Basketball Queen [UNDER EDITING]

PART 6

Claire's POV.

Tumingila ako dahil medyo pinagpawisan ako sa laro namin ni Ace, at ayaw pa nila akong paalisin dito sa gym dahil may pag-uusapan pa daw kami. Punayag na rin naman ako dahil tinatamad akong pumasok sa klase.

Masyado na rin silang late, tapos na ako doon sa itinuturo nong teacher nila, pati kasi bakasyon ay nag-aaral ako. Wala rin naman akong magawa sa bahay kaya ganon ang ginagawa ko.

What's gonna happened next? Napabuntong-hininga ako, sarili ko na mismong nagdala sa ganitong sitwasyon.

The truth is, this is not what I want. "What do I really want? What do I want?" Its no fun at all. I just wanna go back to my comfort zone. "It was very hard to be like this, and it was very hot." I scratchs my nape, I'm so...

Tired. I want to take some rest, but I can't. There's so many questions running in my mind. Filled with unknown answers and questions.

"Being a Mendoza is difficult." Can I atleast take a rest? Nakakaubos masyado.

"There he is." Nag lingon ako sa pintuan ng gym.

Andaming lalaki na nag sipasukan rito sa loob, sino ba ang mga to?

Pero ilang saglit lang nawala ang pag tataka ko ng makita ko yung nakalaban ko na si Ace. Ang preskong lalaki.

"Hoy, lalaki!" Tawag pansin nito sa akin.

Nginisian ko na lang siya ng nakakaloko at tinignan ang iba pang lalaki na nandoon lang na nakatingin sakin, magsawa kayong tumingin. Wala akong paki sa inyo.

"Tss. Ang yabang mo talaga eh no?! Ian, ikaw na nga lang ang magsabi! Naiinis ako sa pag mumukha ng lalaking yan!" Inis na sambit nito at padabog na humalukipkip sa isang tabi.

"Haaay, may bago na namang kaaway ang lalaking to." Napapakamot na sambit ng lalaking pumunta sa harapan ko na may dalang papel at ballpen.

"Ikaw si Carl tama? So, pinapayagan kang sumali ng captain namin sa team, iyon ay kung gusto mo hindi ka naman namin pinipilit at nasa sa iyo ang desisyon kung sasali ka nga ba." Tinignan ko lang siya. Yung tingin na naniniguro.

Hindi naman ako sigurado sa narinig ko, pero nang nakita ko na ngumiti ito sa akin tumayo ako para makipag-kamay.

Yun yung sign ng pag tanggap ko, tinignan ko ang papel na hawak niya dahil ibinibigay niya iyon sa akin. "Pirmahan mo na yan, Carl." Tinanguan ko na lang siya at saka pinirmahan iyon ng walang pag-aalinlangan.

A contract? Kelangan ba nito para sumali sa team? Napaka-formal naman pala masyado ng school na to.

"Its a contract na patunay na susunod ka sa lahat ng instructions and rules na nariyan. Also, your grade shouldn't drop to 7." Matapos niyang sabihin yun ay pinirmahan ko na ito at ibinigay agad sa kanya.

"Yes! We have a new member! Be good to him, alright? But, first I want you to know that, we will having our first practice on August one." He look at us  and smiled, as if we're on a photoshoot. "We will have acquaintance party. We should be there, so by now. We have to say our see you later guys!" Napatawa na lang ang iba sa sinabi niya at tuwang-tuwang umalis ng walang paalam.

Nag lakad na din ako, pero hindi na ako papasok sa second subject ko. Nakakatamad, I don't care kung bumagsak ako, I can settled things up naman.

"See you later then, ciao!" One guy said and he walk away.

And I hear some who tch-ed in my back, well I don't care.

Napakadali lang naman palang makapasok, first day of school then naging part na agad ako ng basketball team. But, at the other side I'm worried, what will happen next?

At the end, I will be caged again, to my own shadow. Its how it used to be, I'm a prisoner of my own shadow.

"Being Carl Rae is so easy, but being Claire is misery. What a huge difference." I said while looking at the sky as I got out of the gym.

"Claire Riley Mendoza isn't that bad, she will always be loved, even if you're being arrogant and harsh." I look the girl beside me, I didn't feel her presence.

"You're just saying that because you don't know about me in my family, Scary." She pouted her lips and murmured something.

"Someday, you'll gonna find your match. Hmpf!" Tss. If that happens, it will be a pleasure, I'll gonna accept it whether it turns out to be my greatest down fall. "And you know that I know you, you're just being in denial, Black."

I'm tired of pretending that everything is fine with me, even if it doesn't, God knows I'm tired being a shadow that keeps on hiding alone in the dark.

"I'll take that as a challenge then." I said while smirking.

"Yeah, yeah. Wala ka namang inuurungan eh, that's Claire Riley Mendoza." Napapailing na sabi nito.

"Well, what can you do to stop the Claire  Riley Mendoza?" She look at me, we stop walking.

"I guess you know the answer Black, no one can stop you being like that. You're so unique." Naningkit ang mga mata ko.

"Seriously, Scary? Tss. I'm not a monster, okay?" Napanguso to at pinitik ko yun, napasimangot naman siya.

"You're so mean to me ever since, Riley! Bad Riley, bad!" I just rolled my eyes. "Ugh. You're not a monster, okay? Let me make it clear, you are one of a kind I had known in my life! That's what I describes you, in a unique way, but a good way!" Napataas ang kilay ko sa sinabi niya.

"Same meaning, Scary." I said at nag lakad na.

"Argh! You're so slow talaga!" Nag dadabog na sabi nito at humiwalay sa akin ng daan, hindi ko nga alam kumbakit at paano ko yan naging kaibigan

Basta bigla na lang yang sumulpot sa mansyon namin at ginulo ang tahimik kong kwarto.

Just the same old Scarlet, nothing change. Scary as ever. I'm scared of her mouth, that's what I meant.

"Stop calling me Black and Riley." Then she covered her mouth.