Cupid's Arrow

Chapter Eight

"There are common mistakes made by beginners in archery, Zack. Most arrows won't hit the target because they are using the wrong eye when they aim. Arrows may also hit too high or too low due to incorrect release or pressure. And sometimes the bow string hits the arm which could be very painful, and that's because of their stupidity to forget to use an arm guard."

Nagtitimpi lang si Zack habang nakikinig sa panenermon ni Clint. Nasa Bow and Arrow sila upang sumali sa isang tournament na siyang ginaganap taon-taon. May bagong programa na ginawa ang naturang club upang mahikayat ang mga tao na maging parte niyon. He and Acky were a part of the archers' meeting last month and they decided to create a game which now they called "Hit or Miss."

Simple lang ang konsepto ng laro. It was similar to paintball but the players used harmless arrows with assigned colors. Ang kailangan lang gawin ng mga kasali ay ubusin ang kalaban. At ang matitirang manlalaro ang siyang tatanghaling panalo.

Each player may write on a piece of paper whatever he or she wanted to claim as a prize. It could be anything, as long as it was legal, affordable, and won't harm another human being or any living creature. Someone would check the prize each player wanted and decided whether or not to approve it.

Malaking event iyon at hindi lamang ang kanya-kanyang pamilya nila ang dumalo. Halos lahat ng kakilala nina Clint at Zack—maging ang kakilala ng kakilala nila—ay inimbita nila upang mahikayat ang mga taong maging miyembro ng club. Hindi nga lang inaasahan ni Zack na may mga makikilala siyang mga tao na pamilyar na rin sa kanya.

Ang ikinaiinis lang ni Zack ay ang sagot ni Clint pagkatapos niya itong komprontahin. Nalaman na ni Zack ang totoo na si Daphne at Acky ay iisa. Nang tanungin ni Zack si Clint tungkol doon ay ni hindi itinanggi iyon ni Clint.

Imbes na sagutin ni Clint nang diretsahan ang mga katanungan ni Zack ay kung ano-ano pang sinasabi ni Clint tungkol sa archery. Marahil ay gumaganti lang si Clint sa kanya at siguro iyon na rin ang paraan nito para iparating na hindi siya nito gusto para sa kapatid nito.

But now that Zack thought about it, maybe what Clint was saying made sense. He did use the wrong eye, that was why he didn't see who it really was he was falling in love with. He also made a mistake because he couldn't control the pressure he felt then. Basta-basta na lang siyang nagdesisyon. And yes, he was stupid to trust and let Acky find Daphne.

"Ano ba kasi'ng problema ninyong dalawa?" tanong ni Clay na kanina pa nakikinig sa kanila.

"Well, obviously they aren't in good terms for whatever reason. At hindi magandang patagalin pa nila 'yon," sabi naman ni Dexter na pansamantalang itinigil muna ang paglalaro ng PSP nito.

"Maybe it's a private matter," sabad ni Edward.

"But he should never let a woman wait. So get out there and just tell her how you feel," sabi ng doktor na si Lawrence.

"It's not that easy," sabi ng boses babae.

Lahat sila ay napalingon sa iisang direksiyon.

"Pheony, what are you doing here?" tanong ni Zack.

"I'll be documenting the tournament. Kasali ba kayong lahat sa laro?"

"I'll pass," sabi ni Lawrence pero nang malaman nitong kasali ang fiancée nito ay sumali na rin si Lawrence sa laro.

Ganoon din sina Edward at Clay. Sumali agad ang dalawa nang ipaalam ni Pheony na naka-register na ang mga asawa ng mga ito.

"I think it's interesting so I'll give it a try," sagot ni Dexter na sinang-ayunan ng iba pa.

Isa-isa na rin na nagdesisyon ang iba pang mga kasamahan nila. Kaya naman hinintay ng lahat ang sagot ni Zack nang siya na lang ang hindi pa nagdedesisyon.