He positioned himself in his designated spot watching Maine flip and do a double twist before landing on Gio's shoulders. Rj had been assigned to spot Maine for this routine and they had been practicing for the last few weeks leading to the finals at the end of the month.
Maine landed solidly on Gio's shoulders as their routine but Rj noticed that Gio somehow wobbled when he received the impact of Maine's weight on his shoulders. Rj noticed Gio wince a little, too.
The routine was repeated several times and the squad did a full run of their routine twice before Coach Sunny called it a night.
"Rest up guys. Practice again on Monday. Bases, keep your feet open and grounded; spotters, eyes on your flyers. And guys, wag na mag chismisan pag nagrroutine. Alam na alam nyo yan diba? Kayo, Martinez, Palanca, please focus. If you both don't stop talking during the routine, I will replace you and I mean it! Kahit na last minute pa. Okay people, go home. Rest. Goodnight" Coach Sunny gave final instructions before letting everyone go.
"Uy! Wait for me!" Maine zipped her bag and ran after Jenny and their barkada. "Kain tayo, guys..."
"Hoy Faulks! Kanina ka pa nakatingin kay Mendoza ah...akala ko ba hanggang spotter ka lang..." Anton, Rj's co-squad member and friend, nudged Rj who was drinking from his water bottle when Maine passed by in front of the boys who were also getting ready to leave.
"Huh? Si Gio..."
"Anong si Gio?"
"Okay ba balikat nun?"
"...wala naman syang sinasabi...umalis na rin yata e...bakit?"
"Wala naman..." Rj said as he zipped his bag. "Tara!" He invited Paolo.
They happened to be at the same restaurant after their practice. Maine and the girls in one table, Rj and the boys in another. The usual banter and sly comments passed on from one table to another, with loud conversations, cajoling and boisterous laughter erupting every now and then.
"Uuuyy...kanina ka pa tinitingnan ni Faulks...may crush sa yo..." Rina, Maine's co-flyer and seatmate, teased Maine when she caught Rj looking at their table while taking a swig of his beer.
"Eeeww! Please lang no...pa-porma lagi...ggss!" Maine rolled her eyes.
"Eh bakit parang kilig na kilig ka naman dyan..." Rina teased some more.
"Bakit ako kikiligin? Anong kakilig-kilig sa ungas na yan?"
"Ungas daw pero you trust him enough to catch you correctly when you fall..."
"Oy! Once pa lang ako nahulog ha...at sina Marco ang nakasalo sa akin...sila yung base e..."
"Really? Pero sino ang tumawag sa atensyon nila when you came crashing down...ang bilis kaya ng reflexes nyang si Rj...parang lastikman e..."
"...alam mo ikaw...gutom lang yan...gusto mo pa ng sisig? Order ka pa, ako na magbabayad..."
"O Faulks, nakatingin ka na naman kay Mendoza...kung hindi kita kilala, iisipin kong type mo talaga e..." Paolo said. This broke Rj's trance and he turned back to face his friends.
