Kissed by Fire (Fire Series #1)

Chapter 1: Underdogs

Isa lang naman ang gusto ko. As a student athlete yun ay ang bigyan ng karangalan ang school ko at mapagbuti ang sarili ko bilang player dahil someday gusto kong mapabilang sa National Team. But I don't know why is it na napakahirap nun.

"Sir please, just give me a chance. I can do this!" pilit ko sa kanya. Kasalukuyan ko siyang hinahabol habang nagsasalita ako. Papunta na kasi siya sa gym dahil training ngayon ng men's team. Class hours ngayon yet sineseryoso na nila ang training dahil two weeks from now ay mag-uumpisa na ang interschool league.

Thankfully, he stopped walking. "Ilan beses ko ba sasabihin sa'yo, Ms. Fonacier na hindi talaga pwede? Tanggapin mo na lang ang katotohanan na ang karamihan sa mga babae rito sa school ay hindi sanay sa sakitan ng katawan. Hence the reason why you can't build a team. Or for that matter – isang matino at motivated na team. Enough with being a disgrace to the school, Arya"

Natahimik ako sa sinabi na yun ni Coach Vicente dahil alam kong tama naman siya. My team has been training for two years already pero hindi pa rin lahat ay nagi-improve despite of the fact na lahat kaming babae sa team ay matatangkad naman. Sa loob ng dalawang taon na yun, dalawang players lang ang nagawa kong palakasin at mga bestfriends ko pa.

"Can't we really do anything about it, coach? I mean, maybe this time we should scout players from provinces or enrol us in volleyball clinic. You do it all the time, don't you? Hindi naman siguro masama kung mag scout ka rin ng mga babaeng players di ba? Most of the famous volleyball stars are from province, anyway" I suggested. And I know I made a fair point. Tama naman ako di ba? Maraming babaeng volleyball players na nanggaling sa mga probinsya na pulos magagaling. Let's have Ara Galang and Alyssa Valdez for example.

Coach Vicente sighed heavily. An indication na nauubusan na siya ng pasensya sa'kin. "Ang budget na binibigay ng school ay para lamang sa men's team, Arya Astrid. You should know that. And given the fact na magkaroon man kayo ng napakagaling na coaches like Coach Ramil De Jesus and Coach Tai Bundit, you still can't make it dahil nga ang mga kasamahan mo naman ay hindi motivated. They're not as motivated as you at yung dalawa mo pang kasama. So I suggest, instead of trying to rebuild your team, just support the men's team. Maa-appreciate pa yun ni Maven"

I almost rolled my eyes at that too. He's referring to my boyfriend na captain ball ng men's volleyball team and his favorite. Oh well, porket ba sikat at magaling ang boyfriend ko dapat nasa sidelines na lang din ako? I know Coach Vicente is not joking when he said na matutuwa si Maven kung nasa cheering squad ako since he's been asking me to join there since the first day of relationship. But cheeering is not just my thing. Ma-imagine ko pa lang na magsusuot ako nung maiksi palda at maghahawak ng pom-poms ay napapa-cringe na ako.

"Naaalala ko sa'yo yung coach ng national team ng Pilipinas which is coincidentally kapangalan mo rin. Instead of motivating me dinis-courage mo pa. Patutunayan ko sa'yo that girls here in St. Agatha can play volleyball too!"

With that I turned my back then marched off. Ngayon ko lang napansin na may mga estudyante pala na nakatingin sa amin ni coach – or whatever the hell he is dahil naniniwala akong hindi siya deserving to be one, habang nag-uusap kami. They all have identical smirks on their faces na kung hindi ko lang napigilan ang sarili ko nasapak ko na silang lahat. Great, wala na ngang support from the coaches, pati ba naman sa mga schoolmates? I wanna burn down this school, big time!

Since wala naman akong napakinabangan sa taong yun, babalik na lang ako sa classroom. I have to talk to Gail and Trina about this. Kailangan may gawin kaming paraan. They can't just cut our team like that! I have invested too much sweat and hardwork for this at hindi pwede na basta na lang mawala! Alam kong kaya naman namin. I just need the right people and the right training for the team.