Play of Fate [COMPLETED]

Chapter 19

The drive back home was unpleasant. Maine was quiet, grunting whenever Je, Sam or Jake talk to her. She turned off the stereo, glaring at Sam threateningly when he attempted to turn it on. The only sound that could be heard in the confinements of the car was her typing and her notifications. Sam kept glancing at the three guys at the back, quietly asking them to do or say something but no one dared. They know Maine too much that they were too terrified to try and call her attention. Once they arrived home, Maine hurriedly alighted from the car and muttered a stiff "thanks" before running inside the house. She greeted her parents and yer Yaya, telling the latter that she'll be eating in her room. She spent the whole day there, ignoring her brother's messages, even feigning sleep when he knocked on her door.

The next day was Maine first day back after the week break. She woke up early, ate her breakfast and asked their driver to bring her to the university - without her brother. Her parents noticed the weird atmosphere between them but they did not think of asking them. They've always let them deal with their issues, never intervening, teaching them how to iron out their differences on their own.

The day passed by quickly, as if everything was just how she left. But of course, nothing was the same. Jerald and Sam texted her during her break, asking her to meet them at the food park so they can eat together like how they usually do. She was about to say yes when Pat told her that she saw the four boys, with Inang Reyna. Annoyed, she did not reply to them and even turned off her phone and only turned it back on when all her classes have ended.

Pat had a practice that day and since she really missed her friend, and she did not want to face her brother and friends yet, Maine decided to stay at the university and accompany Pat. She texted their family driver to inform her to pick her up at a later time and asked him to not let her brother persuade him to wait for her.

Maine read while waiting for Pat's practice to end. Her phone's been busy notifying her of text messages and calls which she ignored because she knew who they were from. She had a special ring tone for Je, her mom and her papa, helping her distinguish if she will attend to the. immediately or not. Pat finished after an hour and the two of them walked to the nearest cafe.

"So, anong balita?" Pat asked as soon as they've settled in and gave their orders. Maine shrugged her shoulders and told her that nothing new and interesting has happened.

"How about the coach?" She asked, not even trying to mask her interest on the topic.

"Wala naman kasi 'yun! He's nice and good looking, but that's it. Grabe, one week pa lang." Maine answered, shaking her head.

"As in never nagpa ramdam? Never nagpa haging?" Pat prodded. She ordered an iced americano and a slice of carrot cake while Maine ordered a venti cappuccino and a slice of cookies n' cream cheesecake.

"Never. Ako walang na feel but the other girls were saying na meron." Maine said. "Did he, like, try to ask you out? Asked for your number?"

"He didn't ask me out but he asked for all our numbers. Nothing's special about that."

"'Yun na 'yun? Wala unusual sa kilos niya? Something na walang koneksyon sa pagiging coach niya?" Pat asked, not satisfied with her answers.

"Well, there was one time when he told me that I don't deserve to get hurt because I am too special, but I don't think he meant that in a different way." She said. Pat squealed hearing this, chocking herself as she has just shoved a bit of cake in her mouth. Maine, chuckling, gave her her drink while rubbing her back. "That is so not nothing!" She said after a while. Maine only shook her head and told her that she was reading too much into it, misinterpreting what James really meant. But Pat, being Pat, argued that you do not say things such as that and not mean it to be special. Maine laughed at her, not able to grasp how her friend could believe that her coach really likes her.