Metanoia: A Change of Heart

Chapter XXI ~ Joshua

I could not believe Thonia Buenviaje beat me. It was beyond my imagination. But after all, I was happy I did not need to go to the dance party next month. Going to that was not in the bio-data of becoming a student council member but why did they require me to go there?

I changed to my sports attire to attend the Tennis practice that I had neglected these past weeks. My racket bag slung on my back. I left my things in the boys sports locker room and headed to the court where my clubmates, including Stephen, were found.

"A match?" he offered, bouncing the ball to my direction. I caught it with my hands and freed my racket from its bag. "Dares?" Stephen smirked from the other side of the court.

"Don't start, Steph. I had enough." I shook my head, remembering my defeat.

He laughed, not caring other people who played nearby. "Just lend me your racket in the tournament this summer if you lost." He joined various mini-olympics during summer. He wanted to have my racket ever since I showed it to him. It had blue and violet frame with galaxy-designed net. Not that he could not buy something like this, but it was a limited edition my mother saw online and bought for me. "You have your own," I said. His racket was orange with neon green net. Actually, his worth more than mine. I started the first service and the rally began.

"Tell me, how many times do you have to show off?"

"I'm not showing off. I'm just playing." I explained, smashing the ball hard so he missed the hit. "One-zero," I announced.

"So you really want a real match, huh?" He curved the side of his lips up and called a member sitting on the bench. Stephen was the club president so he could boss around, something I told him not to do often. He told the guy instructions of what to do. In no time, the crowded court was cleared that only the two of us were inside. The others transferred to the next court, played anywhere else, got irritated, or watched solemnly.

"Zero-zero!" he shouted from the other side. I gave him the chance to restart the game. He was a great player who won interschool golds and I was just a normal player who did not even bother to join the varsity team, but I would not let myself lose twice consecutively. I had to win. We had two deuces in the final set. In the end, I won.

"Great game, Josh." Stephen walked to pat my back and shook my hand for formality.

"Nice try," I laughed and acted too boastful.

He hit my shoulder playfully and slapped my chest. "Don't get boasty, dude. Thonia still beat you."

"That girl..." I shook my head.

We grabbed our racket bags and walked to the locker room. On our way, Trish and another girl stopped us. "Joshua," she smiled.

"Hey," I replied.

"Are you... Are you going to Nicole's party tomorrow?" She did not look at me as she asked that.

"I don't know, why?" I looked at Stephen for back up but he did not mind.

"Nothing, nothing." She stumbled off and pushed her friend with her, out of sight.

"What's with that?" I asked Stephen who watched with entertainment.

"Don't you know? The girl is still in to you. The whole school knows, Josh."

The whole school? I doubted it was another Stephen's hyperbole, I always hated most figures of speech. A crush for me? 'Why' was the first thing that came my mind. Why would someone have a thing called that for me? I did not deserve it , not even when it came to Trish or whoever.