Russia Ocampo and her choice

Chapter 12

Last Day of Student Week

Girls Volleyball Championship

Department of Engineering and Architecture vs Department of Education

Student week is an event where students showcase their talents, skills and intelligence in different programs. I’m playing volleyball. We only have a few girls in our department, so when our seniors asked me to play with them, I said yes. I still can’t believe that we reached the championship game when we didn’t have enough time to practice.

The captain called us. She’s an Industrial Engineering Student. She’s a great opposite hitter. She can defend quite well. I also like the color of our jersey, the other reason why I joined. Hahahaha, it’s a combination of red, black and white.

“Let’s enjoy another game. Win or lose, what’s important is we give our best.”

Our captain and we all shouted in agreement.

“1..2..3.. Fighting!!”

Yeah, our cheer is just simple. What matters is what play we will show. I saw the varsity basketball team in the audience. Kuya Paxton told me that they’re going to support me since we're in the same department anyway. They’re done with their basketball game against the Business and Accountancy Department and are hailed as champions. I smiled and waved at them.

“Go, Russia!!! Go! Go! Russia!!”

They even danced while holding a banner. Gosh, they’re so embarrassing. I should have stopped Kuya Paxton from supporting me. But what can I do? They’re here already, being crazy. I looked at someone who was looking at me intently. I smiled at him sweetly. Kuya Paxton stood in front of Tristan to intercept our eye contact, tssk.

I turned my back to them and waited for the facilitator to call us one by one. We either give them our family name or just our name, our choice, which I like more. Of course, not everyone watched Asia’s department last week, so I want to keep it that way. So the name on the back of my jersey is Russia and not Ocampo.

The other team's starting lineup is called one by one, followed by ours. Of course, I’m also a starter in our team. My position is outside hitter. What can I say? I’m still an Ocampo. I’m good at sports as well. Hahahaha.

We’ll be receiving first, nice. The sound of the whistle is heard. The server jumped and hit the ball so hard, but our libero was good, she received it with ease. Our setter looked at me and I, without warning, jumped as soon as the ball was set for me. I spiked the ball strongly enough to bounce it towards the scorer after it hit the right corner of the opponent’s court.

Everyone went silent, digesting what had just happened. Our attack was fast and strong, just what the captain wanted. She wants the opponent team to be taken aback. She wants us to have the advantage. I know it’s clever. That’s why I kind of like our captain. I winked at our setter, and she just shook her head at me while smiling.

Then we heard everyone cheering. The loudest are from Kuya Paxton and his gang. The game continued, some of my spikes were received or blocked, but I scored most of them. The current score is 19-17. We are leading. The other team called for a time-out. They wanted to stop our moment and not want us to score 20 first. I hurriedly sat on the bench, gosh I am tired from jumping and spiking. Our captain gave me my water.

“You did great in that first spike, Russia.”

She said and tapped my head lightly.

“Thanks, Cap.”

She nodded at me. I drank water and leaned on the bench after. I looked up and closed my eyes when I suddenly felt cold water pouring on my face.

“s**t!”

I cursed and stood up immediately. I looked down at my clothes. I am soaked.

“What the hell? Who poured water on me?”

I shouted and looked up. I saw a woman ferociously looking at me. The holes in her nose are getting bigger with anger.

“You deserve it! Paxton is mine. How dare you try to seduce him?”

Fuck! Me? Seducing Paxton? Is she out of her mind?

Kuya Paxton ran towards the woman, and he pushed her hard, which made the woman flop on the floor. He looked at me apologetically. Tristan gave me his jacket, which I accepted.

“Kuya Paxton, control your fans. Please! This is one of the reasons why I want to hide our connection.”

I told him seriously. Our coach asked me if I was okay and I said yes. I’m really okay, just wet.

“Wait, Kuya? But you only have one younger sister and Asia’s not even calling you Kuya. Who is she, Paxton?”

The crazy woman stood up and even demanded an explanation from Kuya Paxton? The nerve of this lady. I asked our middle blocker if I could have her water and she said yes. I removed the lid of my and her water bottle. I asked Tristan to lift me up so I could stand in front of the woman. Tristan easily lifted me like he didn’t feel a slight weight. It’s embarrassing, but I want to do something. I stood between Kuya Paxton and the woman. I’m facing her, so it was easy for me to do the next thing that happened. I poured the two bottles of water to her.

Huh! You think I won’t get even?

“What is wrong with you?”

She shouted and tried to scratch me, but I kicked her leg. She limped. I just looked at her mockingly.

“That would make you remember who I am. As an act of mercy for your foolishness, I’ll introduce myself to you. I am Russia Marie Ocampo.”

She looks like she saw a ghost. I raised an eyebrow at her while my arms were akimbo.

“Ocampo? You’re an Ocampo? Gosh, what have I done? Paxton, forgive me. I didn’t know.”

Kuya Paxton looked at her coldly.

“There’s nothing to forgive, because you are nothing to me anyway. I don’t even know you, you didn’t exist to me. And continue to do so and leave my family out of your dirty hands.”

I never saw Kuya Paxton this cold. He looks so freaking cool right now. I’m so proud of him. The woman ran out crying.

“Now, what are we going to do with your clothes? You can’t continue playing like this.”

I also looked at my clothes when Kuya Paxton said this. I touch my clothes.

“Yeah, my top is wet but not my shorts.”

“Here! Use this.”

Tristan is handing out a top, an engineering jersey as well. Actually, all of us engineering players have the same jersey designs. So the basketball team and us are the same.

“Don’t worry, it’s clean. I had two pairs, so this is an extra, and you can use it if you want.”

“Okay, thanks.”

I looked at Kuya Paxton to see if it was okay. He nodded.

“Lucky bastard. Why didn’t I bring an extra today?”

I shrugged. Kuya Paxton called Ren and the others. They formed a circle with me in the center.

“Hey! You turned around as well, Tristan.”

I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling. Tristan is smiling as well while turning around. All of them now had their backs on me. I removed my top and changed into Tristan’s.

“I’m okay now. Thanks, guys.”

They just nodded at me. I went back to the court. I bowed and apologized to my teammates, coach, opponent's team, opponent’s coach, staff and to the referees.

“So you’re an Ocampo?”

I just nodded at our Captain.

“Should we call you Ocampo or Guzman?”

Our setter is obviously teasing me.

“Please, don’t tease me. I don't want to be the reason that we’ll lose the game.”

They just laughed at me. The game resumed. We won the first set by 25-20. We exchanged courts and played again.

We are halfway through the second set, with us still in the lead. I’m serving. I spun the ball in my hands when the referee whistled and signaled me to serve. I am a little confident with my jump serve. I threw the ball in the air, I jumped and hit the ball with full force. The ball swiftly landed on the other side of the court.

“Service Ace!!! The first service ace from this game. Who would have thought that Guzman could serve that strongly?”

The commentator said. I blushed at the name he mentioned.

“She’s an Ocampo!!!”

I heard Paxton shout. Everyone laughed.

“I’m just reading what’s written on the jersey, my bad.”

The commentator playfully responded. I’m so embarrassed. I looked at Tristan, and he was giving the commentator a thumbs up while Paxton was glaring at him.

I shook my head. I serve again and it’s another service ace.

“Looks like our server is inspired.”

The commentator is teasing me again. I just want this game to end. I looked at Tristan again, and he was looking at me as well. He smiled widely at me and winked. I just looked away. I just hope the others won’t learn about this or else, I’ll be damned. I think it's a good thing that my brother and cousins don't really care about gossip, so even if the students talk about what happened right now, they won't bother listening to it.

I served again and this time, the other team’s libero received it. The game continued intensely. I forgot about the teasing and was so focused on the game.

It’s now a match point for us. If we don’t get this point, we’ll end up in deuce. I don’t want that to happen, it’ll be exhausting. It’s the opponent's serve, and our captain received it perfectly. The setter and I exchanged looks again, and I jumped before she could set the ball. As soon as she touched the ball, she tossed it to me and I spiked it. It was so fast that the other team’s blockers were not yet ready when I hit the ball.

My teammates ran towards me and hugged me. I’m panting and sweating hard. I want a shower right now.

“Team Educ, you should have worn your boyfriend’s jersey as well.”

I thought the commentator was done teasing me, tssk. I just ignored it. I congratulated my teammates and coach.

“Girls, let me congratulate my ‘girlfriend’ as well.”

I heard Tristan’s voice behind me. I turned around to face him. He looks handsome with his hand behind his head rubbing his nape. So he feels embarrassed as well, huh?

“Who’s your girlfriend? Do you have a girlfriend? Why didn’t you introduce her to us?”

Paxton bumped into Tristan. He put his arm on Tristan’s shoulder and I saw how he squeezed Tristan’s shoulder. Their other teammates also congratulated me. I just said thank you to them.

“I’m just going to change.”

I just waved my hand while walking away.

I took a quick shower, changed into my clothes. I looked at Tristan’s jersey in my hand. I smiled like a fool. Who would have thought that we'd have this kind of moment? And who would have thought that I'd let a man in my life like this?

I shook my head and softly slapped my cheeks to wake myself. Enough, Russia. I went back to where Kuya Paxton and his gang were.

“I’ll just wash your jersey before I give it back.”

I said to Tristan while waving the shirt.

“It’s fine. My shirt has just found its owner.”

Gosh, does he really have to be this thick-faced?

“Owner, my ass.”

Kuya Paxton snatched the shirt from my hand and threw it into Tristan’s face. He then put his arm on my shoulder and dragged me away.

“We’re going home. I don’t want Tristan to see my cousin even just a minute more.”

I was about to look back when he held my head firmly and stopped me from looking back. He glared at me. I just looked straight and let him drag me towards his car.