Firm Tenacity (The Athletes #3) COMPLETED

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Shoelaces

Our last training before the start of the interhigh was really exhausting. I felt like I don't have bones anymore. We jogged so many laps, and did our extreme footwork. We played many times against our men's volleyball team. Their strength and skills were more enhanced than ours so every game was really tough.

"Ano ba 'yang ginagawa mo kay Norwyn, Mina?" Lukot ang mukha ni Kyla habang pinapanuod si Mina sa aking harap.

"Ang cute kaya! 'Di mo lang ma-appreciate..." She rolled her eyes jokingly and finished what she was doing on my hair.

Nang umalis na siya sa harap ko, inangat ko ang aking cellphone para makita kung anong klase ng ipit ang ginawa niya. I sighed. She tied my bangs up just like those dogs with breed.

"Nowyn, bark!" at malakas na tumawa si Mina kasama ang dalawa ko pang kaibigan. Natawa na rin ako. "Play dead!"

We're in the usual nipa hut where we always stay and rest at every end of our training. Hindi ko na tinanggal ang ipit ko dahil hindi rin naman pangit sa akin. Nagpahinga ako habang pinapakiramdaman ang pagod na pagod kong katawan.

I looked at the other nipa huts full of athletes. They were fanning themselves using folded papers and folders. Outdoor kasi kami ngayon dahil basketball team ang gumagamit ng gym. Halos makipag-away pa ang captain namin kanina kila Kuya Vier dahil meron namang isa pang gym pero mas pinili nila 'yong amin. Sa huli, sila ang pinaboran ng principal.

Sunday bukas at wala na kaming training, dahil sa Monday ay simula na ng interhigh. I am excited and nervous all at once since this is going to be my first official play as part of the team's first six. Nakaka-pressure din pala...

Pagkatapos magpahinga ay pinatawag ako sa principal's office. Ang sakit-sakit ng paa ko tapos ang layo pa ng office. Akala ko kung ano na, 'yon pala ay 'yong permission slip ko lang na pinirmahan ng dean, principal at coach.

I was reading the signed paper while I was walking on the open area way back to the outdoor court. The wind kind of refreshes my sweaty skin because the sun is hitting me like I was its enemy. Since my skin is not used to the sun's exposure, I felt like I was a fruit being juiced.

I heard someone hissed and that automatically stopped me from walking. My eyes widened upon seeing Mooze in front of me, smirking seriously with his flexed crossed arms. It's been a while since my last conversation with him. Noong intramurals namin, dumalo siya pero hindi ako nilapitan. Kaya naman nakakagulat na nandito siya sa harap ko gayong sa isip ko ay tuluyan na siyang tumigil.

"Top 1 ka sa classroom n'yo pero hindi ka marunong magtali ng sapatos?" he said frankly with his eyebrow flicked.

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa sapatos ko. Tanggal na pala ang shoelaces ko... HIndi ko na napansin dahil sa pagbabasa ko sa paper.

"Mooze..." nasabi ko nang bigla niya akong hinila. Akala ko kung saan ako dadalhin, huminto lang pala kami sa ibabaw ng malagong puno.

"Stay still. Aayusin ko lang ang sintas mo at aalis na rin ako, o kaya ikaw na lang ang umalis," suplado niyang sabi na para bang inaway ko.

Seryoso ang mga mata niya sa akin kaya nag-iwas ako ng tingin. I observed the place if there's something fishy, a spy or whatever. Wala naman akong napansin na kakaiba. Wala ring taong naglalakad dahil nga tirik na tirik ang araw.

Lumuhod ang isang tuhod niya kaya mas lalong nanlaki ang mga mata ko. He started tying my shoelaces while I was still shocked by his sudden appearance. I really thought that was already the end of our interaction... Iyong malapit sa basement.