Take Me Home (City Series #4)

Chapter Eight

L

"If y equal to f(x) is a function of x, then the symbol is defined as dy.. dx.." I started writing on the paper. "Yan yung derivative of y or the derivative of f."

"Yep." He nodded and gave the paper back to Louise who had her forehead creased.

"Ano daw? Naintindihan mo?" tanong ni Louise kay Ethan.

"Huh?" Ethan raised his head. Tulog na pala siya habang tinuturo namin ni Z ang kailangang gawin para sa math homework namin.

"Training na," sabi ni Z kay Ethan. "Palit na tayo."

"You'll get a hang of it," I told Louise. "Message mo ako mamaya kung 'di mo pa rin gets."

I've been hanging out with them a lot after the School Fair. It's been a couple of weeks. Louise and Mage have been really great girl friends so far. It's actually refreshing to not have to walk on eggshells with the people you're with. It's like I can finally be myself around other people.

"Okay, okay." She nodded. "Nand'yan na rin sundo ko. Ingat kayo sa training!"

Dumiretso kami nina Z sa sariling locker rooms namin. They went to the boys' locker room, and I went to the girls'. I changed into my training clothes and immediately went to our training area.

Nag-tali na rin ako ng buhok at nag-suot ng manipis na stretchable headband. I started jogging, which made my teammates follow suit. Ate Yra clapped twice, kaya nag-sprint na kami ng ilang rounds bago kami tuluyan na mag-stretching.

"Okay, suicides!" sigaw ni Ate Yra. "Two lines. Go!"

We all formed two lines, Ate Yra and I being in front. There were six lines, so we had to go back five times. Pagkatapos namin mag-suicide sprint, nag-lagay si Coach at Ate Yra ng cones para sa next drills namin.

The conditioning drills were absolute hell. Siguro nanibago ulit ang katawan ko dahil mas intense ang training namin ngayong papalapit na ang Super Cup, pero kalahati palang ng training ay pagod na pagod na ako.

Coach made us form two lines again. Nilagay niya yung cart ng paglalagyan ng bola sa gitna ng dalawang linya. One teammate was on the other side of the court, and another was on the side of the net in my side of the line.

And I immediately know what's bound to happen.

"Alam niyo na," sabi ni Coach.

He threw the ball on the floor with so much force that it went high up. I received the ball and passed it to Ate Yra, the first person from the other line. She set the ball towards our teammate who was waiting by the side of the net, at pinalo kaagad 'yon patungo sa teammate namin na nasa kabilang side ng court.

Hingal na hingal kaming lahat pagkatapos ng drills, halos ayoko nang mag-laro sa mismong laro. Coach separated Ate Yra and I for two teams. Lima sa akin, lima sa kaniya. Which sucked because Ate Yra's my favorite setter.

"Grabe, Coach, hiniwalay niyo talaga kami!" Tumawa si Ate Yra pagkatapos ng laro. "Sayang wala akong open spiker. Kailangan pang maturuan nang maigi yung lower years."

"Trabaho niyo 'yon. Especially you, Chen. Since sa'yo maiiwan ang mga lower years next year."

Ngumisi bigla si Ate Yra. "Yun oh, let's get it, captain."

"Coach?" Tumaas dalawang kilay ko. "Totoo?"

"You start this summer." Tumango si Coach. "Yra, start teaching her how to lead a team."

Tumango si Ate Yra at inakbayan ako. Tumawa ako at nagpasalamat kay Coach.

4th quarter palang naman.. medyo malayo pa ang summer pero, grabe! I'm actually going to become captain of our varsity team?!