 years ago since they won a match, a year since they won a set. Not because they weren't great, it's just because they are not just as competitive compared to the rest of the teams.

On our 3-set easy win against them, lahat ng bench players ni coach Trex ay pinasok n'ya sa court to get some exposure. Everyone except me. Lahat sila nagpakitang gilas and I can hear sa mga TV commentators the phraise "Welcome to the UCCP Trixie Reyes" after those bench players get their point.

Wala na lamang akong magawa kungdi mapabuntong hininga sa may kilid.

After the game, I went straight to my last class and then went to dorm alone. Pag-bukas ko pa lang sa kwarto, alam ko ng hindi pa nakakauwi si Trixie.

I turned the lights on, my eyes immediately searched for Trixie and to my great surprise, it's not Trixie the one lying on her bed, her twin is.

Drew.

<a/n: Nude Drew? Ah-ah. =p >