Fated Souls

XVII.

"Why do you look so sad?" A little guy asked and sat at the swing beside me.

"Nothing. You don't have to know." I said and looked at the other side. I'm not crying, I'm just sad.

"Do you play those well?" He asked again pertaining to my roller skates.

"I won't bring them here if I don't."

I heard him chuckled.

"I also have those. Do you want to play with me?"

I looked at him because he won't leave me and he's asking a lot of questions.

"If you're good at them, then I will." I said.

He told me to wait and he will get his rollers and I just sat there. I don't expect him to come back, I just don't want to go home yet because I'm not in the mood to do so.

"Here. Let's go?" He said.

I wore my roller skates and he lend a hand but I didn't accept it.

"I can handle it." I said and started skating but I lost balance. He held my arm quickly before I could fall.

To be honest, I don't really know how to use them. I just told him that I do because I want him to leave me alone.

"I thought you know how to use them?" He said while smiling. "I'll teach you then." He said and helped me to control them.

He thought me how to use them until I can control them and just played there for who knows how long.

"What's your name?" The little guy asked while we're sitting at the swings and taking a break.

"They call me Ice." I answered.

"Why Ice?"

"Because it's somehow connected to my name and my personality." I answered and stood up.

"I'll go home now." I said and left while using my roller skates he thought me how to use.

Keziah's POV

"Edi saan nga kasi tayo bibili ng bikini?" Saph asked us habang naglalakad sa may hallway.

"Ano bang bikini kasi? Wag mong sabihing magpapaka Sam Pinto ka sa staycation." Cali replied.

"Bakit hindi ba pwede yon?"

"Pwede, pero wag na. Mamaya mag si alis lahat ng mga nagbabakasyon don kapag nakita ka."

"Edi pumikit sila." Sagot naman niya kaya natatawang umiling na lang ako. Sa sabado na kasi yung staycation kaya kung ano ano na naman ang mga naiisip ni Saph.

Papunta kami ngayon sa locker room para magpalit dahil p.e namin.

"Ang sabi ni Mr. Torres soccer lalaruin natin." Sabi ko sa kanila.

"Naman oh. Mamaya paa ko lumipad imbes na bola ah." Sabi ni Saph na habang kumukuha ng damit sa locker niya.

Nang matapos kaming mag palit na ay pumunta na kami sa field. I just pony my long black her habang si Cali ay tinali lang ng mababa ang mid length niyang buhok na my curtain bangs, while Saph just wore a sports headband.

Nang makarating na kami sa field ay nag w'warm up na yung iba.

"Aba, varsity din pala yung mokong na yon?" Asked Cali.

"Sino?" Tanong ko naman at tinuro niya si Elijah na naka soccer uniform katulad ng sa soccer team ng school.

He's playing the ball with his feet and I was just looking at him.

"Huy." Tusok naman ni Saph sa tagiliran ko kaya napatingin ako sa kanya. "Tara na sabi, nandon na si Mr. Torres." She said and pointed at Mr. Torres na pinagigitnaan na ng mga kaklase namin.

Sumunod naman ako sa kanila ni Cali at nakinig kay Mr. Torres.

"Oh, si Thane yon diba?" Tanong ni Saph at tinuro si Thane na naka soccer uniform din.

"So students, we will have varsity players from our soccer team to help us on this activity. Elijah Evans, that is actually your classmate, and Thane Ruiz." Mr. Torres said at itong Saph pakaway kaway pa kay Thane na akala mo sampung taon na silang magkakilala.

"Can you stop waving your hand? Nahihilo ako sayo." Sabi ni Zeke na nasa tabi pala ni Saph at binaba ang kamay niya.

"Hahatiin natin ang klase sa dalawang grupo. After this activity, the winning team will have the perfect score and for the loosing team it'll be a fair grading. Pwede rin kayong pumili ng makakagrupo ninyo but you have to make sure that both team have the equal members." Paliwanag ni Mr. Torres. Bumuo na kami ng grupo at magkakasama kami nina Cali at kasali rin sina Chase at lima pa naming mga kaklase because the other one will be our guide.

"Since you are now settled, Team A will be your team, Mr. Montecillo, and Team B will be you guys," turo niya sa kabilang grupo. "For Team A we will have Mr. Ruiz as your guide and Mr. Evans for the Team B." Sabi ulit ni Mr. Torres nang matapos kaming bumuo ng grupo.

"What? Can't I be on the Team A?" Prostesta ni Elijah.

"I'm sorry, but it seems like magkakasama ang mga kaibigan mo sa kabila, so to be balance, let Team B have you." Wala namang nagawa si Elijah kaya hindi na lang siya nagreklamo pa.

Naglaro na ng mga bola sina Cali and Saph kasama sina Chase at Zeke kaya kumuha na rin ako ng bola malapit sa goal.

Nang kukuhanin ko na ang bola ay may humawak din dito. I looked at the person who was about to stole my prescious ball.

"Do you know how to play this?" Thane asked kaya binitawan ko na ang bola tsaka niya kinuha.

"Of course, I can." Pagsisinungaling ko. Badminton ang sports ko at hindi naman niraraketa ang bola rito.

"Okay. Let's start." He said kaya sumunod naman ako.

Habang pabalik kami kung nasaan sina Cali, Thane asked me.

"Hindi ka na ba ginulo ng mga yon?" Pertaining the bastards.

"Nope, I'm good. Thank you nga pala, I forgot to say that to you nung araw na yon because I can't focus." I said.

"You're sure welcome. But don't do that again."

"What?"

"Sasama na lang bigla just because I told you that we'll look for the bastards."

"O-Oh... Okay, I won't." I said tsaka naman siya ngumiti.

"I still don't know your name." He said and stopped walking.

"I'm Keziah. Zia for short." I said kaya naman he offered me a hand and I'm about to shake mine with his nang may tumamang bola sa kamay niya.

"My bad, bro! Sorry!" Elijah said at tumakbo papunta sa may mga bola to get a new one. Nakangiting binawi na lang ni Thane ang kamay and started walking again.

"Thane, it's been a while." Sabi naman ni Saph pagkalapit namin.

""Yeah. How's it?"

"You know them?" Zeke asked.

"Tanga, siya yung tumulong kay Zia noon." Si Saph.

"Oo, alam ko. Sinabi ko bang hindi?"

"Whatever. But yeah, everything's doing well." Sagot ni Saph kay Thane sa tanong niya kanina.

"Good. So, let's start?" Thane asked and he started to teach us the basics.

Nang maging okay na sinubukan naming maglaro ng mga ka team namin para makapag practice at maka goal.

"Zia! Do it!" Sabi ni Cali kaya naman sinipa ko nang malakas yung bola pero imbes na sa goal pumunta tumabingi 'to at lumihis. Napahampas sa noo sina Chase at sina Cali at natawa naman si Thane.

"I thought you know how to play this?" He said and came towards me. "I'll teach you then." He said at pinosisyon niya ang bola sa may paanan ko.

"Ayon ang goal, so you have to kick the ball with your leg strength but you should know how to control." He said.

"Can I?" He asked and I nodded kaya hinawakan niya ang kanang binti ko and swing it as if telling me how to kick the ball.

"Just like that. Try it."

I tried it at na goal naman that's why he smiled at me ang messed up my hair. Inayos ko na lang yon at hinayaan na lang siya.

Nang maayos na kami ay sinabi kami Mr. Torres na magsisimula na.

We decided that Chase will be our goal keeper since he's an ice hockey varsity but he refused to do so. Gusto raw niya ma try ang soccer so we let him kaya si Zeke na lang ang goal keeper. 

Pumwesto na kami para magsimula and Elijah is looking at me intently kaya iniwasan ko ang tingin niya.

"Ganyan pala game face on ni Elijah. Ampanget niya gagu." Sabi ni Cali kaya tumawa sila ni Saph.

Nang magsimula kami ay na kay Cali ang bola we we're just running papunta sa goal namin.

Cali then passed the ball to Saph na sinipa naman niya papunta kay Thane. He just then run habang nasa kanya ang bola at iniiwasan ang mga kalaban and kicked it at pumasok sa goal. We started again and Thane is our ace, of course.

Na agaw ni Elijah ang bola kay Saph and Saph shouted, "Luh, daya, Elijah!" tsaka pa siya tumayo at nagpamewang. Anong madaya ron? Sira ulo.

"Huy ano ka ba, tara na." I said and we ran towards them.

Thane tried to get the ball para mabawi namin but Elijah is fast and turn the other way and got the ball again. Sinipa nang malakas ni Elijah ang bola and Zeke tried to catch it but he failed.

"Anak ng- Zeke! Naman oh." Sabi ni Saph at nilapitan pa si Zeke at hinampas siya.

"Aray! Bakit ba?! E sa hindi ko nga nakuha e. Ikaw dito oh, ikaw." Sabi niya at tinutulak pa si Saph sa may tabi ng net.

"Ayaw ko, ikaw na." Sabi niya tsaka na siya umalis.

We started the next round and Chase got the ball kaya tumakbo siya pabalik sa goal namin. He was about to kick it para ipasa kay Cali but Elijah got it again. Thane followed Elijah and tried to get back the ball and so he did.

"Damn it! I told you to guard him!" Elijah shouted sa kaklase namin.

"Chill, bro. It's just a game, it's fine." Chase said nang daanan si Elijah. We continued playing until our team won. Naka upo kami sa may bleacher nina Saph when Thane approached us.

"Good game, ladies. I hope you can watch our game." He said.

"Sure. Just let us know." I answered.

"You're really good at replacing me, ladies, don't you?" Elijah asked.

"Lij, treat me a cake then I won't replace you." Sagot ni Saph bago umiinom ng tubig at pinisil yon ni Elijah kaya tumapon sa kanya.

"Gag- nalunod ako ron!" Tsaka niya pinagsusuntok si Elijah. Umiiwas lang naman siya habang tinatawanan si Saph.

Kinuha naman ni Elijah yung hawak ni Saph at itinapon yon kay Cali na nakaupo sa gilid kaya hinabol siya ni Cali but pour her drink as well kay Saph na tumatawa nung madaanan niya.

"Huy guys! Hindi ba kayo napapagod?! Mapapagalitan kayo niyan e!" I said habang naghahabulan sila sa field.

"Just let the kids play." Sabi namin ni Chase at umupo habang umiinom at pinapanood sina Elijah na nagtatawanan.

"So, they're your friends?" Thane asked.

"Yeah. Unfortunately." I said and chuckled.

"Well, at least you have them." I looked at him.

"Anyway, I'll get going, may klase pa ako. I'll see you around, Keziah." He said and pat my head. Nagpaalam din siya kina Zeke at tinanguan naman siya so he started walking away. Pinanood ko naman sina Cali habang naiiling nang namali siya ng hakbang at natumba.

"s**t!" Chase ra towards her kaya sumunod din kami ni Zeke.

Pagdating namin don they were just laughing kaya napatayo ng maayos si Chase at napamasahe sa sentido niya. Alala yan?

"Tumigil na nga kayo. You should've stop them," he told to us. "Kaya kung ano anong mga nangyayari sa inyo e. Let's go." He said and walked away maybe to shower. Tumayo naman si Cali at naglakad na rin kami paalis ng field.

"Parang kanina lang sabi niya 'just let the kids play' pero ngayon parang kami pa mali na hindi namin kayo inawat." Pagrereklamo ni Zeke kaya natawa kami.

I stopped walking and was about to tell Elijah that he was good at playing soccer pero nang humarap ako sa kanya he just avoid my gaze and walked nang hindi man lang ako nililingon.

"Problema non?" I asked my self and just continued walking para mahabol sila.