Apricity

Chapter 3

Name

"Basketball?"

I placed my phone on speaker as I dry my face with a towel.

"Yup, Dea. That's what Aysen came up with. Apparently, our City has an annual basketball league and the prize money for the winning teams are surprisingly big."

"Gaano kalaki? Kung liga lang ay hindi ako sigurado kung magiging sapat 'yon para sa tuition fee ni Elcid sa isang buong taon,"

Tuyo na ang mukha ko kaya't dinampot ko na ang phone at inoff ang loud speakers. Nilapit ko iyon sa tainga habang papalabas ng bathroom.

"I know, yun din ang concern ko nung una. But as it turns out, the local government unit greatly supports the sports division. They fund it generously kaya't malaki ang premyo,"

I think Adea is somehow aware of how our LGU prioritizes sports given that she's a long-time player.

"Ang sabi ni Aysen, mataas ang chance na makalikom tayo ng malaking halaga lalo pa't may ilang games munang pagdadaanan bago ang mismong finals. Sa bawat round ay may consolation kaya't walang talo!"

"Well.. okay, let's say the amount of money is preferable.. Pero kailan ba magsisimula ang liga? Malapit na ang pasukan. Aabot pa ba yung premyo sa darating na enrollment?"

"Actually.. we also thought about the same thing... Sa ngayon, ang target ay mailaan ang kikitain para sa second semester— that being the earliest possible choice." I sat on my bed. "That's the plan. Atleast, imbes na isang taon o higit pa ay isang sem lang ang maaapektuhan sa pag-aaral ni Elcid,"

Natagalan pa bago tuluyang makumbinsi roon si Adea. She always thinks critically. Matapos niyang timbangin ang mga bagay nang ilang sandali ay bumuntong-hininga siya.

"You think the guys would agree though? They're not into playing basketball,"

"Si Cal at Davion lang naman ang hindi mahilig. Si Elcid, I saw him play before. He's good!" wika ko.

"Well, goodluck on that. Duda akong papayag yung dalawa,"

"You think so?"

"Yeah," she breathed out. "They won't do something they're not good at." I can imagine her rolling her eyes. "Palibhasa mga pasikat,"

Nagpatuloy siya. "Cal would rather dance than do anything else. At isa pa, baka maging abala na rin iyon dahil babalik na sa training niya sa agency,"

Cal got scouted a year ago but I don't think his training starts again real soon. He hasn't mentioned about that.

"And Davion?" singhap niya. "Don't even get me started—"

Sa kabila ng mga alinlangan ni Adea ay sinubukan ko pa ring kausapin ang dalawa tungkol dito.

Surprisingly, Cal easily agreed.

Cal:

no big deal, einj. just give me the point guard position tho

Cal:

kasi kung gagawin nyo kong shooter, salamat na lang sa lahat

I chuckled at his message. Calcifer is tall but he sucks when it comes to shooting. Para sakin, he's not that bad naman. Sadyang hindi lang kasi sila naglalaro ng basketball kaya't hindi nahahasa. Kulang sa practice at familiarity kung baga.

I smiled after one successful recruitment. I knew it. Madali naman talagang kausap si Cal. Nag-overthink lang si Adea.

Pero kung naging mabilis lang ang pag-kumbinsi kay Cal, kabaliktaran naman ang nangyari kay Davion. If Adea's right, then the reason must really be because he values his image that much! He won't agree to do something if he knows he won't stand out.

Kahit anong pilit ko ay puro kalokohan lang ang reply nya.

Davion:

yoko nga

Davion:

kahit patayin nyo pa ko

Sa huling bahagi ng usapan namin ay batid kong nang-aasar na lamang sya kaya't pinaubaya ko na kay Aysen ang pagkumbinsi sa kanya.

Hindi ko alam kung paano siya napapayag ni Aysen pero mabilis naman siyang sumang-ayon nang ito na ang kumausap. Ugh, I knew it! Trip nya lang talagang mang-inis!

Elcid was quite taken aback when we told him about it. The idea stunned him a bit.

But he was certainly more open to discuss it compared to our previous offers. At the end of the day, we were able to fortunately convince him about it!

"Vball training na rin namin next week. Baka hindi na 'ko masyadong makatulong sa conditioning phase nyo," dismayadong wika ni Adea.

"It's fine." Elcid assured her. "Just focus on your practices,"

"I agree, Dea. Don't worry," I smiled cheekily. "I'll be their manager!" deklara ko.

"We have one more problem though,"

Napaharap kami kay Aysen.

"Kailangan natin ng atleast 6 players para makapag-register." he said. "Lima pa lang tayo kasama si Aki,"

We all decided to contact some of our university friends and ask if they can join the team. Madali namang naresolba iyon dahil may kakilala si Cal na agad ding pumayag.

Nang dumating ang araw ng registration ay maaga akong gumising dahil kami ni Elcid ang nakatakdang mag-asikaso noon.

"Daan muna tayo sa court. Kukunin ko pala kay Cal yung full name ng friend nya." wika ko kay Elcid. He's the one driving my car.

Naabutan namin doon ang boys kasama si Rae at Adea. Bukas ang alis ni Dea kaya't sinusulit na niya ang panahon.

Pagpasok pa lang namin sa bungad ng court ay nakaharap na sila sa gawi namin. Marahil narinig ang pagdating ng sasakyan.

"Damn Einj, ba't naka-beret ka na naman?" Cal teased. "What are you? A painter?"

Humalakhak siya habang ginagalaw ang nasa ulo ko. "Kala ko ba manager?"

While I love wearing beret, Cal loves making fun of it. Pero hindi naman ako naaasar. I'm just really obsess with the different styles of it. This one I got from Paris pa.

"Shut up, Cal. I don't let anyone tell me I'm overdressed," I faked a sharp attitude then fixed my hair.

"Right," Adea backed me up. "Let people enjoy things, Calcifer. Whatever they wear, that's their business,"

"Luh joke lang eh," napangiwi si Cal. "Mga babae talaga... lahat na lang ginagawang away,"

Kung hindi pa namin namalayan ang oras ay malamang nagtagal pa kami sa court. Buti na lang ay nakaalis naman kami sa wastong oras matapos makuha ang pakay roon.

Maluwag ang daloy ng trapiko kaya't hindi kami nahuli sa pupuntahan.

I was already filling up the forms when my phone rang.

Cal is calling...

Agad ko iyong sinagot.

"Einj! Bad news!"

Nakatutok sakin ang mga mata ni Elcid.

Kusang bumilis ang t***k ng puso ko.

"What? Why? What happened?"

"May good news din. What do you want to hear first?"

"Calcifer are you being serious? Stop fooling around! Kinakabahan ako sayo,"

Elcid is now mouthing a 'what's wrong?' at me.

"I'm serious! Good news muna or bad news?"

I bit my lip. "Fine. Good news first,"

"Bad news muna? Alright."

Nanlaki ang mata ko. This ass! "Wha—"

"Nagbackout yung kakilala ko. Something came up so he can't make it to the team,"

Nalaglag ang panga ko.

"Ready for the good news?"

Ni hindi niya na rin naman ako binigyan ng pagkakataong makapagsalita.

"Nakahanap agad kami ng pamalit."

I almost shut my eyes close in relief.

"Alright! Give me the name then,"

Hinanda ko ang papel at panulat upang agad na maisulat ang sasabihin niya.

"Caspian Alister M. Severo." aniya. "That's the name,"