Gangster. (Discontinued)

Chapter 9: Memories Bring Back You

[alternate chapter title: angel]

==

Bright lights from the machines danced in my vision, their colorful displays inviting me to play them. My hearing is filled with the high pitched 'ting!' that sounds everytime someone scores in their game.

I gripped the ball in my hands and poised to throw, but when I did, it hits the ring and the screen showed me that time's up. 110 points. I sighed. Hindi man lang ako nakaabot sa third round.

"What's up with you? Ang hina mo yata ngayon?" Charles asked beside me as he scores another three pointer. I clicked my tongue.

"Nothing. I'm just not in the mood." Sagot ko sa kanya.

We're currently in the arcade and been playing basketball for the past hour, pero kanina pa ko ako nage-game over. Ewan. Basta wala ako sa mood ngayon.

"Not in the mood? Eh ikaw nga ang nag-invite sa akin dito." Natatawang sabi niya as he continued playing. "Ang sabihin mo it's just your weak day."

"It's just my weak day!"

Napangiti ako nang maalala ko ang mga salitang sinabi ko kay Rilliane. Naisama ko na siya dito noon, nung personal maid ko pa siya. Tulad ngayon, lagi rin akong nage-game over nung araw na yun. She said hindi naman daw talaga ako magaling, pero I told her that it's just my weak day.

"Weak day mo mukha mo." Sabi niya at inirapan ako. She's leaning against the side of the basketball game machine. "Ang sabihin mo, nagfifeeling ka lang. Di ka naman talaga magaling magbasketball."

"Excuse me?!" I said, defensive and annoyed. "Madalas ako dito and I always score high!"

"Oh eh ba't ngayon hindi?"

"Like I said, it's my weak day!" I insisted. It's the reason I always say kapag nage-game over ako. "May mga araw talagang pumapalya ako!"

She smirked and crossed her arms. "Pumapalya ka o yung swerte mo?"

"It's talent, not luck!"

Her smirk widened as she raised her eyebrows and eyed me na para bang nang-aasar. "Hindi pumapalya ang talent, Axcel."

"Shut up!" Inis na sabi ko and as a payback, I sent a ball flying to her way. Akala ko ay tatamaan na siya sa mukha when she brought her hand and swatted the ball away, na para bang nagtataboy lang siya ng langaw. And to both our surprise, the ball went flying to the ring and she scored.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at tumitig sa kanya. "What the fuck?! Ano yon, volleyball?!"

She just rolled her eyes but I can see the corners of her lips rising up, like she's trying to supress a grin.

"Axcel? Hello? Earth to Axcel?"

I snapped back to reality when I heard Charles call my name. "Uh, what?"

"Kanina pa kita tinatawag, wala ka na naman sa sarili." He said. "You've been like this for a week, Axcel. Did something happen?"

Napailing na lang ako. Isang linggo na akong balik sa dati. Arcade, girls, arcade, girls. Pero talagang hindi ko matanggal sa isip ang mga nangyari.

Sa totoo lang, I don't know why I keep on remembering Rilliane. She made it clear na hindi na kami mag-uusap, I know nothing about her real identity, and we're back to being hostile classmates. Hindi niya ako pinapansin sa school tulad ng dati, hindi ko siya nararamdaman.