1 Chapter 1

"I think you should know how to wait patiently, Kizealla," I told Kiz through the call.

Papunta na akong gym ng school ngayon kasi we have volleyball practice. I'm already late! I was busy looking for my I.D. Makakalusot ako sa guard, alam ko pero kasi, ayaw ko ng wala akong I.D.

"I know how to, Venus. Feeling ko kasi mamamatay kami kay Ken... Bad mood," she said.

"Normal na niya 'yan. I'm here na," I lastly said and ended the call.

Kiz is my best friend since... uhh... 5th grade? Lumipat kasi ako ng school non tapos she approached me like she drank 1.5 liters of milo and energy drinks.

I entered our gym's door seeing all the players of both male and female team of our school's volleyball team. May practice match kami ngayon with the boy's team. As a team captain, maaga dapat ako kaso 'yung teacher namin nag extend tapos nawala pa 'yung I.D ko.

"Gray! For the 3rd time this week, you're late!" Coach immediately yelled when he saw me entered the court.

"Same excuses po. Lecturers extended their time." I told him and started running simula sa pinagbabaan ko ng bag ko, paikot ng court.

Nag didrills na 'yung iba. Tosses and receiving, spiking. Our volleyball court is spacious that's why we have 2 courts inside. Kami nagamit nung isa at 'yung isang team naman 'yung isa. We also have our outdoor court which we rarely use and mostly used for try outs. For official games and practice lang itong court namin ngayon. Minsan ginagamit din for events kaso kung exclusive events lang or meetings.

After 10 minutes, I did a short stretch lang para makahabol padin ako sa laro. As in short lang, different from our usual routines.

I accidentally spoted Lhieon whie stretching my legs. Boy's team's captain ball. He's good looking and tall. Nakatali 'yung buhok niya pataas sa hindi malamang dahilan. Hindi naman mahaba buhok niya, clean lagi 'yung gupit niya pero mukhang mahaba na kasi tinali na niya.

Mukha siyang sibuyas.

"Bago tayo mag-laro. Ipapaalala ko lang sainyo na friendly game lang 'to. Baka mamaya may tamaan na ng bola na magaganap dito," sabi ni Coach.

We all lined up after that. Nag toss coin nalang kami para malaman sino mauunang mag-laro. We picked head over tails, and we lost.

Umayos na kami sa loob ng court at ganoon din ang kabila. Rivera was the first one to serve. Nasa likod ako. Sa right side.

He just normally serves the ball. He always do jump float serves but he did a normal serve this time aiming at my side.

I immediately received the ball and passed it to our setter who tossed it towards our hitter and immediately did a wing spike and it went in.

Nag rotate na kami and the one who is infront of me is going to serve.

The game continued and it was quite intense. Dikit na 'yung score namin at madami ding nanonood ngayon unlike kanina na isa o dalawa lang. I'm not sure.

"Sub, Gray!" Coach called and let my teammate in the game.

15 — 17 na.  Naabutan nila kami. Ken is also carrying their game and that one person I'm really not familiar with. Pero nakikita ko siyang kasama ni Kizealla.

"How's the game with them? You requested this so you should be the one enjoying it," sabi ni Coach.

"Well, yes. Pero Coach, hindi naman po ibig sabihin na ako ng nag-requeast, need enjoy-in ko na din. And besides, bad mood ako. I.D ko nawawala," I sighed.

I frowned at that fact. I should've been enjoying this game but I'm being problematic because of my lost I.D. Sana lang talaga may nakakita or nakapulot non.

The game continued until it ended at 23 — 25. Close match. We lost though.

"Nice game!" sigaw namin pagkatapos ng laro at nagpalakpakan.

Coach talked for a little while before we all agreed on eating together outside. Madami kami pero okay lang. Sabi ko ay sagutin ko nalang 'yung dinner at sila nalang pumili ng place. Take out nalang din daw and they even asked if they can stay in my place for dinner since wala namang pasok bukas. I have no other choices though. Uuwi naman sila after.

It's always the habit of them having dinner at my place after training because it's the only way that they can spend time more outside. Most of them have curfews.

Nauna na silang pumunta habang iniintay ko si Lia. Binigay ko kay Kizealla 'yung spare key ko para mabuksan niya 'yung likod.

"Lia bilis!" sigaw ko kay Lia na halos mag kakalahating oras na nasa shower room.

"Intayin mo nalang ako sa bleachers!" and I left and went inside the court and sat in one of the seats.

I just took out my phone and starting scrolling through twitter. Madalas talaga twitter gamit ko. I only use facebook for family purposes and Instagram for photo dump purposes.

My feed is mostly filled with contents from our school and volleyball contents pati motivational quotes. At least include Lia and Kiz's life rants.

"Hey." Someone called me and sat beside me.

"Lhieon. Hello," He was one of my childhood playmates sa office ni Momy before but we became unclose after I stop visiting the office.

May kinuha siya sa bag niya at inabot sa akin iyon. When I looked at it, it was my I.D!

"Where'd you find it? Thank you! Kanina ko pa 'to hinahanap,"

"Naiwan mo sa cafeteria kanina. I was about to give it to you but you seemed like rushing. Sabi ko naman kay Ken iabot nalang sayo kaso ayaw niya," he explained.

Ayaw ata ako papasukin non! May sama ng loob padin yata kasi hindi ko nabigay 'yung pinangako kong notes na hinihingi niya noong 1 week siyang absent. Like kasalanan ko bang may ginagawa din ako non kaya nakalimutan ko?

"May sama ng loob sa akin 'yon. Thank you ulit," I said as I grabbed my I.D from him.

"Good game by the way," he added so I said the same words as well before we went silent.

Hindi ko alam bakit bothered ako ngayon. I don't even know what to do with my phone right now. Kanina pa ako palipat lipat ng app. It was too silent for me. Ang awkward.

Pinagpatuloy ko nalang ang pag scroll sa twitter. My messenger continues popping out because of people in our volleyball gc. Mga nagsasabi na nandoon na daw sila at nakapasok na sila. There are CCTV's around my house so I'm calm.

Archilles Gray: Lia!! Antagal mo!

I messaged her. Antagal kasi. Ngayon lang tumagal ng ganyan 'yan.

And I called her now.

"Ano?!" sigaw niya sa kabila.

"Tagal mo!" sigaw ko pabalik. Nag-echo na sa buong gym boses ko.

"Mauna ka na! Susunduin daw ako ni Papa. Biglaan din,"

"Sinabihan mo dapat ako kanina pa," sabi ko sabay patay ng cellphone.

Tinignan ko ng masama 'yung entrance ng shower room like Lia would go out any minute from me staring at it. Tumayo na din naman ako after seconds. Mag mumukha akong baliw sa ginagawa ko eh.

"You going?" Lhieon talked beside me.

"Mm. Ikaw? May hinihintay ka?" curious na tanong ko ngunit pinagtaka ko at umiling siya.

Wala naman ng tao dito.

"Sinamahan kita. Kahit sabihin mong may guard na nag-iikot, hindi ang dito 'yan. Baka mamaya mapano ka dito." He told me at sinabayan na akong maglakad.

Right. Someone almost got kidnapped here before. After sports fests. Naiwan daw siya dito kaya ayon. Dahil may mga nakakapasok na outsiders dito kapag may public event like the sports fest or any festivals na nagaganap sa loob ng university. Nagdagdag tuloy sila ng security ngayon. It's even hard to get in the University especially in school days.

We just walked silently until we reached the exit. I was planning to book a taxi when Lhieon dragged me towards the parking lot.

"Let me lend you a ride. Parehas lang tayo ng lugar ng pupuntahan, I know." pumayag nalang ako.

Habang nasa loob naman ako ng sasakyan niya ay nag order na ako para ideliver nalang.

He plays music to avoid the awkward atmosphere between the both of us. He wasn't really the type of person who is silent pero kasi ang extra tahimik niya ngayon. Sabi kasi ni Ken madaldal daw 'to tapos minsan napaagalitan daw ng teacher kasi dinadaldal si Caleb while nag lelesson 'yung teacher nila.

Hindi din naman ko madaldal kaya bahala siya.

Tahimik kaming nakarating sa village. As far as I know, may dorm siya sa school pero nauwi siya sa parents niya every weekends at bakasyon.

Nakakasalubong ko 'yan sa gate ng village minsan tuwing umaga pero hindi kami nagpapansinan. We never did.

"Kasama ka sa sports camp?" he suddenly asked me before pulling over near my home.

"Yeah. Ikaw? Naka-receive na ng email?" I asked back and he nodded as a response.

"Pagkatapos pa naman ng exams 'yon. Medyo matagal pa." I added at bumaba na.

Hinintay ko nalang siya sa labas ng sasakyan niya bago kami sabay na pumasok.

Wala akong kasama sa bahay na ito. Tuwing weekends lang kasi nandito kapatid ko, minsan sila Kiz at Lia. But most of the days, mag-isa ako. I'm used to it though.

The house was bought by my Mom so fully, it's still in my Mom's name until I turn 18. She left me this before she flew to Canada to do business.

My Dad has a new wife. I didn't like her so much. For reasons, I will never like her.

Niri stays in my Dad's house even though I insisted to let her stay with me. Hindi naman siya naaalagaan doon pero hindi ko alam kung bakit ayaw niyang payagan na kasama ko si Niri. Para namang pansusunurin ko kay Mom yon e takot nga bumyahe mag-isa 'yon.

The house isn't that big for me. It was just empty.

"You live here alone, huh?" we're in the middle of the house when he asked me that. Walking inside the the silent living room.

"Yeah. How did you know I live alone anyways? You never came in dinners for our team here." I told him.

He really never came here in team dinners. Lagi niyang sinasabi na may ginagawa siya or something's going on sa bahay nila that he needs to go there.

"I really never did. Kaya hindi ko din alam na nasa malaking bahay ka tapos mag-isa ka." he sarcastically said.

"Why are you being grumpy? Like we're that close for you to know and care." I rolled my eyes.

He's talking in a grumpy tone. Why would he?

"I'm not. Just not in the good mood," he told me and went in the backyard first.

I just stared at his trails in disbelief. Para siyang tanga, I swear. Pa-iba iba mood niya.

Binaba ko muna 'yung bag ko sa taas at nagpalit ng tsinelas saka pumunta sa likod. I was still wearing socks though.

They set up some tables and chairs that are probably from my garage. It looks like they're having a little night picnic there. Lights from the backyard roof is the only source of light they have but it is enough to see all of people who is in here right now. The moon and stars are also shining bright. It gives the sign that we will be having a good sunny day tomorrow.

"Ven! Dito ka!" I looked at Kizealla who called me while pointing out the chair beside her.

Napansin ko ding sa damo na naka-upo 'yung iba dahil kulang 'yung upuan. But I guess Kiz got some picnic blankets sa taas at pinagamit sakanila, but it's fine. I rarely use those anyway.

I came to Kiz and sat beside her. She handed me my tonkatsu and chopsticks. Pinaghiwalay ko lang 'yung chopsticks at binuksan na 'yung pagkain ko. It's already warm.

"Asaan si Lia?" Kiz asked.

"Sinundo daw siya ng Dad niya. Ponaghintay pa ako sa labas punyeta," sabi ko.

"Sino kasama mo umuwi?" she asked again.

I pointed out Lhieon who is talking to Ken. They're seated in the grass.

I immediately looked away when he looked at my direction.

"Wew. Ano meron?" she asked me with her malicious look.

It was all nothing for me, but for her? Ipipilit niya na may something. I preferred not answering her question this time.

Kung andito si Lia ngayon, I'll probably be hot seated here right now.