HEART UNDER CONSTRUCTION

CHAPTER 7: HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

Basketball dribbling with drops of sweat. Jash attempting to steal the ball from DK, “Easy man. You’re way too serious” he said making their captain distracted. “I won’t fall for your tricks again, bench guy” DK replied with a chuckle and aimed for three points. The sky is dark now but they are still having their training in the school’s sports gymnasium.

Coach Fred blew his whistle, signaling them to rest up. They’ve been playing for two hours straight and the team had also caught up with their lives. Ashton and King – the other two teammates were from the school of architecture. Ashton handed DK a bottle of water saying, “Glad you’ve changed, captain”. DK looked up and grabbed the bottle. He asked, “What do you mean?”. Ashton chuckled, “You talked about that first-year nursing student earlier. Seems like you’re nailing it” he answered.

Coach Fred entered the conversation, “This is the first practice without a girl waiting for you in the court’s corner” he said and patted DK’s shoulder. “I told you guys, this one’s different” he replied and wiped the sweat rolling from his body. The four looked at each other as if DK transitioned into an angel after breaking multiple girls’ hearts. King didn’t say a thing but instead, he went outside the place and went to somewhere.

Coach Fred uttered, “There was never a day without King’s ‘walking out scene’”. He shrugged while the other ones chuckled and continued playing the game. DK and his team were too focused with the practice. DK at that moment has nothing to give concern rather than his game and his team. He forgot about Joanna who’s now cleaning alone in the rooms’ corridors and will eventually go home in a late hour.

She’s mopping the aisle, earphones plugged in her ears while playing chill romantic songs. She doesn’t mind being alone since she’s been like that since her younger years. She was almost done and about to go home when she saw someone standing in front of her. A white skinned man wearing blue jerseys. She looked up but she got disappointed. Her wide smile turned into a blank one, “Sorry, I thought you’re Dior” she said and turned around to pack up the things.

The guy held her wrist, “Joanna, I know you still know me” he said. Joanna didn’t manage to give a glance. “King, it’s been a while” she said awkwardly. The tall, white-skinned, and fair looking guy went in front of her, “You said you’re not interested in this kind of thing. Why are you with DK?” he asked in disbelief. Joanna’s eyes circled in shock, “You call him DK, do you know him?” she asked away.

King looked away and held down Joanna’s wrist, “That DK you are dating… He’s my teammate… Surprisingly, he’s my friend since high school” he answered. Joanna can’t believe that it is a small world for them to meet again and this time, King is her boyfriend’s friend. She replied, “Let’s not talk about this right now. I have to go”. King didn’t let her go and started following her. “I’ll take you home” he offered. “Come on, King. Can’t you understand that I am really not interested in you?” she asked.

“I know. If you’re that interested maybe back in the days when I courted you, you could’ve said yes” he answered. Joanna nodded, “Right, and I said no. I really don’t like you” she said straightforwardly. King uttered, “What did DK made to make you answer him?” he asked. Joanna looked at him eye to eye, “He’s way better than you” she answered.

King sarcastically smirked, “He’s just like me. I mean, he’s worser than me” he said and went back to the gym. For a moment, Joanna doubted his guy. She doesn’t know nothing much about DK yet she’s taking his side. Overthinking struck her; she remembered how DK asked her earlier about knowing his life. She answered according to her heart; she forgot to think more.

King entered the gym; the practice is about to end. Jash approached him by tapping his shoulder, “Where did you go?” he asked. He looked at DK viciously, “Just went to clarify some things” he said and removed Jash’s hand from his shoulder. Jash shrugged, he kows what’s going on between DK and King but he doesn’t know about King and Joanna’s past.

The team gathered for a dinner meal. DK can’t keep his eyes off the phone; he’s continuously texting Joanna who’s now on her way home. King stared at him coldly but Jash pats him to shake off the emotions he is hiding inside. He whispered, “I don’t want to get into you guys but mind that the whole team is here”. King sighed and drank up the beer in front of him.

After the meal, Jash and King went home together. Jash started the conversation, “I know DK and you had some conflicts before. I mean, you both liked a girl back in high school” he said. King just kept looking at the road, “You know the girl he’s boasting about earlier? Joanna… I courted that girl merely a year ago” he answered. Jash wowed, “I didn’t expect you to say that to me quickly” he replied. “I know you won’t spread it. Joanna kept rejecting me until I voluntarily stopped ‘coz I don’t want to pester her anymore” he said.

“That’s why you hated DK just now?” he asked. King replied, “I don’t hate him. I just hate that I am jealous”. Jash chuckled; he knows that King still loves Joanna that’s why he’s getting jealous. “History repeats itself truthfully” Jash said and didn’t mind any things around. King only knows one thing – he knows DK and he knows that he’ll cheat when he’s tired of Joanna.

The next day, DK fetched Joanna from their house and together they took the road to the school. “You’re not talking to me. What seems to be the problem?” he asked her. Joanna sighed, “I just thought, I don’t know you well. When can I go to your place? When will you talk to me about your family?” she asked. DK thought, his status is queer and it will be hard for him to take everything easy for Joanna to understand. He just smiled, “In the right time, babe. I will introduce everything to you in the perfect timing” he said and placed a kiss on Joanna’s hand.

Joanna felt at ease, she still trusts DK. It’s easy for her to say her life because she doesn’t have much. She understood that maybe, DK has a lot in his life. That maybe, things aren’t simple for him. She’s still a fool for trusting but who loves without being fooled?

DK got his thoughts wide open, Prideus – their legacy is not a simple thing to reveal. He thought of her reactions and predicted some. Maybe, if he tells her that he’s a disappointment, he will be left by her also. Maybe if things are unbelievable for her, she’ll take him as a lunatic. Everything doesn’t make sense right now for DK and the perfect timing he’s promising is still on the unknown path.

Weeks passed and it is already the 13th day of February. DK slowly pushed the swing where Joanna is sitting. She’s glancing at the gloomy sky filled with thick clouds. “Do you believe souls are dancing behind the clouds? And when it rains, it means they weep” she said out of the blue. DK looked up also, “Hmm, maybe, yes? Maybe not? My dad doesn’t like to dance” he answered casually. Joanna looked at DK who’s standing behind, “Your dad is already… dead?” she asked cautiously.

DK smirked and nodded, “Yep, so as my brothers” he replied and sat next to her. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this right now” she said and leaned on DK’s shoulder. He replied, “I don’t believe about souls dancing, but I believe that they are somewhere else. Maybe in another life form?”. Joanna nodded, “I wish I could know you more” she said. DK looked at her, “You will soon realize that it is nonsense to know me” he replied.

Joanna shrugged, “Everything makes sense if it is about you. You know almost everything about me” she uttered. DK sighed, “You will know me little by little. But when time comes and you already fully know me, don’t be shocked because I am still me, the Dior you met in the campus grounds” he said. Joanna felt nervous as if something is embedded with DK’s words. She knows that she has a right to know him and even his background but little did she know that it would take her lots of efforts to know it.