Chasing Hearts:A Turn of Tides (Elite Quad Series #1)

Chapter 19

Zariyah you can do this.. This is the day, you just have to focus and perform well. I whispered to my self habang naghahanda para sa laban ko ngayon.

"You can do this, Zari" Zach said habang sinusuot ko ang ibang gear na gagamitin ko.

Kanina pa silang nandito lahat at handa nang sumuporta saakin. Other teams are also lined up. Padami na din ng padami ang mga tao dahil nagdadatingan na din ang other Universities.

I saw some familiar faces specially s mga elites nila. Four kaming maglalaban laban ngayon dahil four din na Universities ang nandito.

"Good luck.." Raz said lumapit pa siya saakin ara may ibulong "You can do it, babe. I love you" My face instantly blush.

Focus Zari.. Focus.

"Players, you need to be ready in 5 minutes and the game will start" The MC told us. Lumalabas na din ang mga target. For the first round ay malapit pa ang target, but I needed to make sure pa din na stable ako. I have a goal to get my score high na agad para hindi na ako mahirapan to advance sa second round.

We have six arrows for every round and 2 minutes to shoot the arrow kaya I make sure that I am really focus and take my time. I started to put arrows sa bow ko. I saw Raz looking at me intently. I just gave him a nervous smile but he looked at me and smile habang naka thumbs up.

Medyo naibsan don ang kaba ko and shifted my attention sa target. It would be easy for me dahil kahit papaano naman ay malapit lang yon at I know how to target.

Since 4 lang kami this year it would be 3 rounds lang kaya kailangan ko agad makataas ng score para makaadvance sa round 2.

Sa unang pagbitaw ko ng pana ay tumama ito sa gitna. It was an easy 10. Sinunod sunod kong ma hit ang gitna to secure my spot. On my last hit ay tumama ulit iyon sa gitna.

"Bulls eye" Klent shouted and clap his hands. Tiningnan ko din ang iba at ganon din ang ginagawa. Tuwang tuwa ang mga kaibigan ko and also Raz. He even give me a standing ovation whenever I hit ang gitna.

"You can do it, Zari.." I whispered to myself the MC announce the winning team. Magkadikit lang ang score namin ng Hestrige Academy. Sa pag kakatanda ko sa school na iyon din galing ang grupong nakalaban namin ng nakaraang taon. Hindi na ako nagtaka kung dikitan ang laban ngayon palang. Malamang sa malamang ay pinaghandaan na nila kami.

"Congrats.." A girl from Hestrige Academy told me. "Good luck to the both of us" She smiled sweetly.

I just gave her a sweet smile also acknowledging the sweet message that she gave me. Pumwesto na ulit kami kasama ang isa pang School na pasok din sa finals. This would be an eliminatuon round.

Dito na madedetermine kung sino ang mag haharap sa finals. The target become 3 times malayo samin kesa kanina. I couldn't lie sobrang nakakakaba na.

But I still manage to hit 4 bulls eye and a 2 that equivalent to 9. Not bad. The MC announces na pasok ako sa finals and also the Hestrige girl. We have a minute to make pahinga. The girls come towards me.

"I told you, you're so galing" Chandria said.

"Thanks Chandria" I smiled.

"Hestrige nanaman kalaban natin.." Xianee said.

"Malamang sa malamang no, they make handa na. As if naman they would win against us." Chandria said.

"We can't be sure. That's why we need to be more focused" Verena said.

The boys also decided to come towards me Raz immediately gave me a bottled of gatorade. Tiningnan ko pa ang paligid ko dahil baka mahalata nila. They seems not bother sa ginawa ni Raz. Maybe I was overthinking. Kinuha ko iyon ans smiled at him.

"Wow, you did great Zari." Klent said habang tinatapik ang balikat ko.

"Thank you Klent, but can I request to you guys?" I said. They shifted their attention to me.

"What is it?" Zach said paying attention also.

"I want every one to be quite sana, I easily get nervous and distructed when I hear someone shouting." Agad naman binatukan ni Rad si Klent.

"It was you, dummy!" Rad said.

"Sorry na, I was just happy" Klent explaining habang hinihimas ang ulo nitong binatukan ni Rad.

"Kuya!" Chandria suddenly shouted.

"Why?" All of us gets confused by the suddent pag sigaw ni Chandria.

"Ahh wala.. let's go na nga mag stastart na" Chandria blushed a bit bago siya nag walk out saamin. Klent seems to be shocked but just follow them. Nagulat din ako kung bakit siya sumigaw. What happen ba?

"I know that you can win this, babe. Just focus on the target and if you hear any noise or feel mo kinakabahan at naguguluhan ka just look at me."

"Huh?" I asked confused.

"Ganon ang ginagawa ko whenever magulo ang utak ko. I just looked at you and all of a sudden I became calm." He pat my head at umalis na dahil magsisimula na nga ang laban in a minute.

Ng makaalis si Raz ay pabalik na sana ako sa pwesto ko ng biglang lumapit si Luis. I didn't pansin na he's just around. Hindi ko na din siya naisip dahil sa ang dami nang natakbo sa utak ko. He stood in front of me malapit sa kung saan nakalagay ang mga bow namin.

"Zari.. sorry nga pala sa nangyare kagabi.." I wanted to cut him off pero nag patuloy siya. "Wait.. wala akong masmang intention Zari. I just wanted to say goodluck please usap tayo"

"Luis.. please. Not today, I need to get through this." I said. Lalo lang ako na fufrustrate na ginagawa ni Luis. Imagine I'm in a middle of competition and he wanted to have a conversation.

"Sige pag bibigyan kita, I-checheer muna kita ngayon, pero mamaya usap tayo ha. Kailangan natin to, Zari"

Naguguluhan na ako sa sinasbi niya I was about to answer him when Raz butt in.

"Didn't they tell you to not go near her, specially right now. It was an important competition." He said coldly.

"Raz.." I said softly tiningnan niya ako at babahagyang kumalma "Luis, you can go pease"

Umalis din naman si Luis. Nag lakad siya papuntang crowd. Pansin ko din na nakatayo na sa kani kanilang upuan sila Zach. I just signaled them that everythings okay by giving them thumbs up.

"Is that you're boyfriend?" The woma from Hestrige asked. "He's hot" Hindi pa ako nakakatango ay sinundan na agad niya ako ng ganon. Hindi ko alam kung anong magiging reaction ko sa bigla niyang pagsabi.

Hindi na din ako nakapagsalita dahil umalis naman siya kaagad at pumwesto na sa pwesto niya. Naginit ng ulo ko at aaminin ko sobrang nawala na ako sa focus lalo na dahil sa ginawa din ni Luis na pag lapit.

"He's hot my ass" Medyo napalakas ata iyon at napansin kong napalingon siya bago pang asar na ngumiti.

"Do you want to play a bet?" She said.Hindi ako sumasagot at tiningnan ko lang siya.

"Who ever wins the game, would have a one night stand to that hottie." Tiningnan ko siya ng masama. Minsan lang ako magalit madalas ay nauunawaan ko talaga ang mga tao sa paligid ko. Pero itong babaeng to hindi ko alam kung bakit ganito to. Ang landi ha.

"I'm not in a mood with bullshit, okay?"

"Why? are you scared?" She said provoking me.

"Why would I be scared of you?"

"I don't know, maybe because of three things?"

"What the f**k is that 3 things?"

"first, scared that I can beat you. Second, scared that I may be hotter than you? angel. And last but not the least is scared because maybe your boyfriend is not loyal as you think?" She just smiled. Tiningnan pa niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa bago nag panggap na inaantok. Am I too boring to you? Fine let me show you kung sino ang magaling between the two of us.

"You cannot win against me. You are nothing compared to me" I said with full of confident. "I bet" She smiled full of satisfaction in my face. Alam ko naman kasi na kahit matalo ako ay hindi siya papatulan ni Raz so b***h you better back off. Tiningnan ko si Raz at pansin agad niya na may kung anong bumabagabag saakin. Tinitigan ko siya and smiled to assured him that I was okay.

Sinimulan ko nang tingnan ang target. I didn't pay attention much. Tinira ko nalang ng tinira ang lahat ng bow na nasaakin. I am confident that it's all bulls eye. When the MC announces that I won. I looked at the girl na nakipag pusthan saakin.

"I told you not to try me" I said. She just laughed.

"Wag pakampante." she replied. Nanginit ako sa sinabi niyang iyon kaya dali dali akong lumapit kay Raz at hinatak ito para hinalikan siya sa labi. I kissed him as if no ones around. She was so shocked but then kissed me back. Ng lumayo ako sakanya ay natauhan ako sa ginawa ko.

"Ano yan Zari victory kiss?" Klent said kahit kailan wala talagang magandang sinabi to.

"What the f**k is that?" Chandria asked "Is that a new way of announcing your relationship guys?"

Tahimik lang ang iba at natatawa. Ako naman ay nagulat pa din sa ginawa ko. Gusto ko pang mag private ng relationship pero ako din naman pala ang maglalantad.

"My girlfriend needs to rest. Hatid ko lang sa cabin niya we'll go later sa meeting area."

"Go on bro, I think the meeting will be canceled. Just see you later for dinner." Rad said while clinging to his girlfriend.

"Congrats, Zari. Rest first and we'll see you later" Zach said.

Everyone just waved their hands. Kumaway nalang din ako sakanila. Hindi pa din ako nag sasalita kasi I was still shock sa mga pinag gagagawa ko. Bahala na basta alam na ng buong campus kung anong meron saamin ni Raz and that's okay. Pag uwi namin galing camp ay sa parents ko naman sasabihin ito.