Adamantine

Chapter 5

Shunsuke Irie

Next week na ang Intrams kaya puspusan na ang practice namin.

Maraming departments ang nasa unibersidad at masyado ring competitive.

Kaya heto kami ngayon, nag-practice game within the team lang. Nanood naman ang karamihan sa Business Ad. Kabilang na roon ang grupo ni Lyon. I don't get why they're here. They should be practicing too, right? Napailing ako sa sarili. It's not my concern, anymore.

"Erina, nice job!" Bati ni Ate Brandi, senior namin. "You sure this is your first time to play in a volleyball team?"

"I play a lot, though," sabi ko at ngumiti. I'm playing this kind of sport. Iyung tipong laro-laro lang, hindi siniseryoso at walang dapat sundin na rules. Iyung tipong naglalaro lang dahil trip lang at pamatay oras kumbaga.

The ball came to me and I was able to receive it and send it back to the other side of the net.

Nahagip ko ang tingin ni Lyon. Dahan-dahan siyang napakagat ng kanyang labi habang nakatitig lang sa akin. He is looking at me intently with those keen eyes. Walang atubili ko siyang tinitigan pabalik at tinaasan ko pa siya ng isang kilay. Nakita mo ba iyon, Lyon? I can't seal my triumphant and proud smile.

His lips curved deviously. He looked amused or something.

I always find things interesting when I get challenged or I found some worthy competition.

Iyan din siguro ang dahilan kung bakit mas nagaganahan ako sa pag-aaral ko ngayon kumpara noon. Lyon has developed a habit of challenging me. I want to rub it in his face that if he finds himself the best among others, then he should also bear in mind that there will always be someone higher than him. Another reason is, I always want to aim for excellence. Iyon na ang nasaksak sa kokote ko noon pa man. And excellence means beating everyone else and being on top.

Tapos na ang first set. Second set na!

Punumpuno ng determinasyon ang kabilang grupong makuha ang second set. This is just a practice game amongst the member of our volleyball team. Basically, kasamahan din naman ang kalaban namin dito. But, that doesn't mean that we would go easy on them. We may be teammates but right now in this court, we are rivals.

It is my turn to serve.

Pinaumpok ko ang bola ng tatlong beses bago ko iposisyon ang sarili ko upang e-serve ito.

Nang magse-serve na ako ay nahagip ng aking paningin ang isang pamilyar na mukha. Parang may biglang dumagan sa dibdib ko.

Nawalan ako ng pokus. Naka-apekto iyon sa serve ko. The ball didn't reach the other side of the net.

"Sorry," sabi ko. Gods of Olympus! This is frustrating!

"Okay lang iyan, Er." Nginitian ako ni April.

Pinalis ko ang pawis sa aking noo at bumalik na sa aking orihinal na posisyon sa court. Nakatingin pa rin ako sa pamilyar na lalakeng nanonood mula sa bukana ng gym.

Shun?

Why is he here? Why would he be here?

I narrowed my gaze just to focus my sight on the guy. Halos hindi ako makapaniwala nang makumpirma kong siya nga iyon.

He was looking at me intently. Shit! Hindi ito pwede! I suddenly felt uneasy. Bigla akong na-conscious sa sarili ko. Sigurado akong haggard na haggard and itsura ko. Dagdag pang sobra akong namamawis dahil sa laro at sa init ng gym na ito. Seryoso talaga ang ekspresyon niya. It's hard to tell what he's thinking. Am I really doing the right thing, right now? Wasn't he impressed dahil naglalaro na ako ng isang sport? Dammit! Why would he care, anyway?