Our favorite place (Book 1 and 2)

One

"Cheers!!!" The players shouted as they saw Jema walking towards them.

They are at our local bar, Stir and Sip, celebrating another win for their team. They just bagged their back to back wins for the conference and as a team manager and coach she's kinda obliged to take the team to dinner.

She went to the table of the players and to check up on them. "Coach Jema. Thanks sa pa inom. Da best ka talaga." Ponggay, their captain said after she took another shot of tequila and took a bite of lime that she was holding.

"Oh walang maglalasing masyado. Hindi dahil walang training tomorrow eh pwedeng pwede na kayong mag walwal. Ingatan ang sarili. Patay ako ke coach Tai neto pag may nangyari sainyong masama." Jema said.

"Yes Coach!!!!" They said in unison. She stood up and walk towards the coaching staff's table.

"That's the 5th time you checked up on them. Don't worry they are going to be fine!" Den took a sip of her drink.

"Easy for you to say Ate, hindi ikaw ang papagalitan ni coach pag may nangyari sakanila." She said and took a seat beside her Ate Den.

"It's going to be fine. They are not kids anymore." Jia said smiling as she handed her a bottle of beer. There is nothing amusing or funny on what she said, so she was clearly getting tipsy.

She just looked at the bottle, remembering the last time she had a drink. "Alam nyo naman pa ako nainom, ulet."

"It's fine J, I'm not drinking anyways." Maddie said as she drank her bottled water that she later found out that it was her chaser, and that she was actually drinking.

Jema was still staring at the bottle of beer, she thought if maybe tonight, just tonight, she will drink again. She closed her eyes and tried to erase all the memories she had on drinking.

3 months ago.

Jema was exhausted and tired from all the training and the scouting of the different teams especially their latest rival and sister company team, Choco Mucho titans, who have an amazing players and coaching staffs. That's why they are doing good this conference and actually second on the standing next to their team, Creamline Cool Smashers.

The day after tomorrow is their first match with them so Coach Tai is basically killing the team with training.

"Coach J, ayaw ko na. Di naman ganto ang training namin kay Coach before ah?" Ponggay said. They are on water break. Wiping out the sweat using the hem of her shirt, she sat beside the team Captain.

She took a glance on the other players, some of them haven't experienced Coach Tai's training on their collegiate years. Almost all of them are massaging their thighs and shoulders. They were having bruises because of the hard spikes from Jema, Maddie and Coach Tai.

"You know that this is not collegiate anymore Ponggs, professional players na ang mga kalaban natin, so you are supposed to be trained professionally."

"I know Coach. Pero minsan susuko ka na lang talaga eh." Then Coach blew his whistle signalling players to come back to court so they can resume practice.

"That's not be the response I should be getting from the captain of this team." She checked her phone for a reply she was waiting for the last 4 hours from her girlfriend, Fhen Emnas. "Don't worry Ponggs, it will be worth it. Trust me, I know." She crossed her fingers and nodded at Jema then went running to the court.

She stood up and tried to dial Fhen but to her disappointment, she wasn't picking up.

After another 3 hours of grueling training they all stretched and went to shower. She checked her phone and still nothing. So she sighed and threw my phone at my bag.

"Coach. We going to lunch. Wanna come?" Dani asked as she was combing her hair. She hesitated at first because she was thinking to come at Fhen's training and ask her for lunch. But then, her team and coaching staff was so persistent and eventually they had her agree. Besides, her girlfriend has no plans on replying to her message.

They went to the nearest resto and set out order.

"May problema ba Coach? Kanina ka pa nakatingin sa phone mo eh nasa home screen ka lang naman." Jules asked. She was sitting at her right, Den was on left and Maddie at her front facing the door. The others are busy checking their phones.

"Still no reply?" Den asked her and she just shook her head.

"I'm sure she won't reply because she's holding someones hand and the other holding a bag that I'm sure not hers." She lifted her head and saw Maddie looking at the door. She snapped her head to take a look at where she was looking and to her surprise, she her girlfriend talking to the receptionist, holding someone else's hand and carrying a shoulder bag, which is definitely not hers.

As soon as Jema saw that, she returned her gaze to her phone. She locked it and slowly placed it at the table, head down and still looking at her thighs. A tear fell and she immediately wiped it as she feel the team looking at her intently. Den held her hand and squeezed it. "Let's get out of here. Ponggs, ikaw na bahala dito."

Ponggay nodded, they stood up making Fhen and her acquaintance to look at their direction. She immediately let go the other girl's hand looking shocked and trying to formulate an excuse to tell her girlfriend.

"Jema, I... uh... I-I was going... what are y-you doing h-here?" But Jema just looked at her with a blank expression and just walked past her with no words left her mouth.

She swore that she heard the other girl ask Fhen who was she. But she said that she was just a friend that she know from the volleyball community.

They immediately went to Ced's car and Jema just can't contain the tears she was holding. She cried and the other coaching staffs just held her trying their best to comfort her. 4 years, in the trash. Just like that. She called her "Jema" not in their endearment, and she even said that she was just her friend. Ced started the car after more than 15 minutes, Jia said, "Let's get you home J."

"Hindi." Jema said firmly. It took them by surprised because every time they came from practice Jema wants to go home so she can rest and she can prepare dinner, their dinner, of course, because they were sharing Fhen's condo unit so that they can go to their respective team practices easily. "I don't want to go home."

"So where do you wanna go?"

"Bar." She said plain and firm.

"J, we have training tomorrow and besides it's just 12 in the afternoon." Den said.

"You don't have to come with me."

"J..." Den said cause she will try to make sense to Jema.

"Ate, I just lost my appetite and I'm sure I just lost my girlfriend. I-I just d-don't want to go home c-cause I know she will be there too." They just looked at Den, waiting for approval even tho Jema was their Team Manager, Den is still their Ate.

Den sighed before speaking. "Ced, Stir and Sip." Den said and Jema just closed her eyes trying to contain her tears, but she still felt something warm falling at her cheek.